Question about Ollivanders

[Izzieheartscindy]

I have a question about going to Ollivanders in Diagon Alley. It will by my daughter’s 10th birthday and she wants to get a wand at Ollivanders. I’ve read that if you are dressed up and showing that it’s your birthday there is a chance you might get picked by Ollivander for the ceremony. Plans and people say to go straight to Escape and then to Ollivanders. If the expected crowd level is 3 (on a Wednesday) and no EP, is there a strategy to going to Ollivanders in hopes of increasing your odds of getting picked? Should we go to Ollivanders first and then Escape? Or does it not really matter and we should go to Escape first? Thanks!!

 

[Canadian Girl 77]

We went on December 24 at 7 a.m. It was our first stop after the park opened for hotel guests. We were the ONLY people at Diagon Alley Ollivanders. So, we had a personal meet. The silly thing is that we told the person that let us in what interactive wand she already owned. I hoped this would mean that Ollivander wouldn't pick the same wand. And yet, he picked the same wand. We didn't buy it. She ended up choosing her own.

I think this was her third or fourth time being chosen.

 

[AngiTN]

I was picked on my first time going in, wasn't dressed up or showing any celebration.
DGD was picked on her first time going in, she wasn't dressed up Potter related or showing any celebration
I've been in a few others times since and honestly, didn't notice they picked dressed up people.
Honestly, I haven't a clue what I or DGD did to get picked, we really didn't do anything. Which may be why we got picked?
I don't think you can do much to increase your odds. Just going in. I like the idea of going there first, we did each time

 

[wagman67]

If you are a kid and have on your birthday button, you are supposed to have a better...but not guaranteed...chance. Been through several times and have only seen adults chosen when no child was present....have also been in when I could see at least two kids with birthday buttons, and another kid, without a button, was selected. YMMV

 

[fiasco32]

There's no "strategy" to getting picked. Lots of posts from lots of people wearing lots of different things or going on lots of different special days who did or didn't get picked. Go in not expecting it, and be pleasantly surprised if it happens.

 

[bumbershoot]

No strategy is guaranteed to work.

And from what we experienced, the wand is based on birth month. You don’t have to buy that one.

 

[schumigirl]

It really is totally random......

Good luck though, I hope your daughter is lucky and gets chosen........

 

[ruthies12]

I recommend getting the birthday button on your way in the park, at the least you'll get some happy birthdays from team members throughout the day. We went once with my then 7 year old and went through the show twice in a row first thing in the morning cause she really wanted to be picked and she was wearing her birthday button and she did not get picked in either show.

I went once with my niece who was wearing a bday button at age 13 and she did not get picked either (and she was wearing a Hogwarts robe), BUT Olivander saw her disappointment on her face and told us to stand to the side as everyone else exited then did a special, very short wand selection just for her, it was really sweet.

I went once at the end of the day when there was only one other family in there with me and my sister (both adults) and olivander asked the kid that was in the family if she had a wand yet, she said yes and then olivander admired her wand for a moment then came over to me and chose me! I already had a wand too but it was awesome to get to do it.

On a crowd level 3 I think you'll be totally fine to do either one first and remember you can always do the show more than once if she doesn't get picked the first time. Honestly the line for gringotts is so fun with so much to look at you won't mind waiting and I doubt your wait will increase much if you do olivanders first. that's my 2 cents!

 

[ruthies12]

though one thing to perhaps keep in mind is whether or not you will be carrying any loose items that will require you to use a locker before riding gringotts. If you aren't, then you might do that first just to avoid having to use a locker just for the wand

 

[MKNJ]

No guarantees, obviously, but when the show was over and people were walking out we just mentioned that it was our daughter's birthday and asked if she could have a wand choose her. He did the whole spiel just for her and she got her wand. Can't hurt to ask!

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Having a birthday button never hurts! I would dress in a cute / authentic looking Harry POtter outfit and try to be in the front of the grouping of people that gather around once they move you into the room where they do the do the wand choosing....my daughter was picked twice and she had on HP outfits both times....the first time she was picked rrightaway. The second time we went through the line about 3 time till she was chosen. We had annual passes so we had time to kill

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

We’ve been twice with 3 kids, one time the two girls were wearing robes and one time not and none of them have been picked. I wonder if they avoid picking from kids who are obviously together due to the jealousy factor. Or maybe we just have bad luck. Both times I would say there were not more than 6-8 kids so nearly half were ours.