1,200 Drones Lit Up Dodger Stadium — Was the Harry Potter DroneArt Show Worth It?
I got a Tom Riddle diary signed by Bonnie Wright, snagged a last-second selfie with Ginny Weasley, and watched 1,200 drones light up Dodger Stadium. Here’s my honest take on the world premiere of the Harry Potter DroneArt Show.
TL;DR — Should You Go?
Rating: 7/10. Best for all ages — genuinely family-friendly, fun even for casual or non-fans. Best part: the drone show itself plus the photo ops and activations. Worst part: underwhelming exclusive merch and a brutal Butterbeer line. Ticket tip: the newsletter early-access discount applied to all tiers, so you don’t have to buy VIP to save. I went VIP for the on-field seat, but the cheaper reserve level had a nearly identical view in a stadium this big — VIP is worth it mainly for die-hard fans who want to be closest to the action.
Quick transparency note: DroneArt Show invited me to the event, but I’d already bought my own ticket and that’s the one I used — the gifted tickets went to my girlfriend and her friends. I’m not being paid for this review. These are entirely my own thoughts.
The Basics
Venue: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles (world premiere — June 13, 2026). The show runs about 60 minutes with a 20-minute intermission. I was there from 6:00 PM to 10:40 PM, and honestly you need most of that window to do food, merch, and photo ops before the show. Expect 1,200 illuminated drones synced to the films’ music and dialogue, plus interactive LED wristbands. Seating is first come, first served within your ticket level.
Ticket tiers (LA): VIP (on-field) retailed around $138 — I paid $118 including fees with an early-access discount from subscribing to the Hogwarts Express Adventure email newsletter. VIP put you right on the field, with a choice between an on-field seat or an on-field blanket area. Reserve level was $61.80 including fees ($59.90 before fees). An upper level was also available; pricing varied by date and is no longer listed now that LA has sold out. Worth knowing: the early-access discount was open to all ticket levels, not just VIP — so signing up for the newsletter early pays off no matter which tier you pick.
Parking & Arrival
Parking at Dodger Stadium is usually a hassle, but the event didn’t use the entire venue, which made it easier than normal. At $35, it was also cheaper than typical Dodgers parking, and the limited capacity meant we could park much closer to the stadium. At the gates, VIP guests were directed to the lower levels while reserve and higher tiers went upstairs.
Activations & Photo Ops
Once inside, we were treated to a free wand — and for those in the know, it was the wand previously exclusive to Harry Potter: Magic at Play (possibly overstock?). No box included, but still a really nice piece to receive, especially since Magic at Play didn’t tour much. We also got a light-up bracelet in our choice of house color.
There were several photo opportunities: a Ford Anglia (not sure if it was an original screen-used car, but cool to have there regardless), a giant Patronus statue seen at other experiences like the Forbidden Forest Experience — this time sporting a “25 Years of Magic” emblem on the rock it sits upon, and an Audible activation where you could sit and listen to previews of the new full-cast audio editions (highly recommend them if you haven’t listened). On the upper reserve level, there was also a photo op for the upcoming Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Express Adventure experience, featuring a conductor actor from the actual experience.
Merch
For hardcore collectors, the majority of items were recycled from other events or companies — a light-up wand from Noble Collection, house scarves and beanies from Cinereplicas — things you might already own. But for casual fans, always nice to have available. The exclusive branded merch was a little underwhelming: a hoodie, magnet, keychains, tote bag, and picnic blanket. The designs weren’t all that to me, but I did leave with a magnet.
Celebrity Meet & Greet + Costume Contest
One of the biggest draws was the chance to meet Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the films. This required entering a raffle. Spoiler alert: I was not chosen. There was also a costume contest — you put your name down and they took a Polaroid to enter you. Unfortunately, my entry got mixed into the meet-and-greet pile and never got attached to my photo. Was that why I wasn’t called? Or was my outfit just not good enough? The world will never know.
Venue & Atmosphere
Staff were friendly, with a mix of Dodger Stadium and DroneArt Show crews working together. Dodger Stadium is one of my favorite venues — not just for baseball, but for concerts and more. The atmosphere of being in a stadium that big always brings great energy. The decor was minimal, but honestly I didn’t mind since I was paying more attention to the photo ops anyway.
Food
No themed food at this event — standard Dodger dogs and ballpark nachos were being served, but they did have bottled Butterbeer available! It was probably the longest line of the night. I ended up skipping it and grabbing hot dogs and a soda at that same premium ballpark pricing you’d pay during a game.
The Costume Showcase (and an Unforgettable Moment)
Before the main event, everyone selected from the costume contest lined up to present their costumes on the field. One by one, adults and kids were called up to explain who they were to Bonnie and the other hosts, then walk down the “runway” (first base foul territory), shown on the jumbotrons as they went. The crowd really enjoyed it — lots of clapping. Three of my group of five were selected, and I got to see them on the screen and cheer them on!
After that, my friend and I noticed our other friends just standing around near Bonnie while staff figured out where to direct them. My friend Sarah grabbed the Tom Riddle diary replica I’d brought with me — on the off chance I could get it signed — and ran it over to our friend Hector, who was in the costume segment, and had him ask Bonnie to sign it. And she did! How freaking cool is that? That alone already made my night.
The Drone Show
After the costumes, the show began with an Audible mini drone show (they sponsored the event), then a short break before the main event. The drone show itself was amazing to witness in person. We had on-field seating and the view was spectacular. The music and quotes synced perfectly to the drones shining above. The pacing felt quick because there was a lot of visuals to get through. Our light-up bands synced to the drones and created great ambiance, correlating to the images in the sky.
There was a 20-minute intermission that didn’t feel too long. During the intermission, Bonnie was being filmed for some jumbotron content. Since we had field access, I made my way up close to grab some clips for my social content. When she finished, she turned toward where I was, started taking photos with some girls, and eventually made her way to me for a selfie too. It was super quick and unplanned, and I’m so glad I got up and put myself in the right place at the right time — I felt like I made my own magic. I ran back to my seat grinning to show my friends, just in time for the show to resume.
Standout moments included the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes section, which had fireworks going off the whole time; the recreation of “TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE” turning into “I AM LORD VOLDEMORT” from Chamber of Secrets; and Dobby’s appearance, which got one of the biggest crowd reactions of the night (short-lived, but I thought it was pretty funny).
Final Thoughts
The show ran about an hour, which felt a little short — but you really do need the full window from doors open to closing to see everything, grab food and merch, and do the photo ops. The time flew by. Overall, an amazing night out, even for a casual Potter fan or someone who's never seen the films. Would I do it again? Yes — but I'd go for the lower-tier ticket next time, since there wasn't much difference in viewing, especially in a stadium that big.
For die-hard fans, the experience (and being that close to an actor from the original films) justifies the ticket price. Casual visitors might find more value attending during a promotional or discount period. There were lots of families, couples, and friend groups, but with first-come-first-serve seating, I'd even recommend coming alone — it was a great experience.
My rating: 7/10 ⭐
Want to know where the tour is heading next? I keep a full list of dates and locations on my Ticketed Events page.
