Inspired by another person's post I wanted to share my experience of the store. 1) Definitely go on a weekday if you can, no lines to get in, not too much crowd in the store so you can peruse at your leisure, there might be a line at checkout but it moves along rather quickly, 2) if you're getting the butterbeer and you're not a fan of fizzy drinks then I'd suggest going for the frozen butterbeer or the butterbeer flavored ice cream, the one from the draft is nice but it's the foam that makes it nice rather than the drink itself, the tankard of butterbeer that you get either frozen or from the draft is $14 and it's not very big, picture attached, however you do get to keep the cup/tankard, 3) they have some really cool HP Store Chicago exclusive merch there, 4) staff are nice and friendly. Overall a nice experience with me definitely overspending on little trinkets.

Just got back from a full day at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter (yep, that's the full name LOL) and damn… it was amazing. But also overwhelming if you don’t plan it right.

Some quick thoughts that might help if you're going soon:

Pros

The sets are insane. Hogwarts Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the full-size Hogwarts Express are worth the ticket alone.

You'll nerd out over the props and behind-the-scenes stuff - especially the animatronics and makeup areas.

Butterbeer is a thing. It's weirdly good. Try it at least once.

You can walk inside Privet Drive. Childhood unlocked.

Cons

The gift shop is... dangerous. Like €€€ dangerous.

It’s crowded. Even off-peak, expect lines.

Food is mid. Eat before or after.

Advice for first-timers

Book way in advance - no tickets on-site.

Take your time. The average visit is 3–4 hours, but I could've easily stayed 5.

Bring a power bank. You'll take hundreds of photos. In my case videos

Go early in the day if you want the best lighting in the outdoor section (like the Knight Bus and Privet Drive).