This whole park is so awesome, and this part of the Harry Potter & Hogwarts experience is so freakin rad! Seriously, what a great place for people of all ages. Enjoy this special section of Universal Studios Theme Park. read more

The wand chooses the wizard! Definitely a fun experience if you have the opportunity, and when you are chosen it makes it that more magical! Did I buy the wand? You bet I did! The staff sells the experience and there is a vast amount of wands to choose from. The interactive wands are fun, though a tad overpriced in my opinion for the product. read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Outside signage - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Ollivander's wand shop is special!! If you're looking for a cool magical experience, get the wand and wave it around the Harry Potter part of the parks for a neat experience! I got Dumbledore's wand, went for the goat!!! read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Dumbledore's wand - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

My family visited Ollivander's on our first day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last month. When we left Gringotts, we saw there was a short line wrapped around the side of the shop. We asked what it was and learned it was a line for the Ollivander's Experience. We still weren't sure what that meant but after learning it was only a 10-15 minute, we figured why not? We wanted to try everything! It turned out to be what you'd expect it to be. An interactive wand experience. They choose a volunteer from your group and that volunteer gets to relive Harry's experience at Ollivander's! It was very fun. Then, after it ends, you leave the experience and enter the shop, where you can buy your own wand (interactive or a character wand)! Very fun and worth the short wait! read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Aesthetically it's an incredibly visual sight to see and experience. The wands aren't cheap (but then again nothing is at these theme parks) however the biggest frustration was that the "magical" spots within Harry Potty World mostly didn't work, so that was a major buzz kill. It's a very small shop, very long lines, but again, all to be expected. read more

Disappointed with Lack of Functionality Outside the Park I was really excited to visit Ollivanders Wand Shop at Universal, and the in-park experience was magical. However, I was very disappointed to find out after purchasing my $90 interactive wand that it doesn't function outside of the park. I wasn't informed at the time of purchase that the wand would essentially become a decorative item once I left. It doesn't even light up or do anything on its own -- no sound effects, no lights, no interactivity outside of the specific spell spots in the park. For the price, I expected at least some kind of functionality at home, especially since it's marketed as an "interactive" wand. I feel this should be made more clear to guests before they make such a pricey purchase. As it stands, it's not worth the money if you're hoping for anything more than an in-park souvenir. read more

One of my favorite immersive experiences while at Universal Studios. The line is insanely long, but definitely worth the wait! The staff go above and beyond to make you feel so welcome. I felt like I was enrolling in my next semester at Hogwarts. The experience lasts maybe 15-20 minutes and with each group, one is chosen for the immersive experience. IG: QueenOfAdventureNYC read more

Wonderful experience but limited wand options. If you're taking someone who took a "wand quiz" and wants their exact match, there is a chance that it will not be available. If you're looking for a character wand then I recommend checking their website to confirm it's carried. With that in mind, wands are not inexpensive but you're paying for a souvenir as well as an interactive experience; walking around, doing spells, at different locations. If you want to increase your chances at being chosen for the wand experience then dress in character. After a handful of tries, almost without fail, the kids who were in character were always chosen. That said, Madam Malkin's store carries quality robes/capes as well as an embroidery service. My son adored the experience and could've easily spent an entire day just in the Harry Potter Park. read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

We waited in line maybe 15 minutes for the interactive experience. My niece was the chosen one for wand selection. This was her second time being selected. My only complaint about Ollivanders is that the area where the wands are is so small. So many people packed into such a small area trying to get chosen by a wand. It's hard to believe that they would've underestimated the amount of people this location would draw. The wands are such a big attraction, especially with the interactive capabilities that you would just assume it would be more accommodating. Either way my wife and kids nerded out heavy, and I played it cool as I always do. [says the guy that purchased 2 wands, when he had the one that rules them all already]. If you're a Harry Potter fan you should definitely come and get the whole experience. Still a 5 star even with the critique... read more

The shop in Hogsmeade is the one with the "experience" of the wand selection. There's a line outside the door and it looks very mysterious, so you can't miss it. Ollivander is up on the stairs when you first come in and the staff gets you lined up the right way. Then he starts his little shtick, and it was very much in accordance with the book and movie. Ollivander picks one small group out of the crowd to get selected. There were quite a few couples and families with little kids when we got in, and he went back and forth until....he picked me and my boyfriend! I just about died and went to heaven. Afterwards I heard some little kids expressing they were sad but those little kids can deal, this was amazing!! I won't spoil it for you, but afterwards you can buy your wand so that you can activate the spells around the park! They do have cheaper ones that don't activate the spells, but for the small price difference, I would just go for the one that's interactive. It was fun, and I'm ready for Flitwick's class now! read more

