Kukadoodles: Harry Potter Studios

These huge buildings just off a road in Watford is the place where most of the Harry Potter films were shot (when not on location). It's absolutely amazing. If you're a big fan of the films, this will definitely be a great birthday/other special occasion treat! Even if you're not (like me), it's still fantastic for looking at behind-the-scenes stuff.

It was a bit annoying with all the tourists - you genuinely could not move an inch without suddenly having an iPhone in your face. I must've photo-bombed so many holiday snaps

Anyway: here we go (massive post, but this is probably 1/10000th of what there was to see):

The Cupboard Under the Stairs

Mirror of Erised
My favourite prop. Apparently, I have no reflection

The Fat Lady Portrait

The Horcruxes

Snape's Potions Dungeon Cave...thing

Ministry of Magic

Maurauder's Map

Graphics Section

Team must've been so happy to work on this, absolute creative freedom

Butterbeer

Some were pulling faces, some were loving it. I quite liked it - very sweet though and I was glad I was sharing my cup. I'd say it tastes like a mix of cream soda, coca-cola and caramel

The Knight Bus

Potter's Cottage (Actual building...)

4 Pivet Drive

Diagon Alley

Would've been great, but it was a narrow path (actually cobbled ground) and packed with people taking photos

Ollivander's

Apothecary

Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour

Flourish and Blotts

The concept art

Really inspiring, definitely my favourite part of it all. I really don't know why concept artists don't get the same level of appreciation as actors and directors - without them, the films would not be what they are - they create it and bring it to life.

Card model of Hogwarts bridge bit

Durmstrang Ship

This was amazing. A model of Hogwarts. They actually used this to film some of the swooping footage of towers etc, and just enhanced the detail later on computers