On my most recent trip to California, I was able to take the Warner Bros Studio Tour! Today I’m doing a little review of that experience.
Warner Bros Studio Tour
As I mentioned in my Walt Disney Studios Tour review, there are three big studios in Burbank: Disney, Universal Studios Hollywood, and WB. On this trip I was lucky enough to fit in all three! Having already posted my review of the other two, it’s finally time for the Warner Bros. one.
While there are several tour options here, I did the standard tour due to time constraints. I would love to return for a longer tour some day though. It’s $73/adult and has several time slots available most days. It’s advertised as 1 hour guided tour and 2 hours self guided. I spent around 2.5 hours in total here. So, that’s not far off.
Guided Backlot Tour
Following a brief introductory video, the groups are split up and paired with their tour guide for a 1 hour backlot tour. This was hands-down my favorite part of the experience. It was so neat to see where lots of popular movies and shows have been made over the years. Abbott Elementary was filming while I was there and we got to drive past their elementary school facade. The new show Pitt was also filming. In fact, we had to be quiet near its building because the red light was on, indicating it was actively filming. So, that was super neat!
The tour guide drives you around the lot on a golf cart. However, you get off at various points to explore a little. We got to see houses used for Pretty Little Liars (including the garage and the church). We also got to see the houses used for Gilmore Girls, as well as the famous gazebo and place used for Luke’s Diner. It was neat to spot the bank from Gremlins as well.
We drove by the studios used for Friends and The Big Bang Theory! We even drove through the shop where they make walls and other wood items! It smelled great!
Friends
This experience is ideal for any fans of the show Friends. Phoebe’s guitar is on display in the lobby! There’s a set photo opportunity after the guided tour. There’s also a Central Perk Cafe where you can actually get a coffee and something to eat! I got a pizza cone thing, a Phoebe drink (cookies and cream), and Rachel’s trifle without meat (chocolate version). I enjoyed eating those items in a replica of the sitting area of the cafe. There was also some costumes worn on the show to look at. After eating, another golf cart took me to get a picture of the fountain used in the show!
The Big Bang Theory
This tour is also great for fans of the show The Big Bang Theory. They had another set photo opportunity for the show as well as costumes on display. It was cool to see the apartment come to life!
Harry Potter
There’s a whole section dedicated to the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts films. It was cool to see the spot under the stairs that was Harry’s room. It was also great to experience that after visiting Universal the day before. Plus, we could see Hogwarts from the WB lot!
Game of Thrones
There’s currently a small section showcasing some costumes and props used on the series Game of Thrones. I took pictures of all of that to show my husband since we watched that show together and he’s read the books.
Exclusive Merch
There’s a gift shop in the lobby of the main building that you see when you arrive and leave. So, I recommend shopping there at the end of the tour so you don’t have to carry stuff around. I purchased a Warner Bros Studio Tour shirt to mark the occasion. There’s additional exclusive Friends merch at the Central Perk Cafe. If you spot something there you like, you should get it as I didn’t see much of an overlap.
Is the Warner Bros Studio Tour worth it?
I really enjoyed this tour. It was definitely worth the $73. In fact, I wish I’d had more time to do the longer tour. If I ever return, I will be booking one of the longer tours. The guided backlot tour felt a little rushed and too short. So, I’d love a longer period of time on the lot. I think the tour is most enjoyable for people who like or are at least familiar with the shows featured. I actually started watching Friends for the first time to prep for this tour and I am glad I did so.
So, have you ever taken this tour? What did you think?
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