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The only gift my nephew wanted was a wand so my best friend came here and had a great experience picking out a wand for him. I mostly just looked around with so much delight I forgot to take pictures, which was the only other gift he requested (lots and lots of photos). There is a Olivander's shop in both Island of Adventure and Universal Studios, but if you are a huge Harry Potter nerd like myself you will end up venturing through both stores. This particular Olivander's is in Island of Adventure in Hogsmead Village. If I had to recommend one Harry Potter gift shop, it would be Olivanders 100%. There is a unique interactive experience here where you can see a wand choose a wizard. Afterwards you can purchase your own wand, including Harry Potter film character wand replicas. read more

What a fun place to experience and a must if you are a Harry Potter fan! This place was packed... so many people crammed into this store. Totally worth it for the experience, the wand maker puts on a great performance. So much fun watching the wand maker selected someone in the audience to get fitted for a wand. With so many wands to choose from, it could take some time to pick out the right one. They have the wands used by all the Harry Potter characters.. with so many kids eager to grab the Harry Potter one! This place looks just like the store in the movie! With such a great interactive experience waiting for you... it's a must stop for all .. not just the children! read more

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It was my second time here since they started doing interactive wands and this year I just HAD to get one. The people here were great about helping me find THE ONE. I already had versions of Hermione's and Severus' and didn't want to have a million versions of the same one. I was really temped by Bellatrix's but hers is all curved and kind of difficult to hold onto. I was afraid when I swung it around casting spells I would end up throwing it at someone. So I was looking for one that not only looked neat but had an easy-to-hold handle to it. Fleur's just fit perfectly in my hands and was easy to swing around without fear of it taking flight. The workers told me here that this location isn't as great at displaying the wands as the location in Diagon Alley so I ended up going through the boxes a lot. It wasn't too big of a deal but next time I'm deciding I may check out the other location so I can see them all at once or at least the majority of them displayed. I appreciated their patience as I looked at every wand... a few of them multiple times. Be aware, not every wand has an interactive version and some just don't have them yet. For instance, Goldie's wand is gorgeous and just came out so it doesn't have an interactive version... yet. I'm not sure if she will get one but there's a good chance she will. They now have wands based on your birthday that you can take a peek at. I didn't care for mine so I didn't go for it. To be honest, you can have three that are considered yours- one for your birthday, one from Pottermore, and one if you do the interactive activity to discover your wand. So I'm not buying all of those just because they are "my wand" but I have multiple friends who would want to buy one of the three because of that reason and I completely understand. read more

Both of the Olivanders wand shops were really enjoyable. I hear it can be quite the wait, but I was there early and didn't sit in line too long. It was a fun theatrical performance with a wand maker talking about the importance of wands selecting the wizard. Someone from the audience is chosen and gets fitted for a wand and you get to witness some ~*magic*~ Afterwards you can browse the wand shop and select a wand from your favorite character or go with one that is an Olivander original. The wand shop has boxes and boxes of wands from floor to ceiling just like in the books and movies. You can select either a collectible wand or an interactive one that can be used at different sites in Hogsmead and Diagon Alley to make your own ~*magic*~ read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Wands, wands, and more wands! - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

The demonstration of a wand choosing a wizard shouldn't be missed. Although it's almost always a kid chosen to participate, it's still a fun presentation to watch. The demonstration itself is less than 10 minutes, but if you do choose to purchase a wand in the shop, you may spend up to an hour browsing through all of them that Ollivander's carries. There are both interactive (perform magic) and non-interactive wands, with famous characters' designs (Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, etc), wands based based off your horoscope, and some generic ones. If you do choose an interactive one (roughly $45), you also get a map of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade of where exactly to stand and the correct spells to recite and movements to follow. Although it's an expensive souvenir, it's so much fun watching the magic happen all around the park. read more

