Diagon Alley to undergo a wintery transformation

Hogwarts in the Snow - the annual feature returns this year, getting Harry Potter fans into the festive spirit at Warner Bros. Studio Tour, London.

From Saturday 14th November to Sunday 17th January 2021, visitors will be able to explore another of their favourite sets in the snow as Diagon Alley undergoes a magical wintery transformation.

The iconic cobbled stones and eclectic shop fronts of Diagon Alley will be given a festive

makeover, draped in layers of filmmaking snow. During filming, many different types of ‘snow’ were used, each being selected for its ability to crunch under foot, float like falling flakes or glisten in the light like ice, but never melt. The same techniques will be used by filmmakers to cover Diagon Alley this year.

Though Diagon Alley was not seen in the snow, the same set was used for parts of Hogsmeade during the wintery scenes that see Harry make use of his invisibility cloak to join the school trip without permission.

A popular fan favourite, the Hogwarts castle model will also be transformed with a dusting of snow. During filming, a member of the crew climbed aboard an elevated work

platform and sprinkled the mixture of granulated paper and grains of salt onto the model by hand with a sieve – like dusting sugar onto a cake. The same process takes place at the Studio Tour every festive season.

As visitors step foot onto the original stone floor of the Great Hall, they will be welcomed with wreaths, garlands and trees topped with witches on miniature broomsticks. The long dining tables will be dressed as they were for the seasonal feast in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, complete with SFX flaming Christmas puddings and prop versions of the mouth-watering roast turkeys and hams studded with cherries.

The Gryffindor Common Room and Boys’ Dormitory will be decorated with the

original props including handmade Christmas cards, some of which were created by the cast members during production. Fireplaces throughout the Studio Tour (including those in the Leaky Cauldron and Great Hall) will be ‘lit’ with special effects fire, created by John Richardson and the SFX team using a combination of water vapour and lighting effects.

Tickets must be pre-booked, and all extra features are included in the ticket price.

To help keep everyone safe, a number of additional measures and changes have been made to the Studio Tour experience. The updates are designed to prioritise social distancing and enhanced cleaning.

Image credit: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.