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76444 Harry Potter™ Diagon Alley™ Wizarding Shops Review

By Barry Kay (SAFOLs Brick Boss, CapeLUG Member, Batman … Ssshhhh!)

The LEGO® Harry Potter™ Diagon Alley™ Wizarding Shops (76444) is an exciting addition to the ever-growing LEGO® Harry Potter lineup, bringing the charm and mystery of Diagon Alley to life in a highly detailed, modular format. Packed with 2,750 pieces, this set offers an intricate and immersive build, featuring several of the magical shops that are central to the wizarding world. Whether you’re a dedicated LEGO® builder or a Harry Potter fan, this set promises a rewarding experience with advanced building techniques, unique printed elements, and an impressive level of detail in both exterior and interior design.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Upon opening the box, builders are greeted with multiple numbered bags, keeping the build process structured and allowing each shop to be constructed separately. The instruction manual is well-organized and features step-by-step guidance, ensuring an accessible experience for both seasoned builders and newcomers.

A standout aspect of this set is the inclusion of specialized printed elements, avoiding the need for stickers while enhancing the authenticity of the details. Additionally, there are 12 statuettes, representing characters such as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and other well-known witches and wizards, which add an extra layer of storytelling potential.

Building Experience and Techniques

This set employs a variety of LEGO® building techniques, ensuring an engaging construction process filled with creative solutions. Each shop follows a modular design, allowing for individual assembly and the freedom to rearrange them as desired. This modular approach makes for a highly customizable display, reminiscent of LEGO® Creator Expert Modular Buildings.

One of the most noticeable techniques used is SNOT (Studs Not On Top) construction, where elements are placed sideways or at unique angles to create detailed facades and architectural flourishes. This method is especially effective in crafting the distinctively angled shopfronts, which give the set a dynamic, movie-accurate appearance. Other techniques, such as offset tiling, create intricate brickwork patterns and cobblestone pathways, reinforcing the rich, layered aesthetic of Diagon Alley. Advanced hinge and bracket placements are also cleverly used to construct slanted walls and archways, adding depth and variety to the builds.

Shop Designs: Interior and Exterior Details

Each Diagon Alley shop included in this set is packed with movie-inspired details that make the build feel authentic. The exteriors stand out due to their bold colors, unique architectural features, and well-executed window displays, mirroring their on-screen counterparts.

Inside, the interiors are just as detailed, with accessories like potion bottles, spell books, wands, and cauldrons, giving the shops a lived-in, magical atmosphere. Shelving units, counters, and even tiny wizarding artifacts make for an engaging display, with several Easter eggs hidden throughout for keen-eyed fans to discover.

The design layout of the shops also allows for easy access, making it possible to interact with the interiors by positioning the statuettes in different ways, setting up spell-casting scenes, or simply admiring the intricate design work.

Display and Playability

Thanks to its modular build, this set is flexible when it comes to display options. Builders can arrange the shops in a straight line or position them in a more compact configuration, depending on their available space. The intricate facades and vibrant colour schemes make this a fantastic display piece, whether placed alongside other LEGO® Harry Potter sets or as a standalone showcase.

For those interested in playability, the set offers plenty of opportunities. The statuettes and interactive shop interiors allow fans to recreate famous scenes from the Harry Potter films and books, while the variety of accessories ensures plenty of possibilities for imaginative storytelling. While not minifigure-scale like the larger 75978 Diagon Alley set, this model captures the essence of the magical shopping street in a condensed and charming format.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

The LEGO® Harry Potter™ 76444 Diagon Alley™ Wizarding Shops is an outstanding set that excels in both design and playability. It effectively balances architectural accuracy, vibrant aesthetics, and engaging building techniques, making it an essential addition to any LEGO® Harry Potter collection.

With a variety of intricate building methods, modular customization, and richly detailed interiors, this set offers both a rewarding construction experience and an impressive display piece. Whether you’re a dedicated LEGO® fan, a Harry Potter enthusiast, or someone who appreciates well-crafted LEGO® architecture, this set provides a fun and magical building journey that is well worth the investment.

