This half term, Wand Week returns to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, and this time there are even more surprises and showcases on hand to reveal the magic of the Harry Potter Films. One of the most unique things that visitors will be able to see for the first time is the duelling platform from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This unique piece takes centre stage in the Great Hall, and gives you the opportunity to get up close and examine the detail of it, though unfortunately due to the fragile nature, you won’t be able to dust off your wand and have a duel, though it is close enough to touch.

Other features of wand week include a team of wand makers, who are on hand and are actually making the wands live for everyone to see. You can witness this amazing process as one team member carves the wand on a machine, whilst the other applies the finishing touches making the wand ready to use, a real intricate art in itself and just goes to show the level of detail they put into every aspect of the production of the Potter films. As always throughout the studio tour, visitors can practice and learn the different modes of wand combat, as originally choreographed by Paul Harris for the Order of the Phoenix, but now visitors have the chance to duel and battle Death Eaters by the Ministry of Magic set, and this does make for a very cool photo opportunity, something not to be missed.

As you wander through Diagon Alley, there is a new special effects demonstration featuring a bit of wand magic. All you have to do is point the wand, given to you by a member of staff, at one of the cauldron signs, and it will send a blasting spell, which hits the sign. The effect is rather cool indeed, and even made me jump, as I was not expecting it. Again this is one of the new features for Wand Week, and finally as you approach the production and art design aspect of the tour, another staff member is on hand with blueprints for wands as well as different moulds for some of the wands that were made for the films.

These great additional details are just a small part of the tour as a whole, and if you are lucky enough to be visiting this week then you are in for a treat! One other thing that fans may be pleased with, is that construction has begun on expanding the studio tour, so you may notice a bit of a difference in the back lot as a few things have been moved around and you can see one of the soundstages being extended, so hopefully this means some great new Harry Potter elements to come in the near future…