Olivander's

[Superman81]

Does everyone get the opportunity to have the wand pick them, or are there only select people who are chosen out of each group? My son really wants to do this and was wondering if I need to prepare him for the possibility that this might not happen. Is it something you can stand in line for, or is it completely random? 6 weeks left and watching 1 movie for every week we have left ending with the Deathly Hollows in Nov. Thanks guys.

 

[damo]

Only one or two are chosen per group. To help your chances, stand right near the front beside the staircase once you get into the shop.

 

[aubriee]

Only one or two are chosen per group. To help your chances, stand right near the front beside the staircase once you get into the shop.

or act like a fool. When I was there the first week of Sept there was a family with two young boys standing right at the foot of the staircase. However, as the wizard stepped down, there was a young 20 something y/o blond lady that was standing over by the door that immediately started screaming bloody murder at the top of her lungs, jumped up and down, and started crying. The wand master looked right over the two smaller kids by the staircase and asked the young lady (with raised eyebrows and in a very slow voice), "You are here for your first wand I suppose?". The girl then really started screaming and crying. As he walked behind the counter the mother of the two boys next to the stairs made a comment about how he should pick kids, not adults. He simply raised his eyebrows at her and made a comment about how the wand chooses the wizard and then called the young lady over. She cried throughout the show, but was really very good (much better than a child would have been). She knew the spells to use (i.e. accio ladder). It was definitely her screaming, jumping up and down, and crying that got her picked. She made all of us jump and laugh (except for the mom who was upset her boys didn't get picked). You could tell she had read the tip about standing by the staircase, as she pushed those boys through several other people to get them there.

 

[mdb78]

We were there yesterday and it seemed like all the parents pushed their kids to the first 2 rows. lol.. Well, Ollivander chose someone right smack in the middle. He parted the kids up front and chose a boy (looked like around 10 yrs old) who was standing in the 2nd row of kids. When he was finally handed the right wand, he did a little dance. lol

 

[gibbersome]

or act like a fool. When I was there the first week of Sept there was a family with two young boys standing right at the foot of the staircase. However, as the wizard stepped down, there was a young 20 something y/o blond lady that was standing over by the door that immediately started screaming bloody murder at the top of her lungs, jumped up and down, and started crying. The wand master looked right over the two smaller kids by the staircase and asked the young lady (with raised eyebrows and in a very slow voice), "You are here for your first wand I suppose?". The girl then really started screaming and crying. As he walked behind the counter the mother of the two boys next to the stairs made a comment about how he should pick kids, not adults. He simply raised his eyebrows at her and made a comment about how the wand chooses the wizard and then called the young lady over. She cried throughout the show, but was really very good (much better than a child would have been). She knew the spells to use (i.e. accio ladder). It was definitely her screaming, jumping up and down, and crying that got her picked. She made all of us jump and laugh (except for the mom who was upset her boys didn't get picked). You could tell she had read the tip about standing by the staircase, as she pushed those boys through several other people to get them there.

Haha, is there anyway to ensure I won't be picked. I'm going with my gf (Huge Potter Maniac), but I'm not that big of a Harry Potter fan!

 

[fairyprincess88]

As an older fan I kind of got extremely irritated at all the moms pushing their kids up front past us for better positioning. I only did Ollivander's twice in 3 trips because of the lines and I'm not going to lie, I wanted to be picked. I grew up with Harry, and as cheesy as it sounds, adult now or not, I still had that dream of getting a wand at Ollivanders.

Second time was the charm for me, and thankfully it did not require jumping, crying or screaming. But for some reason the wand keeper must have noticed me second row in the middle and gestured me forward. Yes I got the glare downs from the moms and got told off afterward from more moms who declared I should be ashamed of myself for taking that from a child. My response was simply, "I doubt your 4 year old even knows what Ollivander's is, but I do." Sure, there are some kids that are fans, and I love seeing those kids all lit up as they take everything in. But Im still not going to feel guilty over it, that 5 minute wand choosing meant a lot to me too.

 

[dzd]

You know I would want to be picked as much as any fan would but it makes me sick to think of all the stories of moms being rude or outright mean because their little johnny didnt get to be picked. Life is a big game of chance and sometimes, (most of the time if you play the lotto) you dont get your way. Some parents instill a sense of entitlement into their children by working so hard to game the system then being upset that it doesnt work out.

