TARDIS Set Tour and Props! (Video and Pics)

Turns out, a journey on the official TARDIS set tour is not always a once in a lifetime opportunity, as just before Christmas last year, I managed to secure on a pair of tickets for myself and Luke. This was my second visit to the infamous set but my first time since Peter has been at the helm. You can read about my first visit to the Tardis set back in 2013 here.


We reached Cardiff in good time (I had taken my new car for a good old spin) and had time to get some lunch at a local favourite: Eddie's Diner. It was the second or third time we have eaten in here, and it never fails to disappoint! I would recommend it to anyone, whether a Doctor Who fan or not - 50's America is definitely where its at!

We were told to head into the Doctor Who Experience first, which we had been to a couple of times before, you can read about our most recent visit since the Experience regenerated here. There had been a couple of extra props added to the prop rooms since our last visit from series 8 - its always great to see whats new and its always brilliant that the area is updated to reflect the most recent series. It just proves that no matter how often you visit over the years, there's always going to be something new that you haven't spotted before.

This year, Luke went armed with his selfie stick and we managed to take a couple of great pictures with the both of us in. (Top Tip: Like I have mentioned in previous posts, its always best to head straight up the stairs when you first enter the prop area, as downstairs fills up quickly and its difficult to get the perfect shots without other visitors photobombing!)

Anyway, on to the main event. We met our allocated group in the foyer of the Experience, handed our official tour lanyards and headed over to the BBC Roath Lock Studios. However, rather than going through the side entrance which consisted of a Jurassic Park style gate I have mentioned previously, we were directed straight through the main entrance, through the turnstiles and down the corridors to the studio. I couldn't help but imagine how many awesome actors/actresses had walked this same way before!

So off we went through the huge studio doors where the shell of the TARDIS was located to the left and a couple of props straight ahead where we were then split into two groups. Our group was instructed to stay in the prop area first where we were told all about the props around us, which consisted of items from Series 9's 'Face The Raven' - Clara's Mural version of the TARDIS, her costume from the episode and the raven's cage. The tour guide was great and took lots of awesome pictures of us so that we could get the perfect shot. There was also a Dalek he wheeled into the studio and he spent a couple of minutes explaining how an actor controls its movement from the inside. It must be so claustrophobic!

After a while, we moved on in small groups to the main event; the TARDIS set. Of course, I filmed our steps into the TARDIS again and made sure I was first in for the best angle. Walking into the TARDIS never tires, its got to be the best experience for a Doctor Who fan. We had a bit longer this time around to take the perfect shots. Again, half of the set was fenced off but it really doesn't spoil the illusion of the TARDIS.

Here's the video I took on the day as I walked into the TARDIS, and the photos to follow:-

Peter's Doctor is infamous for using his chalkboard often in episodes, and we noticed the board had been left out, still emblazoned with the words 'Run You Clever Boy and Be A Doctor' from Series 9 episode Hell bent.

I'll say it before and I'll say it again, if you haven't been on the Doctor Who Set tour before you literally HAVE to go if you get the chance. They run every couple of years when filming is on a break - I usually find out about the latest dates through subscribing to updates from the Doctor Who Experience/BBC Worldwide - its totally worth it!

I'm off on a mini-break to Wales this week. Who knows what new and exciting Doctor Who locations I may stumble upon...?!

In other news I have finally hit my weight goal (lost 1 and a half stone) and I have something exciting to share... me and Luke have just bought our first house! Our mortgage offer has been accepted and we are just in the process of searches etc so we are hoping everything goes okay and will hopefully be moving in before Christmas :-) Exciting times ahead! Apart from that I am working my butt off at work and looking forward to this week in Wales!

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The Regenerated Doctor Who Experience

Firstly, I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and celebrated the New Year in style. 

For this post, I am going to take you back in time to November, when I was due to visit the "regenerated" Doctor Who Experience and once again head over to the BBC Studios at Roath Lock to step onto the real TARDIS on the studio tour. This was all bought altogether as a joint ticket offer.

Unfortunately, our trip didn't go quite to plan. You see, I had been so busy with my new job at the time that I had not had a chance to check my emails in days. Sadly, when I finally got around to it, the Tardis Studio Tour part of the ticket had been cancelled and because I had not responded to the suppliers email quick enough, they assumed I still wanted to head to Cardiff for the Experience and didn't process my refund. I was absolutely devastated to say the least. I had been counting the days until I could step onto the real TARDIS once again. I was heartbroken, so much so that my stubbornness nearly saw me cancel the trip altogether and lose out on the money. 

However, Luke stepped in and put everything into perspective. There may be more chances in the future to step onto the TARDIS, plus the Doctor Who Experience had just reopened after refurbishment, so it was worth having a look! And if all else failed, I was off to one of my favourite places, Cardiff. 

☆☆☆  Experience ☆☆☆ 

Please note: there are little bits of detail on the experience to follow without giving too much away. If you would like to avoid any spoilers prior to your visit, please scroll down to Exhibition.

