SATURDAY SIX: The Six Best Souvenirs at Universal Orlando

In last month’s edition of the Theme Park Enjoyment Index, we took a look at some of the pieces of merchandise that people were buying at Epic Universe during the park’s previews; including ride vehicle models, E-Ticket wooden signage, and mystery boxes. Longtime readers of this fine blog series know how much we love theme park souvenirs, so it got us thinking about the question, what are the best souvenirs at Universal Orlando? Well, here’s our picks, starting with…

# 6 – Chocolate Frog

Who can forget the, pardon the pun, magic of seeing the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the first time? Like Harry himself, we Muggles were slowly introduced to a whole new world of wizardry. One of the first bits of true wonder came during Harry’s trip aboard the Hogwarts Express as he was introduced to a Chocolate Frog. It was a whimsical take on a normal “muggle” item turned into something memorable.

Harry was also informed that every chocolate frog box comes with a card featuring a famous witch or wizard. This was another brilliant take on a standard item we’ve all seen in the Real World – in this case kid’s collecting something like baseball cards – and giving it a fantastical spin. Not only did the pictures on the cards move, but they would even disappear, because “you can’t expect him to hang around all day, can you?” Harry’s chocolate frog box contained the card of Albus Dumbledore.

Universal took this memorable moment of the film and recreated it for the parks, but then went even farther. The Potter film explains that each Chocolate Frog comes with a Wizard Card, and so does each one at Universal. However, the Chocolate Frog boxes at the parks come with cards randomly containing Dumbledore or one of the four founders of Hogwarts (Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff.) While the chocolate frog itself isn’t going to make Messrs. Hershey, Lindt or Cadbury lose sleep any time soon, the overall quality of the entire package is among the best on property and a perfect gift to buy for the Potter fan back at home.

“…it’s the cards you want. Each pack’s got a famous witch or wizard. I got 500 meself.” – Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Universal could have stopped right there and been fine. They were already offering a unique product, and this was the only way guests could get an item featuring a Hogwarts Founder such as Helga Hufflepuff or Salazar Slytherin. The visualization of the Founders was introduced in the queue for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction, as the four have a conversation with each other via their “moving paintings.” At the time, none of the Founders were featured in any of the Harry Potter films (Rowena Ravenclaw would eventually be seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II). So these cards were already special. However, Universal wasn’t done…

…because in the years since they have put out an unbelievable amount of special edition chocolate frog cards that delve into the Potter Universe. These include cards for characters many of us are familiar with in the Potter movies, such as Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Or Ollivander himself (who appears in several Potter films.)

That’s pretty fantastic fan service, but Universal went WAY beyond that and have made cards that are a true deep dive into Potter lore that only the most hardcore fans would know.

I can’t think of anything else at Universal or Disney that goes this far into the fandom. It’s absolutely bonkers, and I love it!

Interestingly enough, the chocolate frogs themselves have spawned merchandise over the years including ornaments, plush, and plates.

While they originally made their debut only available in milk chocolate, you can also get chocolate frogs today in dark chocolate or white chocolate.

Looks like we’ll be getting more wizard cards once Epic Universe opens because the most recnet chocolate frog card Newt Scamander. However, that card hasn’t come out yet in individual boxes and is only available in the tin of 5 cards with the French chocolate frog box (reminder that the Wizarding World that exists in Epic Universe is set in Paris.)

# 5 – Plush

While Disney’s Magic Kingdom may be filled with nostalgia and the opportunity to enjoy plenty of Opening Day rides like Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and it’s a small world, that’s not how it is over at Universal Studios Florida. Despite opening almost two decades after the Magic Kingdom, USF has very few Opening Day attractions still running today. One of those rare older attractions is the beloved E.T. Adventure. In the gift shop for E.T. Adventure you’ll find this amazing plush which features E.T. in bicycle basket.  It’s adorable and fits the #story of the ride perfectly.

Even better? The plush has loops on the back so that you can attach it to your own bike back at home!

Kids love plush, and one of my favorite things Universal has done in their merchandise area is create a line of what I refer to as “cute plush” that includes an incredible amount of properties at both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. These plush reminded me of Disney’s awesome Toy Box line of figures in which characters as diverse as Jack Sparrow, Han Solo, and Sully from Monster’s Inc all were done in the same style. With pretty much every character being about the same size and having a similar “cute” style, its easy to pretend they all exist in the same Universe.

It is staggering how many choices are available.

