Hogwarts in the Snow Review (2024) – Christmas at Harry Potter Studios!

If you’re a Potterhead and you love seeing Hogwarts at Christmas with scenes like the Yule Ball, then you must visit Hogwarts in the Snow.

It’s an annual event at Harry Potter Studios in London that sees the studio tour transformed into a winter wonderland but it will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. It’s guaranteed to melt even the coldest of Slytherin hearts.

In the festive season, you’ll find all the sets have been decorated and you can even see Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Castle covered in snow. 

It’s a must for any Harry Potter fan and I would add this spectacular winter event to your calendar. 

Here is a detailed Hogwarts in the Snow review with all the magical reasons why you should visit Harry Potter Studios in London at Christmas time!

What is Hogwarts in the Snow at Harry Potter studios?

Hogwarts in the Snow is a show-stopping annual event that sees Harry Potter Studios in London transformed into a festive treat.

Hogwarts Great Hall is decorated to look like the beautiful Yule Ball with blue and silver spangle and there is a Christmas feast on the tables.

Beyond that, all of the sets on the tour are decorated for the festive season and you will even get to see Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Castle covered in a blanket of snow. 

Potterheads will love being able to step into the scenes of Hogwarts at Christmas and there has been no expense spared on decorations! 

When is Hogwarts in the Snow? 

Hogwarts in the Snow at Harry Potter Studios London will take place between the 16th of November 2024 and the 19th of January 2025. 

Tickets for this festive event are very popular and so you should look to book your tickets early in the year if you want to visit in the build-up to Christmas. 

We booked our tickets a few months in advance and even then there seemed to be limited morning spaces available. 

It’s the perfect day out if you have ever wanted to visit Hogwarts at Christmas in the movies and it will leave even the coldest of Slytherin hearts feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. 

Why visit Hogwarts in the Snow London? 

So, most Potterheads will not need much convincing to visit Hogwarts in the Snow. Seeing Hogwarts at Christmas time is a dream for many after reading the books or watching the movies.

But, if you have been to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London before you’re probably wondering ‘what’s different about Hogwarts in the Snow that makes it worth visiting?’.

I’ve been four times now and visited for special events like the Celebration of Slytherin, the Dark Arts at Halloween, and now Hogwarts in the Snow. Every time I am blown away by this tour. 

There are so many magical reasons to re-visit at Christmas during the Hogwarts in the Snow event.

From the incredible decorations, fun festivities, special costumes, and sets sprinkled with snow. Here are all the reasons to visit Harry Potter Studios at Christmas time! 

Magical reasons to visit Hogwarts in the Snow at Harry Potter Studios London

1. Endless Harry Potter Christmas trees

If you thought that Harry Potter Studios would only have one Christmas tree, you’re dead wrong.

I think I counted at least 30 Harry Potter Christmas trees at this event and I think there were probably more.

You’ll find one outside, a Christmas tree in the foyer, a Chocolate Frog Christmas tree, at least 8 in the Great Hall, and many others in the Gryffindor Common Room and The Burrow. 

I think one of my favourites was the Chocolate Frog Christmas Tree outside of the Chocolate Frog Café. It was SO cool with Chocolate Frog boxes, stars, and decor.

Honestly, they spare no expense for these Harry Potter Christmas trees. They were spectacular to behold!

2. Christmas in the Great Hall

After you’ve entered the tour, the first room you’ll see before you enter the other exhibits will be Hogwarts Great Hall.

This room is breathtaking any time you visit but at Christmas time they go above and beyond to make it magical.

You’ll find Christmas trees for every house, a festive banquet laid out on the tables (with flaming Christmas puddings), and some special Christmas costumes on display.

At the end of the hall, they usually decorate this for the Yule Ball! You’ll find the hall decorated in silver and blue colours with the famous Ice Sculpture fountain.

Unfortunately, you cannot sit down here and you will be ushered along after around 10 minutes. So, make sure to use this time here wisely and explore. Take lots of photos while you can! 

3. There are lots of festive decorations

Nearly every exhibit at the Harry Potter Studio Tour will be decorated for Hogwarts in the Snow.

You can find the Gryffindor Common Room with its very own Christmas tree and even the dorms have tinsel wrapped around the bed frames. Harry and Ron will be wearing their Mollie Weasley specials.

