When Harry Potter is accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he has a shopping list of must-have items and clothing to bring with him. You may not need a cauldron or schoolbooks, but if you are a superfan of Harry Potter embarking on your first trip to the village of Hogsmeade in the Wizarding World Hollywood, you are toadally going to want to do some shopping while you are there and play out your own sorcerous student experience. Here’s a look at some must-have Wizarding World of Harry Potter merchandise that even muggles can enjoy, as well as some tips on where to find it!
Must-Have Wizarding World of Harry Potter Merchandise at Universal Studios Hollywood
Here are a few items you'll want to pick up during your visit, along with a few tips on how to save some money (more spare butterbeer cash, woohoo!).
Wizarding Clothing and House Colors
Do you fancy yourself a friendly and helpful Hufflepuff such as Leap and Lily? (Lily hasn’t been sorted yet, but we sense a Hufflepuff in her sweet nature). Are you a brave and loyal Gryffindor, such as myself, thank you very much? A clever wizard, like Tad? Or a confidant Slytherin destined for greatness or the dark arts? No matter your affiliation, you’ll want to show off your house colors with clothing.
You can find robes, ties, sweaters, T-shirts, scarves, school uniforms, socks, jewelry, headwear or quidditch clothing that display your house affiliation in the Wizarding World. In the Wizarding World, the shops that sell attire include Gladrags (robes and the clothes that most resemble what wizards and characters wear in the movies), Dervish and Banges (quidditch team gear) and Filch’s Emporium (house colors, as well as general souvenir clothing). Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment sells house robes and other supplies. You can find colorful patches and house gear at both of these stores.
You can also find a variety of souvenir clothing items outside the Wizarding World at the souvenir shops near the park entrance. It certainly makes for fun photos in the Wizarding World when you are dressed as a wizard! While you can find it all at Universal Studios Hollywood, some of these may be items you want to purchase in advance so you can arrive dressed and ready to go. Psst ... you might also save money by purchasing some items in advance instead of in the park. But if you are in need or like to try things on, you'll find an overwhelming amount of fun, wearable souvenir items in the park.
A Magic Wand
First off, you’re going to need a wand so that you can cast spells in the park. It's an important part of immersing yourself in the magical world. Hop into Ollivanders, Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C., and witness a wand pairing with the wand maker himself. One person from the small audience will be chosen to demonstrate how a wand chooses a wizard.
If you have a child or young adult in your party, they just might get chosen! Afterward, everyone heads into the wand shop so they can each shop for a wand. You can also hop into the shop without witnessing a wand pairing. Or, shop for a wand at the outdoor cart in front of Flight of the Hippogriff ride. But we highly recommend catching a wand pairing first to put you in the mood.
You’ll need an interactive wand if you want to cast spells. Those have a gold label on the box and a sensor on the tip. Since your wand cannot perform magic at home, except for in your imagination, you might pick up a stand for it so you can put it on display. Hop over to Tad's post on choosing a wand in the Wizarding World for the full scoop!
Wizarding Treats
When Harry Potter rides the Hogwarts Express to school for the first time, he buys one of everything off of the treat trolley that comes by. When you enter Honeydukes candy shop, you’ll probably wish you could do the same. Unfortunately, unless you, too, have come across a pile of wizarding gold, you’ll probably have to limit what you purchase to what fits your budget and your suitcase!
On our first visit, we had to purchase Chocolate Frogs. I mean, come on … frogs! Ribbit, ribbit! We enjoyed the Fizzing Whizzbees, with popping candy inside chocolate. Whatever you desire, from chocolate wands, Dark Mark lollipops, Exploding Bonbons and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, you can find it in Honeydukes. Think of your friends and family back home who would love a special Wizarding World treat. The treats are among our must-have merchandise in the Wizarding World because they are fun, unique and do not require much luggage space. There's a treat trolley with a selection of treats inside Hogsmeade Station, as well.
Pygmy Puff
Lily Potter gets her first pet Pygmy Puff in the books, and our own Lily was hopping with anticipation to pick out her own pink stuffed Pygmy Puff when we visited. The nice part about the souvenir Pygmy Puffs is that they require only love for care — no food or vet bills! Sounds like my kind of pet!
Pick Up Unique Souvenirs
Spend some time in the shops of the Wizarding World. There are so many details and symbols, and it’s fun to find pieces that remind you of the books and movies, especially for die-hard fans. The very first shop you will come to on the right upon entering Hogsmeade, just past the Hogwarts Express, is the Hogsmeade Station. That’s where you will find items themed to the train and platform 9 ¾. One of our favorite souvenirs is Christmas ornaments from our travels. They allow us to remember our hoppy family memories when we decorate the tree each year. You can pick up Wizarding World ornaments at Hogsmeade Station. At shops such as Filch's Emporium, you can find convenient but unique souvenirs. Some of these include small bottles of love potions and Felix Felices a.k.a. liquid luck!
Straight ahead at Owl Post you can find owls, Wizarding World postcards and stamps, notebooks and other writing materials. You can even get your mail stamped from Hogsmeade Owl Post! It’s one of our favorite hidden gems in the Wizarding World. Dervish and Banges have unique items from the movies and books, such as the Monster Book of Monsters and Spectrespecs. At Filch's Emporium, you might find jewelry, keychains and more with symbols such as Harry Potter's glasses, lightning bolt scars, time turners, Deathly Hallows, games and more. The extensive store has movie replicas, pet owls, magical creature toys and even objects related to the dark arts. Even if you are not into the dark arts, you know you want those toadally cool Dark Mark tattoos!
If you want a personalized souvenir, you can get items embroidered at Dervish and Banges. You can also personalize wands at Ollivanders!
Tips for Shopping for Merchandise in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Here's some expert advice for shopping in the Wizarding World:
- Shop in the afternoon when ride lines are longer ... although you might want to get that wand earlier in the day so you can use it.
- Buy any chocolate and “meltable” treats at the end of the day.
- Purchase some souvenirs in advance if you want to dress for your visit.
- Do some price checks. If you see a must-have item at elevated theme park prices, you might do a quick check online to see if it is available for significantly less money.
- Find the widest selection of Wizarding World merchandise at the Universal Studios Store and Feature Presentation gift shops. This may also make shopping easier with lighter crowds. You'll find a lot of general items here in one place, as opposed to all of the tight stores in the Wizarding World.
- Consider how you will transport the items home. We can't all be disparate, so we choose small items that fit in our luggage easier. Maybe you'll just need to wear that wizard robe on the plane if it doesn't fit in the suitcase!
- Consider items that are useful in the park. Perhaps a souvenir Butterbeer cup or a Harry Potter–themed lanyard to hold your Universal Express ticket for easier scanning.
- Look for items from the Fantastic Beasts series in Filch's Emporium, Ollivanders, and souvenir shops outside of the Wizarding World.
These are a few of our favorite and iconic items found at the Wizarding World Hollywood. You’ll need plenty of souvenir money to go shopping in the Wizarding World to remember your visit. So it's best to find other ways to start saving up. Our favorite way is to get the best deal on Universal Studios theme park tickets, which you can get right here from your favorite Frog Family!
Related: Beyond Butterbeer: The Best Food & Drink at Wizarding World Hollywood
Related: Guide to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood
Hoppy planning!