Universal Studios Hollywood has been in the spotlight recently, with the opening of Jurassic World: The Ride. We’ve been spending a lot more time in this park and thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the equally interesting merchandise.
Join me as we take a look at 10 of the most worthwhile souvenirs currently available.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Interactive Wands
A large portion of real estate at Universal Studios Hollywood belongs to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And to me, one of the highlights of the area is casting spells using interactive wands. There are many different wand styles to choose from, including replicas of character wands from the films. The wand shown below was released along with the recent nighttime show, “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle.” There is even a popular show that takes place at Ollivanders wand shop.
House Robes
Robes are required attire for Hogwarts students and Universal Studios is happy to supply them. They have robes for each of the school’s house: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. The color of the robe’s lining as well as the crest patch vary depending on which house is selected (I’m Hufflepuff, if anyone was wondering). These are found at Wisacre’s Wizarding Equipment.
Owl Plushes
The Owl Post is a shop dedicated to the hard-working avian. Different breeds of plush owls are available for adoption. There are also plush versions of Hedwig and Errol.
Monster Book of Monsters Journal
The Monster Book of Monsters transformed from a textbook to a journal. The “mouth” is part of a flap with a magnet that opens to reveal unlined pages. This item was spotted at Dervish and Banges.
Frog Choir Plush
One of the live entertainment offerings in Wizarding World is the Frog Choir. This plush puppet, complete with croaking sound effect, lets you mimic the fun a cappella action seen on stage. All that’s missing is your voice (croak out any tune you’d like). This item has been in Orlando for while but is a recent addition to Hollywood. You’ll find this amphibious fellow in Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods.
Weasley Sweaters
These film-accurate, woven sweaters replicate the sweaters given to Harry and Ron by Mrs. Weasley for Christmas. They are pretty thick so while they may not be ideal summer attire, they make perfect winter wear. These items are available at Gladrags Wizardwear.
Jurassic World
Themed Shirts
There is a decent chance you are going to get wet while riding Jurassic World. And I count that as a perfect justification for purchasing one of the themed shirts. The combo of wording and art on this Mosasaurus shirt makes it a tempting choice. There are more subtle shirts as well, if that is your style.
Dinosaur Plushes
These huggable plushes are wonderful, less-deadly souvenir after enjoying all those deadly dinos in the attraction. Just look at that toothy grin! She is happy to see you.
Also a bonus: these are a great option for bribing children who are too young/short to wait while other party members ride.
Hello Kitty
Movie Parody Items
Over in the Animation Studio Store, there is a whole line of Hello Kitty merchandise that parodies classic Universal Studios films. There are signs, bags, shirts, plushes, and journals featuring this artwork.
My personal favorite is the Kitty version of Jaws. Slap a bow on the titular shark and I just can’t stop giggling.
Build-a-Bow Custom Headband
Also in the Animation Studio Store is this fun little activity. Guests of all ages can customize (for a fee) their own headband that features Kitty’s ears and bow. Simply choose the button and bow combo you prefer (there are six options for each piece), pop them together, and attach to the ear headband. It also makes a fitting accessory for the Kitty photo-op that takes place just outside the store.
There’s honestly a lot of great items in the park right now. It’s a great time to be a Universal fan. Do you have a favorite Uni souvenir? Have you been able to visit the new Jurassic World or Dark Arts show? Let us know in the comments!