paramount studio tour reddit

Warner Bros. Studio Tour vs Paramount Studio Tour: A Review

Last updated on january 23, 2024.

I love a good film just as much as the next person. The Big Screen and its secrets are so fascinating to me. When I went to Hollywood, I was determined to learn more about the secrets of Hollywood and see where so many masterpieces were made, and booked two studio tours.

I couldn’t decide on only one so I splurged on two tours. First, I went to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour , visiting the standard studio tour. Then I also went on the Paramount Studio Tour , also opting for their standard studio tour. Which one did I think was better?

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The first stop on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour is a short film (of course). It’s essentially just clips of movies they’ve filmed so you can see the selection of their movies and get pumped for the tour. Your tour guide then comes to get you and you head out in groups of about 20 people. They don’t tell you a lot about the history but they show you a lot of cool outdoor lots. You can see their forest lot, their suburban town lot, and their New York City lot. These lots are created to be versatile but quite standard. They have screens that show you some scenes that were filmed where you’re standing, and our guide knew a lot more and was able to tell us about some other films that were shot in those areas.

Of course, they also tell and show you the secrets of Hollywood. Some stuff is pretty standard, like using plaster to look like stone because it’s cheaper and quicker to make. But I’m still mindblown over something I learned here: they take branches and leaves off of the trees when needed, and also put them back on when needed. I didn’t know you could just take branches and leaves off of real trees and then reattach them like nothing happened! It’s so extra and so cool.

I later watched The Monster Squad , which is filmed on their suburban town lot with 0% editing, and it was really cool to recognise the location.

The guides, if not the tours, are really heavy on certain shows and movies. If you like Friends , this tour is completely full of their filming locations. They also have a lot about Gilmore Girls . A lot of our tour revolved around those two shows but you have to imagine how lengthy going through a whole history of Hollywood would be.

Then you also get to go into some indoor lots. We got to see the set for Fuller House and then the set of Conan . No photos were allowed but we got to see how shows like those two are filmed. They also have some exhibits that they bring you into. You can see one on DC movies and then one on Harry Potter . I expect these change from time to time. The DC movie exhibit was fascinating and it was easy to visualise the props in the movies, even though I haven’t seen any of the movies. The Harry Potter exhibit was actually quite small, and I was disappointed that they didn’t sort us with the sorting hat. My tour guide said that they no longer did that on the tour, but my friend and her husband visited the same place just two weeks later and got sorted on the tour. Fishy. Alas, I did get to see some awesome costumes and props from the Harry Potter series. They have some original costumes and candy props. However, I still need to go to the tour in London – this is nothing compared to that.

You can return to the land of superheroes by visiting the garage where they keep several Batmobiles. There were somewhere from 7-10 vehicles in the garage, all original to the movies, and all apparently working vehicles.

The tour wraps up by dropping you off at “Stage 48,” which is a museum-style part of the tour. This is self-guided. I thought it was educational and there was a lot more variety of TV shows’ and movies’ props and facts there. This is also where you can get your photo taken on the sets of Friends and The Big Bang Theory . You can’t actually explore the sets as it’s just a photo op. You sit on the couches and get your photo taken, which I believe is complimentary. You can also get your photo taken with their green screen setups, as either a wizard riding a broomstick or someone on Batman’s Batpod. I believe these are complimentary as well.

One thing I really didn’t like about this tour… I cannot believe that Warner Bros. would create Scooby Doo and then just deny its existence. I mean, it’s Scooby Doo. It’s one of the best TV and movie franchises in existence. I’m incredibly disappointed in them.

Otherwise, it was a great tour and I’d highly recommend it. It was really informative and a memorable experience. I actually learned a lot, both by reading but also by exploring, that I remember today, and I got to see some great props from fantastic movies. Tour guides change but mine was very enthusiastic and eager to share information. It put Hollywood into perspective but it was a lot of fun, even for a solo traveller.

Paramount Studio Tour

Next, I went to the Paramount Studio Tour. We get to do something really cool at the start of the tour – hold an Academy Award! Mine was for 1953 Best Special Effects. Then we head out on the tour. The great thing about this tour is that it’s smaller and more intimate. We had about 6-10 people in our group and got to introduce ourselves and our favourite movies, which allowed the tour guide to give us a much more personal experience. For example, I told her that I like Alfred Hitchcock, and she was able to point out places and state facts that were relevant to that. Imagine all the info guides must know to be able to curate each tour like that!

This tour is much more centered on behind-the-scenes information rather than props. They tell you a lot about the history of Paramount Studios and how certain films came to be made. They also have an iPad where they can show you photos and clips of movies that were filmed where you’re standing. They did this a lot more than Warner Bros., so it was easier to envision how certain spaces could transform for different purposes. There are some outdoor lots you visit but nothing as extensive as Warner Bros.

One of the coolest places we got to see was a large blue lot. It was just a blue parking lot that was outside. Our guide then showed us a variety of scenes that were filmed there, which really brought to light the magic of Hollywood and how spaces can be transformed using no more than special effects.

You get to go on a few indoor lots as well. We saw the sets of Dr. Phil and Grace & Frankie . I hadn’t even heard of the latter but we actually got to go in and explore the set, rather than look at it from a few feet away. That part was really cool!

You also get to spend some time in their prop warehouse but honestly, that was one of the most disappointing parts of the tour. All the props – no more than about 30 – are from obscure movies nobody there had ever heard of. We were given some time to explore but we kind of just looked around for a minute and then waited to leave.

I was also bugged that it was so hot (’cause, you know, southern California) but our tour guide was required to wear a long sleeved shirt and a blazer. Someone pointed this out and the guide said yes, the uniform is very hot. Is it weird to write that here? Treating employees like that docks points in my book.

So if it’s not obvious from this review, I thought Warner Bros. was the clear winner for the Studio Tour. I enjoyed that Paramount provides a more intimate experience, but they also provided much more information that we could’ve found online. I love history but with a studio tour, I was looking for an experience I couldn’t get anywhere else. Warner Bros. provided that a lot more, and getting to see so many great things in such a short period of time was more exciting. Warner Bros. also milks its hugely popular productions (except Scooby Doo). Paramount doesn’t do that as much. It tells a clearer story when you can see multiple filming locations and props from a specific movie or show rather than bits and pieces from a wide array of movies and shows.

Both are expensive tours, but I’d definitely recommend visiting Warner Bros. Studios if you’re into film. I don’t think it’s worth visiting Paramount Studios as well, especially at such a hefty price. However if you have the money, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Have you ever been to either studio tour? What did you think?

Also, off the topic of travelling, I’m interested in hearing what your favourite movies and TV shows are! Pop them into the comments below ’cause I’d love to know.

Pin This for Later

Related posts:

• London’s Harry Potter Studio Tour: a Magical Visit
• Following the Stars in Los Angeles & Hollywood – Things to Do & Travel Guide
• 39+ Things to Do in Los Angeles
• A Louisiana Swamp Tour with Cajun Encounters
• Blown Away by Beautiful Chicago – Things to Do & Travel Guide

Sharing is Caring

Want to support me, leave a reply.

Currently in...

Sign Up for Postcards!

Around the web.

Sign up for my Postcards!

The Paramount Studio Tour in Hollywood

Is this movie studio tour worth your time?

 Christian Hundley / TripSavvy

Paramount Studios is the only remaining major studio left in Hollywood these days. It's also the longest-operating studio in general, still busy and fun to visit. They offer simple guided tours that accommodate eight visitors and one tour guide in an electric cart.

What the Paramount Studio Tour Is

On the Paramount Tour, you'll see a working studio. They don't stage things just to entertain tours. In fact, the only thing that's for visitors is the museum. Because of that, Paramount is a different experience every day.

Visitors sometimes get to visit sound stages and sets, but only when they are not being used. One thing you probably won't see on the Paramount tour is someone making a major movie. This studio produces television shows most of the time.

Paramount Studio Tour Highlights

• Paramount's private movie theater , where they hold premieres and screenings
• If the shooting schedule allows it, you may get to go inside sound stages and see sets for shows.
• You might even see a star or two , but if you don't watch a lot of network television shows, you might not recognize them. Don't expect this to happen, just consider it a nice bonus if it does.
• Paramount's property includes the old RKO/Desilu lot where the classic comedy  I Love Lucy  was produced.  Lucy Park is a hit with its fans. The small, landscaped area looks just like Lucille Ball's Beverly Hills back yard and has a replica of her New York apartment, too — so she could take publicity photographs there with her children without ever having to leave the lot.
• Other highlights on tour include Forrest Gump's bench and the Bronson Gate , where actor Charles Bronson got his name. It's also the place where Norma Desmond entered the lot in the 1950 film  Sunset Boulevard .
• You will also tour Paramount's extensive backlot , which is used for filming exterior scenes and includes sections that look like parts of New York and Chicago.