So we decided to drive the 3 hour journey down to Cardiff on our booked day. We arrived earlier than planned but the staff allowed us to queue alongside the group of an earlier timeslot. There were more props in the queuing area than during my previous visits. These included the Timelord costumes and props, as well as Clara's book "101 Places to See" from Series 7, next to The most important leaf in human history. 

Visitors are now given a crystal lanyard to wear around their necks for the exhibition part of the experience, which glows and vibrates during the different parts of the interactive walk-through.

Before heading in, we had a quick briefing from a member of the Experience team who was very enthusiastic; really getting us visitors excited for what was about to come. Once we wondered through the opened doors, we were greeted by a room full of scattered props from the show, and were told to have a nose around. We then watched a short film (which was excellent - but I shan't give anything away) and we were shown into the next room. This was probably my favourite room of the whole experience, it was magical, and the centre piece focused on a plot from Series 7.

We were then led into the TARDIS, which was my main disappointment of the experience...as it had not been revamped or regenerated since my previous visit. All that had changed was the scenario video that played during our time through the experience, which featured Capaldi instead of Smith. 

HOWEVER... do not let this change your decision to visit, I for one can say that walking into the TARDIS was wonderful during my previous visits, but with this being my third time, I was a little disappointed with the lack of regeneration in this particular scenario. Anyway, not to give much else away, we were also led through a storyline featuring the almighty Daleks (which was very similar to pre-refurb, but with a bit of an added paint-job) and then we were taken through the maze of weeping angels - again, similar to pre-refurb, but with a few extra props. To repeat - both of these parts of the scenario are brilliant for first-time visitors, so don't let me put you off! 

The final room was the 3D cinema screen, which had been updated to follow on from the main scenario that ran through the experience. 

☆☆☆   Exhibition ☆☆☆

We were then led into the exhibition hall, where all the props and sets were located. This has been my favourite part of the whole Experience in previous visits, and once again, this part of my day did not disappoint. There had been SO much more added since my previous visits. A quick suggestion - if it is quiet, head straight up the stairs to your left and visit the props up above first, as there will be more time and room to take as many photos as you like before it gets overcrowded with visitors. 

Myself and Luke decided to make the most of this part of the experience, and spent over an hour in the exhibition, taking as many photos as we could to make our trip all the way down to Cardiff for the day worthwhile - and boy, did we! I apologise in advance if the next part of my blog is picture-heavy. I have tried to include props I have not had my photo taken with previously... 

 

Fist-pump with a Weeping Angel... it seemed like a good idea at the time...

Ok, now I'm not so sure...

Worth a visit...?

Positives ☺

• The Experience guide was brilliant and should be commended for a splendid job, he really got into character and made sure that everyone, whether young or old, were involved in the story-line.

• It was more of an interactive experience - there was an opportunity to find crystals, even in the scariest of settings, and I thought it was a nice little added extra, especially for the kids. (And big kids alike)!

• A fresh, new storyline with scenarios filmed by Peter Capaldi especially for the Doctor Who Experience visitors was fantastic, it really made everyone feel part of the story, and as if you could have really been running alongside The Doctor through time and space.

• The Exhibition hall had lots of new props from Series 8 and plenty of room to take photos. The Experience team are always on hand to take any snapshots of you and your friends.

Negatives ☹ 

• Although the storyline and some of the settings were fresh and new, as I previously stated, I couldn't help but be disappointed with some of the rooms inside. The TARDIS console room, for instance, needs to be updated from the Eleventh Doctors first TARDIS. I also believe that the Dalek scenario worked better pre-refurb.

However, do not let this put you off, especially if you have never been before! The Doctor Who Experience is one-of-a-kind, situated right next door to the BBC studios where they film Doctor Who and located on the picture-perfect Cardiff Bay. I get so many people back in the little land of Shropshire asking what its like and whether it is worth the trip down south, and the answer is a definite YES! You NEED to go there to experience it for yourself, because there is nothing else out there like it. And with tickets starting at as little as £14 for an adult, and £9.75 for a child, you have no excuse not to check it out for yourselves. 

You can buy your tickets here:- http://www.doctorwho.tv/events/doctor-who-experience/tickets/ It is recommended you book in advance for a discounted price, and to avoid disappointment on the day. Plus - make sure you keep an eye out for more studio tours in the future, with your chance to walk through those infamous doors - I know I will.

Check out my previous visits to the Doctor Who Experience:

• Doctor Who Experience Opening Day - Cardiff 2012 Review and Pics
• Doctor Who Tardis Tour and Experience

I'm seriously considering a re-vamp of my blog over the coming months. If you have any ideas, please let me know, it would be lovely to hear them (as I'm not great at designing!)

I hope January is treating you well and you haven't given up on your resolutions just yet... I'd love to hear them! Mine is to blog more, and seeing as I have three more posts lined up for over the coming weeks, I'll have to get a move on. As always, let me know what you've been up to, and keep up to date via my twitter feed - @pluckykelly and my Plucky Kelly Facebook Page.

Blog to you soon

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