Next stop - Leavesden?
So, the Harry Potter Studio Tour opened over a year ago, but I still haven't been. Perhaps I'm not as dedicated a fan as all my non-HP friends think - or perhaps I just don't want to go without the company of other fans.
Judging by Saturday night, I'm not the only one. So, who's up for a group trip?
I've had a few thoughts about how this might work, so I'll share those and open it up to other suggestions. Based on what comes out of that, I'll put up a poll a little later to choose dates etc.
There are a few things to think about:
Time of year
I'm thinking that March would be the best time to do it, for several reasons:
Time of week
I'd originally thought arrival on Saturday for our usual frolicsome games, and tour on Sunday - but wouldn't it be more fun to come together to squee afterwards? Which would make Saturday the logical choice (and the tour opens an hour earlier on Saturdays in Feb/March too). So I'm thinking:
Friday
Arrive, catch up in hotel bar (as some will be coming from work, arrival times will likely be scattered so perhaps not a good idea to have something organised then?)
Saturday
Morning - Get to the tour nice and early (9-10am). Officially it takes 3 hours, but for fans I understand it's more like 5-7. It would be awesome to organise something like wand-waving classes, though I suspect that would be way expensive...
Evening - Eat together in the evening (ideally I'd want to eat in the Great Hall, but £325 per person is a little over my budget! If I ever become stupidly rich, I am so hosting a fandom party there... but in the absense of friendly millionaires, there has to be a reasonably priced restaurant in Watford that would welcome a large group in March!
Night - Pictionary! And swag-comparing! Would we even want something organised or would we all be too excited?
Sunday
Leisurely breakfast and depart, with or without hangovers
Where to stay
There's a lovely hotel very close to the tour, but on reflection I think it would be better to go for one of the (presumably less wedding-prone) chain hotels in the centre. I'm seeing prices of £50-£90 per room - perhaps we could get a group rate with enough of us. If we chose a hotel near the station, we can use the £2 shuttle bus to get to the tour, and that will also make it easy for people from London to join us for the day/evening if they wish (though if lots of people want to do that, perhaps we should aim for 10am rather than 9am start?).
Cost
The tour would be £28 each, plus £2 for bus from Watford. There's an option of spending £5 on an audio guide (reviews suggest that might not work well in a group, but if you want to be accompanied by Tom Felton...) and £10 on a guidebook, and whatever you want in the souvenir shops...
Interested? Here's an initial poll - just to get an idea of numbers when looking at potential hotel/tour/food arrangements. A more detailed 'now choose' poll will follow when we have some choices to choose from. Meanwhile, please share your thoughts in the comments.
And does anyone has a burning desire to help deal with hotels etc?
Poll Leavesden - gathering of the fans
Judging by Saturday night, I'm not the only one. So, who's up for a group trip?
I've had a few thoughts about how this might work, so I'll share those and open it up to other suggestions. Based on what comes out of that, I'll put up a poll a little later to choose dates etc.
There are a few things to think about:
Time of year
I'm thinking that March would be the best time to do it, for several reasons:
- Late winter can be bleak, and we need something to look forward to!
- Low season should make travel cheaper for people coming a distance
- January is risky weather-wise and post-Christmas can be tight financially
- Early February also risky weather-wise, and late February weekends bookend school half term holidays so likely to be busier
- March also risks snow, judging by this year, but it can't happen two years in succession, can it?
- April onwards is getting into tourist season so higher prices, busier and perhaps more people having other committments. Also students getting into exam-time...
- Maybe it's just me, but there always seems to be more going on in October and November than January-March...
- December would be awesome if they dress the set for Christmas... but an expensive, busy time of year for most people
Time of week
I'd originally thought arrival on Saturday for our usual frolicsome games, and tour on Sunday - but wouldn't it be more fun to come together to squee afterwards? Which would make Saturday the logical choice (and the tour opens an hour earlier on Saturdays in Feb/March too). So I'm thinking:
Friday
Arrive, catch up in hotel bar (as some will be coming from work, arrival times will likely be scattered so perhaps not a good idea to have something organised then?)
Saturday
Morning - Get to the tour nice and early (9-10am). Officially it takes 3 hours, but for fans I understand it's more like 5-7. It would be awesome to organise something like wand-waving classes, though I suspect that would be way expensive...
Evening - Eat together in the evening (ideally I'd want to eat in the Great Hall, but £325 per person is a little over my budget! If I ever become stupidly rich, I am so hosting a fandom party there... but in the absense of friendly millionaires, there has to be a reasonably priced restaurant in Watford that would welcome a large group in March!
Night - Pictionary! And swag-comparing! Would we even want something organised or would we all be too excited?
Sunday
Leisurely breakfast and depart, with or without hangovers
Where to stay
There's a lovely hotel very close to the tour, but on reflection I think it would be better to go for one of the (presumably less wedding-prone) chain hotels in the centre. I'm seeing prices of £50-£90 per room - perhaps we could get a group rate with enough of us. If we chose a hotel near the station, we can use the £2 shuttle bus to get to the tour, and that will also make it easy for people from London to join us for the day/evening if they wish (though if lots of people want to do that, perhaps we should aim for 10am rather than 9am start?).
Cost
The tour would be £28 each, plus £2 for bus from Watford. There's an option of spending £5 on an audio guide (reviews suggest that might not work well in a group, but if you want to be accompanied by Tom Felton...) and £10 on a guidebook, and whatever you want in the souvenir shops...
Interested? Here's an initial poll - just to get an idea of numbers when looking at potential hotel/tour/food arrangements. A more detailed 'now choose' poll will follow when we have some choices to choose from. Meanwhile, please share your thoughts in the comments.
And does anyone has a burning desire to help deal with hotels etc?
Poll Leavesden - gathering of the fans