Harry Potter Theme Park - Tips for Visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

By Teresa Plowright, About.com Guide

Many Harry Potter fans rush to Ollivanders to buy a wand, only to find a long line-up waiting to enter the shop. But this famous shop is NOT where you buy a wand, in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The line-up for Ollivanders actually leads to a one-person live performance inside the small shop; only a few dozen people at a time can fit in, hence the slow-moving queue.

Ollivanders is a beautifully themed little shop, in which a costumed Wandkeeper picks one child from the audience for wand selection. A nice little performance ensues, as the wand chooses the child (and not the reverse).

This is a well done vignette, but wait-times can be lengthy and the line-up is outdoors in the sun (or rain.) If the line is long, and your time is limited, ask yourself whether this is the best of your time.

Buying a Wand: wands are not sold in Ollivanders but in the adjacent Owl Post shop. Visitors can enter the Owl Post through its own exterior door, or through the adjoining Dervish and Banges shop. Even more convenient, guests can buy a wand from a cart positioned in the lane at the side of Hogwarts Castle.

Tip # 4: Shop Where It's Less Crowded...

Previous

• A Superb Theme Park
• Arrive Early!
• Bypass the Line-Ups
• Ollivanders Wand Shop - Maybe Not...
• Shop Where It's Less Crowded
• Good Eats
• Butterbeer: Buy the Refillable Mug
• Stay Late, Be There at Dusk

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