Diagon Alley
The major shopping strip in the theme park, Diagon Alley's narrow cobbled streets are lined on both sides with a vast assortment of restaurants, shops and other buildings. Dominating the alley would be the snowy white facade of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. As it exchanges Muggle money for wizarding coins and business in the wizarding world can only be transacted with wizarding currency, the bank should be the first stop for every potential shopper.
An interesting stop would be the office of the wizarding newspaper, "The Daily Prophet". Entering the news office, one would be struck by how busy it is. Dizzied by the voices of inquisitive reporters interviewing famous personages and noisy columnists looking for inspiration, as well as the light and smoke from camera flashes, visitors would be further dazzled by the numerous editions of the paper available for sale.
Modelled after a traditional newspaper, except for moving pictures in place of photographs, "The Daily Prophet" uses electronic paper displays that reflect light like ordinary paper so that they mimic the appearance of ordinary ink on paper. These flexible screens would be connected to tiny chips with images and flat batteries embedded in them.
Using electronic ink technology and the fact that the publication is monochromatic, only a tiny amount of electricity is needed to change a pixel from black to white. Therefore, each screen could cycle through a selected number of images for an extended period of time before the attached batteries are drained.
If caught for an interview, be careful what you say, for your words and pictures might make it in the evening edition of the paper!
A popular destination would be Eeylops Owl Emporium, which sells owls (plush and mechanical toys) and supplies such as owl treats and cages. Dark and humming with low, soft hooting and rustling, several species of owls would be up for sale. A section in the huge shop would be cordoned off for a small-scaled Owl Post Office.
The most frequented store would of course be "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC". The famed wand maker would measure various body parts (including unexpected places) and then allow "the wand to choose the wizard" as he gets the customer to test out several wands. All preprogrammed to startle with lights and smoke, as well as the levitation and explosions of rigged items, during the testing, Mr Ollivander would figure out the most suitable wand and present it to the customer for purchase.
Other popular shops in Diagon Alley would include:
Besides the established stores, the alley would also spot small stalls selling a wide range of things; including magical sweets and amulets. A short distance way, in a less savoury corner, would be the infamous Knockturn Alley.
An interesting stop would be the office of the wizarding newspaper, "The Daily Prophet". Entering the news office, one would be struck by how busy it is. Dizzied by the voices of inquisitive reporters interviewing famous personages and noisy columnists looking for inspiration, as well as the light and smoke from camera flashes, visitors would be further dazzled by the numerous editions of the paper available for sale.
Modelled after a traditional newspaper, except for moving pictures in place of photographs, "The Daily Prophet" uses electronic paper displays that reflect light like ordinary paper so that they mimic the appearance of ordinary ink on paper. These flexible screens would be connected to tiny chips with images and flat batteries embedded in them.
Using electronic ink technology and the fact that the publication is monochromatic, only a tiny amount of electricity is needed to change a pixel from black to white. Therefore, each screen could cycle through a selected number of images for an extended period of time before the attached batteries are drained.
If caught for an interview, be careful what you say, for your words and pictures might make it in the evening edition of the paper!
A popular destination would be Eeylops Owl Emporium, which sells owls (plush and mechanical toys) and supplies such as owl treats and cages. Dark and humming with low, soft hooting and rustling, several species of owls would be up for sale. A section in the huge shop would be cordoned off for a small-scaled Owl Post Office.
The most frequented store would of course be "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC". The famed wand maker would measure various body parts (including unexpected places) and then allow "the wand to choose the wizard" as he gets the customer to test out several wands. All preprogrammed to startle with lights and smoke, as well as the levitation and explosions of rigged items, during the testing, Mr Ollivander would figure out the most suitable wand and present it to the customer for purchase.
Other popular shops in Diagon Alley would include:
- Flourish & Blotts - a big bookstore selling gold-embossed spell books and other books dealing with magical subjects, such as divination and monsters (kept bound in an iron cage). The store would also host signing sessions, where celebrity authors like Gilderoy Lockhart would sign copies of their own books.
- Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions - a shop that tailors and sells wizarding apparel such as robes and hats. Any robes, unable to be finished and collected before the customer leaves the wizarding world, would be delivered to a specified Muggle location by post. Any package thus received, would bear the postmark of the Owl Post Office in Diagon Alley.
- Magical Menagerie - a magical creature shop selling the plush and mechanical toys of animals like crabs that blow fire and rabbits that turn into a top hat. Instructions and demonstrations on animal care would be provided in the store.
- Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour - experimenting with exotic and ambrosial flavours, the parlour would sell freshly made ice cream as sublimely crafted works of art.
- Potage's Cauldron Shop - sells cauldrons in all materials and sizes, including some featuring extra functions, like self-stirring capabilities and ones that are collapsible.
- Quality Quidditch Supplies - a store that allows customers to test-fly the brooms for sale. Test brooms would be attached to aerial rigs that swings rapidly between specified points. Other equipment can also be tested, such as bats against dummy bludgers and aiming quaffles through goal loops. Also for sale are the uniforms, gear and mementos of famous Quidditch teams.
- Slug and Jiggers Apothecary - an actual Traditional Chinese Medicinal store, it would display and sell an array of exotic ingredients, such as seahorse and antelope horn. There would also be licenced Chinese physicians who would diagnose and treat any patients in the traditional manner. Prescriptions given would be filled by the real-time slicing, pounding and measuring of ingredients by the ancient weight and scales. Payment would be calculated using abacus.
- Gambol and Japes - a novelties store filled with delightfully bizarre tools and tricks for the intrepid prankster. The salespeople in the shop, all former street magicians, would tease and entertain the customers by using the merchandise to put on impromptu magic shows.
- Telescope Shop - a store dedicated to telescopes and other astronomy equipment. On sale would be real telescopes, as well as ones with some wizarding functions, like a U-shaped telescope that shows things in reverse.
- Twilfitt and Tatting's - a clothing shop that sells ready-to-wear wizarding clothes off-the-racks, such as dragon hide jackets. Also for sale would be accessories, such as mokeskin bags and fang earrings.
Besides the established stores, the alley would also spot small stalls selling a wide range of things; including magical sweets and amulets. A short distance way, in a less savoury corner, would be the infamous Knockturn Alley.