warner brothers studio tour vs classic tour

A Comparison of Warner Brothers Studio Tours in LA

One of Los Angeles’ most popular attractions, the Warner Brothers Studio offers visitors the chance to glimpse behind the scenes of one of the oldest film studios in the world.

(Photo: Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood / Courtesy GetYourGuide)

Bringing you closer than ever to the glamorous world of movie-making, Warner Brothers tours invite you to explore one of the busiest working studios in LA. In the company of an expert guide, you’ll be treated to an inside look at the production studio that has been entertaining us for nearly a century. Here’s our comparison of some of the best Warner Brothers Studios tours currently on offer.

Warner Bros. Studio Hollywood Tour

The classic Warner Brothers Studio tour invites visitors to experience the thrills of a working Hollywood studio that has been responsible for some of the world’s most iconic feature films and TV shows. Whether it’s re-enacting a scene from Friends on the famous Central Perk set, exploring the evolution of high-tech Batmobiles, or climbing aboard Harry Potter’s broomstick, the tour offers a magical chance to step into cinematic and televisual backdrops that have gone down in entertainment legend. The tour lasts for 3 hours, 1 of which is guided. Skip-the-line tickets are also included. From $69 per person.

Book at GetYourGuide

Warner Bros Studio: The Golden Age of Hollywood Classic Tour

For those with a particular interest in Hollywood’s Golden Age, then this extended evening tour could be for you. Over 3.5 hours, a specially trained guide will help you retrace the footsteps of Hollywood’s Greats, with a focus on the period spanning 1900 to the early 1970s and the iconic movies and generational actors who defined this era, from Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn to Ingrid Bergman and Joan Crawford. Highlights include an exhibition of original costumes from famous movies. This tour also includes skip-the-line tickets. From $69 per person.

Los Angeles Landmarks & Film Studio Tour

(Photo: Friendly Local Guides / Courtesy Viator)

Hollywood’s illustrious history is not just condensed into the Warner Brothers Studio – it’s all around you. This 2.5-hour tour lets you explore some of the locations that form part of this distinguished heritage, including a stop-off at the studio itself. Departing mid-morning, you’ll visit notable landmarks and attractions including Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Reservoir, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You’ll also hike to the famous Hollywood sign for obligatory photos, as well as visit the vast green expanse of Griffith Park, the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, and the San Fernando Valley for your final stop before returning to the city centre. From $106 per person.

Book at Viator

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

By: Author Mark and Kristen Morgan

Posted on Published: September 9, 2020  - Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Travel Planning Blog

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 …

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• 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

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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 .

Share this article!

Terry Zabel

Thursday 16th of February 2023

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

Mark and Kristen Morgan

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!

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Classic Tour - Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

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• Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Classic Tour

This is a review for the Warner Brothers Classic Tour we just took last Saturday. I recommend this tour! First off, it was a small group. Not only did we see the backlots, we walked through the Props building which was fascinating. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable. And, if there was a hard question, he immediately looked it up to give us an answer. Impressive and unusual for these days when people say "I don't know that...sorry." Mark was our tour guide and he was the best! If visiting Southern California, and you like the old movies/tv shows....this is a must-do. Plus, he did go into present day stuff as well, which was an asset to the experience.

Thank you for taking the time to review your Classics Tour experience. We’re thrilled that you enjoyed exploring some Hollywood history with us, and we appreciate the recommendation. We'll be sure to let Mark know he did a fantastic job! Best, WB Tour Hollywood

A great way to see how movies and tv shows are produced. Amazing slight of hand to make office buildings to have different uses. Hopefully I can recognize the changes in future movies and tv shows. Lilly was a good tour guide.