Is the Paramount Studio Tour Worth Your Time?

On its best days, the Paramount Tour is brilliant. It's a working studio, and that's a good thing in general if you really want to go behind the scenes of film production. But what you'll see is unpredictable. If you go on a day when little is happening, you could be disappointed.

Some visitors who write about the Paramount tour online rave about all the sets they visited and stars they saw. Others complain that all they did was stand around outside buildings without seeing anything.

Everyone likes how informal Paramount is, with each tour guide tailoring things to their group's interests. People also enjoy the suspense of not knowing what you might see or where you might get into. Unlike the other studio tours, they're much more generous about letting you take photographs, a bonus if you want to show all the folks back home what you saw.

A lot of the complaints come from people who visited when nothing was happening. In summer, most shows are on hiatus. During the end-of-year holiday season, many crews don't work. When that happens, Gary Wayne at seeingstars.com describes it best: "the blank, white exteriors of these barn-like structures have about as much charm as factory warehouses."

To maximize your chance of having a great tour, avoid summer and end-of-year holidays. If that's the only time you can go, it may still be worth it. That depends on how much you just want to see the place and whether you'll be heartbroken if you don't see any movie stars. Looking at the schedule of filmings you can get into at Audiences Unlimited can also help you figure out how busy things might be.

Tips for Enjoying the Paramount Studio Tour

• Bring your cameras. This is the only working studio that lets you take pictures on their tour.
• Studio security is tight and strict. Be prepared to show your ID to get in.
• The tour lasts about two hours. You'll get around part of the time in the cart, but there's also quite a bit of walking. Comfortable shoes are a good idea.
• Hollywood can be quite hot in the middle of summer. You'll find a hat, sunglasses and a bottle of water to be welcome accessories.

A fun thing to do on the same day as your tour is to watch Paramount film a TV show. Start by checking the list of current Paramount productions . Then go to  Audiences Unlimited  to see if any of them are shooting during your visit. 

If you just want to watch something being filmed and don't care what studio it's at,  find out how to get studio audience tickets in LA .

What You Need to Know About Visiting Paramount Studios

Check their current hours  for the tour schedule. Reservations are required, and they charge an admission fee. The basic tour lasts about two hours. 

Paramount's main entrance is at 5555 Melrose Ave. Parking is available in a paid lot almost directly across from the entrance. It's about 3 miles away from the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard . If you're also visiting Hollywood Forever Cemetery , that's just north of Paramount, facing Santa Monica Boulevard.

The studio is also easy to reach by public transportation , but it takes two buses and half an hour to get there from the Walk of Fame - and only 10 minutes if you're driving or taking a shared rides service like Uber.

16 Best Things to Do in Hollywood

Sony Pictures Studios Tour

Warner Bros. Studio Tour: Know Before You Go

How to Visit Los Angeles Without a Car

What to See and Do on Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood & Highland Center

19 Fun Things to Do in Los Angeles, California at Night

48 Hours in Los Angeles: The Ultimate Itinerary

How to Get Into a Studio Audience in LA and Hollywood

Our Favorite 15 Rainy Day Activities in Los Angeles

See Celebrities in Los Angeles

Hotels in Los Angeles - Guide to Finding the Best Place to Stay

15 Things to Do in Palm Springs

8 Fun Free Things to Do in Hollywood, California

Guide to Los Angeles' Studio Tours

25 Best Things to Do in Los Angeles

Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

• See all photos

Hollywood Tour: Sightseeing by Electric Bike

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Paramount Pictures Studio Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

• See all photos

Hollywood Tour: Sightseeing by Electric Bike

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES STUDIO TOUR (Los Angeles) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Which Is The Best Hollywood Studio Tour For You?

Posted on Published: June 29, 2019  - Last updated: February 26, 2024

Categories North America , California , Travel

There are four major Hollywood studio tours that you can go on in and around Los Angeles : Warners Bros., Sony, Paramount, and Universal Studio Tours.

It’s really not necessary to do all of them , especially on the same trip. There’s quite a bit of overlap between each studio tour, and the ticket prices can really add up.

Throughout my visits to California, I’ve managed to visit all 4 Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles (and some more than once!).

Here’s my in-depth reviews of all the major Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles. This is what to expect from each one so you can decide which is the best studio tour in los Angeles for you!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Why Should You Go On A Hollywood Studio Tour?

Hollywood Studio Tours in Los Angeles are a great way to gain an “ all-access” pass to the biggest backstage lots in California .

They give you a chance to go behind the scenes on some of your favourite movies and TV shows.

You’ll get to see the sets and props, and learn about the magic of making movies. And, if you’re lucky, you might get the chance to either see a live film set or a celebrity at work . 

Let’s just say, visit a movie set is a quintessential Los Angeles activity … p.s. see my L.A. guide here .

Which Is The Best Hollywood Studio Tour For You ?

The best Hollywood studio tour for you will depend on three main factors :

• Your favourite films and TV shows

The studio tours vary in budget and tour length. The price ranges between $55 to $110 / ticket . And the tour can last anywhere between one to three hours .

But your favourite movies and TV shows are the most important factor when deciding which studio tour in Los Angeles to go to. If you haven’t watched anything the studio has produced, you’ll be less interested in what you’re seeing and learning about.

Best Studio Tours In LA: Overview

Plan the ultimate vacation

My  digital travel planner template  has everything you need to plan your vacation: research templates, travel planner itinerary, travel budget templates…etc. . You can print it out or use it digitally on your phone, tablet, or computer.

Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour

Universal Studios is a bit of a unique studio tour in Los Angeles. The studio tour can only be accessed if you buy a ticket to the entire theme park .

This also puts the studio tour at a much higher price point compared to the others around Los Angles. But, on the other hand, it is an ENTIRE day of activities instead of a few hours.

The tour itself is only 60 minutes but there are no shortage of other rides and shows to see once you’re in the park.

Quick Information & Links

Total Time : 1 hour (not including wait time in line) Admission : $109 -$119* (includes access to the entire park, price varies depending on the season) Book Tickets for Universal Studios Hollywood . Parking : Starts at $32* (General Parking)

*Updated January 2024

Movies Referred To/ Filmed Here:

You should check out this Hollywood studio tour if you’re a fan of…

• Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Jurassic Park
• Fast and the Furious
• Jordan Peele’s horror epic, NOPE

Pros Of The Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour

You are on the LARGEST film and TV studio in Hollywood and the world! You get to drive by some of the most iconic sets in all movie history.

You drive-by the sound stages, new and old sets.

But this is still a ride in a theme park so they’ve added some more ride-like adventure elements to make things more exciting, unlike any other Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles.

At times you feel like you’re in the movie rather than just seeing where one was filmed!

And it’s not all for show either, they do still use these sets to film. In fact, this was the only Hollywood studio tour where I caught a live taping , so it’s still possible to see!

One thing’s certain though, you won’t be bored for a second on this tour even if you don’t happen to see an active film set during your tour. 

P.S. Make the most of your time at Universal Studios and book an Express Line ticket through Viator here . It gives you one-time express access to each ride, show, and attraction at the park !

Cons Of The Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour

It’s the least personal studio tour in Los Angeles. You’re on a tram the entire time for 60 minutes straight, with about 30 other people!

As I said, this tour is sometimes more of a ride than a studio tour (so it’s both a pro and a con!).

At times, the tour felt very streamlined , because most of it is. You still have a guide, but he’s following a script on a set path so it’s the same tour every time (unlike the others which have a bit more variance based on your guide).

The tram is on a set course and there are timed animatronics and effects throughout the tour.

Value For Money – Movie Location Los Angeles

I will admit, you get pretty good value for your money with your tickets to Universal studios. But that’s only if you wanted to visit the theme park.

If you were already planning on visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, then the studio tour is a must-do ride! 

But if you don’t like theme parks, and your only interest is the Hollywood studio tour, I wouldn’t recommend paying for the entire theme park just for the tour.

You might also be interested in reading…

• How To Plan Your Los Angeles Vacation

Logistics: What To Know Before You Go

A tram leaves about every 30 minutes for the Universal Studios Hollywood studio tour so the line builds up pretty quickly. I’d prioritize this as one of your first rides of the day.

As I said, don’t expect reality with this one, they do show you real sets but it’s also still a ride. So you’ll get a lot of gimmicky routines created specifically for this tour. 

Also, some advance warning, you might get wet at certain points during the ride. If you’d prefer to not get wet, try to sit in the middle of the row.

Book Universal Studio Tours Tickets In Advance Through Viator

Book General Admission tickets →

Book Skip the Line Express Tickets →

Book the VIP Experience on Viator (giving your exclusive access to off-limits areas of the park) →

For more Los Angeles organized tours from Viator, click here .

