Here’s a look at the spellbinding LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley (2020 update)

August 31, 2020 | 12

2020 just got a whole lot better for LEGO Harry Potter fans with the official unveil of 75978 Diagon Alley, a massive 5,544-piece model of the wizarding shopping district.

Featuring some of the most iconic locations and shops in the Wizarding World, Diagon Alley gets a massive upgrade from the 2011 version and more than doubling the piece count.

To bring Diagon Alley to life, the set is packed with a total of 14 minifigures, and will be priced at US$399.99 / AU$599.99.

The 2020 LEGO Diagon Alley will be available almost immediately, launching worldwide on 1 September 2020 on LEGO.com and your local LEGO Brand Retail/Certified Stores.

Regional links and pricing are below:

• LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley [US] – US$399.99
• LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley [AUS] – AU$599.99
• LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley [UK] – £369.99
• LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley [EU] – €399.19
• LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley [CAN] – CA$499.99

Here’s a look at the 14 minifigures included in the set. This set take place in Year 2 of Harry Potter, as we see the kid versions of the main characters.

Character include: Hagrid, Fred and George Weasley, Molly Weasley, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Gilderoy Lockhart, Ollivander, Florean Fortescue and a Daily Prophet photographer.

This is Florean Fortecue’s first appearance as a LEGO minifigure, and I’m particularly excited to see Glderoy Lockhart included as well.

The set is absolutely massive, measuring over a meter wide. In many ways, this feels like a series of Harry Potter modular buildings, which is just a dream come true for any LEGO Harry Potter fan.

The iconic shopfronts include: Ollivanders Wand Shop, Scribbulus Writing Implements, Quality Quidditch Supplies, the Daily Prophet, Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor, Flourish & Blotts bookseller and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes and the details were painstakingly re-created using photos from the set of the movie from over 20 years ago.

The back of the buildings are exposed to reveal the detailed interiors, and a provide lots of fun little play spaces for the minifigures.

Diagon Alley must be stuck in some sort of time vortex, as technically, Weasley’ Wizard Wheezes only opened after Book/Year 4 with seed money provided by Harry Potter’s Triwizard Tournament earnings, but we’ll let it slide.

The interiors of the joke shop are a kaleidescope of colours, featuring all sorts of prank and joke products peddled by the Weasley twins.

I’m delighted that they included Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. The owner, who isn’t just a whiz at creating frozen confectionary is also an expert at medieval witch burning.

Here’s a look at Ollivander’s, where nearly every British witch and wizard goes to get their wands from.

This is Quality Quidditch Supplies, where we see Lucius Malfoy splash out to buy the Draco and the Slytherin team the (then) top of the line Nimbus 2001s.

Great to see Gilderoy Lockhart with a signing event at Flourish and Blotts, the wizarding bookshop.

Last but not least, we have the interiors of Scribbulus™ Writing Implements, to stock up on quills and other writing supplies.

Also really cool to see Knockturn Alley included.

LEGO have definitely not back with Diagon Alley, and will more than satisfy the cravings of adult LEGO fans and Potterheads who wants something more substantial than playsets.

I’m really impressed by the set’s attention to detail, and just how well the architectural features of the shopfronts are captured – this makes for a grand, minifig-scale display model that’s a must-have for any LEGO Harry Potter fan.

The only thing that’s missing is the Wizarding Bank Gringotts, which is an institution and one of the grandest structure in Diagon Alley. With the modular way this set has been designed… I wouldn’t be surprised if LEGO were saving a large Gringotts Bank model for an expansion to Diagon Alley.

All I can say is, shut up and take my galleons. LEGO have gotten an absolute winner on their hands, and with a strong lineup of new Harry Potter sets, and a new Minifigures Series, 2020 is shaping up to be an absolutely magical year for LEGO Harry Potter fans.

LEGO 75978 Diagon Alley will be available on 1 September 2020 from LEGO.com

Will you be picking Diagon Alley up at launch? Let me know what you think of the set in the comments section!