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Cool place, very fun to pick a wand even if they are actually useless. The place was packed. Wall to wall people so it was a huge pain to get around and look. The authenticity of the store was cool and made you feel like you were in the real shop. Honestly, I recommend the non-interactive wand for a souvenir as they are heavier and sturdier. The interactive wands are okay but get old fast. Cool store. Get one regular and one interactive or just get regular and watch other people use the interactive ones. read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Most amazing experience while in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I had honestly discounted going to Ollivanders Wand Shop as I heard it's more geared towards children and they always pick children for the interactive experience. Well folks, that simply is not true! My friend and I were picked! Admittedly it was probably because we were giggling like school girls in excitement and anticipation of the show...but we got picked! And it ended up being the highlight of my trip. My lovely best friend and I have been friends for 15 years....we were but wee things when we met hosting at PF Chang's as kids and our friendship has grown into a sisterhood. We share the love of many things - one of which is Harry Potter. She is like a Potter-phile...knows every single word of every movie, every in & out of each character no matter how small and just generally knows everything there is to know about HP. Going to the Wizarding World with her was a dream come true! And then to be picked at Ollivanders was so unexpected and magical. Ollivander spoke that he could see our true friendship and talked about it saying I am a fiercely loyal friend and that my friend was very smart - he said a few other things about each of us that were all eerily true! I don't want to spoil too much for you but it's well worth the wait in line! Our wait was actually only about 10 minutes so not bad at all. The show is a bit less than 10 minutes and you go in with groups of about 20 people. Even if you don't get picked to go up front, it's a lot of fun to watch. Having our wands choose us was so fun, my friend ended up buying the wand convinced it was fate. After the show you exit into the wand shop and can purchase wands to your heart's desire. Most seemed to be around the $50 price point give or take. Ollivanders wasn't on my radar at all as a must do but after experiencing it, I now know this mini-show cannot be missed! read more

I walked in to the wand shop just expecting to browse around and potentially buy a wand. My friend and i then got paraded into a room with about ten other kids and parents. Ollivander proceeded to choose ME for the want ceremony. I understand that about 5 people probably get chosen every hour for 12 hours of the day, but it was still such a special moment! The ceremony felt so real! I got to cast spells that went wrong due to my wand not being right. But when the wand chose me....it was very emotional! They make it incredibly realistic and I had a great time! I ended up buying the wand, which you don't have to. But to complete the whole experience, and that I could always remember by looking at the wand, I had to get it. Maybe they looked at me and new I was going to buy whatever landed in my lap, but I hope every Harry Potter fan can have a wand choose them!!! read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - The wand chose me - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

It's funny how, as we waited in line, several people got pulled out by their friends - "Dude, there's a cart over there selling wards with no line!!" "Hey you can get into the shop through the side door! No line!!" What they didn't realize, and missed out, is that this place does NOT sell wands. Rather, you line up for a little performance. You get ushered into the shop, where Mr. Olivander will pick a lucky visitor and re-enact the scene in Harry Potter. It may be the atmosphere of the darkened shop. It probably is the superb acting. Not to mention the bell ringing and all the effects, but the moment does feel magical. So magical when they open the exit door you'll head straight to get a wand and pay for it. Honestly I feel truly in Potter's world more than anywhere else in the park. Not as a visitor to a theme park, but for a moment, breathing the same air as the characters I so love. So yeah, if you just want to buy a wand, skip the line. But I strongly suggest you to experience this. read more

The wand selection demonstration at Olivanders is pretty darned cool. You'll find a queue off to the left side of the Olivanders shop in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. If you decide to wait in it, you'll be treated to a demonstration by a new wizard (someone in your cohort) being "chosen" by their wand. The small room, the master wizard within it, the dialogue, and the attention to detail in the room itself makes this small attraction seem well worth it for any Harry Potter fan, young and old. The actor playing the master wizard (on our visit) was a talented actor. The whole thing was (I can't believe I'm saying this) highly believable. After the wand selection ends, the doors open you are dumped into the Olivanders shop (ruthless marketing ploy) and you can pretty much rest assured you will be hammered to get a wand by your young Wizard. But I have to say it seems like less like a crass commercial purchase after such a magical and frankly, memorable, presentation. Although the name wands are nice (Harry, Herminone, etc) look at the wands in the Olivanders box, which can only be purchased here in the shop (while Harry's, Ron's can be purchased throughout the park.) read more

