What to Expect from the Wizards Unite Fan Festival

Tickets for the Wizards Unite Fan Festival went on sale this week, so what even is it? The Wizards Unite Fan Festival (sometimes shortened to WUFF) is the first official, large-scale, in-person Wizards Unite event. Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st, witches and wizards from all over will be coming to Indianapolis, Indiana, to play Wizards Unite together in White River State Park.

For those thinking of going to WUFF, we’ve got a full guide on what the festival is, what to expect, how to get tickets, and more below.

For those familiar with other Niantic games, the Wizards Unite Fan Festival is more or less the Wizards Unite equivalent of Pokémon GO’s GO Fest or Ingress’ anomalies. Basically, it’s an excuse for players to all gather in one place to play the game together and get some special rewards as well.

Dragons are set to debut at this year’s Wizards Unite Fan Festival, as announced at San Diego Comic-Con. Players can also expect plenty of spawns and inns, as well as more bonuses which will be announced later.

Based on Niantic’s other games, here are a few other things that might come to the event:

• Special Assignments
• Higher chances of finding rare Traces
• Special event-only Portkeys
• Physical structures for AR photos (Confirmed!)
• Activities, contests, prizes like exclusive T-shirts and medals
• Plenty of food available for purchase
• YouTuber signings
• Lots of in-game rewards, such as scrolls, spellbooks, potions, etc.

Remember, the above list is not officially confirmed, just speculation based on what similar events in Niantic’s other games have included. 

Ingress events have sometimes even included actors from the game’s story, bringing the game’s global story to life, so Wizards Unite could potentially see something similar. (Even if not, someone’s going to come with a great cosplay of Charlie Weasley with all those dragons, right?)

With so many witches and wizards in Indianapolis that weekend, there will likely also be plenty of other unofficial, fan-planned wizarding events around the city to add to the experience after the park closes each day. 

Look out for an in-depth guide on all of the bonuses and how to prepare, coming later when more details about the event are available.

Tickets for WUFF are one day only. Each day will have the same bonuses for all players. Players can either buy general access ($30 USD) or early access ($40 USD) tickets. (Prices do not include service fee and taxes.)

The only difference between the two options is what time bonuses and spawns will be active on your account. Early access provides two extra hours of play time, which should be quieter and less crowded, but general access ticket holders will still be able to take part in all of the event’s activities and bonuses.

To get tickets, players must enter the ticket lottery through the game itself. From the overworld map, tap the suitcase, and then tap “Events” in the top right corner. Tapping that leads to the ticketing site, where players can confirm their details and enter the drawing.

After entering, players must wait to be selected to buy tickets. Selection happens in waves, so if you don’t get the chance to buy tickets right away, don’t worry! Once selected, players will receive an email with full instructions on how to claim tickets:

Players can also check if they’ve been selected yet by going to the “Events” tab in the game. If it says “Drawing Entered!” you have not been selected yet. Otherwise, it will include a link to purchase tickets.

After each wave of the lottery, selected players will have approximately 48 hours to purchase tickets. Players may currently buy up to 8 tickets, but the purchase must all be for the same day of the event, the same entrance, and the same type of ticket (general or early access). To purchase tickets for someone else, players must also be in-game friends, as tickets are tied to player accounts.

The first wave of the lottery went out Monday, July 22nd. The second wave of tickets has just gone out today (Thursday, July 25th) and appears to give players a full month to purchase tickets. There have been no reports yet of tickets being sold out for any day.

Update July 26th: The maximum number of tickets players may purchase was increased from 4 to 8. 

Lastly, players looking to attend WUFF will want to be sure to grab a hotel and work out transportation to and around the city.

Getting to Indianapolis

Depending on where your journey starts, there are several ways to get to Indianapolis. The best option will depend on budget, where you’re coming from, when you plan to travel, and for how long. Here are the main options:

By air: Indianapolis has one major airport, Indianapolis International Airport. If you’re flying, this is where you’ll want to end up. 

By bus: Indianapolis is serviced by both Megabus and Greyhound bus lines. Megabus services are somewhat limited, coming from Chicago, Cinniccinati, Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. Greyhound has connections to Indiapolis from most U.S. cities.

The main difference between the two major bus options is that Megabus is typically a bit cheaper and faster, while Greyhound is more likely to have a stop in your city. 

By train: For most, travelling by train will probably be the least convenient option. However, if you happen to live along Amtrak’s Cardinal Line, which runs between Chicago and New York, you might find a train that works well for you. While typically not the cheapest option, it might be more comfortable.

By car: Finally, you might just want to drive. If you’re planning a long roadtrip to Indianapolis, be sure to check out tools like Roadtrippers which can help you plan your trip and find cool attractions, food, and places to stay along your route.

Where to Stay

There are several official hotels for the event, with special rates from Wednesday, August 28 to Wednesday, September 4. Check out the official hotel search for find a hotel that works for you.

Now, it’s time to drink a bit of felix felicis and hope for tickets! Be sure to look out for our full guide on preparing for WUFF once more information about the event is released.