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

Warner Bros. Studio is actually in Burbank California , but it’s close enough to Los Angeles.

Warner Bros. studio tour takes you on a tram around different parts of the studio, with only around 12 guests at a time on the tour.

So unlike Universal Studios Hollywood studio tour, it’s a lot more personal and you’re only on the tram to get from place to place (because their lot is HUGE!).

You drive by sound stages and countless outdoor sets. But you’ll get off and walk around a bit, even walking in some sets if you’re lucky. So you should be prepared for some walking on this studio tour in Los Angeles!

Total Time : ~3 hours (1 hour guided, 2 hours unguided). Leaves every 30 minutes from 9:30 to 3:30 Admission : 70$* Parking : 15$* Website

What Was Filmed Here (Sets You Might See!)

Check out this Hollywood studio tour if you’re a fan of…

• Harry Potter
• Gilmore Girls
• Back to the Future
• The Big Bang Theory
• Pretty Little Liars

So Much More Than A Studio Tour

Over the years, the Warner Bros. studio tour has grown. It’s no longer just a backlot tour, now, that’s just one part of it…

Museums, Props, Sets, & Photo Ops At Warner Bros. Studio

Tickets to the Warner Bros. studio tour also includes interactive museums where you’ll want to take all the pictures you can!

You can interact with different sets from your favourite movies and TV sets, like Friends, the Big Bang Theory and Harry Potter! on the magic of movies, costume

There’s also an entire exhibit on the DC universe with all superheroe and villain props. They have Aquaman’s lair, Wonder Woman’s study, Superman’s office, and the Batman’s bat cave.

And finally they have an in-depth exhibit on all things filmmaking. Staring with the writing process and finishing with the special effects of movie making.

Book Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tickets With Viator

General Admission tickets →

Pros Of The Warner Bros. Studio Tour

They are constantly updating the Warner Bros. studio tour – that means you can even go back the next time you’re in Los Angeles, I’ve already gone back twice!

There was some over lap with the sets and information, but very little. A lot had been updated and added to the tour. And I’ve already noticed that they’ve added a lot more content since I’ve gone!

Also, the guided portion of the tour will rarely be the same. For starters, where you go will all depend on what they’re filming at the time. So not only can it change over the years, but it can change within the hour!

It’s also a very personal tour with only being 12 people on the tram. You can also all your questions about movie magic!

Never forget a favourite travel memory

Keep track of your travels every day with my digital and printable travel journal . Use it on the go on your phone or tablet, or print it out!

Cons Of The Warner Bros. Studio Tour

With all the new additions to the tour every year, I’ve noticed the guided portion has become less and less…

The guided tour portion is only hour , and then two hours are a self guided tour through the museums.

But it’s the guided portion of the tour that’s always fresh and what brings me back! I’m a bit disappointed that the museums seem to have taken over the tour now, making the tour a bit more gimmicky and less about touring real sets and sound stages…

How to See San Diego in One Day

Bring government I.D. when you visit, and make sure to arrive early!

You have to go through security and there might be a lineup. They suggest arriving 30 minutes in advance.

Don’t worry about getting lost on your way to the studios (if you’re driving there)! I followed the instructions we were given on how to get to the visitor’s centre, but my GPS brought me to the wrong gate. No need to panic if this happens to you too! The patrol was very understanding (I’m sure this happens all the time) and told us exactly where to go.

If you’re driving, there’s a parking lot across the street from the visitor’s centre (paid, of course). The studio is in a pretty secluded area, but there’s a Starbucks in the visitor’s centre .

You can book Warner Brothers Studio tour tickets in advance on Viator here .

Paramount Pictures Hollywood Studio Tour

Paramount Pictures is really interesting because it’s the last Hollywood studio still in Hollywood (well in Los Angeles). 

So it’s only about a 15-minute drive from Hollywood Blvd. FYI, Warner is in Burbank, and Sony is in Culver City.

It was very similar to Warner Bros. Hollywood studio tour in terms of the scale of the studio. They have several sound stages, a water tank, and a totally customizable New York set.

Like the other Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles, there’s a museum portion of the tour with props. Paramount Pictures one had a lot of “ unwanted ” props (those that could only be used once for the film they were designed for).

There was A LOT of props from the Transformers franchise, but there were also Star Trek, Gladiator, and Dream Girls props.

Time : 2 hours * They leave every 30 minutes from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Admission : 65$* Parking : $22 – (used to be cash only)* Website

What Was/ Is Filmed Here

• The Godfather
• OG King Kong (In Set 19)
• Breakfast at Tiffanys
• Forrest Gump

Pros Of Paramount Pictures Studio Tour In Los Angeles

The best part about the Paramount Pictures Hollywood studio tour tour was the small size of the group. There’s a max of 7 people on the tour (you’re in an 8 seater golf cart).

The tour also provided earphones to be able to perfectly hear your tour guide at all times, so they didn’t have to shout at you! There can be a lot going on on sets with a lot of noises, so the earphones were definitely appreciated.

I also liked that they provided visuals for what you were looking at during the tour. Our tour guide carried around an iPad showing examples of what a specific set was used for over the years. So instead of looking at a giant green screen, they showed us how that green screen was used in different films.

Cons Of Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

Paramount Pictures studio tour taught me a few things about Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles…

First, the quality of the tour really depends on your tour guide – they can make or break your visit. And unfortunately, you won’t really know who you’re going to get beforehand.

Unfortunately for me, my tour guide at Paramount Pictures wasn’t the best. There’s so much history to this Hollywood studio that I ended up lost most of the time because I didn’t know who or what he was referring to, I guess the references were also a bit ahead of my time…

Paramount Studio tour also really showed me how important it is to have seen (or at least heard of) the films or shows the studio produced. 

So if you’re a fan of classics like I Love Lucy, Alfred Hitchcock, or the original King Kong then Paramount Pictures studio tour is a must for you!

For me, Paramount Pictures studio tour was a bit of a mixed bag. I really see the potential of this tour though, but I think you have to be a really big movie buff to enjoy Paramount Pictures studio tour.

The visitor parking is across the street from the main gates. Be wary of the address on Google Maps, it brought me to the wrong gate.

When I visited, parking was cash only, so it’s always good to be prepared. There’s an ATM you can use at the end of the tour if you need (apparently no one does cash back in the area…).

Like the other tours, you have to show I.D. and go through security, so they ask you to arrive 30 minutes before your tour . But, in case there’s no wait at all, there’s a mini-exhibit you can visit to pass the time before your tour starts. 

Make sure to bring water and food, there’s really not much in the area. But drinks aren’t allowed on the tour itself, so leave it in the car!

SONY Studio Hollywood Tour

SONY Hollywood studio tour ended up being my favourite studio tour . We were only about 5 people on this tour, so it was very personal. But I don’t know if this was the max, or that fewer people happened to sign up for it.  

I know online there are 25 spots per time slot. I don’t know if that’s the typical tour size on a busier day, or if they would always split you up into smaller groups once you get there.

There are famous cars on display from movies and shows (like Breaking Bad and Ghostbusters). They also have a prop museum at the start of the tour. There’s even an Oscar and an Emmy award you can see (and even hold!). 

Time : 2 hours * Leaves 4 times a day: 9:30, 10:30, 1:30 and 2:30. Admission : 55$* Parking : Free Valet Website

What Was Filmed Here

• Breaking Bad
• Wheel of Fortune
• Ghostbusters
• The Goldbergs

Pros Of The SONY Studio Tour

SONY is a MUCH smaller studio than the other three Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles. That means you don’t even need a tram to get around, we walked everywhere (so you should also be prepared to walk!). This made it easier to take appreciate it all and take pictures!

I also absolutely loved our tour guide, he was by far my favourite out of all the ones we had on any tour. It didn’t seem like he simply memorized a script. It was as if he lived and breathed SONY and films in general. I would’ve believed it if he’d told us he grew up on set.

We also got the chance to walk on to a sound stage from one of my favourite TV Shows – The Goldbergs. And our guide brought us onto a working foley stage (where they create extra sounds for movies). 

If a sound or foley stage isn’t available to see, you are guaranteed to see either the Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy set . They film on opposite days, so you’ll always be able to see one of them.

But the best perk of all is… You get your picture taken on the set of either Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune, which they’ll print out and give to you as a souvenir… FREE OF CHARGE! ! Seriously when is anything ever free these days…

Cons Of The SONY Hollywood Studio Tour

As I mentioned, there’s no tram for the SONY Hollywood studio tour. Although the studio isn’t as large as the others, you have to be prepared to walk quite a bit.