I've never been a huge Harry Potter fan, but I liked the movies and wanted to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter since I heard they opened! Good thing my boyfriend was a huge fan so he could explain to me everything. He was the ultimate Harry Potter nerd/tour guide for our trip. I'm more of a LOTR fan...but Harry Potter is pretty cool, especially after my visit here! We had to go to the ORIGINAL Olivanders Wand Shop in Diagon Alley because that's where it was in the actual movie and books. There were other bootleg shops in Diagon Alley, but it's definitely not the same. Lemme tell you...everyone was trying to get a wand, even at the crazy price they were sold for. The regular wands were about $40 and the interactive wands were $48. The store was crowded with tons of people - Harry Potter fans everywhere or just kids who just wanted a wand for the interactive feature. There were wands everywhere.. You could choose from 13 wands that were unique to every individual. You could choose them based on your personality/birthday. The other 36 were the wands of the actual characters. I wasn't gonna spend $48 on a piece of wood, hell no, but my boyfriend, being the huge Harry Potter nerd he was, bought two at first. He couldn't choose between the wand of Elder and Harry Potter's wand. I stood there watching him decide for the longest time, but hey, it was worth the experience. I ended up convincing him that he only needed one so he returned the other one, thankfully. The interactive wands were the boxes that had a gold label on them. Each wand came with a map, giving you the exact locations where you could use your wand. Each place had a specific spell you had to do to cast the spell. It was pretty cool. There were 16 spells in Diagon Alley and 9 in Hogsmeade. It's a little tricky to do the all the spells sometimes, especially if you're too tall. You don't need to hold the map while you're doing it because there is a circle on the floor that has it on there. I really liked the spell where you could make rain fall from the umbrella. If you want the full on wizard experience, go grab a wand at Olivanders Wand Shop. If you want to have your wand "chosen" for you, you have to go to Hogsmeade. There's a long line for that though, so get there early. It would be nice if the wands worked on the LA location which is opening in April too! I think a wand is worth buying if you're a huge fan. Idk about those $100 cloaks though... read more

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Perhaps the best thing about all of Wizarding World (except for the amazing Forbidden Journey of course) DO THIS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. I'm glad I got in line right away and only had to wait about 20-30 min. Because this line gets LONG. read more

Ollivander's was worth the wait. This was in my top 3 experiences at Islands of Adventure (along with HP & Forbidden Journey and the Hulk roller coaster). I was chosen to have a wand sold to me. It was so exciting. I tried out several wands, interacting with Mr Ollivander. After several "mistakes" he asked when my bday was (it's on Monday) finally my wand chose me. It has Phoenix feather, he described it & then they gave it to me. Then I was escorted to the store to make the purchase. My fiancé bought it for me as a birthday gift. Tip: Go to Ollivander's knowing you will probably be purchasing a wand. I mean, it chooses you...how can you say no. :) read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - The wand choosing me. - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Quite well done indeed. To the left is the entrance to the interactive wand choosing its wizard attraction. Very well done and thrilling for the kids. And then wands of all kinds to choose from. Loved how the wands interacted with Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade to allow you to perform "magic." read more

Ollivanders Wand Shop - Gift Shops Near Me - Orlando, Florida

If you're ever looking for a particular wand, or a show, or both, come here. There are a lot of complaints about the wait, but hey, it's a theme park right? And it's not Olivander's fault that you're in line. You're in line because you want to be in line. If not, go to the Owl Post or something. That said, the demonstration was unique, the boxes rattle, wind blows, and the room lights up--just like the movie. As you exit the show, you enter the wand shop. Once again I hear people complaining about the $32.00 stick. eBay people, eBay is all I have to say. They don't force you to buy a wand. They are not the Wizarding mafia. You can look. Then you can leave. Goodness, I really don't understand the 2 and 3 star reviews because this place looks just like the movies. They never should have let Muggles in to begin with! P.S This writer is only joking about the Muggle comment. I like Muggles and those of Wizarding blood alike. read more

Olivanders feels very like it belongs in the World of Harry Potter. All the small touches to the bookshelves and decorations really sell it. The main room is tiny though amd hard to navigate with how popular it is. I know Diagon Alley stores should be small, but it isn't realistic to the expected guest flow. It is hard to find the tour they give for the Wand Shop, it isn't advertised and you have to ask for it. But the tour they give is great, and pull a scene straight out of the movie. Cool place, wish it was bigger. We got our wand though so we are good. read more