We even got some classic Universal Monsters!

Incredibly, there are cute plush styles that you can only get by playing the skill games at Islands of Adventure, including ones for characters in Back to the Future…

…and JAWS!!

It looks like we are going to see this trend of cute plush extend over into Epic Universe once that park opens if the merchandise available in the Preview Center is any indication.

# 4 – Bort Items in Springfield USA

No one has mercilessly attacked the world of theme parks with sharper wit than The Simpsons television show. One classic moment when they turned the screws on the parks we all love happened way back in 1994 with the episode “Itchy & Scratchy Land.” One of the more memorable gags from the show was Bart Simpson running into one of the most ubiquitous pieces of merchandise at any theme park, the gift with YOUR name on it. In this instance, Bart was looking at personalized mini-license plates and found the names Bert and Bort. He couldn’t believe it. What kind of name is Bort? What happens after is even better, but the capper comes later in the episode when it is revealed the park has sold out of Bort license plates. Universal’s own Springfield USA pays tribute to that classic moment with a Bort keychain found in the Kwik E Mart gift shop.

The Kwik-E-Mart is loaded with great Simpsons merchandise along with some of the best signage you’ll see in any theme park gift shop in the world.

By far and away the most popular items in Springfield are related to Duff beer.

# 3 – Popcorn Buckets

For many, MANY years, Universal Orlando had no popcorn buckets outside of generic ones with the park logo on it.

However, over the last several years, Universal’s popcorn bucket game now rivals Disney. Like the Wizarding World’s chocolate frog, popcorn buckets are what we Americans call a classic “two fer” situation, as we also get the serving of popcorn that comes with the bucket. A snack and a souvenir? You can’t beat that.

A key element of the best popcorn bucket designs? They have to be completely impractical to use as an actual popcorn bucket and Universal just gives you the popcorn separately. This level of popcorn bucket design is true ART.

Here’s a sampling of some of my favorite popcorn bucket designs over the last few years…

# 2 –  Hello Kitty Mashups

This one was a true surprise, because I would have NEVER considered myself a Hello Kitty fan. However, Universal has put out a line of Hello Kitty merchandise that appeals not only to young kids, but also to us theme park fanboys. We’re talking about incredible mash-ups that have Hello Kitty mixed with the worlds of Jaws, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park and more! These mash-ups can be purchased as prints, on cups, shirts and more.

In the bottom right of the photo below you’ll see a Hello Kitty mashup with Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!

My personal favorite mashup is Hello Kitty and Jaws.

Over in San Francisco area of the park, the Jaws pressed penny machine features a Hello Kitty mashup design as one of the selections you can get!

 

During HHN season, we even got to see a Hello Kitty mashup with the character Chucky from Child’s Play. I can’t get enough and hope this collaboration never ends.

# 1 – Interactive Wands

When the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade Village opened back in 2010, it changed the landscape of the entire theme park industry. The phenomenal success of Butterbeer got a lion’s share of attention, but Universal also merged the concept of an attraction with merchandise in a way that had never been done before. Watching a guest participate  in Ollivander’s Wand Experience is a fun experience, and the moment when a “wand chooses the wizard” is always special. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen that show in person and watched as the person selected immediately bought the wand that chose them.

During the early years of the Wizarding World, wands were just cool looking “props” that came in sharp looking packaging straight out of the Potter movies. However, when Diagon Alley opened in mid-2014, we saw the debut of interactive wands. These wands are denoted by having a small reflective dome at the tip of the wand that is used to “cast” spells in the Wizarding World lands. These wands also came with an amazing looking map featuring the spell locations in Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley.

Before the wands were cool to look at, but know you could do stuff with them! Spell markers were installed on the ground that showed the motion wizards were to make with their wand along with the name of the spell they were casting.

The spell Revelio could be found outside a window at Honeydukes, and casting the spell at a large Chocolate Frog box…

…would reveal a Chocolate Frog.

The level of quality Universal puts into the Wizarding World is second to none. An example of this level of extreme detail can be seen over in Diagon Alley.

As we said, each interactive wand comes with a gorgeous map of the Wizarding World which shows the location of all the spell areas. Here is the map for Diagon Alley.

Several spell locations are found in Knockturn Alley, home of the Dark Arts, and these spell locations can be seen under black light. Just an amazing level of commitment to the brand.

Let’s check out one of the spell locations in Nockturn Alley. The Incendio spell marker can be found near a window display showing a caged bird.

