2024年9月27日 星期五

You Can Make Magic - The Making of Harry Potter Tokyo



There is a frequent question about The Making of Harry Potter - Whether it is worth to visit if I am not Harry Potter Fans? I can simply answer, "Absolutely Yes!"

August 26, 2024 (Sunny) Tokyo Family Trip Day 2

When I planned my trip, I tend to put the theme park activities in the first three days of our itinerary.

Firstly, the children have more energy in the first several days of the journey. Secondly, even if there was adverse weather that influenced outdoor activities, we still have several days in our itinerary for re-schedule.

For Japanese theme park tickets, no matter which platform you purchase, the price is not much different. Therefore, I purchased the tickets via the official website because there is the earliest time slot that can be chosen (9:00 am). Moreover, the tickets are released earlier than other purchasing platforms, but there are no packages that come with a one-day railway pass.


However, I would like to remind you in advance that there is no on-site ticket purchase at the Making of Harry Potter Tokyo. If you plan to visit, you must first bought the tickets.

Harry Potter Studios located in Toshimaen Station, where is actually quite close to Ikebukuro. It takes less than 30 minutes to get there by taking the Seibu Ikebukuro Line.

(Friendly Reminder: Google Map's guidance is to get off at Nerima Station, but according to online information, the correct location is at the last station - Toshimaen Station.)

The decoration on the platform of Toshimaen Station is in Harry Potter style.

Just follow the direction of the crowd as soon as you exit Toshimaen Station. Please remember to bring an umbrella with you during the rainy season, as this 5-minute walking distance is completely outdoor.

There are so many lockers nearby the entrance.

The staff at the venue mainly provide commentary in Japanese, but I personally think that there is no need to pay for a translator. The body language of the staff is quite clear for the visitors to understand.

After passing the translator counter, there is a big lobby. On the left hand side is the souvenir shop. On the right is the restaurant. The door in the middle is the entrance to the venue. 

Therefore, it is recommended that you arrive half an hour earlier than your reservation time. Go to the souvenir shop on the left first to buy some dressing and tools for taking photos. It would be better for your time management.


This is the floor plan of the studio. The entrance is at the bottom of the map. The tour route will proceed in a anti-clockwise direction, and the exit is linked with the souvenir shop.
Therefore, the tour is simple, just follow the visiting route without turning back.

The layout of the shop is actually detailed and eye catching. It definitely stimulate tourists' desire to buy more.





I am impressed by this fan-shaped array of magic wands. Each character has his own magic wand. 
I let the kids choose one - They chose "Hagrid".

The shop offers name-engraving services for some magic wands, but not for all kinds. 
 It’s recommended to check with the staff first before you purchase, but I would prefer any name engraved. (There is no name-engraving services for Hagrid one.

(Why Dumbledore’s magic wand is more expensive than Snape’s one? In my impression, the pricing of them are randomly assigned......What I can ensure is Harry’s one is not the most expensive.)


The cabinet are full of magic wands. They are very attractive. However, it is unnecessary to have a wand with you when you visit the studio. It won't affect your tour experience. I personally thought it is good to have one for photos taken. 


After entering the tour venue, the staff will first ask everyone to scan a QR code. 
By this link, you have to enter the information for register. Then there is a QR code sent to your registered email box. 

This QR Code is very important. There are a range of interactive experiences in the tour. Before you participate the interactive attractions, the staff will ask for you to have your barcode scanned. Then all the composite photos and videos created in the attractions will be stored as your own access account for your review. (Undoubtedly you have to pay for these if you would like to take away the files.) 

(There was a technical problem for me to register as my mailbox was full. Fortunately, my wife registered successfully and got the barcode. It is enough to have 1 barcode for the whole family.)




After passing through some photos of classic Harry Potter scenes, we entered the dining hall of Hogwarts School, which is also an important scene in the movie. The first section of the tour route is crowded, but this situation was not last for long time.




The moving staircase 
There is a Selfie set movie experience attraction under the moving staircases.
You can see yourself as a moving portrait on the paintings in the halls. It is so funny.


This is another experience that let you step into the crowd of a Quidditch match.

We sat in places that looked like a law court. Then we followed the staff's instructions to make some cheering, surprised, and facial expressions. 
Afterwards, the following interesting composite video would appear.
(Let see the movie.)


Another experience attraction - make a mask by yourself. (I am not Harry Potter Fans so I had no idea what was that.


Cheers!

I have completed half of the tour, and arrived restaurants' area. One outdoor restaurant mainly sold butter beer and popcorn. Butterbeer is a famous non-alcohol drink here. 
It tastes good and I recommend to share because it is quite filling. 
There is also a cleaning tray next to the cashier so you can clean the cups and take them home as a souvenir.


Another Restaurant - the meal price is almost double of the restaurants in Tokyo.


My daughter said that the owl is an item that we must try. Although it was expensive, both of the taste and outlook was good.

The puff pastry soup was good but really expensive. So I ordered children's meal first. I decide to have another meal when we finished this tour.


The restaurant was connected to an outdoor space, and there were many places worthy of taking pictures. 
However, the hot weather a bit affected the mood of taking pictures.


In chess attraction, Ron sacrificed himself to win. But in the end, he was appeared and still alive. I don't like that kind of happy ending. 


The bus - you can just stand at the tail of the bus for photo and was not allowed to go inside.



We continued our second half, came back to indoor area.


The most important landmark - Platform 9 and ¾.




There was a queue on the left side of the platform for the train. On the other hand, there were a few trolleys on the right side of the platform. No, I should say a few "incomplete" trolleys.

If you regret not buying props to take photos before, you can have another chance at the train station. But the most special souvenir here is waiting in line to pay for an "admission letter" specially sent to you by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.



I have only watched one or two episodes of the Harry Potter movies, so not very impressed by some of the classic scenes. However, I am still appreciated by the seriousness of the production and the fun of the interactive attractions in this tour.


This interactive attraction is funny. We rode a broomstick in front of a green screen.

Then followed the staff's instructions to do different poses. There were a set of animations of sitting on a broom and flying around could be made. Undoubtedly we have to pay for them if we want to keep the films.


With a Barcode and a one-time payment for the whole family (only 5,000-6,000 YEN in my memory), all the movies and photos of interactive attractions in in the studio can be taken home. I thought it is worth to buy.

Shamelessly share my dedicated performance as follow...


(There are movie but it is too embarrassed to share.)









After the last giant campus model (or castle? Actually, I didn’t know.), our Harry Potter trip has come to an end. 
The exit is connected to the souvenir shop on the left when entering.
You may have to spend money once again!





阿仔嘗過奶油啤後意猶未盡，決定另外買四支帶回家。職員的保護包裝很用心，阿仔回港後再飲這支奶油啤，覺得還是現場飲的奶油味較重較好喝。

After trying the butter beer, my son was still unsatisfied and decided to buy four more. The staff was very careful and packed them with protective materials. When he drank this cream beer after returning to Hong Kong, he felt that the one he drank on site has creamier and better taste. 




The entire experience time of Harry Potter Studios: 09:00 - 14:30 (a total of 5.5 hours). 

The time was still early, so we went back to Ikebukuro to put down our wands and set off to the next stop!

- You Can Make Magic - The Making of Harry Potter Tokyo - End - 

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Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 1 - Basic Information and Some Tips for your journey

Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 2 - Preparation with Kids



Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) Part 6 - Harry Porter and His Magic Wand

Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) Part 7 - Our Forbidden Journey

Universal Studio Japan (Osaka) 8 - Universal Wonderland and Others


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