Fans planning to make a pilgrimage to the real Platform 9¾ in London this week have fewer opportunities to enjoy the experience than usual…and the Harry Potter Shop at King's Cross Station hasn't explained why.
Early Closure on Two Days This Week
The official Harry Potter Shop Instagram account posted a notice on Tuesday, affecting visitors with plans to stop by the flagship London location on April 21 or April 23. The store's announcement read:
“Harry Potter Shop King's Cross will be closing at 8pm on Tuesday 21st April and Thursday 23rd April.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
The shop typically stays open until 10:00 p.m. on both evenings, making this a two-hour early closure each day. No reason was given for the adjusted hours. Wednesday, April 22, and the days following April 23 appear to be operating on their normal schedule.
What That Means for the Platform 9¾ Photo Op
The Harry Potter Shop King's Cross is the home of the original Platform 9¾ experience — a first-come, first-served photo opportunity where guests can queue to pose with Harry's trolley as it appears to pass through a brick wall. The photo op runs on the same hours as the shop itself, so the early 8:00 p.m. close on Tuesday and Thursday will almost certainly cut short access to the experience as well. However, the store's Instagram story did not specifically address the photo op's hours.
The Harry Potter Shop Franchise
The King's Cross location, which opened in 2012, is the original of the franchise. Additional Harry Potter Shops have since opened in Chicago, New York City, and two locations in Tokyo: Harajuku and Akasaka. None of those locations was mentioned in Tuesday's closure notice.
View this post on Instagram
Like their London counterpart, all five shops carry merchandise similar to what's found at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan, and Universal Studios Beijing, alongside location-exclusive items tied to J.K. Rowling's children's fantasy series and its film adaptations.
Have you visited any of the Harry Potter Shop locations around the world? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