Another sort of pro and con is that it’s 80 % outdoors . So you really want to go when it’s decent weather. And be prepared to be in the sun!

How to Make the Most of Your Time in Long Beach California

Value For Money – Hollywood Studio Tours In Los Angeles

I think you get a lot of value for your money at SONY studio tour. It’s the cheapest out of any of the Hollywood studio tours in Los Angeles and they give you some nice freebies (like parking and a photo souvenir!).

The scale of the studio might be smaller than the other three major studios, but there’s still a lot to see. And despite the lack of big blockbuster sets, they make up for it in different ways (like seeing the inside of a game show set, and a foley stage).

Like Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures studio tours, they ask that you arrive 30 minutes early to go through security. 

If you drive there, they offer FREE valet parking in the Overland lot. 

The studio is very much out of the way, so plan your meals and snacks in advance. All they had at the studio was a vending machine .

Don’t expect to see large outdoor sets like from Warner Bros. or Paramount, SONY is a lot smaller, so most of their sets are on sound stages. So if you’re interested in the big New York outdoor sets, SONY isn’t for you!

Overview, What’s The Best Studio Tour In Los Angeles?

Like I said before, Universal Studios is the most expensive, but you do get an entire days worth of activities. But if your intent is to learn about movie magic, the other three are better choices. 

If you have time for more than one, you don’t need to see both Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. There’s quite a bit of overlap between the two. Instead, choose one of those, and then either Universal or SONY as your second option.

P.S. Need A Place To Stay In L.A.? Hotel Recommendations

Finding a place to stay in Los Angeles can be quite overwhelming – it’s HUGE!

I stayed at the Sofitel and would highly recommend it. It was in a safe area, and across the street from the Beverly Hills mall (which proved to be very convenient). It was also within walking distance to some local restaurants you need to try – like the Kings Road Cafe! See room rates & availability here .

If you want to stay on the beach outside of the city life instead, we stayed at The Georgian in Santa Monica and couldn’t recommend it enough! It’s only about a 25 minute drive from the city. This was a beautiful art deco hotel that is begging you to go there! It’s a minutes walk to the beach, Santa Monica Pier, and the Third Street Promenade. See room rates & availability here .

For more accommodation options in Los Angeles, click here . Interested in longer stays in L.A. check out Plum Guide here .

My California Amazon Must Haves

Related Posts

• How To Spend One Day In San Diego: What To See, Eat & Do
• How To Plan The Ultimate Vacation To Santa Monica

Last update on 2024-05-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Tuesday 26th of September 2023

You've gotten me excited about my next trip to Los Angeles. I've done the Universal tour and the Warner Bros tour, so I may do what you suggested and do Paramount and Sony next.

You're right about Universal's tour being more of a ride from what I remember. However, it was cool to see sets from The Good Place, Jaws, and Psycho. Being on the tram the whole time was a little different, and my experience was a bit thrown off because I hadn't expected Universal, CA to have such similar rides to Universal, FL, and I loved how Universal, FL made it really seem like you were on a set walking through various cities. Definitely not the same as CA. I think I was there for about 2 hours and was done. The weather was weird where it was kindof warm at first, but then turned super cold while I was in line for a ride, so I was done sooner than I expected.

I absolutely loved the Warner Bros tour. The guide was super nice and knowledgeable. I almost died when I saw the Gilmore Girl house and Luke's Diner. Of course I took pictures at the Central Perk. To me, the prop museum was a tad boring, but still overall decent. The tour was partially walking and partially riding. There were so many moments where I was like...."this looks familiar" and had to think of where the set had been used. Super cool. I highly recommend it.

Wednesday 27th of September 2023

That's awesome!! Definitely I enjoyed that the Warners brothers was mixed with walking and a tram ride you were able to get so much further that way - and the lot is HUGE! It really is cool seeing sets from your favourite TV shows and movies! I really liked the SONY tour but it was definitely a lot smaller than Warner bros!

Sunday 19th of February 2023

Hi Meghan, great article. Easy to read and allowed me to choose the studio we should visit in the short time we will be in L.A. Thanks you.

Monday 20th of February 2023

That's awesome to hear! Glad I could help :D :D

How To Plan Your Los Angeles Vacation | Afternoon Tea Reads

Thursday 1st of October 2020

[…] sure which one to visit? Read my overall review of each studio tour to help you […]

Monday 1st of July 2019

Wow what a great list of tours to choose from! I personally don't like these types of things however I think your post will be super useful for those who do!

Thanks! I hope it will be :)

I’ve done the Universal tour but it was like 20 yrs ago! I really want to go back and do all these studio tours. I’m film mad me 😃💕

Oh wow, you really should I'm sure a lot has changed since then. It's a movie geeks dream :)

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and analyze the use of the website. Learn More

Hollywood Studio Tours

Which are the best.

This post covers the most enjoyable movie studio tours in and around Hollywood.

With so many historic studios in the area, it might be difficult to pick just one to visit.

Taking a studio tour is one of the top things to do in LA .

• Studio Tours
• Celebrity Homes Tours
• Ways to Save on Tours
• LA TV Show Tickets
• Things To Do in Hollywood
• Tips from Locals and Travelers

Disclosure:  While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the  full text .

STUDIO TOURS

Interestingly enough, there are quite a few differences between the tours offered at each studio, and that should make it easier to figure out which tour best fits your expectations.

Ticket prices vary from $62 per person to literally thousands of dollars.

However, 3 of the tours, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and Universal Studios are included for free or at a lower cost in several tourist attraction passes. 

It's also worth noting that the length of these tours can run from roughly an hour to almost a week.

With all of that said, let's start talking about what each movie studio offers with their tours.

• Warner Bros.
• Sony Pictures
• Universal Studios
• Paramount Pictures
• Adventures by Disney: Disney Backstage

At the bottom of this post , we share some thoughts and opinions from members of our Los Angeles Travel Tips group on Facebook.

Our group comprises roughly 9,000 locals (like our tour guides), tourists, returning visitors, and newbies to LA.

You don't need to be a member to read the posts, comments, and recommendations.

WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR

Below is a summary of our post on Warner Brothers Studio tours , where we also provide tips on planning your trip.

If you're in the market for a somewhat normal tour on the backlot, this might be one of your best bets.

In addition to seeing movie sets and sound stages from some of the most notable movies in film history, you'll also have the opportunity to enjoy a few specific activities.

  While on this movie studio tour, you'll be able to re-create a famous scene from the hit television show Friends , climb aboard Harry Potter 's broomstick, and even create your own Batmobile.

Warner Bros. even offers an interactive sound stage that explores the entire process of making a film from start to finish.

At three hours in length, this tour is probably the longest duration of all of the options in Hollywood.

• $70/adult | $60/child
• Availability: Thursday - Monday
• Hours: Every half hour from 9 am - 3:30 pm
• Duration: 3 hours
• Available in both English and Spanish
• Click here for more information .

TIP: This tour is included for free with the purchase of the Go City Los Angeles Explorer Tourist Pass .

You can also combine this tour with the Universal Studios tour using the combo deal below!

With an overall score of 4.5 out of 5 stars , it's fair to say that this Hollywood studio tour is very well rated ( read reviews here ).

Some guests have gone so far as to suggest that this trip is worth every single penny.

Visitors were typically very happy with their tour guides, referring to them as both friendly and informative. 

SONY PICTURES STUDIO TOUR

This might be the most affordable movie studio tour in Hollywood, and it's also one of the most historic. Do note, that is is a walking tour.

While on this tour, you'll see the sound stages where they recorded classics such as The Wizard of Oz and superhero flicks like Spider-man .

Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to see where Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are recorded.

Although they don't make any promises, there's always a chance that you'll run into someone famous on this active studio back lot!

They also offer a premium tour which includes transportation via golf cart, access to the Sony Museum, a free souvenir photo, a complimentary beverage, and lower prices at the Sony Studio Store.

Tickets 

• $55 per person | $150 for the Premium tour
• Availability: Monday – Friday at 10:30 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm
• Duration: 2 hours

Tip: Admission is usually included for free with the purchase of at least one Los Angeles tourist pass .

With an overall score of 4 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor, it's clear that this is a pretty popular Hollywood studio tour.

Customers really appreciated the opportunity to see several historic filming locations and learn a lot about the process of making a movie.

Although some reviewers were unhappy that this is a walking tour, others simply appreciated the opportunity to see where film history was made.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TOUR

This is where things get interesting, as Universal Studios has essentially made their tour one of the services offered at their amusement park.

In other words, you need to buy a ticket for Universal Studios Hollywood in order to experience this studio tour.

Clocking in at only one hour in length, this is definitely the shortest studio tour available. Check out this video of Stephen Spielberg giving a tour of the site.

