We went to this on Jan 4th this year, when they had their Hogwarts in the Snow event on. We paid - I just wanted to review it, because I loved it.
Firstly: this is one of the best attractions I've ever visited. I'm taking my son back next week; my husband wants to visit another time just me and him, and my mum is going back with an adult friend in the autumn, when they have their movie showing events. I advise everyone to go if they get the chance. It really does have something for absolutely anyone over the age of six, whether they have a passing interest in films, or in art, or in Harry Potter. The skill and craftsmanship and technical brilliance is as exciting as the story they bring to life. It's an incredible place, and worth every penny of admission. Every aspect of the provision is top-notch. With a disabled person in the party, any cracks or weaknesses in training or provision tend to show themselves. We saw none. The dedication to customer service necessary to achieve that, benefiting every single visitor, has to be exemplary.
My 7 year old son has high-functioning autism. He is also utterly, totally obsessed by Harry Potter - it's a standing joke with his teachers. He's read all the books, and dreams of his Owl arriving! So I called their disability booking line in the summer. The woman on the phone was a passionate HP fan herself ("we all are!") but also truly expert and understanding on what autism means. She explained that we could book from October, but Hallowe'en involved staff dressed up as Death Eaters, and that this could terrify my son, "I know them all, and they scare me, to be honest." She felt that Christmas events would be infinitely better.
We'd planned that my Mum would take him, and the adult ticket was in her name. On the day, DS freaked out and insisted he couldn't manage without me, so I joined them, with the toddler, for the 3 hour drive. On arrival, we asked to swap the adult ticket name, and explained why (with medical evidence). And they said we could all go in. For a special Christmas event, that had sold out months before. Because my little boy was scared and needed his mum. And this level of kindness and patience was continued at every stage:
~DS became scared of the audio guide and had a mini panic, so a staff member stopped to talk to him about the huge Christmas tree in the foyer, distracting him. Then we were shown in the back way, after our group had filed in first.
~The staff pre-warned him about the (lit) Goblet of Fire, so he could stand next to it and enjoy the moment a "Champion" slip appeared
~The woman manning the Potions classroom let him look at the incredible textbooks made for the actors, and patiently explained to him how it all worked. She told him anecdotes, stories, tips and facts, and he was enthralled.
~The seasonal snow special effects stand staffer was amazing and talked him through the various substances used to make "snow".
~The man assisting the kids with spell-casting was so gentle and reassuring that my son, who has problems with gross and fine motor skills, was able to cast them as elegantly and precisely as a child actor by the end - thankfully my Mum filmed it for us; I'm not sure his dad would ever have believed our clumsy little chap had it in him! People were standing around to watch, but DS was so engrossed that he didn't even notice (usually, he would have been terrified).
~A staff member took DS through to an amazing green screen opportunity (he was not asked to queue, and they did this very discreetly so he didn't feel ashamed or humiliated in any way). He absolutely loved it, and the video is one of his most treasured possessions.
~After that, he asked if he could queue for the Hogwarts Express bit! He's an anxious little conformist and terribly worried about fairness, so he really minds that he can't manage queues in strange places/with strange people. To be able to cope with a crowded, enclosed queue of strangers was a very special moment for him, in and of itself.
~The guy cleaning the packed Back Lot cafe noticed I was juggling a toddler and a bottle of water, and quietly went and fetched me a straw for her, unasked. It wasn't his job. He was clearing up spilled ice creams and general mess. But he noticed a mum trying to get water into a fractious little person, and promptly helped.
All the staff were this lovely, up to and including the gift shop, who went above and beyond seeking out a Gryffindor Prefect badge for him (sold out, sadly!). The girl serving at our till gave us her views on the Orlando Harry Potter world, too - they really aren't kidding, when they say they are all fans! At every other attraction we've ever been to, or even just walking in a busy city centre, we have had to leave at a point when my son becomes overwhelmed and stressed. At Wizarding World, he coped all day. He still didn't like the crowds, but he managed, and it was the gentle and expert help as well as the full immersion Harry Potter that did that for him. So many people are embarrassed by disability; you can see their discomfort as soon as they learn this polite, eager, meticulous little chap has autism. Not here. Every staff member there treated him as another little Harry Potter fan who just happened to have a few additional needs. No more, no less. They were lovely, patient and accommodating with every single visitor.
There was one disappointment: getting the Salazar Slytherin card in his chocolate frog. He has not spent a penny of his pocket or Xmas money since, as we are going back next week and he is determined that, this time, his chocolate frog purchasing WILL include a Godric Gryffindor and an Albus Dumbledore! He has painstakingly earned, saved and collected £67.50 towards this aim - we will be chowing down on milk chocolate amphibians for some time! 