Wizarding World Of Harry Potter: Harry Potter Fans Rejoice At Couture Wands

On June 18th, at approximately 5:30 AM, thousands of nerds flocked to the parking lot of Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter only to spend approximately 7-9 hours lined up to buy a $25 dollar plastic wand. Genius marketing onslaught: touché Universal Studios... but does the park live up to the 6 years and $200 million worth of hype? Does it even matter??

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the brain-child of Universal Studios, the Warner Bros. Harry Potter film crew, and God herself: JK Rowling. The 20 acre theme park in Orlando, FL. let's loyal fans experience scenes from the famous books and subsequent movies. And although the park only boasts three rides, thousands upon thousands of kids and adults lined up in hopes of being the first to traverse through Hogsmeade pubs or through Diagon Alley for a couture "wand"... just in time for the release of the 7th installment of the HP films: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.

Geekosystem.com reports that the waits for these 3 rides will exceed five hours, and while you wait for a coveted turn on the Forbidden Journey ride - which is essentially a shnazzy tour of the Hogwarts castle as imagined by millions - feel free to take a peek into Ollivander's Wand Shop. There you will answer a series of questions, possibly try a few plastic sticks wands out, only to have THE wand choose you... for $25 dollars. But don't expect to conjure up your very own Patronus (how do we even know what that is?!) with your eleven-inch, Holly and phoenix feather wand.

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But the cast of the Harry Potter money making film machine avoided the excruciatingly long wait for every ride and tour at the park. In fact, Daniel Radcliffe and Ivy League hottie, Emma Watson, received first dibs on access to the park... Their touch probably made everything infinitely more expensive for the tween and die-hard middle aged fans of all things Potter: -

Is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter a place you'd even care to be seen in? Tom Felton tweets that it is:

@TomFelton Had the most incredible week at the wizarding world.It really is incredible!! I'm blown away by it!Everything amazed me!Hope your all well x

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Tom, if we got to avoid the infinitely large crowd for a front row spot on the Forbidden Journey ride, we'd be just as amazed.

...Or could we be writing this as we skip onto the 6 hour long line just to get into the park?? You be the judge.

(Photo 1 and thumbnails via MyFoxOrlando.com) (Photos 2-4 via Guardian.co.uk) (Photo 5 via TinyPic.com)