A Day in Diagon Alley part 3
Lisa Perna
9.30.21
From wands and shopping to rides and eating I have already discussed lots of things you can do in Diagon Alley. However, there is so much more to explore that I have not already covered. When you are in need of a refreshing snack to energize you from all your shopping, make sure to stop by Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor. This is the perfect place to try some delicious Butterbeer flavored ice cream! While enjoying this sweet treat you might be able to catch a show. From Celestina Warback and the Banshees to the Tales of Beedle and Bard there are some awesome performances that you do not want to miss. These fun shows are sure to entertain the whole family.
Before leaving the Alley, make sure to check out the Night Bus. The Night Bus is a dark purple tall skinny bus that is hard to miss. You can peek in the windows to see curtains surrounding the beds and the shrunken head in the front window even talks! This is a really great photo opportunity. There are also a lot of less obvious details from the movie hiding in plain sight. In one of the shop windows you can find Molly Weasley’s self-knitting needles and in another you can find some of Gilderoy Lockhart’s books. One of my personal favorite things to do is to call the Ministry of Magic. Simply get inside of a red phone booth and dial 62442. Sadly, the phone booth is not also an elevator to the Ministry of Magic.
Once you are done exploring Diagon Alley make sure to head over to Hogsmeade. When I help you plan your vacation, we can talk about the many benefits of a Park-to-Park ticket. One of the best benefits is the ability to go on the Hogwarts Express. Before you board the Hogwarts Express, you will go through a passageway. When you stare straight on at the passageway it looks normal. From the side angle when people walk through, it looks like they are walking through a brick wall. In the books and movies in order to board the Hogwarts Express, you have to get to platform 9 ¾; you get there by walking through the brick pillar between platforms 9 and 10. This is just another fun easter egg that not a lot of people know about.
The Hogwarts Express is a real train that you board from King’s Cross Station that takes you directly into Hogsmeade Station. During the train ride you will be able to see shadows of the characters moving on the doorway to the individual train car. From the train window you might also see characters flying by.
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