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your Studio Tour experience. We’re delighted that you had fun exploring behind the scenes with us. We'll make sure Lily hears your feedback! Best, WB Tour Hollywood

We visited California on our family trip and decided to make the Warner bros tour our first major attraction. We wanted our boys ages: 11, 14, 17 to get excited for our trip! All I can say is WOW! ALL of the tour guides are super nice and knowledgeable. It is a real behind the scenes tour of current shows /movies you watch and old ones too! Learn about how effects are made, shows are filmed, you may even catch a star or two!! Well worth the $$. We did the regular studio tour not the VIP. My kids all say they would do it again as we are still in LA as I write this....

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review of your Studio Tour. We’re so glad you made us a part of your trip to LA, and we're even happier that you and your family enjoyed it so much! You're always welcome back again! Best, WB Tour Hollywood

This was a great and highly recommend experience. If you are looking for a cool behind the scenes tv/movie experience this is a good one. The tour is mostly guided on a cart with walking as well. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. Some pretty cool interactive exhibits at the end of the tour.

We're delighted to know you had such a positive experience exploring behind the scenes with us, and we appreciate your recommendation!

We had Elliot as a tour guide and he asked at the beginning what shows ppl were interested in so he could tailor it as much as he could. He was very knowledgeable. Luckily we got to see the Big Bang Theory set since they weren’t filming. Unfortunately no celebrity sightings bc we went over the holidays :( I liked that the friends couch among other props were at the end to your own pace but I think there was a whole other prop building we didn’t have time for :(

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your Studio Tour experience. We’re delighted that you had fun learning behind-the-scenes secrets with us, and we'll make sure to pass along your feedback to Elliot! Best, WB Tour Hollywood

I'm not a great fan of Hollywood movies and I despise TV shows where a live audience needs to be complemented by a laughter track to make them a comedy. Before visiting this tour I never could bare to watch more than five minutes of "Friends". But I really liked the way this tour was organized. A group of max 14 guests gets a private tour by a very knowledgeable driver/guide. Parts of the tour you are driven around in an electric transporter, you also get to visit a 'soundstage' and some museum-like exhibits. Must say it was very entertaining getting this a tour in a working studio, getting all the background info from your guide. Back at the hotel, watched my first full episode of Friends, so now I even know what the Central Perk in 'Manhattan' looks like on TV. Central PERK... start laughter track.

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your Studio Tour experience. It sounds like you learned quite a bit about the filmmaking magic behind the scenes. We're so happy to hear how much you enjoyed it and hope to welcome you back again someday! Best, WB Tour Hollywood

12 Things to Know Before Visiting Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 16th October 2021  - Last updated: 12th January 2024

Categories USA , Travel

Thinking about visiting Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood? Here are 12 things to know about this Hollywood studio tour beforehand!

If you’re a TV and film buff then there’s no shortage of things for you to discover in Los Angeles, California. LA’s Hollywood neighbourhood is so intrinsically linked with the film industry that it has become the shorthand for the US film industry itself.

If you’re looking for behind the scenes studio tours, Los Angeles is the city to go to. And Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood is the best and most popular of the lot.

This is one of the busiest working studios in Los Angeles and has been in operation for over 100 years.

Some of the world’s biggest and best television shows and films were made here including Casablanca , La La Land , Friends and more.

The studio has been open to tours since 1972, almost 50 years ago. These 12 tips will let you know what to expect from a tour of Warner Brothers Studio in LA today.

There are 3 different tour options

There are a number of different Warner Brother Studio Tour options available in Hollywood. The “Studio Tour” is the most popular option and the one that I selected.

On this tour, you’ll get to see the storytelling museum, the backlots, an interactive soundstage, the sets of Friends and The Big Bang Theory, the DC superhero and Harry Potter exhibitions and more.

However, you can upgrade your experience by selecting the Deluxe Tour, which gives you access to the costume department, the property department and Warner Bros.’ commissary fine dining room for lunch in addition to everything you get from the Studio Tour.

The third option is the Classics Made Here tour. This tour is for classic movie buffs and lovers of the Golden Age of Hollywood, particularly films from the 1970s.

Please double-check the availability of the above as the global situation has caused some changes to what’s on offer.

