Latest Harry Potter Legos Set -- 2011 Diagon Alley

Yeah!  The new Diagon Alley Lego set is here as promised.  And it's great, easily filling a 1 x 2 foot area.  Shopping for school supplies has never been so fun ;-)

Wizard Warning:  This set is a bit hard to find, and the "other merchants" are selling it on Amazon at prices approaching 2 times the proper relase price.  So I'd wait a while, and shop carefully.




Wimpy

  The Old

The Diagon Alley set from a few years ago looked pretty disapointing to me, and I never bought it.  There isn't much construction to do, and the cardboard backdrop just really spoils the Lego magic for me.  But lots of people really liked it, and many used it as accessories for their other sets.








Heafty

 The New

The 2011 set is way beter.  It includes 3 shops:  Ollivander's, Borgin and Burke's, and Gringott's Bank.  Each is a very detailed construction with lots of fiddly bits.  Ollivander's includes several wands on several shelves plus a ladder and explosive surprise.  Borgin and Burkes has some glow-in-the-dark scaries, fireplace, and vanishing cabinet.  Gringott's Bank features the vault, Philosopher's Stone, and more.

And there's just short of a dozen mini-figures.  Of course there's Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  There's also Rubeus Hagrid, Fred and George Weasley, Mr. Ollivander (otherwise it wouldn't be Ollivander's, would it), Malfoy (as Death Eater), Fenrir, and a couple of Gringott goblins.  Not to mention a few owls.

It seems like everyone who's gotten their hands on one so far really like it, many considering it one of the best Harry Potter Legos sets ever.  The quality and detail fully live up to the reputation of Legos.