The Slytherin Common Room isn’t so decorated, as to be expected, but they did have some dark green garlands over the fireplace.

In Weasley’s Burrow, you’ll find Mollie Weasley magically knitting her famous initial Christmas jumpers!

4. You can see your favourite characters in the snow

A fun part of wandering around the studios is finding all your favourite character costumes. In Hogwarts in the Snow, they will be dressed up for Christmas!

The Weasley’s are getting prepared for Christmas dinner in the Weasley’s Burrow and if you look closely you can see an enchanted snowman dancing on their Christmas cake. 

Hagrid’s Hut is sprinkled with snow, even his patch of pumpkins in the wheelbarrow outside, and you can see his costume nearby with snow in his bushy beard. 

My favourite part was seeing Buckbeak in the Forbidden Forest in the snow. He just looks so magical, remember to bow to him first! 

5. Learn how the snow was made in the Harry Potter movies

Did you know that to create snow in the Harry Potter films they used anything from soap, glitter, shredded paper, and even salt?

Yep, and on your tour, you can visit their making snow for film booth to touch all the different types of snow used in the movies!

When you visit the Backlot area, you’ll find that there is snow falling all over the Hogwarts Bridge, Privet Drive, and the Knight Bus.

We weren’t expecting this and thought it was really snowing on our visit. It was December after all. But, it’s actually ‘snoap’ which was blowing out of a snow machine at Harry Potter Studios. It made it extra festive.

6. Visit Diagon Alley in the snow 

Your favourite Wizarding Shopping Street behind the Leaky Cauldron will be covered in a blanket of snow on your visit.

So, you can visit Flourish & Blotts, Florean Fortescue, and even Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes in the snow!

Unfortunately, you cannot go inside any of the shops but just walking down this set at Christmas time is completely magical. 

7. There are lots of festive foodie items!

When special events are on, many of the cafés and restaurants at Harry Potter Studios London offer limited-edition snacks or meals.

At Christmas, they often have Yule Ball cakes or turkey, cranberry, and brie baguettes!

Something I haven’t tried before was their Butterbeer Ice Cream. I always seem to miss it and they only sell it in the Backlot Café.

I know it sounds weird to have ice cream in December but I loved iced coffees all year round and this wasn’t much different.

It was a generous serving of Butterbeer flavoured whippy in a waffle cone with some syrup on top and I was here for it. 

8. See Hogwarts Castle in the snow 

At the very end is my favourite part of the tour, seeing Hogwarts Castle. It shifts from day to night with special lighting and sound effects.

The model is the Hogwarts castle in miniature and the one that they used to film the movies using special effects. Most of the castle’s design was inspired by other castles in England like Alnwick Castle.

They regularly change up their effects on Hogwarts Castle throughout the year and for Hogwarts in the Snow you’ll see it sprinkled in snowflakes!

I always spend way longer than I expect to in this section. There’s a seating area at the bottom to just take it all in. 

There are also some incredible photo opportunities here, so remember to have your camera ready to capture Hogwarts castle covered in a blanket of filmmaking snow!

9. You can buy Harry Potter Christmas decorations and gifts

If you love decorating your tree with Harry Potter decorations, you’ll find plenty of them in the shops at Hogwarts in the Snow. 

If money is no object (they are usually around £15 – £30 a decoration), you could decorate an entire tree with all the different ornaments on offer. 

They have light-up marauder’s maps, all the House colours, Butterbeer bottles, and even chocolate frog boxes. 

Beyond Harry Potter Christmas tree decorations, they also have the famous Weasley initial knitted jumpers, stockings, and all sorts of festive decor to take home.

Plus, you can buy some of their Wizarding World merchandise as Christmas presents for your family and friends.

There are multiple shops throughout your visit like the Railway Shop, the Forbidden Forest Shop, and the huge Studio Shop at the very end. 

The one thing I would say is that you can’t go back to the Railway Shop or Forbidden Forest Shop after your Hogwarts in the Snow tour has finished. 

So, if you want something specific to those shops, I would buy it when you see it. Not everything is sold in the Studios Shop. 

A kind staff member may be able to grab something for you later when you’re in the Harry Potter Studio Shop. But, it’s easier to just buy it then and there rather than miss out. 