Pros & Cons Summary

✅ Pros:

  • Detailed modular shops with vibrant and accurate designs
  • Advanced LEGO® building techniques, including SNOT, tiling, and hinge constructions
  • Printed elements (no stickers!) and well-decorated interiors
  • Highly customizable display options
  • Statuette selection adds storytelling potential

❌ Cons:

  • Not minifigure-scale, which may not appeal to all collectors
  • Some small parts can be fragile, making certain details delicate to handle
  • Could benefit from more moving play features

Final Verdict: A Magical Addition to Any LEGO® Collection

This set successfully captures the whimsical charm of Diagon Alley, offering a detailed and engaging build with plenty of room for customization and display options. Whether you’re looking to expand your LEGO® Wizarding World or simply appreciate beautifully designed LEGO® structures, this set is a fantastic choice.

Would you pick this one up for your collection? Let me know your thoughts! 🏰✨🔮

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76419 Hogwarts Castle and Grounds Review

By Rakesh Gosai (SAFOLs Brick Deputy)

Hey there SAFOLs! How do you get into Hogwarts? Through the Dumble-door.

Brace yourselves for the exciting news about the 76419 Hogwarts Castle and Grounds set. It showcases a super cool micro scale version of Hogwarts Castle!

This compact model takes inspiration from the LEGO® Architecture series, and let me tell you, it doesn’t hold back on the awesomeness. With 2,660 pieces, it manages to capture the essence of Hogwarts without taking up all your space or emptying your wallet.

I mean, let’s be real here, not everyone can afford the epic 71043 Hogwarts Castle set that costs a small fortune. LEGO® knows that, and they’ve heard our pleas. They’ve created this more practical and affordable option that still looks absolutely stunning.

The design itself is on point, with all the iconic towers and spires of Hogwarts beautifully represented. But that’s not all – they’ve also included references to key moments and places in the Harry Potter series. From the Chamber of Secrets to the Durmstrang Ship, the Weasley’s Ford Anglia stuck in the Whomping Willow, and even the Beauxbatons Carriage landing, you’ll find all the magical details you love.

Opening the box, you’ll find lots and lots of numbered bags, this was a very full box and includes two very thick instruction manuals, they look beautiful and throughout the instructions, there’s detailed info about each section of Hogwarts.

In this set, the Castle looks like it is coming out of the water with all of the White Caps around it. I do really like it I think it’s an amazing display piece. The castle build, the rock work behind it and throughout the build is excellent, you can see some Crystal pieces and sand green being used to represent trees as well as ice cream cone pieces and dark green pieces. Very good looking at the bottom of the build. The Boathouse with 12 pieces looks really good! This set has all printed tiles!!

There’s a couple of Pathways leading away from the boathouse, one in a tan colour and one in a dark tan colour. The dark tan leads to Beauxbatons Carriage flying through the sky and The Great Hall, you can see that Shield piece is printed with a clock, and just below that we have the printed doorway and a courtyard. The Great Hall overall just looks phenomenal, and it’s built at a really cool angle, just to the right of that we have the Grand Tower where you would find Dumbledore’s office.

The back side of the Great Hall there are printed window pieces, with more trees and a pathway leading into another large building and Courtyard area. There’s a bridge with a small stream of water underneath it, leading across to the next section where you’ll find some very nice, printed window pieces. The Astronomy Tower which also looks pretty great on the side, although the side of it with all the holes looks a little bit weird, I think this needs to be tweaked.

I really found the underneath of the build very strange as I am used to building on a baseplate and this set does not use one! They have instead used plates, maybe something for me to change at a later date.

If you’re into minifigures, this set comes with an exclusive Architect of Hogwarts Minifigure. This guy is dressed to impress, with a snazzy pearl gold outfit. Plus, can we take a moment to appreciate his new beard? It really grows on you!

All in all, LEGO® has really went all out in designing this set. I had the chance to see it up close AND build it, trust me, Harry Potter fans are going to be over the moon with this Pottercularly version of Hogwarts Castle. Whether you’re a collector or just a fan of all things magical, this set is a must-have.

Head on out to your closest LEGO® store and be sure to use the spell Accio to summon this set!