In addition to seeing the back lot, you'll also experience attractions such as the Jaws ride, King Kong 360 in 3D, Bates Motel and Fast & The Furious : Supercharged.

Although it will cost more to take this tour, it's worth noting that your ticket lasts all day and guarantees access to all of the rides. 

• $119-$139/adult | $109-$129/child
• Availability: Daily from 8 am - 6 pm
• Duration: 1 hour
• Click here for ticket information .

TIP:   Universal Studios Hollywood is included for free with the purchase of a tourist pass. Read about all the opportunities for deals in our full post .

Despite the higher price tag, this movie studio tour has still received quite excellent ratings ( read reviews here ). The overall Universal Studios Hollywood experience has a score of 4.7 out of 5 stars .

A few visitors have even suggested that this trip around the studio is worth the price of admission.

Although most customers feel that the ticket price is a bit high, even the critics can't deny that they had a blast. 

PARAMOUNT PICTURES STUDIO TOUR

Unlike the other movie studios, Paramount Pictures offers three different studio tours.

The main tour is 2 hours long and covers quite a lot of ground on the backlot.

However, if you want to experience more, their VIP tour lasts for 4 ½ hours and includes access to several additional areas.

The VIP tour also provides a gourmet lunch at a unique location in the studio.

Alternatively, you can also choose a 2 ½ hour night tour that reveals a lot of historic locations such as notable theaters and original film vaults.

No matter which option you choose, you'll learn a lot about the history of Paramount.

• $65 for the studio tour | $215 for the VIP tour
• Availability of Studio tour: Mon-Fri, every half hour from 9 AM - 3:30 PM
• Availability of VIP tour: Mon, Wed, Fri at 9:30 AM
• Duration of Studio tour: 2 hours
• Duration of VIP tour: 4 ½ hours
• Click here for additional information .

Reviews for the Paramount Pictures Studio tours are very positive, averaging a rating of 4 ½ out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor. 

Some visitors referred to the excursion as a movie buff's dream, while others were just impressed with how much they learned and discovered.

Some reviewers indicated that Paramount alters the tour slightly depending on the season, ensuring a nice variety of topics and locations to cover no matter when you decide to buy a ticket.

ADVENTURES BY DISNEY: DISNEY BACKSTAGE

You had to figure that Disney was going to be a little more expensive, but the actual cost of this week-long experience might shock you.

To be fair, the package includes meals and accommodation at both the Loews Hollywood Hotel and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

This Disney backstage adventure includes a tour of the Walt Disney Studios & Archives, an Imagineering tour, a Hollywood walking tour, and a tour of the Jim Henson Company.

Most of these tours are only available via this week-long package. The entire itinerary takes six days to complete, and it will keep you busy with plenty of fun activities from start to finish. 

• $4,999 for Adults | $4,749 for Children
• Availability: 2-4 times per month
• Duration: 6 days
• Hotel accommodation included
• 11 Meals included
• VIP Disneyland ticket included

As you can probably imagine, the testimonials for this experience are quite positive ( read reviews here ).

Some guests even noted that they made friends with their tour guides and continue to stay in touch with them to this very day.

Additionally, customers also appreciated the opportunity to see some behind-the-scenes areas that bring the history of Walt Disney to life.

One visitor even suggested that this trip allowed them to become kids again as they explored secret and wonderful locations at the happiest place on earth.

COMBO DEALS

If you're looking for a better price on these tours and other activities in Hollywood, you might want to consider one of the following combo packages.

Studios like Warner Bros. and Universal often work with tour companies to provide their services at lower prices.

There are several options to mull over, and almost all of them provide additional tours and services.

If you plan on spending more than one day in Hollywood, these combo deals are definitely worth a look.

GO CITY LOS ANGELES ALL-INCLUSIVE PASS

There's a reason that this is one of the premier attraction passes in Los Angeles.

In addition to offering access to a variety of notable locations, they also provide admission to some studio tours.

In particular, you can enjoy the Universal Studios tour, the Warner Bros. Studio tour and (sometimes) the Sony Pictures Studio tour with one version of this pass or another.

The Warner Bros. Studio tour is currently only offered with their Explorer Pass, and you'll need to purchase at least a 3-Day All-Inclusive pass to get admission to the Universal Studios tour .

Given that this tourist pass also supplies tickets to Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott's Berry Farm, it's fair to say that the Go City Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass could be a real bargain.

• $109 for 1-day pass
• $164 for 2-day pass
• $284 for 3-day pass
• $344 for 4-day pass
• $374 for 5-day pass
• $434 for 7-day pass
• $99 for 2 choices
• $119 for 3 choices
• $144 for 4 choices
• $154 for 5 choices
• $189 for 7 choices
• This attraction pass is available every day of the week
• Includes up to 3 movie studio tours

Read our post comparing the different tourist attraction passes available in Los Angeles.

TRANSPORTATION COMBO PACKAGES

If you're looking for transportation to and from each movie studio tour, the following services are available.

The advantage of these combo deals is that you won't have to pay for parking, gas, or car rental in order to visit each location.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included with each package.

Take your time and enjoy the studio tour without having to worry about anything else!

• Not currently available as of January 2024

CELEBRITY HOMES TOUR COMBO PACKAGES

These combo deals provide both a celebrity home tour and a movie studio tour.

Each option includes transportation not only around Hollywood but also to and from the studios.

While some of these services use a mini-bus, others drive you around town in a luxury sedan or an SUV.

Each company offers both hotel pickup and drop-off.

Expect these outings to last for between 6-8 hours on average.

• Warner Bros. Studio Tour & Movie Star Homes Tour (Starline Tours) - $119/Adults | $99/Children
• Alternatively, we offer our own self-guided celebrity homes tour .

This might be a good way to save even more money if you don't mind doing a bit of driving around Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

TIPS FROM LOCALS AND TRAVELERS

While we provide the details of what each tour offers, costs, and other information, here you can see what members of our Los Angeles Travel Tips group on Facebook have to say.

There are plenty of fans of the Warner Brothers tour.

And some enjoyed Paramount as well.

If you have to choose only one, between Warners or Paramount, these members’ insight may help.

Universal Studios received mixed reviews. Some people felt it was a waste of time and money.

On the other hand, Issa had a fantastic time, so much so that she wrote a very long post detailing her time there and how to make the most of your visit.

Take a look at our Los Angeles Travel Tips group for more recommendations, opinions and advice.

You don't need to join to read comments, but if you do join you can post a question regarding the studios!

RELATED POSTS

• Top Things to Do in LA
• TV Show Tapings in LA
• Things to Do in Hollywood

Choose a Destination... I want them all PLUS general travel tips. Amsterdam Berlin Boston Charleston Chicago Dubai Lisbon London Los Angeles Miami Nashville New York City New Orleans Paris Philadelphia Prague Rome San Francisco Washington DC

About The Author

North America

United kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

© 2 024 Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

TERMS OF USE

PRIVACY POLICY

CALIFORNIA NOTICE

YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES

Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood Review: Is It Worth The Money?

by Mark and Kristen Morgan

Published: September 9, 2020

Touring a TV and movie studio simply has to be on your travel itinerary when visiting Los Angeles for the first time. But which of the four major studios should you choose? Well, this first hand review will give you a rundown of what you can expect if you plump for the  Warner Bros  studio tour.

By the end of this unbiased review, you will know if Warner Bros is the perfect studio tour for you. On the other hand, you could end up certain you need to choose one of Sony, Paramount or Universal instead.

Hollywood movie studio tours are not cheap and take up a considerable portion of the day. Unless you’re a HUGE film fan, we’d recommend picking only one tour before spending the rest of your time and money on the other  awesome things to do and see in Los Angeles .

As avid movie fans ourselves (but not quite in the HUGE bracket) we chose Warner Bros because our research led us to believe it was the “purest” movie studio.

Each studio tour has its pros and cons which we’ll get into later, before giving you our opinion on whether Warner Bros is worth the money.

Let’s find out if Warner Bros is your golden ticket!

Warner Bros Studio Factfile

City : Los Angeles (Burbank) State : California

Also Known As : Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. / WB

Founded : 1923 Founders : Harry, Jack, Albert and Sam Warner

Subsidiaries :  DC Films, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros Pictures, Castle Rock, Cartoon Network Mascot : Bugs Bunny

How To Get To Warner Bros Studio Tour In Hollywood

Warner Bros Studio tour is located in Burbank, Los Angeles. The easiest way to find it on a map is by looking to the North West corner of Griffith Park.

LA is huge and traffic is renowned for being congested. If you have your own vehicle and don’t mind driving across the city, there is an underground parking garage right beneath the WB building.