10. It’s a perfect Christmas day out!

Lots of people like to plan some festive days out in the build-up to Christmas like shopping in the Christmas markets, group meals, and parties. 

Visiting Hogwarts in the Snow is the perfect choice for a festive day out with family or friends to get you in the mood for the Holiday season.  

It’s not the cheapest event but it will be something to remember for years to come! Make sure to book tickets before they sell out. 

Is Hogwarts in the Snow worth it? 

100% YES! Although my Slytherin heart does have a soft spot for their Dark Arts event at Halloween, visiting Hogwarts in the Snow at Christmas is simply spectacular.

If you have ever wanted to visit the famous Yule Ball or join Harry for a stay at Hogwarts over Christmas this is the event for you. 

Almost every room has been decorated with garlands, tinsel, and Harry Potter Christmas trees. All the sets are sprinkled with snow.

The Great Hall at Christmas is worth it alone as you get to see festively decorated with special costumes on display and the food laid out for a Hogwarts Christmas feast just like in the movies. 

Plus, seeing Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Castle decorated in the snow was simply breathtaking. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat. 

Click here to book tickets to Hogwarts in the Snow!

How long does Hogwarts in the Snow last? 

The Hogwarts in the Snow event takes place between the 16th of November 2024 and the 19th of January 2025.

That’s just over 60 days! So, you have plenty of time to visit this magical event over the festive period.

It would be a great choice if you’re prone to the Christmas blues in January and want a pick-me-up at Harry Potter Studios.

It’s important to note that the dates running up to Christmas in December are likely to sell out early. So, I would book tickets a few months in advance to avoid disappointment.  

We booked for early December in September and there were limited early morning spaces. 

How much is Hogwarts in the Snow at Harry Potter Studios London

Hogwarts in the Snow is a special event that happens every year around Christmas time. 

Potterheads will be happy to know that these festivities are included in the regular ticket price for the Harry Potter Studios Tour in London. So, there’s no extra cost. 

They also regularly have events throughout the year like the Dark Arts for Halloween and I would highly recommend you visit that too!

Tickets start from £49.95 per person for adults and child tickets are £39.95. There are family tickets available for £159.95. 

There are packages you can book which include a hotel stay, deluxe tours, afternoon teas, and more. So, make sure to have a browse at checkout to enhance your visit.

The studio tour is open almost every day and opens as early as 8.30 am closing the doors as late as 10 pm some evenings. Opening times do vary so make sure to check the website for the day you plan to visit.

You will also be booking a specific time slot for the tour so plan your journey time well in advance.

How to get to Harry Potter Studios in London 

If you’re driving, the Warner Brothers Studio tour can be found in Leavesden which is near Watford.

You can easily drive here from London by taking the M4 or M1 motorway and then switching to the M25. There is free parking available for everyone who booked a tour.

If you’re not driving, you can take the Warner Brothers Studio shuttle bus from Watford Junction station. 

Take a train from London Euston (20 minutes) and then the shuttle bus from Watford Junction (15 minutes) to the studios! 

The postcode for Harry Potter Studios for SatNav’s is WD25 7LR. Click here for a Google Pin!

Looking for more Harry Potter things to do in London? 

There are plenty more locations that you can seek out if you’re a Potterhead in London! 

After your visit to the Harry Potter Studios, I would recommend visiting the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition in London. This is home to London’s only Butter Beer Bar! 

One of my favourite locations I visited has to be Leadenhall Market. A gorgeous Victorian wonder that featured as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley.

Talking of Diagon Alley you can visit some of the locations that inspired that wizarding shopping street like Cecil Court and Goodwin’s Court.

Nearby you can watch The Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre or lose yourself in the House of MinaLima. 

I would catch the tube over to the River Thames to see sights like the Millennium Bridge, Tower Bridge, London City Hall, and Borough Market which all featured as filming locations.

You can head into St Paul’s Cathedral to see their Geometric Staircase that was the Divination Stairwell at Hogwarts. 

You can also visit King’s Cross Station to see Platform 9 3/4 and the Harry Potter Shop. The St Pancras International Hotel and the filming location for 12 Grimmauld Place are nearby. Or, visit the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel where Ron flies his Ford Anglia!

Or, why not enjoy some immersive experiences like cocktails at The Cauldron or an afternoon tea at Cutter & Squidge?

Click here to read my complete guide on London Harry Potter locations

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