Update: Get your wands ready, because a VIP experience is opening at the New York Store on the 11th and 14th December! You'll be able to beat the crowds and enter the store earlier, get personalised shopping bags, and much more. Take a look before tickets snap up!
Harry Potter New York is no ordinary shop. Set over two floors, it has the largest amount of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products in one place making it the shop for any Harry Potter fan. And at Christmas, the magic reaches a whole new level...
Admire the Christmas window…
First things first, you don’t even need to step into the store for the Christmas joy to start. That begins with the window displays which are transformed for the festive season. All along 22nd St, fans can admire a snow-covered Hogwarts castle and grounds with special Christmas products proudly displayed amongst the wintry scene. Once you cross the threshold into the store, the windows are transformed to capture the glow of Hogwarts at Christmas. Remember to keep an eye out for Harry Potter taking a moment to warm himself by the fire in the Great Hall.
There’s a perfect gift for everyone…
It can be so hard to find the perfect gift for your nearest and dearest at Christmas (you don’t really want to get yet another ‘World’s best dad’ mug for your father). Luckily for you, with over 15 different themed areas Harry Potter New York leaves you spoilt for choice. From stocking fillers to showstoppers, there is something for everyone whether that’s a toy or game for a child (or grownup) in your life or an Azkaban inspired gift for a special Dark Arts fan. You can even pick up a Christmas tree ornament or stocking for yourself thanks to the special holiday range of products. Best of all, at this flagship store you can find products not available for purchase anywhere else – we especially like the look of the Harry Potter New York Fawkes Hoodie
If you want to get a little more personal, head over to the Things That Must Not Be Named section of the store where you can get everything from journals, robes and even wands personalised with a name of your choice.
Choose your perfect wand (or will it choose you?) …
Speaking of wands, you can’t visit a store all about Harry Potter and not go and visit the wand section. In fact, we think that after buying everyone else Christmas goodies you should buy yourself a little treat – you deserve it. This area has been inspired by Ollivanders and contains over fifty different wands that have been influenced by characters, locations and props from the Wizarding World. There’s even a Griffin Stairwell wand exclusive to the store.
And if you look between the piles of wand boxes, you’ll spot some digital windows that show you a magical forest that changes throughout the day and reflects the seasons (just imagine how glorious it will look at during the festive period). If you keep an eye out, you might even spot some familiar Patronuses – including Dumbledore’s Phoenix.
Pose for some fun photos…
Harry Potter New York is more than the products on its shelves – it’s an experience. Everything in the store has been carefully designed with thoughtful details so you can fully immerse yourself. There are so many fan favourite moments from the stories that you can spot as you make your way around the store. There are even authentic props from the movies. With so much detail, there are plenty of opportunities to snap a few photos. You can stand in the Atrium of Awe and admire the Griffin that guards Dumbledore’s office (interestingly the Griffin in the store is cast from the original prop seen in the films). You can also pose in a London phone box like the one outside the Ministry of Magic. You also wouldn’t want to leave without getting a picture of the huge floating model of Fawkes the Phoenix which was handcrafted by propmakers in the UK and weighs over 100kgs!
Check out the Butterbeer bar…
Once you have found your perfect wand, done all your Christmas shopping and taken a photo or two (or fifty), remember to visit the Butterbeer bar. If you are old enough, place your order under the cascading bottles of Butterbeer – each of them adorned with a collectible label created by MinaLima and watch as the bottles glow. Speaking of MinaLima, you can also find a bottled Butterbeer label exclusively designed for the New York store. Inspired by the Magical Congress of the United States of America, the label contains deep reds, whites and blues – a bit like the U.S. flag. And the fun doesn’t stop there – spotted something whizzing above your head? That will be the Butterbeer that soars across the ceiling through the network of copper pipes as Butterbeer bottles rise up from the floor and float across the bar. Oh, and don’t forget to take your souvenir tankard!
We don’t know about you, but thinking about all the things you can do at Harry Potter New York has left us feeling rather Christmassy! You can find all the information you need for your festive visit on their website.
