How to get picked for wand choosing ceremony?

[PrincessBrianna]

Anybody know if there's some sort of strategy to get picked? Or have you been picked before?? I'm going in April and REALLY want to get chosen! I actually lived in Surrey, England for a while (Harry's hometown) and I've been to the real Platform 9 3/4s in King's Cross Station in London.. so getting a "real" wand would be a really cool souvenir to add to my HP experiences

 

[PartofDisney'sWorld]

Sorry but I don't know of any "strategy" of getting picked. DH and I visited with 2 of our friends in September and DH (who is 29) got picked while I was staring the guy down basically telling him with my EYES to pick me. I think most people think that the little kids always get picked and that is not always true.

Actually I think I do know of one way, but you would have to see the show multiple times (like 3 or 4 times, maybe more). A TM or Ollivander will see how determined you are and then (maybe) finally pick you.

Good luck!!

 

[PartofDisney'sWorld]

Also wanted to add that even if you do get picked you still have to pay for the wand, and even if you don't get picked you can still get a wand.

 

[PrincessBrianna]

Haha thank you! I will totally go through that line until I get picked! And yes I'm aware you still have to pay, although I heard that there's a small discount for people that get picked? Not that I care, I just want the experience of the ceremony!

 

[PartofDisney'sWorld]

Haha thank you! I will totally go through that line until I get picked! And yes I'm aware you still have to pay, although I heard that there's a small discount for people that get picked? Not that I care, I just want the experience of the ceremony!

Ummm....I haven't heard of any discount, but I could be wrong, hopefully someone in the know will come along and clarify.

 

[aubriee]

There is no discount on the wand just because you were chosen. If you happen to have an AP you can get the AP discount though.

As far as how to get chosen, some say to make sure you are the first ones in and to stand right at the base of the staircase where he comes down. However, every time I've been in there (never chosen), the person chosen was in the front row about 1/3 of the way in the front door. Once was a young lady in her early 20's who started jumping up and down, squealing and crying loudly as soon as he started down the stairs. The other two times were young kids who were just standing quietly in the front row right in front of the counter.

 

[bumbershoot]

Some say that wearing WWoHP merchandise helps.

We worked with our son for months, reminding him that we could go to Ollivander's, but he was NOT to expect to be picked, as the likelihood of it would be low. He had no expectations, was excited about seeing someone else do it. We got in line, and the family in front of us saw him and said he'd get it, no question. We said naw, no chance!

He was chosen. Wore a Gryffindor shirt we bought on clearance from Old Navy clothing store (while holding a WDW sweatshirt, LOL), and he has red hair like a Weasley, but he wasn't acting overly buoyant or anything, he was just there.

 

[PrincessBrianna]

Thanks so much guys! I REALLY want to be picked!! I'll def be buying a slytherin scarf so hopefully that will help ill try to look super excited.. Wont be too hard! What kind of would annoy me is if they constantly pick little kids. Because they most likely don't appreciate I as much as us college age kids do.. We grew up reading those books..camping out at midnight waiting for the next one to be realased.. I understand picking kids for other stuff at the park but I don't think they'd appreciate the ollivander's experience as much as someone my age who's read all the books would!

 

[Berlioz70]

I've been through the "show" several times and it's almost always a child.

However, I took my good friends last February and my very pregnant friend (28) was selected. She wasn't wearing any Harry Potter merchandise, but was standing at the base of the stairs. I do not think she was at all eager about being picked, she didn't even purchase the wand afterwards, but her DH bought a different one for himself.

It was funny, because out of our group she was the one that would never want to be picked, yet, she was.

 

[PartofDisney'sWorld]

Thanks so much guys! I REALLY want to be picked!! I'll def be buying a slytherin scarf so hopefully that will help ill try to look super excited.. Wont be too hard! What kind of would annoy me is if they constantly pick little kids. Because they most likely don't appreciate I as much as us college age kids do.. We grew up reading those books..camping out at midnight waiting for the next one to be realased.. I understand picking kids for other stuff at the park but I don't think they'd appreciate the ollivander's experience as much as someone my age who's read all the books would!