No matter if your hotel is in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills or Hollywood, your most efficient route is to drive up Cahuenga Boulevard. Take the right turn at Barham Boulevard which transitions into W. Olive Ave. Turn right onto West Riverside Drive and right onto Warner Boulevard. Follow signs for tour parking.

Note : Driving in LA is not a lot of fun so consider arriving by other means if you’re not the most confident driver!

If you don’t have your own vehicle or you’d prefer to leave it parked at the hotel, you’ll need to use the metro and/or Uber or Lyft.

• Cheapest option  – Metro B Line (Red) stops at Universal City/Studios. This is the closest you can get by Metro and your options are either walk 2.4 miles or take a Lyft/Uber.
• Most convenient option  – Simply have a Lyft/Uber pick you up wherever you are in LA. But this will cost more!

Getting Around The Studio Complex

The tour is well organized, they’ve been doing it a long time and have cracked the ‘guest arrival efficiency’ code. You will wait in a lounge type area for your designated time slot before beginning the tour.

A brief welcome movie in an intimate cinema setting introduces you to the day ahead, then it’s straight on with meeting your guide and hitting the road.

You will be transported around the Warner Bros studio tour by 9-10 seater electric powered carts. However, there are plenty of walking parts where you can stretch your legs so no need to worry about being cramped up for a few hours.

You are not allowed to wander off on a rogue mission to find famous people and the guides will keep a close eye on your group. 

It is important to remember this is a working studio, which means there could be several tv shows and movies being filmed at the time of your tour. Correct etiquette is non-negotiable!

Driving from San Francisco to San Diego? Don’t miss these 23 unforgettable  Pacific Coast Highway road trip  stops along the way.

Warner Bros Studio Tour FAQ’s

How Long is the Warner Bros Studio Tour?

Expect the tour to take approximately 3 hours. That includes 2 hours guided tour and 1 hour self guided at Studio 48 at the end of your tour.

Can You Take Pictures on the Warner Bros Tour?

You can take photos but only at certain allocated times. Your guide will inform you at every stop and in between whether or not photography is permitted but video is not permitted at any point of the tour.

Which Movies Are Associated With Warner Bros?

We can’t list every film from such a historic and comprehensive catalogue but some more recent movies include The Matrix Trilogy, The Hobbit (and LOTR under New Line Cinema), Batman (including Dark Knight Trilogy), Harry Potter, Inception, Sherlock Holmes, The Hangover, 300, Twister, The Departed, Mad Max, Oceans 8, 11, 12 & 13 … and the distinguished list goes on!

What Is Included In The Warner Bros Studio Tour?

So now you know how to get there, let’s dive into exactly what you can expect from this world famous studio tour.

One of the most important things to remember from this review is no two tours are the same. Each time slot throughout the day will plot a different route through the studio grounds.

That means what we saw on our tour will not be identical to what you will see on yours!

Backlots & Soundstages

Warner Bros is home to 10 backlots and 30 sound stages. But what are backlots and soundstages exactly?

Backlots are permanent exterior buildings used for outdoor scenes in movies and tv shows. Think the old west or New York buildings.

One example is the alleyway where Tobey Maguire hangs upside down as Spiderman to kiss Mary-Jane. That same alley and brick building surrounding has also been used in other major blockbuster movies.

Once widely used in cinema, the use of backlots quickly diminished as movies began shooting with actors physically on location and as CGI technology advanced.

Sound stages (or just Stages) are huge sound-proof warehouse like buildings where many of the major movies film scenes that are not on location. Entire sets are constructed inside these buildings and can stay in place for as long as necessary.

The entire series of Friends was filmed inside studio 24 and Saito’s castle scenes from Inception were filmed inside Stage 16. We won’t give any more away!

On the outside of every Stage building is a plaque showing each of the movies and TV shows filmed inside that particular Stage.

You will be able to go inside and walk around one Stage to view the set of a currently running TV show.

On our visit we went inside the full sized apartment of ‘Lucifer’.  We were also told that Denzel Washington was on the premises shooting scenes for a movie.

Old Movie Props

Old movie props might not sound exciting but when you get there you will see why it is one of the best stops on the Warner Bros studio tour.

Remember the 2 faded red leather chairs from the Matrix? The neon Comedy Club sign from Joker? How about the armor worn by Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe in the Last Samurai? 

All of these and (so much!) more can be found inside the prop storage building. We were even lucky enough to see the building next door with its shutter open.

What was inside?

Only Phoebe’s taxi from Friends and Austin Powers’ Shaguar!

You are guaranteed to see props from some of your favorite movies when you walk around this building.

Many will be a surprise because who really knows which movie studio produced their favorite movies?!

DC Universe Exhibit

Any superhero fans out there? At Warner Bros it’s best if you’re team DC and not team Marvel!

One of your first stops will be to walk around DC’s Aquaman and Wonderwoman exhibits. The majority of displays are costume design and accessories, such as Diana Prince’s Lasso and Arthur Curry’s armored suit.

Although not overly exciting, this part of the tour does allow you to appreciate other elements of what makes movies so engaging.

Who ever looks to see who the costume designer was in the end credits?

But when you stop to think about it – costumes, weapons, design etc are vital to every movie!

Hmm, Mark has some work to do in the gym to emulate Jason Momoa holding the trident.

The Wizarding World

Another stop on the Warner Bros studio tour is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. You will walk a one way route around all things Hogwarts, Dumbledores Army, Newt Scamander and Grindelwald.

Now, we implore you not to get too excited, this is not like the Harry Potter tour in London where you can see full sets.  We wouldn’t recommend choosing Warner Bros based solely on your love for the Harry Potter franchise!

What you do get to see is authentic props like Dobby the House Elf and the sorting hat, plus real costumes worn by most of the main characters.

All of your favorite wizards outfits are on display and it is kind of fun to imagine the actors being there in person … o r putting on one of the costumes yourself, picking up a wand and shouting ‘Expelliarmus’.

However, the most interesting part for us personally was being able to see some of the original storyboards. It’s fascinating to see how the drawings compare to the end product on screen.

Maybe you were wondering why we didn’t mention Batman in the earlier DC Universe section? Well, that’s because there’s an entire Batcave dedicated to the caped crusader!

Personally, we loved the Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale Dark Knight trilogy, so getting to see the tumbler and Batpod was pretty cool!

The room is very dark and looks more like a strange car showroom with purple lights but information plaques do have individual lights for reading.

Also inside the Batcave are replicas of the Neutron Bomb from DKR, and older Batmobiles like the Bathammer from Clooney, Keaton and Kilmer eras.

Even the Batsuit Christian Bale wore is on display!

Stage is 48 is called Script to Screen, which means you get an insight into what happens at pre-production, production and post-production stages of making a movie.

This is another aspect of filmmaking that often gets overlooked by the average movie watcher.

But consider editing, sound, casting, green screens for CGI etc – a movie cannot be made without these elements.

This section of the Warner Bros studio tour is self guided and interactive. The best thing you can do is ask questions and explore every part of production.

You could rush through in 10 minutes or easily spend an hour looking at storyboards and creating costumes for a movie. It is the first time you are able to slow down and read everything.

You can also ride Harry Potters Firebolt broom or Batmans Batpod with a green screen behind. A guide will instruct you to ‘turn left’ or ‘cast a spell’ as you watch yourself on a monitor.

This is of course being filmed and you can buy a video souvenir but they are not cheap and we personally did not buy one.

It’s hard to get into character when you don’t have the full Batsuit on shouting WHERE’S THE TRIGGER at Bane in your deepest and harshest voice (with a peg on your nose)!

For us, the best (and only real unmissable) part of Studio 48 is the sound engineer insight called ‘art of sound’.  A guide will explain to you how sound was composed in space for the movie Gravity, it’s a truly fascinating and intriguing part of the tour.

Oh, and you can hold a shiny Oscar, like Mark winning his Best Actor award from the 1950’s.

Central Perk

Fans of TV show Friends will enjoy the entire authentic set of Central Perk cafe.

You can take a seat on the famous sofa, order coffee from imaginary Gunther and maybe even pretend that you are also being paid US$ 1 million per episode!

With a total of 236 episodes, Friends has to be regarded as one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time, right?! Classic feel good background noise at worst, engaging emotional rollercoaster at best!

It is one of the only American sitcoms that used to get replayed over and over again growing up in the UK but is still widely adored.

Netflix even paid over US$ 100 million for rights to stream re-runs between 2014 and 2019. Not bad for a show that finished all the way back in 2004. #timeless

Big Bang Theory

Moving swiftly onto another show where you can imagine earning a cool million per episode is one of America’s favorites: Big Bang Theory.

Big Bang is the longest running multi camera sitcom in history with almost 280 episodes across 12 seasons.

Imagine how much time each of the main actors playing Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, Penny and Howard spent filming in front of live audiences at Warner Bros!

