Wand Selection at Ollivander’s

Fans of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books should plan a visit to Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There you will encounter scenes from the books and movies, a castle ride that may result in battle damage from a dragon (I got sprayed by its hot, fetid breath), butter beer by the barrel, a dragon ride not for the faint of heart, a tour of one of the most famous classrooms, and several of the wizardly shops open to muggles (they will even let you buy stuff).

Perhaps the most exciting opportunity for Harry Potter fans is the wand ceremony at Ollivander’s. There a lucky few can have a wand selected for them by Ollivander himself. Having witnessed the ceremony, I can say it was one of those times I wish I were a child again. The ceremony I saw involved two boys about the ages of 8 and 10. Ollivander had them come forward and go through a series of tests to select a wand. The looks on their faces when presented with wands chosen specifically for them was well worth the time spent waiting in line to see the ceremony. I can imagine that event will be a lasting memory for those boys and their parents.

If the lines are too long or you were not fortunate enough to be selected by Ollivander, you can still have your wand selected for you by inquiring among Ollivander’s helpful wizardly staff.

The process is very simple. Just select a date that is most important to you - one that holds special meaning. It is best if this date is tied directly to your core being (so sayeth Ollivander). There are thirteen wands that are available for selection and each is tuned to a specific date range. The following lists the wands and the dates that apply. As to what these wands look like, you’ll have to visit Ollivander’s to find out.

Wand	Date Range
Birch	December 24 - January 20
Rowan	January 21 - February 17
Ash	February 18 - March 17
Alder	March 18 - April 14
Willow	April 15 - May 12
Hawthorn	May 13 - June 9
Oak	June 10 - July 7
Holly	July 8 - August 4
Hazel	August 5 - September 1
Vine	September 2 - September 29
Ivy	September 30 - October 27
Reed	October 28 - November 24
Elder	November 25 - December 23

There are, of course, all of the major character wands available for you to choose or collect. All of the wands are made of resin with very nice detail.

If you cannot make the trip to Orlando, you were there but did not buy a wand, or just want to add to your collection, you can go to the URL below  and order one from one of Ollivander’s helpful house elves. These are the very same wands sold at the theme park and the gift shops at the Orlando airport but are contained in a more travel friendly box (it’s a bit bigger).

http://www.universalorlando.com/Merchandise/Shop/Ollivanders_Wand_Shop.html