Book your tickets to the Warner Brother Studio Tour Hollywood here and get free cancellation up to 24 hours before!

The studio is enormous

The grounds of the studio are absolutely enormous and span around 110 acres. For reference, that’s the same size as the entire Vatican City.

People aren’t kidding when they say everything is bigger in America!

That’s why you’ll be driven around the backlots in a buggy like the below. It’s simply too large to walk around!

The studio’s sheer size is one reason why this is one of the best backlot tours Los Angeles.

It’s a guided tour

A large part of the experience is a guided tour where an expert will drive you around in a buggy around some of the iconic outdoor sets imparting lots of behind-the-scenes information as you go around.

There are a few parts of the tour which are indoors too, some of which are guided and others where you will be left to explore for a set amount of time.

There are also some sections that are unguided where you’ll have the option to wander around at your own pace, find food and drink or do some Warner Bros related shopping.

It’s still a working studio

The Warner Bros Studio Los Angeles is a real-life working studio so every tour will be slightly different depending on what’s being filmed on which streets and sets each day.

TV shows that are still being filmed here today include The Ellen Show, Conan O’Brien, Fuller House and Lucifer. In fact, the day I visited the tour, we drove past a scene being filmed for Conan O’Brien that would be aired on TV that very evening! 

Historically, massive shows like The Big Bang Theory, Friends and Gilmore Girls were filmed here too.

You’ll learn lots of film secrets

The tour is led by an expert film guide who knows everything about what goes on at Warner Bros Studio Hollywood and how films here are made.

You’ll learn lots of cool facts about how films come together behind the scenes, such as the fact that the buildings in most things filmed here are not made out of real brick, they’re made of a cheaper material that is easy to build and dismantle.

However, the problem is that now TV’s have such high-quality HD settings, film-makers are being forced to using a cheap, thin layer of real brick so that film sets still look realistic!  

Another fact I loved is that George Clooney’s favourite restaurant whilst filming is called The Smokehouse, which is right outside the studio.

He now has a production company called Smokehouse Productions, which is named after that very restaurant.

You’ll get to visit real sets

The tour will take you to some real-life sets for shows that are still being made today. Which sets you see will depend on what’s being filmed and which sets are empty on that day.

When I visited, we were taken to the set of Lucifer where we were allowed to see inside Lucifer’s apartment. If you’ve seen the show, you’ll instantly recognise the swanky interiors of the devil’s abode.

There are interactive elements

In addition to the guided tour, there are lots of opportunities to pretend you’re an actor on set. For example, you can ride Harry Potter’s broom or Catwoman’s motorbike in front of a green screen.

In front of you, there’s a monitor showing you what it would be like in the real film so you can imagine yourself flying through the streets of Gotham laid down on Catwoman’s motorbike!

Fun fact: only two people in the world know how to ride Catwoman’s motorbike – Anne Hathaway’s and Christian Bale’s stunt doubles. You need to lie flat on the motorbike and it’s really difficult to drive in that position!

There’s also the opportunity to take photos on the real-life Friends sofa and even act out a Friends’ scene! When I visited, we re-enacted Phoebe’s birthday which was Episode 5 in Season 9.

Random people on the tour were chosen to play the main characters and they read the lines shown on large display cards at the front of the set. Other people on the tour (like me!) got to be extras, pretending to sip coffee at the back of Central Perk. 

Fun fact: Friends was only ever shot in California. Not a single scene was shot in New York, where the series is set. 

If you’re a fan of The Big Bang Theory , you can explore Sheldon’s apartment and even sit in his spot!

Exhibits sometimes change

It’s worth noting that the exhibits at the studio tour may change depending on when you visit and what films have been made recently.

When I visited, I saw the Justin League costume exhibition, as that had been released a year prior but before that, there were Batman vs Superman costumes on display.  

If you’re dying to see a particular film set or costume, I’d suggest doing some research or reaching out to the tour itself to find out exactly what exhibits are on display at that time.