Much like the Central Perk set, Big Bang sets Caltech Cafe, the Elevator and Apartment 4a can all be explored as part of the tour in Studio 48.

Tour Guides At Warner Bros

We’ll take a wild guess you consider yourself a bit of a TV and movie buff? We thought so too, but we were wrong.

Our tour guide set the benchmark for being considered a bona fide movie buff. Shout out to Erik, this guy lived for it!

These giant world beating movie studios want to give the best possible experience for those who travel from around the world to get behind the scenes of their favorite TV shows and movies.

The guides have to be fantastic, it is as simple as that.

Our advice to you is speak up whenever you have a question about anything. Ask away and your guide will enjoy responding!

Warner Bros Studio Tour Price

Warner Bros offers what is widely regarded as the best pure movie lovers tour out of all the studios in LA. We didn’t tour the other studio so can’t give a definitive agree or disagree on that claim.

If you truly love TV and movies, the price here won’t matter too much because you’re going to pay it anyway!

An adult ticket for the Warner Bros studio tour will set you back a fairly hefty sum of US$ 69 .

Which is the Best Studio Tour in LA?

Now you know what to expect and the price of Warner Bros, it’s important you know the most pertinent information about each of the competition.

There are 4 major movie studios to choose between in Los Angeles.

What are the most important aspects for you to consider when choosing which studio you want to visit?

Is it price, which movies they made, location (ease of access), what you will see or something else entirely?

We created this Warner Bros, Sony, Paramount and Universal comparison table to look at pros, cons and differences of each tour and to help you determine if Warner Bros studio tour is the one for you.

Warner Bros vs Sony vs Paramount vs Universal Studio Tours

Is warner bros studio tour worth your time and money.

Warner Bros is worth your money as long as you have some interest in Harry Potter, Batman, DC universe characters, friends or Big Bang Theory. Consider choosing one of the other studios if none of that sounds exciting!

Let’s take a quick look at what we liked, didn’t like and how much we would pay for this tour.

What Was Hot

• The sheer scale and magnitude of the Warner Bros studio grounds.
• We thought it would be more about sets and backlots but thoroughly enjoyed the costumes, props and production aspects.
• Our guide was extremely knowledgable about the industry and always had informative answers to questions.
• The tour is longer than any other studio offers (for the basic package).
• Parking the car was not a problem thanks to the multi-story underground parking lot. 

What Was Not

• Tours leave every 30 minutes from 8.30am – 3pm so it can at times feel a little like you’re on a conveyor belt of tourists. You will run into a number of other tour groups throughout.
• The tour slightly lacked a personal touch overall and would benefit from a few freebies or take homes.
• Paying for parking adds a further US$ 15 to the overall ticket price and we think that is a bit harsh as tickets are already expensive enough.
• In certain exhibits (such as DC Universe and Wizarding World) the tour group moves too quickly which makes it difficult to read all information boards.

It is definitely worth mentioning the GO Los Angeles card for those of you who intend to do more tourist attractions on your visit to Los Angeles.

You can seriously save money with this card but only if you get busy!

You have two options:

• Explorer Pass – 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 ATTRACTIONS (value & savings increase the more attractions you do). Click to see options .
• All Inclusive Pass – 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 DAY pass (value & savings increase the more days you do). Click to see options .

Warner Bros studio tour is included in all pass options. You could potentially save a substantial amount of money by including this tour with others in Los Angeles.

What Is A Fair Price?

We personally thought the Warner Bros studio tour was worth US$ 69 each. We probably would have paid up to around 80-90 dollars but any more and we would have written it off.

It’s not every day you get to go behind the scenes of a movie studio, especially when you’re a big fan of movies.

You have to set a reference point, like paying 10 bucks for a beer at a Dodgers ball game or US$ 100+ on a meal out in Beverly Hills and entrance to Warner Bros won’t seem so high!

If you love movies and have a morning or afternoon spare on your Los Angeles itinerary, we think the Warner Bros studio tour could be the one for you.

It certainly didn’t disappoint us.

Buy Tickets For Warner Bros Studio Tour

Are you sold on Warner Bros?

You can book your tickets right now with two options offering the same price:

• Get Your Guide

If you choose to take a tour of Warner Bros Studio in Hollywood, we hope you have a fantastic time!

Read More California Guides …

• Best LA Hotels – 25 Top Rated Hotels In Los Angeles
• San Francisco – 15 Things You Can’t Miss On A First Time Visit
• Golden Gate Bridge – 5 Epic View Points For Photographing The Iconic Bridge
• Alcatraz – Is the tour of ‘ The Rock ‘ worth the money in San Francisco?
• San Diego – 22 Amazing Things To Do In 3 Unforgettable Days
• Yosemite National Park – The Ultimate First Time Visitor Guide
• Joshua Tree National Park – Perfect Day Trip From LA and San Diego
• Death Valley National Park – Complete Day Trip Guide From Las Vegas and LA

We hope this review helped you decide if the Warner Bros Studio Tour is for you!

Did you go to Universal, Sony or Paramount and how was it?

Please let us know if you have any questions or need any help planning your visit to LA in the comments below.

That’s All, Folks !

Mark and Kristen

Was This Post Helpful? Pin It For Your Tour!

Note : This article contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

All Rights Reserved © Where Are Those Morgans, LLC. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, maps, graphics, etc.) in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.

Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us .

2 thoughts on “Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood Review: Is It Worth The Money?”

They tell you to get there a half hour early, our tour time was 1100, we waited until after 1140 for the video to begin

Thanks for sharing your experience, Terry. The FAQ’s page on the Warner Bros Hollywood Tour site does state “plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your tour” so you can find a parking spot, check in and pass through the security checks before your time slot. Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the latest in travel straight to your inbox

Click here to subscribe

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

Paramount’s make-or-break deal week begins.

A CEO shake-up, the home stretch of a takeover offer, a critical carriage negotiation and key advertising talks are colliding at the same time — and could decide the future of the storied company.

By Alex Weprin

Alex Weprin

Media & Business Writer

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Email
• Show additional share options
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Pinit
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Print
• Share this article on Comment

It’s the moment of truth or consequences for Paramount Global .

The entertainment giant, controlled by Shari Redstone via her family’s National Amusements holding company, is in the middle of arguably the most fateful week in its history, with critical business decisions set to collide.

Related Stories

As paramount drama kicks into high gear, wall street tries to make sense of "volatile" stock, paramount "office of the ceo" trio's memo to staff: a "new long-term plan" is being finalized.

The expanded deal also includes sweeteners to try and convince hesitant common stockholders to support the deal, a source tells The Hollywood Reporter .

The move arrives as the fate of Bob Bakish as CEO is hanging in the balance, hours before Paramount was due to report a key Q1 2024 earnings report, with Wall Street anxious to see how the company has performed amid the deal chatter.

On Tuesday, Paramount is set to see its carriage agreement with Charter Communications expire. Charter is the largest pay TV provider in the country and has been playing hardball with its entertainment partners, as last year’s multi-week Disney blackout underscored.

Charter is demanding that its TV partners that also own streaming services give its pay TV customers access to the streaming option, a deal that Disney acquiesced to (Disney would ultimately remove channels like Freeform and Disney Junior from Charter’s lineup to make up for it), and that TelevisaUnivision followed.

Paramount, with its Paramount+ service, is no exception. And Bakish had been involved in those negotiations.

Meanwhile, Paramount’s ad sales team is beginning upfront talks with advertisers, with the company holding meetings with buyers inside a former taxi fleet garage in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The first one is set for Monday, April 29, with meetings scheduled to run through next week.

In the classic TV game show Truth or Consequences (which debuted on CBS in 1950!), the stakes were high for contestants to get the questions right, less they have to endure a crazy or wacky stunt.

New interim executive leadership at a difficult moment is risky, especially if they will be tasked with executing a merger, and walking the tightrope of the carriage and ad dealmaking.

A Charter blackout could crush carriage revenue at a critical moment, while a bad deal would hamper its revenue for years. A light upfront, meanwhile, could hurt ad sales for the next 12 months.

And while the Skydance-led deal is still seen as the clear favorite of Redstone, private equity giant Apollo is waiting in the wings, with the Japanese tech conglomerate Sony appearing ready to join them in a bid that could spur a bitter and public revolt from some shareholders.

With the Skydance exclusivity window set to end later this week, that other offer may be right around the corner.

A source familiar with the talks confirms that the Skydance has offered to sweeten the deal by increasing its cash infusion to $3 billion, with Redstone lowering her take to offer Class B shareholders a premium.

Paramount’s special board committee is ultimately responsible for recommending (or not) the Skydance deal, with the latest offer said to be reacting to requests from the committee.

