Reservation for Olivander's Wand Ceremony?

[MamaBear12]

We're celebrating my daughter's 11th birthday at Universal this year and I really, really would love for her to participate in a wand ceremony! I read on a blog that a cast member starts taking reservations for the day's ceremonies outside of Olivander's at 8am and they usually fill up by 9am. Is that still the case? We'll have three days to try to get one. Is there any other way to get a reservation, or other ways to optimize our chances at least? We're going mid-October. Any and all advice appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jormom1030]

We didn’t have a reservation when we went and my daughter got picked. I thought it was just random.

 

[LadybugsMum]

We just walked up. Neither of my kids got chosen as they chose the youngest looking kid in the group, but that was fine with me as I didn’t want to deal with the nonchosen kid being upset.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I think reservations were just a covid thing. It's just walk up and wait in line. They do groups of about 10 for each show and will "randomly" pick someone to have their wand choose them. I've found the line is longer in the morning and drops to non-existent near the late afternoon. Olivander's will close before park close, so you don't want to save it for too late.

 

[MamaBear12]

We didn’t have a reservation when we went and my daughter got picked. I thought it was just random.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I know the person picked is random, but getting to attend the ceremony itself was what I was wondering about. I read there was a reservation system, but sounds like that was just a covid thing.

 

[MamaBear12]

I think reservations were just a covid thing. It's just walk up and wait in line. They do groups of about 10 for each show and will "randomly" pick someone to have their wand choose them. I've found the line is longer in the morning and drops to non-existent near the late afternoon. Olivander's will close before park close, so you don't want to save it for too late.

Very helpful! If I flash my daughter’s passport (birthdate) and let a cast member know it’s her birthday, think they might “randomly” pick her? There will be 6 in our party, so decent odds if only 10 people per ceremony, lol.

 

[UOAP-Naples]

Our nephew was wearing a birthday shirt and button today and didn’t get picked. We ended up kind of right in the center of group too. The girl that was picked played it up for the crowd. She’d obviously seen it before but maybe hadn’t ever been picked. It was really good even though he wasn’t picked.

It was less than a 10 minute wait. No need to sign up. That was a Covid thing where they only allowed one group in the room at a time.

 

[MamaBear12]

Our nephew was wearing a birthday shirt and button today and didn’t get picked. We ended up kind of right in the center of group too. The girl that was picked played it up for the crowd. She’d obviously seen it before but maybe hadn’t ever been picked. It was really good even though he wasn’t picked.

It was less than a 10 minute wait. No need to sign up. That was a Covid thing where they only allowed one group in the room at a time.

Good to know! Hope he enjoyed his birthday! We’re doing three days, so if the line is short, maybe we’ll do it a couple times to see if she can get picked once.

 

[glamdring269]

Hopefully your kid gets picked. I was kind of annoyed when they picked me, age ~42 at the time, instead of one of the kids in the room. I even kind of looked around like 'you uhhh meant to pick one of those little ones over there, right??'.

 

[HopperFan]

Very helpful! If I flash my daughter’s passport (birthdate) and let a cast member know it’s her birthday, think they might “randomly” pick her? There will be 6 in our party, so decent odds if only 10 people per ceremony, lol.

When we did it there were at least 30-40 people crammed in there. Someone up front was picked.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

When we did it there were at least 30-40 people crammed in there. Someone up front was picked.

Huh, I've only hit it at slower times (evening) and it's been under 12 peeps. But again no line to speak of, so maybe that's why it was smaller groupings.

 

[LadybugsMum]

We went at 9ish in the morning and had maybe 12 people. I’d go early.

 

[HopperFan]

Huh, I've only hit it at slower times (evening) and it's been under 12 peeps. But again no line to speak of, so maybe that's why it was smaller groupings.

Many times I've been there has been a substantial line queued with a rope even waiting to get in. So I've always skipped it. Went with DD who is a minor HP fan and had already received her wand. Line was outside but not crazy so we did it. I was shocked there were so many people in the room backed up right to the back wall. I couldn't even see what was happening but listened. Honestly it was uncomfortably crowded and I likely wouldn't do again.

 

[BostonEd]

Since you're there for a few days, I would wait until later in the day the first day to try for the ceremony. As mentioned, the lines will be short to non-existent.

If I flash my daughter’s passport (birthdate) and let a cast member know it’s her birthday, think they might “randomly” pick her?

I'm not sure that will work. The people who let you into the room are different from the "wand master". I don't think they communicate with each other, but it's possible.

maybe we’ll do it a couple times to see if she can get picked once.

Yes, especially if you go in the late afternoon/early evening, keep going around!

I was kind of annoyed when they picked me, age ~42 at the time, instead of one of the kids in the room.

I would have LOVED it if I were chosen!! I would totally ham it up! And I'm older than you! My daughter, who was chosen, would have certainly been miffed, though. (But we would have done the ceremony again until she was picked.)

 

[mitsukoshi samurai]

remember to wear robes or other hp gear

 

[ClapYourHands]

My son was desperate to get picked, so I think we ended up doing it like 8 or 9 times over two days and both parks before a birch wand chose him.

Definitely go at less crowded times, which tend to be after noon. Early in the morning there will be many people eager to get their wands so they can use them during the day. Except when they were only doing one group during COVID, they adjust the size of the audience to the length of the line. So if there are a lot of people waiting, the room can be packed shoulder to shoulder with 30 or more. When the lines are short, there might only be 3 or 4 families.

Lots of people say to wear robes or birthday button or something to attract attention. While those might work sometimes, I’ve also seen adults in normal clothes chosen when there were kids in full robes right there. I don’t have any real proof of this, but it seems to me like sometimes the people who are obviously trying really hard to get picked are the people they don’t choose, maybe because they want some element of surprise for the person who is picked. I would definitely not go flashing your daughter’s passport as it might be seen as trying too hard and like you think it somehow entitles her to being picked.

If it’s going to happen, let it happen naturally, and maybe go back if she really wants another chance. Also know that if you go to Ollivander’s, there are TMs there who will help the right wand “choose” your daughter. It’s not the same as being in the show, but it’s still a special experience.

 

[BostonEd]

remember to wear robes or other hp gear

Agreed. My daughter was the only one wearing a robe. That definitely helped, I'm sure.