I'll bet that the actors, uhmm uhmm, Olivander knows all the tricks to get picked too and picks more randomly now, just in spite of this.

 

[bubba's mom]

Our second stop there this summer, a lady pushed her son (appx 10-12 y/o) to the very front and said (loud enuf for everyone to hear...including Ollivander upstairs ..I'm sure ) "stand right up front so you get picked."

I couldn't have been more happy that he DIDN'T pick him ...he picked a brother & sister from the middle of the room

I think if it's obvious you're pushing your kid to the front, you are almost guaranteeing he/she WON'T be picked...duh

 

[Bradsdadg]

or act like a fool. When I was there the first week of Sept there was a family with two young boys standing right at the foot of the staircase. However, as the wizard stepped down, there was a young 20 something y/o blond lady that was standing over by the door that immediately started screaming bloody murder at the top of her lungs, jumped up and down, and started crying. The wand master looked right over the two smaller kids by the staircase and asked the young lady (with raised eyebrows and in a very slow voice), "You are here for your first wand I suppose?". The girl then really started screaming and crying. As he walked behind the counter the mother of the two boys next to the stairs made a comment about how he should pick kids, not adults. He simply raised his eyebrows at her and made a comment about how the wand chooses the wizard and then called the young lady over. She cried throughout the show, but was really very good (much better than a child would have been). She knew the spells to use (i.e. accio ladder). It was definitely her screaming, jumping up and down, and crying that got her picked. She made all of us jump and laugh (except for the mom who was upset her boys didn't get picked). You could tell she had read the tip about standing by the staircase, as she pushed those boys through several other people to get them there.

Sounds like a fool indeed. All that for a silly wand show. I almost wonder if the person had some other issues to be that old and act that way.

 

[nhrenee]

Sounds like a fool indeed. All that for a silly wand show. I almost wonder if the person had some other issues to be that old and act that way.

Hmmmm, that sounds like sour grapes from someone who's child wasn't picked.

 

[Bradsdadg]

Hmmmm, that sounds like sour grapes from someone who's child wasn't picked.

No, we didnt' bother going in there. I have seen all the versions on youtube and didn't want to wait in line at that point But at twenty years old, screaming and carrying on like that, you have to have something a little off. Maybe a screw or two loose?

 

[Superman81]

How many shows do they do a day and how often?
Thanks for the help.

 

[Magpie]

No, we didnt' bother going in there. I have seen all the versions on youtube and didn't want to wait in line at that point But at twenty years old, screaming and carrying on like that, you have to have something a little off. Maybe a screw or two loose?

Or she's just a big fan of the Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and every single other game show where otherwise sane adults jump up and down and scream like fools.

(For that matter she might have been as young as 14... goodness knows my daughter could easily pass for 20 these days!)

 

[padams]

How many shows do they do a day and how often?
Thanks for the help.

The "show" runs continuously all day, every 20 minutes or so. The wait time in the line to get in can be as much as an hour.

 

[aubriee]

Or she's just a big fan of the Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and every single other game show where otherwise sane adults jump up and down and scream like fools.

(For that matter she might have been as young as 14... goodness knows my daughter could easily pass for 20 these days!)

Doubtful, as she was there with another young lady and two young men. All appeared to be college age kids. Maybe I shouldn't have used the term acted like a fool. She was just so excited and couldn't seem to quit screaming and crying. She was really very good and everyone in there (except the upset mom) was laughing and excited for her. She just startled us all so much when she first screamed bloody murder when she first saw Olivander coming down the stairs. She just kept jumping up and down and screaming, "Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh my God". She was really cute. Personally I was glad she was chosen over the pushy, complaining mom's kids. That mom was still complaining and mouthing off as we left to go into the wand shop.

 

[Lycaon]

I'll bet that the actors, uhmm uhmm, Olivander knows all the tricks to get picked too and picks more randomly now, just in spite of this.

I am coming out of lurkdom to say I'm almost certain this is the case. I was at the Universal parks from 10/7 to 10/11. I did Ollivanders four times, and with the exception of one show, the wandkeeper ALWAYS made an effort to pick someone in the middle or very back of the group. At the risk of sounding mean, it was really funny to see all the moms pushing their kids up to the front, only to have him pick kids that were standing quietly by the back wall.