“National Amusements specifically requested that the Paramount Board form a Special Committee to exercise their independent judgment in considering a potential transaction with Skydance,” a National Amusements spokesperson tells THR .

But the imminent departure of Bakish, who in the company’s last earnings call said that he was interested in looking at deals that would “benefit all shareholders” (emphasis his), suggests that Paramount is now Skydance’s to lose … provided the company can execute the high-wire act it needs across its business lines and also manage its shareholder revolts.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Cinemark swings to first-quarter profit despite lower revenue, hollywood pantages ushers ratify first contract, josh rosenbaum promoted to partner at ken kao’s waypoint, airbnb goes hollywood with plans to rent x-men mansion, ‘up’ home, ‘purple rain’ house and more, stampede ventures names jim meenaghan as coo, tyler perry studios to develop unscripted content in deal with asylum entertainment group.

site categories

Universal studios orlando reveals new rides, donkey kong country planned for super nintendo world at epic universe, breaking news.

• It’s Official: Bob Bakish Is Out At Paramount Global, Trio Of Division Heads Form New Office Of The CEO

By Jill Goldsmith

Jill Goldsmith

Co-Business Editor

More Stories By Jill

• Tribeca Festival 2024 Sets Steven Spielberg & ‘The Sugarland Express’, Martin Scorsese With ‘Mean Streets’, More, In Talks, Retrospectives, Reunions
• Paramount Global Sees Ad Boost From Super Bowl, Paramount+ Passes 71 Million Subs In Q1, ‘Mean Girls’ & ‘Bob Marley’ Buoy Studio

Paramount Global’s CEO Bob Bakish is out. The executive who has been a presence at several iterations of the company since 1997 will exit, effective immediately. A triumvirate of division heads — Brian Robbins, George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy — will step in to lead the company for now in a new office of the CEO.

Related Stories

Skydance Best And Final Offer For Paramount: Bigger Cash Infusion, Less For Shari Redstone, More For Other Shareholders – Update

Bob bakish exit: shock ripples through cbs’ whcd party as paramount ceo set to depart – “who knows what’s next”.

The company said the “Office of the CEO is working with the Board to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan to accelerate growth and develop popular content, materially streamline operations, strengthen the balance sheet, and continue to optimize the streaming strategy. The Board has great confidence in the leaders comprising the Office of the CEO, all of whom are senior creative executives and business leaders with a track record of success running meaningful businesses within  Paramount Global .”

Board chair Shari Redstone said Paramount Global “includes exceptional assets and we believe strongly in the future value creation potential of the Company. I have tremendous confidence in George, Chris and Brian. They have both the ability to develop and execute on a new strategic plan and to work together as true partners. I am extremely excited for what their combined leadership means for Paramount Global and for the opportunities that lie ahead.”

As per the Board of Directors: “The creation of the Office of the CEO will enable the Company to accelerate growth and strengthen operations. We look forward to working with George, Chris and Brian as they execute on key initiatives to enhance performance and value creation at Paramount Global.”

It’s a drama-filled, and fluid, situation as Shari Redstone is in late-stage negotiations to sell her controlling stake in Paramount to David Ellison ’s Skydance Media. Paramount is also set to report earnings. The release on change in management had no mention of that.

At a complicated time in the media industry and an uncertain moment for the company, his departure, which had been confirmed by sources over the weekend, had Paramount executives and staff on edge at events in Washington, D.C . and LA Saturday.  

Deadline hears that Redstone felt Bakish was the right CEO at the right time for a combined company, renamed Paramount Global in 2022. Among other moves, he oversaw the acquisition of Pluto TV, and launched Paramount+. But offers to buy Showtime were rebuffed and the company appeared to bungled a sale of BET as financial pressure kept mounting amid streaming losses and a steady decline in linear television. That said, he worked for Redstone. Bakish opposed the Skydance deal, in opposition to Redstone.

Merger speculation has swirled around Paramount for several years, accelerating last fall — around the same time the board added golden parachute provisions to compensation arrangement for top executives.

Wall Street’s view of Bakish is mixed but he is in step with most Paramount Global investors in opposing a deal with Skydance. Shareholders could not despise it more, at least its initial terms, which Deadline learned have been revised in an updated offer presented on Sunday.

The outline of the initial deal called for Skydance and backers Larry Ellison and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital to acquire Shari Redstone’s controlling stake in Paramount plus other assets of family holding company National Amusements for about $2 billion. Paramount would then acquire Skydance in an all-stock deal valued at the upper end of a $4-$5 billion range. Skydance presented a revised proposal Sunday that gives a bit more to common shareholder and a big less to Redstone.

A special committee of Paramount’s board of directors is evaluating the deal that would see Jeff Shell, who runs sports media for RedBird, become president under David Ellison as CEO. Skydance plans to keep Paramount public.

Paramount has two classes of stock, something founding families do to maintain control. Redstone owns most of the Class A voting shares in Paramount, but less than 10% of the total equity represented by the more widely held Class B shares. Investors have been furious at the prospect of Redstone cashing out at what appears to be a significant premium, while they can’t. Some have threatened legal action saying even a controlled company has a fiduciary duty to seek the best deal for all shareholders.

Paramount shares are trading at about $12, half of what they were a year ago, eroding shareholder returns but also Redstone’s personal wealth. The Ellison team believes they can boost the shares with a big capital injection and a restructuring, Deadline hears.

The company is in talks with the nation’s second biggest cable provider Charter Communications over a key carriage deal that technically expires tomorrow.

Sony and Apollo are considering a joint bid but have not made a formal offer yet. They would take the company private, buying out all shareholders. Deadline has heard that the partners are debating whether to wait to put in an official bid if the Skydance deal falls through, or go out with one earlier.

Must Read Stories

France’s #metoo wave gathers strength as parliament tackles abuse.

Analysis: How British True Crime Producers Are Putting Victims First

Dan schneider sues docuseries producers for defamation, producer & jackal group ceo gail berman inks overall deal with sony tv.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

10 comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

• Manage Account

PartyNextDoor Announces Sorry I’m Outside Tour With Cinematic Trailer

PartyNextDoor released his fourth studio album 'PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (P4)' on Friday (April 26).

By Heran Mamo

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Email
• Print this article
• Share this article on Comment
• Share this article on Tumblr

Sorry, but PartyNextDoor is outside and will be taking his new album PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (P4) with him on the road on the Sorry I’m Outside Tour , which he announced Monday (April 29).

Trending on Billboard

Partynextdoor opens up about drake, ye & why he’s ‘not worried about the fame….

PND has been outside promoting the album, with performances at SXSW (he first revealed the LP’s title during his headlining set at Billboard ‘s THE STAGE at SXSW concert series), Rolling Loud California and Souled Out in Australia.

See the Sorry I’m Outside Tour trailer and his tour dates below.

June 18 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ The Van Buren

June 21 – San Diego, Calif. @ SOMA

June 23 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ LIV Nightclub Las Vegas

June 27 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ Hollywood Palladium

July 1 – Oakland, Calif. @ The Fox Theater

July 3 – Seattle, Wash. @ The Paramount Theatre

July 5 – Vancouver, B.C. @ PNE Forum

July 7 – Calgary, AB @ Cowboys Music Festival

July 9 – Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall

July 12 – Denver, Co. @ Fillmore Auditorium

July 14 – Dallas, Texas @ South Side Ballroom

July 18 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Coca-Cola Roxy

July 20 – Miami, Fla. @ Fillmore Miami Beach

July 23 – Orlando, Fla. @ House of Blues

July 25 – Charlotte, N.C. @ The Fillmore

July 27 – Washington, D.C. @ Broccoli City Festival

July 30 – Boston, Mass. @ House of Blues

Aug. 6 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS

Aug. 8 – Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Brooklyn Paramount

Aug. 11 – Wallingford, Conn. @ The Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre

Aug. 13 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ The Fillmore

Aug. 15 – Chicago, Ill. @ The Salt Shed

Aug. 18 – Detroit, Mich. @ Afro Nation Detroit

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about?

Get in the know on.

Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

Charts expand charts menu.

• Billboard Hot 100™
• Billboard 200™
• Hits Of The World™
• TikTok Billboard Top 50
• Song Breaker
• Year-End Charts
• Decade-End Charts

Music Expand music menu

• R&B/Hip-Hop

Culture Expand culture menu

Media expand media menu, business expand business menu.

• Business News
• Record Labels
• View All Pro

Pro Tools Expand pro-tools menu

• Songwriters & Producers
• Artist Index
• Royalty Calculator
• Market Watch
• Industry Events Calendar

Billboard Español Expand billboard-espanol menu

• Cultura y Entretenimiento

Honda Music Expand honda-music menu