For Harry Potter fans, you have to stop by Ollivanders (there are locations at both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley). I was really impressed at the quality of the wands. They are heftier than I expected, and the amazing variety and uniqueness of the different wands was impressive to me. The wands are separated by whose wand they were (for example, Prof. Dumbledore's, Harry Potter's, Hermione's, Luna Lovegood's, Cedric Diggory's, Snape's, Molly Weasley's, etc.). I wanted to buy a wand, but they were expensive, so I didn't. You can get a regular wand or pay several dollars more for an interactive wand that will allow you to perform "magic" at specified sites within both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. If the line isn't very long or if you are with children, then I'd recommend going to the wand choosing experience. Only 1 child will get matched with a wand, so don't go in thinking that everyone in the group is going to have this special experience. From an adult perspective, it was mildly entertaining but a little bit cheesy, so for adults I would NOT recommend waiting in a super long line for this experience. From a kid's point of view, though, there were some semi-interesting effects. read more

Yesterday my family attended Ollivander's in Hogsmead to purchase a wand for my 6 year old daughter. We attended the wand show and enjoyed it very much. Even though she was not chosen by her wand, she was able to find a wand that spoke to her. It happened to be the wand that lights up on the end. She was thrilled. We asked a staff member "Kevin" where we might find this wand for purchase and he looked at my daughter and proclaimed loudly.... "That" *long dramatic pause* "is a toy wand". And just in case his condescending tone went over her 6 year old head he felt it necessary to add (still quite loudly and with dramatic flair) "From now on child, your name shall be 'Toy'." Really Kevin? "That" wand is a toy?!? You mean as opposed to all of the other "Real" magic wands that are sold in this store? You had 10 seconds to interact with my daughter and instead of making her day and saying something like "Those are around the corner near the register sweetie", you chose to use your time with her to try to insult her for trying to spend my money in the shop where you work. News flash for you Kev, you are wearing fake wizard robes, working in a theme park with a giant name tag that says "Kevin" on the front. But more importantly than that is this breaking news... (you better sit down for this one Kevvy-boy)... ALL MAGIC WANDS ARE TOYS because there's no such thing as magic wands!! Just in case that went over your head Kevin, let me be sure you've understood the point as well as picked up on MY condescending tone. You work in a theme park and you just tried to belittle a 6 year old girl because she wanted to buy a toy wand from store that has the sole purpose of selling toy wands. Now who's the idiot? Since you clearly have the inside scoop on "real magic", why not go and take your real magic wand in your cheezie stained hands back to your mother's basement and conjure yourself up a couple friends to play dungeons and dragons with. Customer service isn't your forte. #universastudios #orlando #ollivanders #harrypotter #getalifekevin read more

The original wand shop just like the movie and books. The one located in Diagon Alley is the one that Harry Potter chooses his first wand. There's also a hogsmede wand shop for the experience to get chosen for a wand but there's generally a constant wait to get in. The diagon alley location is pretty much a buy and go wand shop which was crowded with Harry Potter fans. There are 36 wands to choose from in terms of wands after the characters and 13 unique and personalized wands. Golden label wands means interactive wands where you can perform tricks in diagon alley and hogsmede with a swish of a wand. This definitely made Harry Potter fans fall in love with the whole wizard world experience. Non interactive wands are 40 plus tax while interactive wands were 48 plus tax. Initially I was torn between the elder wand and Harry's wand so I bought both in excitement but then I realize what use I had for them when I got back home so my lady convinced me to return one, which I did. I returned Harry's and kept the elder wand for myself. Went around performing "tricks" with other wizards and found it quite amusing. There are 16 tricks to be performed in diagon alley and 9 in hogsmede. Included in the beautiful wand box is a map and list of all the tricks. When at location of a trick .. Carefully step on the medallion and gently wave your wand In the direction of the spell. The directions of the spells are also listed on the medallion and if it doesn't work..just give it a few more tries. My favorite spells was probably the umbrella raining one and the one turning on the lanterns. (both located next to each other) Overall a pretty realistic experience of the wizarding world which I can't wait for the LA location to open on April 7th. It'd be cool if the wand would work with that location as well ...but we shall see... read more