Oh, and for all the people who whine about adults being chosen... the first show I went to, all of us in the room were adults. He picked a woman that looked to be in her late 20s, and it ended up being the best show I saw all weekend. He threw a lot of humor into his performance and had all of us cracking up, and the woman was so excited and happy she was near tears. Most of the kids I saw doing it didn't show much enthusiasm.

 

[go2grl]

I have to say, while I understand the "magic" of a young kid getting picked, I would love to see my 19 or 15 year old get picked. They grew up with these books and the movies that have followed and are very excited for our upcoming trip. To be completely honest, *I* am pretty excited too and would love to be picked and my 40 year old self wouldn't apologize if the wand decided to pick me that day.

 

[dzd]

I am coming out of lurkdom to say I'm almost certain this is the case. I was at the Universal parks from 10/7 to 10/11. I did Ollivanders four times, and with the exception of one show, the wandkeeper ALWAYS made an effort to pick someone in the middle or very back of the group. At the risk of sounding mean, it was really funny to see all the moms pushing their kids up to the front, only to have him pick kids that were standing quietly by the back wall.

Oh, and for all the people who whine about adults being chosen... the first show I went to, all of us in the room were adults. He picked a woman that looked to be in her late 20s, and it ended up being the best show I saw all weekend. He threw a lot of humor into his performance and had all of us cracking up, and the woman was so excited and happy she was near tears. Most of the kids I saw doing it didn't show much enthusiasm.

Well, let's be honest HP most devote fans are the young adult and teen group as far as I'm concerned. They were the ones growing up with the HP books and movies. Standing in line at borders at midnight to get each new book and dressing up for movie premier night! Most of the kids that are coming in to HP now were not part of the growing phenomeon that is HP. Hate to say it but WWOHP is more of a dream come true for adults than it is for kids at this point. At least I know it is for my wife and I. Both 28 by the way.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Doubtful, as she was there with another young lady and two young men. All appeared to be college age kids. Maybe I shouldn't have used the term acted like a fool. She was just so excited and couldn't seem to quit screaming and crying. She was really very good and everyone in there (except the upset mom) was laughing and excited for her. She just startled us all so much when she first screamed bloody murder when she first saw Olivander coming down the stairs. She just kept jumping up and down and screaming, "Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh my God". She was really cute. Personally I was glad she was chosen over the pushy, complaining mom's kids. That mom was still complaining and mouthing off as we left to go into the wand shop.

Sounds like something I saw @ Hogwarts on Saturday. A trio (two girls, one guy, all about 20) were escorted into the "castle tour only" line by a student. The girls were so excited to see the talking portraits they started screaming and hugging each other.

As for Ollivander's, *I* got picked, and I just laughed and enjoyed the experience. The wand keeper will pick whomever he wants to pick. It's up to the selected person to help make the show funnier/exciting/heart warming.

 

[chrisn]

or act like a fool. When I was there the first week of Sept there was a family with two young boys standing right at the foot of the staircase. However, as the wizard stepped down, there was a young 20 something y/o blond lady that was standing over by the door that immediately started screaming bloody murder at the top of her lungs, jumped up and down, and started crying. The wand master looked right over the two smaller kids by the staircase and asked the young lady (with raised eyebrows and in a very slow voice), "You are here for your first wand I suppose?". The girl then really started screaming and crying. As he walked behind the counter the mother of the two boys next to the stairs made a comment about how he should pick kids, not adults. He simply raised his eyebrows at her and made a comment about how the wand chooses the wizard and then called the young lady over. She cried throughout the show, but was really very good (much better than a child would have been). She knew the spells to use (i.e. accio ladder). It was definitely her screaming, jumping up and down, and crying that got her picked. She made all of us jump and laugh (except for the mom who was upset her boys didn't get picked). You could tell she had read the tip about standing by the staircase, as she pushed those boys through several other people to get them there.

LOL! You might have a point about making a scene! My 22 yr old DD was yelling at her 13 yr old brother whom was acting like a total brat when the wand master (?) interupted her and asked her name LOL! Of course...she did have a smile that let the sunshine in as she was doing it. She swears it was her smile! I was glad it was one of my kids...my son is the HP fanatic, but she was thrilled to have the experience.