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Diagon Alley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Diagon Alley is a fictional shopping district in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter franchise.[1] The location first appeared in the 1997 novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It is featured in multiple video games, as well a 2001 board game. A real-world version the district was constructed at Universal Studios Florida in 2014.

Background

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Several places have been rumored to be the inspiration of Diagon Alley, including Gandy Street in Exeter, The Shambles in York, and Victoria Street in Edinburgh. J. K. Rowling has dispelled these rumors, stating, "I had no idea how many different streets were claiming to be 'the inspiration' for Diagon Alley, but this is the first time I’ve seen Knockturn Alley! Neither was based on any real place."[2] Others, such as former head of marketing for York's tourist body Paul Whiting have stated the film producers went to York for inspiration.[3]

Appearances

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Diagon Alley was first featured in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.[4] It is also a location in video game adaptations such as Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery,[5] Harry Potter: Magic Awakened,[6] and Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4.[7] The Lego Group released a Diagon Alley themed Lego set in 2020 and another in 2025.[8][9] A Diagon Alley board game was released in 2001.[10]

Real-world adaptations

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Diagon Alley in Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.

Several fan adaptions of Diagon Alley have been made. Some notable examples include a pop up Diagon Alley in Sykesville, Maryland,[11] a Diagon Alley-themed Christmas display in Austin, Texas,[12] and a pop-up Diagon Alley in the Changi Airport.[13]

A rebuilt version of the original Diagon Alley set is currently in the Warner Bros. Leavesden Studio Tour.[14]

Universal Studios Florida

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Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florda

A real-world version of Diagon Alley was unveiled at Universal Studios Florida in 2014.[15][16] The attraction was estimated to cost Universal approximately 400 million dollars.[17] In the week preceding the announcement of the attraction, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was used to promote the Harry Potter franchise and Universal Resorts,[18] which continued after the release of Diagon Alley.[19] The creation of Diagon Alley was achieved by dismantling a Jaws attraction.[20]

There are several restaurant and retail locations relating to the Harry Potter universe in Diagon Alley,[21] alongside the Escape from Gringotts ride.[22] There is also an adaptation of the Hogwarts Express that takes people between Hogsmeade (which is in Universal Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley.[16]

Reception and legacy

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Before the release of Hogwarts Legacy, some media outlets speculated that Diagon Alley could be a visitable place in the game, but considered it unlikely.[23] After the release of the game, several advocated for the inclusion of Diagon Alley in any potential sequel.[24][25]

IGN ranked the 2025 Diagon Alley Lego set as the 11th best Harry Potter Lego set of all time.[26] Patrick Cavanaugh, writing for ComicBook.com, criticized the size of the set but described the set as a "detailed and delightful display."[27] Sophie Brown, writing for Wired, rated the Diagon Alley board game as a 4/5.[10]

Scott Reintgen described the first time Harry Potter goes to Diagon Alley in the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as his favorite scene in the movie.[28] Charlie Lyne, writing for The Guardian, compared the same scene to "getting a massive nostalgia cuddle from your mind."[29]

The dragon at the end of Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florda has been described as noticeable.[30] Bonnie Wright described Universal Studios Florda's Diagon Alley as "more detailed than on the set".[31] Carly Caramanna, writing for Business Insider, praised the food and drink options at Universal Florda's Diagon Alley.[32] Others praised the Escape from Gringotts ride.[33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Schultz, Colin. "Wander Harry Potter's Diagon Alley With Street View". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  2. ^ Pocock, Emma. "J.K. Rowling Debunks 'Harry Potter' Inspiration Claims". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  3. ^ "J.K. Rowling speaks out after tweet suggests Shambles is inspiration for Harry Potter's Diagon Alley". York Press. 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  4. ^ Friel, Mikhaila. "What it's like to visit the real-life Diagon Alley — and why every 'Harry Potter' fan should add it to their bucket list". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  5. ^ "The latest Harry Potter mobile game puts Hogwarts in your pocket". Engadget. 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  6. ^ Studios, IGN Global (2022-05-20). "Harry Potter: Magic Awakened and Everything Else Featured at NetEase Connect 2022". IGN. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  7. ^ Miller, Greg (2010-06-29). "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  8. ^ Gibbons, Brett (2020-09-01). "Lego reveals 5,000-piece version of Harry Potter's spellbinding Diagon Alley". Wales Online. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  9. ^ Fallon, Sean (2025-02-05). "LEGO Harry Potter January 2025 Releases Are All On Sale". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  10. ^ a b Brown, Sophie. "Late to the Game: The Diagon Alley Board Game". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  11. ^ Franciotti, Jennifer (2025-04-10). "Main Street transforms into 'Diagon Alley' for 'Harry Potter' fest". WBAL. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  12. ^ Estrada, John-Carlos (2025-01-29). "Diagon Alley ATX magic continues as 37th Street Lights to host beloved holiday display". CBS Austin. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  13. ^ "Muggle Money Can't Get You Into Harry Potter's Diagon Alley At Changi Airport's A Wizarding World Holiday". TODAY. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  14. ^ Barry, Nathan. "Diving Into The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on February 23, 2025. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  15. ^ "Harry Potter park expands as Universal adds Diagon Alley – in pictures". the Guardian. 2014-07-06. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  16. ^ a b Sekula, Sarah (2014-06-20). "Sneak peek: Harry Potter's Diagon Alley". CNN. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  17. ^ Kiley, Amy (2014-06-20). "Universal Bets Wizarding World Will Bring In Big Money Magic". NPR. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  18. ^ Liston, Barbara (2014-06-17). "Universal to unveil second Harry Potter attraction". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  19. ^ Sangalang, Jennifer. "Lumos! Universal lights up Diagon Alley". Florida Today. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  20. ^ "Hogwarts Express Gets Ready to Roll at Universal Studios Florida". NBC News. 2014-01-23. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  21. ^ Rhodan, Maya (2014-01-24). "This Is What the New Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park Will Look Like". TIME. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  22. ^ "Inside Diagon Alley: The new attraction at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando". The Independent. 2014-06-24. Archived from the original on 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  23. ^ "Is Diagon Alley in Hogwarts Legacy?". PCGamesN. 2023-05-04. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  24. ^ "Hogwarts Legacy fans united over Diagon Alley expansion". GAMINGbible. 2025-02-10. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  25. ^ Asma, Amjad A. (2024-05-27). "Hogwarts Legacy 2: Azkaban Isn't The Only Location That Deserves Time To Shine". Game Rant. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  26. ^ Wong, Kevin (2025-04-24). "The Best LEGO Harry Potter Sets for Fans of the Franchise". IGN. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  27. ^ Cavanaugh, Patrick (2025-01-30). "LEGO Harry Potter Diagon Alley Review: Immerse Yourself in an Iconic Locale". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
  28. ^ N; P; R (2022-06-27). "The first 'Harry Potter' book was published 25 years ago in the U.K." NPR. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  29. ^ Lyne, Charlie (2011-07-08). "The great Harry Potter viewing marathon". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  30. ^ Acuna, Kirsten. "Every 10 Minutes A Fire-Breathing Dragon Startles Crowds In The New 'Harry Potter' Theme Park". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  31. ^ "NBC's 'Harry Potter: The Making of Diagon Alley' Special Proved That the Magic Is In the Details". Bustle. 2014-07-01. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  32. ^ Caramanna, Carly. "I'm not a 'Harry Potter' fan, but I've visited the Wizarding World over 100 times. Here are 11 things I always do and 2 I skip". Business Insider. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
  33. ^ "Universal's Diagon Alley opens with long lines". Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise. July 10, 2014. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
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