One of the neat things with the interactive wands, is that some of the locations have multiple effects. You can watch the video below for one of the Incendio spell effects on the caged bird, but there are others as well.

My personal favorite spell in Knockturn Alley was MIMBLEWIMBLE. This was not because of the spell itself, but because of what it involved. There was a window of Shrunken Heads talking outside the Noggin and Bonce shop. I love these “guys” and  you could make them talk with the spell.

One of the Mimblewimble effects had the shrunken heads singing a song from Jaws, which was an INCREDIBLE tribute to the attraction which Diagon Alley replaced! Unfortunately, the shrunken heads and this particular spell has been removed from the area.

~2nd Generation Wands~

Universal Orlando revealed a second generation of interactive wands for sale on March 1, 2025. This next generation of wand packs new connective technology, lights, and haptics to deliver a more expansive spell casting experience. Out of the box, the new wands rumble and light up at the tip when a spell is successfully cast, which is pretty dang cool. But even more features are unlocked when the wand is synced up to the Universal Orlando app.

Guests can synch their second-generation wands to the Universal Orlando app to unlock new features:

⭐️ Spell Maps – provides a map of all spell casting locations. Second-generation wands show if you have completed the spell before.
⭐️ Customized Wizard Profile – Choose a name, Hogwarts House, patronas, and personal icon to track yourself on the daily leaderboards.
⭐️ Daily House Cup – A parkwide competition between houses to earn the most points by completing Adventures and spells.
⭐️ Adventures – A sequence of spell locations located throughout the land that follow a common theme. Adventures are the only way to experience some of the newest spells.

Universal also  expanded their spell locations throughout the Wizarding World with new spells. Diagon Alley has three new spell casting locations in Knockturn Alley. These spells include a Patronus spell that mimics your chosen Patronus on the app along with another that you repel spiders (which you can see in the video below.)

 

Over in Hogsmeade, there’s a new spell location at the post office, and a new tent by Hogwarts Castle is used by the Dueling Club to test their spell casting abilities. These new spell locations, and some additional new spells at old locations, are available through the new wands and the Universal Orlando app. Be sure to read Joe Matt’s in-depth article on 2nd generation wands – including how to access all the features on the Universal app – by CLICKING HERE.

Here’s a peek at the wands coming for Epic Universe…

It’s safe to say that the Wizarding World interactive wands are one of the all time best theme park souvenirs. Not only do they look great, but come with E-Ticket packaging, a second great souvenir (the wonderful maps of Hogsmeade Village and Diagon Alley) AND you can use them to cast “spells” in the parks. HOWEVER, be prepared that some people in your life may not understand how cool a souvenir they are…

Honorable Mention – They Didn’t Have My Name Merch

I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I saw this cup. Since I was a kid I always look for my name on key chains and cups at the Disney and Universal gift shops. Luckily, I have a name that is generally available on many of the products. However, many of my friends and family don’t. This is a trend that’s probably going to get worse over the years with parents going out of their way naming their children with a unique spelling (we used to call that kind of stuff “weird” but now it’s “unique.” That’s what we call progress.)

Well, Universal now has a piece of merchandise for all the Ryeian, Mykl, and Aerycks of the world…

That’s right, Universal Studios Florida has both They Didn’t Have My Name cups and keychains and this was an IMMEDIATE buy for me.

So there you have it: The 6 Best Souvenirs from Universal Orlando! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out the THEME PARK ENJOYMENT INDEX, giving a monthly recap of all the theme park news you need to know (and a lot more you don’t need to know, but we’re gonna tell you anyway). You can also follow Your Humble Author on BlueSky (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

Theme Park Turkeys of the Year Archives

The SATURDAY SIX Celebrates 10 Years of @bioreconstruct

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Josh easyWDW

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Ian Barritt

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Digital Maestro Scott Walker, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, artist @SonderQuest, the mighty maven of merchandise Hedgehog’s Corner, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, the permit princess Alicia Stella, master cartographer Tommy Hawkins, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Absolutely no help was added by SeaWorld Influencer @SuperWeenieHtJr. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHide and you Potterheads will enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.

One of my all time favorite pieces of merchandise from Disney was a Hollywood Tower of Terror branded bathroom towel. I love the idea of having hotel themed attractions offering items you would find in a hotel. One of the all time best used to be sold at USF that was part of the Bates Motel collection. Let’s hope they bring these back as an offering for HHN some year.