I think it varies as far as who gets picked. I've seen the show twice and like I said, my DH got picked, he was not near the stairs, we were not the first ones in, he wasn't wearing any Potter merch, and he was quiet. The other time we saw it he picked a young woman, she looked to be in her early-ish 20's. Same as DH: quiet, no Potter merch, not near the stairs...it's really something that could happen to anybody, not just the little ones.

Oh, and just a warning....you might want to prepare yourself for some flames that might get thrown at you...

 

[RMulieri]

Thanks so much guys! I REALLY want to be picked!! I'll def be buying a slytherin scarf so hopefully that will help ill try to look super excited.. Wont be too hard! What kind of would annoy me is if they constantly pick little kids. Because they most likely don't appreciate I as much as us college age kids do.. We grew up reading those books..camping out at midnight waiting for the next one to be realased.. I understand picking kids for other stuff at the park but I don't think they'd appreciate the ollivander's experience as much as someone my age who's read all the books would!

Just because kids are little does not mean they do not appreciate Harry Potter any less than you do..My daughter is only 8 but I have read the books to her and she has seen all the movies and loves Harry Potter just as much

 

[modegard]

Just because kids are little does not mean they do not appreciate Harry Potter any less than you do..My daughter is only 8 but I have read the books to her and she has seen all the movies and loves Harry Potter just as much

I totally agree. I have a 6 year old and 9 year old at home that use chopsticks or anything else they can find for wands and are constantly playing 'Harry Potter'. They know all the spells and the movies by heart.

 

[disneybirds]

we have seen it twice. The first time was a boy about 8 dressed head to toe in Harry Potter robe, scarf, etc. Totally made his trip! The second time it was a 12 year old girl that was just quiet, in the front row and no where near the stairs. (Interestingly enough, there was another 8 year old boy in that group dressed head to toe in HP attire, but didn't get picked).

 

[RMulieri]

I totally agree. I have a 6 year old and 9 year old at home that use chopsticks or anything else they can find for wands and are constantly playing 'Harry Potter'. They know all the spells and the movies by heart.

LOL...My daughter uses a paint stick stirer as her wand.She runs thru the house yelling spells too and wears her Gryffindor robe from Halloween..

 

[modegard]

LOL...My daughter uses a paint stick stirer as her wand.She runs thru the house yelling spells too and wears her Gryffindor robe from Halloween..

LOL awesome! My boys favorite spell is 'stupify!'

 

[LoserMomma]

My kids were decked out head to toe in their "Harry" and "Hermione" outfits (my son even has the glasses) and the were not picked. We were even right near the base of the stairs. A young man who was over to the right got picked. My kids still enjoyed the show (and we sent their robes and scarves back to the hotel in the bag with their wands after the show)

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

It significantly raises your odds to the only cute kid in the room. Both of my children have been chosen on different trips. If you have a kid that's aged 6-11ish, try to go in with a group of adults. You can manipulate that a little just by where you stand in line. It has worked for us twice.

 

[dfriia]

My husband and I went last December 2 in the middle of the afternoon to the Olivanders in Diagon Alley. We actually had a hard time finding the actual entrance because there was NO line. I asked a costumed worker and he led us inside where he handed us off to a cluster of other costumed workers who were chatting amongst themselves. Two of them took us around a corner and down a hall and through a door into a wand showroom. We froze as an "Olivander" came down the stairs with just the 2 of us and one of the costumed workers in the room! "Olivander" asked us to both step forward and then did a wand selection trial with each of us. We were so stunned and frankly intimidated by him and our fumbles with not our wands and our wands that we didn't even get any photos and then it was over! I guess the lesson is that if you are the only customers that you'll be chosen for the wand ceremony. It appeared that DA had more showrooms than the single one in Hogsmeade so that would probably improve your chances of being chosen as well. The downside was that the DA showroom appeared larger than in Hogsmeade but that may have just been a function of its emptiness.

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

My DS was picked when he was 8, he was wearing any HP clothing. We said they must pick the person who looks most likely to buy / be bought the wand! Lol

 

[tinkintraining]

We have been twice, once to each Ollivanders and both times my DD was picked. We didn't stand anywhere special or do anything - maybe the English accent helped?? Who knows? We have never purchased the wand though and always choose our own.