Potterheads unite; one of the world’s greatest fantasy series (fight us!) has come to our very own Changi Airport, in a special festive pop-up starting today (Nov 16). A collaboration with Warner Bros. Singapore, A Wizarding World Holiday takes over three public spaces and one transit area in the world’s best airport—with setups recreating the iconic Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley from the hit movies. Our little muggle hearts can’t quite take it.
Timed to coincide with the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the themed backdrops take inspiration from both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series’. Outside T3’s Departure Hall, wander around a snow-covered Hogsmeade (no permission slips required), and pop into stores like Zonko’s Joke Shop, Honeydukes and Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. No Butterbeer here unfortunately, but a magnificent Hogwarts Express train sits at the side, even emitting atmospheric clouds of steam at intervals.
Other fun photo opportunities await at T2 Departure Hall and T1’s transit hall—namely a Whomping Willow display complete with a Weasley car, and a recreation of Newt Scamander’s Menagerie and magical beasts, respectively. The latter is strictly open only to passengers with a boarding pass; we’d suggest not trying to apparate in.
It’s not all about taking pictures either—at the far end of T3, a Diagon Alley setup has games and activities you can take part in for free. Work on your spell-casting at the Wand Challenge, train for the next quidditch match at the Quaffle Toss (where you sit on a broomstick and throw Quaffle balls into hoops), or play a game of coin-balancing with a giant Niffler. And you’ll definitely want to stop by Madam Malkin’s, where you can dress up according to your House and snap a GIF as a moving (literally) keepsake. Diagon Alley is free to enter, but you’ll have to post three pictures of yourself on social media with any three of the event setups to gain access to the activities inside.
On top of everything, go nuts redeeming exclusive purchase-with-purchase merch and premiums—like a Gryffindor knitted scarf, and plushies of the three main leads plus Hedwig—when you spend a minimum sum within the airport.
The entire experience is a far cry from what you’ll find at Universal Studios Orlando, Hollywood and Tokyo; but definitely still worth a trip down for fans. Also, where else can you shuffle into Hogsmeade in slippers?
A Wizarding World Holiday runs from Nov 16 to mid-Feb, 2019 at Changi Airport.
