I have the best surprise Universal Studios trip reveal idea for you! Let’s be real – everything in the wizard world of Harry Potter is more fun. Even getting the mail! Can you imagine receiving post by owl who knows where to find you?! Now you can be a wizarding world owl yourself and the bearer of the best news  for you family – a vacation to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Universal Studios Hollywood. And believe me, Get Away Today knows their stuff when it comes to family vacations, not to mention their ability to get you the best deal out there (their service is totally FREE.) So, make the wait for your vacation fly by with our Hogwart’s Owl Post Vacation Countdown!

Surprise Universal Studios Trip Reveal Idea

Getting Started ~ Harry Potter Owl Post

To begin this magic surprise, decide how many days you want to have as part of your countdown. I think anything between one to two weeks is perfect! For every day of your countdown you will need a brown paper bag to deliver your goodies.

We are going to print the design right on the bag, which you can download here. It makes your presentation look so fun and up to those wizard standards.

To get the design on your paper bag, tape the top securely onto a standard sheet of printer paper. I used a thick Washi Tape because it isn’t too sticky, it lays flat and it’s easy to peel it off once the design is printed on the bag. You also want to be sure to place the part of the bag with the flap laying down on the printer paper so that the top is smooth. Things go really smoothly when you follow these steps.

Print the Owl Post logo onto all of your bags. Make sure to look at the little picture on your printer that shows how to insert the paper into the feed tray. Mine went in upside down with the taped part of the bag at the top.

Now fill out the number of days left to you will be “delivered” to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on the owl’s envelopes.

Filling the Owl Post Bags for the Harry Potter Trip Reveal

Here comes the best part! Fill each of the bags with all sorts of Harry Potter activities, treats and items. I liked to start off small and get more exciting as the trip gets closer. These are a couple ideas I thought of to get you get started:

• On day one, announce your going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! You can use pictures off of the internet or make your own surprise announcement.
• Put in a pair of socks for everyone’s favorite house elf, Doby! They can be old socks to make the kids laugh, or a pair of new Harry Potter themed socks to wear on your vacation.

• Dump some of the infamous Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans (a.k.a. potentially really good or really bad jelly beans) into your bag. When they say every flavor, they mean EVERY flavor.

• Print off a Harry Potter coloring page for the kids, or use an adult Harry Potter coloring book too! Fun for everyone!
• Download our List of Spells and learn some magic to prepare for your trip. You never know when a good spell will come in handy…

• If you are lucky and happen to grab a handful of Professor Lupin’s werewolf hair, toss it into the bag. The kids will get a kick out of this. (You can pick up some furry fabric at the craft store.)
• Make a batch of our very own chocolate covered frogs. You can put the ingredients into the bag and print the recipe and let the kids help make them, or have the finished product in there for them to simply enjoy.

• Make a note to tell them that you are going to watch your favorite Harry Potter movie together. Or, slip the DVD into the parcel.
• Print a map of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter off of Universal Studios Hollywood’s website. Look at it together and talk about all of the places you are going to visit and where you are going to explore first. It is fun to make a game plan of everything you have to see!
• Fold our Origami Sorting Hat. Take turns figuring out who is a member of each of the Hogwarts Houses. Let’s hope you don’t get Slytherin!

You can be as creative as you want. It is so much fun to fill each parcel with some sort of magical trinket or activity to surprise your family with every day. You can deliver the bags however you want! Leave one on the porch, ring the doorbell and run. Or leave one somewhere new every morning before anyone ways up. This is such a fun and easy way to get everyone excited and make the time go by faster until your magical vacation!

More Bag Ideas for Your Universal Studios Vacation Announcement

Green Direct Perfect Durable Brown Paper Lunch Bags Size Medium for All Ages (Pack of 100)Master Has Given Dobby a Sock Dobby is Free Harry Potter Funny Crew socks Gift,Gray White,9-11Cinereplicas Harry Potter Beanie Hat Knit Cap – Official (Pompom Gryffindor)Harry Potter Scarf – Official – Ultra Soft Knitted Fabric – by CinereplicasHarry Potter Earrings 6 Pair SetBundle – 3 items: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger Magic WandsHarry Potter Snape Wand Pen and BookmarkANKRY Fairy Jewelry Harry Potter Golden Snitch Quicksilver Golden Pearl NecklacePotter Makeup Brushes Set WomenFunko Pocket Pop Keychain: Harry Potter-Harry Action FigureHarry Potter House Pony Tail HoldersHair Bow – Harry Potter – Gryffindor New Licensed Hh487yhptMattel Games Uno Harry Potter Card GameFunko Mystery Mini: Harry Potter Action Figure – One MysteryAurora World Inc. 8

At Universal Studios Hollywood they have their own Owl Post where send yourself a card or letter postmarked from Hogsmeade! Your family will be sure to have a magical time wandering the halls of Hogwarts, having a meal at The Three Broomsticks, riding the Forbidden Journey, watching a wand ceremony at Ollivanders and so much more.

The Best Place to Book Your Universal Studios Vacation

Book your Universal Studios Hollywood tickets online or call our vacation wizards at 855-GET-AWAY. Mention code OSSS10 and save an additional $10 on your Southern California vacation package. Like I mentioned earlier, I use Get Away Today for literally all of my vacations, from Disney vacations, to cruises, to Universal… and everything in between. They are totally free to use and will find you the BEST deal on your vacation. They’ll book it for you, line up cars, airfare, hotels, shuttle… and make everything work together, so you don’t have to deal with it. Plus, they travel to all of their vacation destinations, REPEATEDLY, so they know exactly how to answer your questions and share their best tips with you. You’ll love them, I promise.

If You Liked This Surprise Universal Studios Trip Reveal Idea…

• Harry Potter ‘Would You Rather’ Printable PDF Game – Both kids and adults love ‘Would You Rather’ questions. These questions are so fun for all ages of Harry Potter fans. Great for laughing about over family dinner or keeping the kids entertained on a road trip… maybe a road trip to Universal Studios Hollywood??
• Harry Potter Copycat Butterbeer Fudge – Here’s a thought… maybe the day that you first reveal your Universal Studios vacation, you can also whip up a batch of this amazing Hogwart’s favorite… butterbeer fudge. If you’re going to set the mood, set the mood!! Here are some additional great Harry Potter recipes too, if you really want to go big.
• Harry Potter DIY Wands – This is such a fun party or family craft! Make wands, turn on a Harry Potter movie, and have a super fun evening!