Harry Potter Hogwarts School Deluxe Electronic Playset

by Mattel

Product Features

• Requires 3 AA batteries (not included)
• 11 Rooms
• Set attaches to other playset that are sold separately
• No assembly required

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 10 pounds
• ASIN: B00005NP4U
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,351 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

As any fan of J.K. Rowling's already classic stories knows, Hogwarts is the boarding school where young Harry Potter learns to become a wizard. The school, a place almost too magical to imagine, is depicted here in miniature. A mystical sound effect signals the opening of the unit as 11 rooms are revealed, most featuring secret surprises. The Owlery, the Sorting Hat, the classrooms, and the library are all represented here, clearing the way for budding Rowlings to create their own adventures on the spot. Of course, for any playset to accurately depict all of Hogwarts' many rooms, even the hidden ones, would require a toy far larger than anyone could build. Still, this fun set, just right for desktops or playrooms, nicely captures the spirit of Harry's alma mater and is compatible with other Harry Potter playsets from Mattel. --John Moe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

106 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pricey but fun, November 6, 2001

By 

"agarcia01" (Sugar Land, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Harry Potter Hogwarts School Deluxe Electronic Playset (Toy)

Although it costs quite a bit (as of November 2001), it is a fun little castle for the kids. The best thing is not just that it is electronic (sounds and movement) but that it connects to other (smaller/less costly) micro playsets (Hagrid's Hut, Hogwarts' Express and Forbidden Corridor thus far) and electrically powers their movement mechanisms as well. It looks like there is room for one more connection/expansion (Quidditch Field maybe?) This playset reminds me of micro-machines playsets.

Make sure you don't give to small children, it has lots of easy to lose (or choke on) pieces.

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hogwarts-A school unlike any other!, February 14, 2002

By 

AJ Mayers (TX) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Harry Potter Hogwarts School Deluxe Electronic Playset (Toy)

Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry...

This beautiful Playset captures the magic of J.K. Rowlings hit novel(s) of Harry Potter. This playset, in my opinion, looks more like Hogwarts than the lego set. It has the green rooftops, towers, turrets, and windows all over the castle. It's architechture is very well. Wow! It is sitting atop a small green cliff. It opens up to 11 wonderful rooms with magical sounds(3 AA batteries) and comes with 6 figures:

Mountain Troll
Harry
Hermione
Ron
Snape
Invisible cloak Harry

It is very cool, and yet very small. I even love the secret Mirror of Erised room in the back, and the secret storage compartment tray. This is so awesome to look at. It would be better if it had more figures like maybe a Dumbledore or Quirrell figure, but still it's ok. It has connections for the Platform 9 3/4, Hagrid's Hut, Forbidden Corridor, and Whomping Willow playset. With these 4 extra playsets, it makes this wonderful toy a much more magical experience for any age Harry Potter fanatic! It really does capture the magic of Harry Potter better than the lego sets. By the way, it was very difficult to take out the set out of it's packaged box! Took over an hour to safely get it out!

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST for true Harry Potter fans!, August 20, 2002

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Harry Potter Hogwarts School Deluxe Electronic Playset (Toy)

Everything works exactly as it shows on the box. Music plays when the castle opens as well as for the "screaming" book, the "levitating" feather, Hedwig the owl as he "flys" into the room, the Mountain Troll in the girl's bathroom, and for Harry when he becomes "invisible". Music also plays as harry circles through the Great Hall where food (which looks like the main course and dessert) appears and disappears leaving empty plates and then an empty table. There is a secret storage bin in the back of the school to store the figurines, which include Harry, Invisible Harry, Ron, Hermione, Snape and a Mountain Troll. It also comes with a suit of armor that "watches" Hedwig fly into the room and three tables full of food that you can place in the Great Hall. The back of the school also has a neat little fold-down drawbridge door which reveals The Mirror of Erised room. There is also a "pop-up" Owlry which reveals a "hidden corridor". Things I didn't like (only minor details because I'm picky): the "orange" food side of the table sometimes doesn't flip over flatly. Concerning the two sections that open at the bottom front of the school: Snapes classroom is difficult to open (it's in there very tight), and Professor Flitwick's classroom doesn't close tight enough. Also, it's "kind-of" difficult to get the "levitating" feather to make its' sound. I have to push it snugly towards the right to get its' sound going (there are tiny sound "buttons" inside of the hinges that make the sounds for the side compartments) and being the broom handle is made of the bendable-type plastic, I have to make sure I grab the bottom of the broom to do it. All in all, though, I found the Hogwart's School Deluxe Micro Playset to be a great toy and well worth the money. The detail is amazing! It allows my son to reinact just about every scene of the original Harry Potter movie. We have two of the four available sets that attach to the school and "come to life" when the school is turned on (Hagrid's Hut and the Whomping Willow). I plan on ordering the Forbidden Corridor and the Platorm 9 3/4 as soon as they are in stock, and hope to get the Weasley House which is supposed to be available in the Fall of 2002. As for the packaging? We had no troubles whatsoever. We just took our time and untwisted or snipped the connectors from the inside cardboard packaging to remove the school, and gently pushed from the bottom of the plastic packaging which held the characters to remove them. It took us only about 15 minutes.