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My all time favorite part of Harry Potter world when I went last November. A stone's throw away from the Gringotts ride in Diagon Alley, a wand in Olivander's wand shop is waiting for you to come let it choose you. You can go about this two ways: 1) Just enter the gift shop portion of the store and sift through the many boxes of wands. They have a few display cases that show the many characters' wands they have available (pretty much every major character and many minor ones as well) and the slew of original ones for upcoming wizards and witches. -or- 2) Wait in line for the wand choosing experience. This one. Do this one. But do it early in the day, or very very late before the park closes. Lines were 1.5 hours+ most of the day time but we went late and only waited 15 minutes or so. They usher in 20 or so people at a time into a hallway on the side of the building and then into a back room where they will meet the wand keeper, who will choose one lucky witch or wizard to be selected by a wand, much like the process Harry went through in the movie. It's really neat even if you don't get chosen, but if you do, you get a chance to purchase a very special wand. There are two kinds of wands - A) noninteractive and B) interactive. There is only like a $7 dollar difference between the two, but the experience is a world of difference. You can use the interactive ones all around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade to perform spells and truly feel like you are no longer a muggle. It's a wonderful little shop. read more

A little store next to the Owl Post that has a pretty long line. It is essentially giving you the experience that Harry Potter had in the first book when first getting your wand. They take a group of people into a dark room where Mr. Olivander is waiting for you and from there he chooses a "single" member of your group and begins to give you a short lesson on wands before beginning to select a wand for you. No that person does not get to keep the wand that is choosen for them. Hehe. Afterwards you exit into the Owl Post where you can begin to do your shoping if you have not already done so. All in a all a pretty cool first time experience! read more

What more can I say. It's Olivanders! The last time I was in Universal was three years ago and I didn't get the opportunity to drop in. The line was wrapped around buildings but this time I was determined to get my wand. My friend and I grabbed a cup of butterbeer and made our way into the line. It was a good 10-15 minute wait but make sure you finish your drink because we weren't allowed to bring any beverages inside. The shop is quite small and limited amount of space for people to stand. Olivander then chooses someone from the crowd, preferably a child if possible. I thought it was cute the boy chosen looked a bit like Harry. You go through the wand selection show which was made to entertain the little ones. After that you go through a door into the shop with everything Hogwarts. My friend and I went a bit crazy with everything. I took my time to look at every single wand and how it felt holding each one. I was stuck between Herminone's and Luna's. I went with Luna's because it was simple and easy to hold. After that I just wanted to pick up everything. I spent a pretty penny in just that one shop and was banned from buying anything else the rest of the day. If you're a big Harry Potter fan than this place is for you. read more

Super short(maybe 8 minutes) but totally necessary for any Potter fan like me and the kids! The Wandmaker chooses an audience member and fits them for a wand. All the while talking wand philosophy. In the end the audience member has the option to buy the wand (parents- your stuck). They aren't official HP wands but crafted based on Celtic designs. The shop does have HP character wands. All cost $32. The hard part of the show is they do only choose one person. So guess what happens if you have one of your kids chosen in a show but not the other(s)? That's right! Line up again! We did and bless the Wandmaker, he recognized the sibling and picked her too! Of course we had to buy two wands.... read more

Holy crap. You know you love someone when you buy them a $32 stick. But I did it. So we skipped the super, slow moving line waiting for the wand selecting show and went straight to the store for the goods. The wand goods. I liked the interior - very Olivandery. It was crowded but the AC felt so good on my sweaty, sweaty self. There were maybe like 20 different wand designs to choose from...my little boo chose the Arthur Weasley (but we told him that it was a Death Eater's wand...slightly more macabre and appealing to my dark, twisted 5 year old). The best/worst/weirdest part of the visit was this Harry Potter fangirl who kept like eavesdropping on my conversation to drop mad Harry Potter knowledge on me...except this trick had no idea who she was dealing with. I was all like "go back to your basement, woman! I know my Harry Potter trivia and you are wasting your time." Ok I wish I said that. read more

