I visited the 'Game of Thrones' studio 5 years after the series finale. The $37 tour reminded me why I love the show.
I recently visited the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Northern Ireland for $37.
It offers an exclusive look at the HBO series, which spent millions of dollars on each episode.
Even five years after the series finale, the studio is still a worthwhile experience for fans.
It's been five years since the series finale of HBO's "Game of Thrones," but I'm as big a fan as ever.
When a work trip took me to Northern Ireland, I knew I had to detour to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. By season eight, the HBO drama was spending $15 million per episode, and like any true fan, I wanted a behind-the-scenes look at where some of that money went — and what made the show so visually incredible.
The tour, located in one of the show's original filming locations, Linen Mill Studios, opened in 2022, and standard tickets cost £29.50, or about $37.
I wanted to see just how relevant the studio is today — especially in the lead-up to the new season of the "House of the Dragon" prequel series in June — and if the widespread passion of the fandom is still alive.
It felt like the studio was hidden in plain sight.
There's no onsite parking at the studio, so getting there felt like being escorted to some secret location. Luckily, the instructions were clear: Meet at The Boulevard, a large shopping district in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.
From there, a complimentary shuttle took me down a long, formal-looking driveway. It's easy to see how the studio remained low-key during its filming heyday — it's almost as if it's hidden in plain sight.
My excitement overflowed as I stepped off the bus to blasting theme music and a massive Game of Thrones Studio Tour sign. About 10 other visitors immediately began posing for photographs.
After the 10-minute shuttle ride, it took me a good five minutes to reach security and start the experience, but the atmosphere was already infectious. Even the staff seemed genuinely excited to greet me.
The impressive theming immediately drew me in.
After passing a dragon skull and armored "guard," the tour started with a green-screen photo while we waited for some dramatic doors to swing open.
A tour guide quickly explained the studio rules — mostly, no touching the exhibits (which were used during filming) and absolutely no photos of the pre-tour movie.
I won't spoil too much, but the short film gave me goosebumps. At the end, the screen parted, and we entered the studio from "beyond the wall."
The studio clearly takes immersion seriously.
On the other side of the screen, we were blasted by fog machines before standing toe-to-toe with the Wildlings. Everything was incredibly immersive.
This was one of my favorite rooms. It had elaborate costumes from the show, including coats laden with bones and oysters. I learned that some weighed up to 15 pounds.
I also caught a glimpse of Wun Wun — or, at least, the costume that 7-foot-1 Ian Whyte wore during filming. It supposedly took the actor three to five hours a day to transform into the giant.
It was fun to walk through the different memorable sets.
The studio is made up of a trail of set rooms, including Mess Hall in Castle Black, the Crypts of Winterfell, King's Landing, and the Great Hall of Winterfell.
Costumed mannequins stood in each room to mimic the real scenes from the show.
I learned a lot about the making of the show throughout the tour.
In addition to walking through the sets, I got an insight into the show's creation process.
The 30-foot dragon skull of Balerion the Black Dread took six weeks to make before being shipped to Spain for filming. While standing next to the masterpiece, I could hardly believe that something of its scale could be transported across Europe.
Equally staggering, we learned that the crew went through 52,000 bags of fake snow and 163 tons of propane (for pyrotechnic effects) throughout the series.
Hearing about these intense behind-the-scenes efforts brought the series' magic back to life and made the visit worthwhile for me.
Behind-the-scenes exhibits and interactive experiences made the experience even better.
Other rooms were dedicated to the show's costume design, music creation, and set design. There was even a sword display room that housed famous props like Arya's Needle.
I'd nearly forgotten about the significance of the show's many props before embarking on the tour. But I almost squealed at Jaime Lannister's golden hand.
There were activities throughout the tour, too, including adding your face to the Hall of Faces and creating your own sigil.
I was entranced up until the very end of the experience.
The tour finished at the Iron Throne, a dragon flitting behind the rubble on a digital back wall.
It was a fitting endpoint seeing as it was the location where Jon killed Daenerys, controversially culling her brewing tyranny and ending the series.
I don't think the "Game of Thrones" buzz is going to die down anytime soon.
The studio wasn't packed, but Northern Ireland tends to be a little quieter in February and busier during the Easter holiday and summer. Honestly, I was grateful I missed the heavier crowds.
Overall, the "Game of Thrones" fandom seems to be building momentum rather than slowing down — especially with the second season of "House of the Dragon" looming.
I saw plenty of visitors bringing their children, too, so love for the series seems to be getting passed down to the next generation.
Initially, £29.50 seemed steep to me. But comparably, it's cheap for a studio tour — the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London charges a base price of £53.50.
Plus, I thought it offered great value. It packed so much in and the staff's passion is evident, which makes all the difference for visitors.
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