An awesome show that really captures the magic of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This attraction just goes to show that great shows can come in small packages. Hidden away amongst the shops in the back, you'll stand in line, while they slowly let people in. The show can only fit around 20 people maximum inside, so it is very small and cramped inside. The actual interior is a small version of a wand shop, and an old man welcomes you.The old man picks someone, usually a young child, to test out the wands and preform magic. After a few failed attempts one wand finally works and they hand that wand to the child. I'd like to think that Islands of Adventure would have enough money to give it to them for free, but nay, they are escorted out of the show room first and get a sales pitch about why they should buy it. That is really my only real negative. After the show, which lasts about 5 minutes, you file out into the wand shop, which can again be very cramped. While the queue area is nothing special, just the surrounding atmosphere makes it cool. You are kind of hidden away from all the action while waiting, but it can be a nice reprieve from the chaos of people in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Everything about this attraction is small from the queue, to the show, to the actual store, but it somehow adds to everything. Really makes you feel as if you are a part of this world, as opposed to just in a theme park. I almost wish more theme parks take a hint from this and start making these miniature attractions, because they can be a lot of fun if done right. Don't Wait Longer Than 20 Minutes: This is one of those attractions that you can come at the wrong time and wait a while. However come at the right time and you'll get in pretty quickly, so just time it right. Who's This Attraction Best For: All Ages Ride/Attraction Rating (A-), Queue Line/Area (B), Wait Time (B) read more

Two ways to view this...first is as an attraction to experience the wand selecting the wizard as described in the first Harry Potter book. The presentation area of the shop is very small, which provides an intimate feel. However, it does limit the number of participants...and only one lucky observer is selected to be part of the show. At times the wait for the 5-8 minute show can be 45 or more minutes. In truth, if the line were too long, I would give it a pass...though it IS part of the whole Harry Potter experience. Apart from the show, the shop itself offers copies of the wands of the main characters from the books. At $32 they are pricy, but, honestly, you wouldn't be there at all if you (or a family member) were not a total Harry Potter-file already. So, from that perspective, it is all part of that same experience. The shop is connected to the Owl Post and so has a full range of Wizarding souvenirs. Even if you don't buy anything, just looking around and appreciating the full range of detail in the place (don't forget to look up!) read more

This was our third day in Universal, and we had plenty of time to wait since we'd done everything else we wanted to do. I recommend coming here if (1) you have a child or (2) you want to see everything there is to see in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I fell into the second category because I didn't want to leave this place without doing everything Harry Potter related. We waited 30 minutes to watch the wand demonstration (much like the scene described in the first Harry Potter book). It was over in about 5 minutes. If we were in any sort of rush, I would have been disappointed. The reason I say it's worth it to come if you have a child is because one child will be selected to participate, and if that child is yours, this would be a pretty sweet thing to do. read more

After reading reviews, and talking to friends who went to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, my husband and I decided to check out Olivanders Wand Shop. We went right in the morning after going on the "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" ride (seriously do this ride first thing in the morning when you get to this area of the park). The line-up was around ~15 minutes for us, mostly because it was early and it was rainy outside. The show itself is really cute. If you're a fan of the first movie, the actor playing Olivander is really enthusiastic, and the child who was picked to receive a wand at the show I went to seemed pretty excited. They do a really good job making the experience feel like you're in the movie. It's a neat little show, but I certainly wouldn't wait longer than 20 minutes in line to see it. After the show, you get to go into Olivander's Wand Shop where you can buy your own wand. I personally found the store way too crowded. If you want to buy a wand, walk towards Hogwarts and to the right before the forbidden journey ride entrance is a kiosk selling every wand you can buy in the store, without the crowds. That's where I bought mine. Same price, much less hassle. read more

Ollivander's Wand Shop is located in Universal Studio's Theme Park in Orlando FL in the Hogsmead section of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Ollivander's Wand Shop is an experience straight out the movies and brought to life. The Wand Shop is an attraction and not an actual shop. Ollivander's is located next to the gift shop which sells replica wands from the Harry Potter franchise. The experience is open to wizards and muggles alike, if you're willing to wait. It's a once in a life time opportunity for the lucky person selected to have their wand "choose them". The room can be a little claustrophobic and 15-20 guest move through at a time (20ish minute rotation). On a busy day at the park the wait can be extensive and the pay off is brief but worth it. read more

This is a line worth waiting in. I'm dead serious. Don't skip it. It moves pretty fast, and this is something worth seeing. This isn't a ride, it's an experience. If you're a fan of the books or the movies (or both) you will appreciate the experience. Do it at least once. I really don't like to ruin the magic and surprise for people, but this really brought the magic of the entire Wizarding experience to life for me. The wand chooses the wizard, you know. read more