It’s expensive!

As with most things in Hollywood, this tour can be expensive. The tour itself costs $69 per adult, which is definitely worth the price.

However, once you get inside you’ll find that there may be other costs involved. For example, if you want to take away a professional picture of you and your friends on the Friends sofa, you’ll pay $25 for the first and $15 for the second. 

You are also able to take your own photos but if you want to take home the professional photo in a Friends related frame then you’ll need to cough up.

Book your tickets to the Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood here and get free cancellation up to 24 hours before!

The props are all real

You may get the chance to visit the prop archive on your tour, a massive warehouse with over 1 million items inside. Some of these items are highly valuable and precious, there’s even one item in there worth over $1 million. 

There are lots of instantly recognisable props in here such as a replica Iron Throne that was used in a Game of Thrones related Conan O’Brien episode. There are also chairs from the Matrix , statues of Agent Smith, lamps from Inception and more.

This is the prop store that filmmakers will visit when they’re looking for items to use on their shows. As such, you’ll occasionally see post-it notes on items that have been reserved for shows that are currently being filmed.

For example, I saw some antique chairs that had post-its on them reserving them for use in an upcoming episode of The Ellen Show .

There are also some props for Warner Bros films that were not filmed in the USA. For example, there are a number of Harry Potter props, which are all real, but the films themselves were made in the UK.

The vast majority of Harry Potter props can be found at the Warner Bros Studio Tour in London , which is dedicated to the Harry Potter films .  

Check out my ultimate guide to Warner Bros Studio tour London here.

Some props that were used in films don’t just look cool, but genuinely are usable in the real world. For example, the engines in the vehicles in the Bat Cave section of the tour are real so you could actually drive one of those cars away.

One vehicle even goes up to a whopping 205mph!

You can grab a bite to eat in Central Perk

There’s some food and drink on-site in the recreated Central Perk cafe and Harry Potter themed Starbucks. Of Course, Central Perk serves up some New York deli classics but what’s really special is that there are some Friends specials on the menu.

You can even try Rachel’s Thanksgiving trifle! Thankfully there’s no meat in this version…

You can then enjoy your food in a number of Friends’ themed areas – Central Perk, Joey & Chandler’s apartment, Monica’s apartment, or a Greenwich Village themed set.

This part is a must for Friends’ fans!

It takes around 3 hours

Finally, if you’re wondering how long is the Warner Brothers Studio Tour and how much time to set aside for it then I’d suggest blocking out half a day.

The guided section is around an hour long but you could easily while away another two with the self-guided portion, grabbing a bite to eat, wandering around the shop and more.

Book your tickets to the Warner Bros Los Angeles Studio Tour here and get free cancellation up to 24 hours before!

Love this post? You might also like these: Harry Potter WB Studio Tour London Things to Do at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter LA Literary Cocktails at Library Bar LA 15 Things to Know About Visiting Alcatraz 50 Things to Do in San Francsico Things to Do in San Francisco at Night 14 Things You Didn’t Know About San Francisco 10 Bookstores in San Diego to Visit Tips for Visiting California on a Budget

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For me, no trip to Southern California is complete without immersing myself in filmmaking history. On my first visit to Los Angeles, I tried to fit in as many studio tours as possible, just to be able to walk in the footsteps of some of my favorite stars. The tour at Warner Brothers, in particular, caught my attention as there was a tour specifically focused upon classic cinema. While they did deviate from the classics on a few occasions to show off the more modern stops on the tour that tourists usually prefer, I was all the more excited to explore the studio’s storied past and to personally see different artifacts connected to Hollywood’s Golden Age and its iconic stars. This article focuses upon the history of classic cinema and how it is highlighted in the current Warner Bros Classic Tour.

Upon going through security, I waited in a lovely gathering place as several other visitors and I waited for our tour groups to assemble. The visitor’s area has a Warner-themed coffee shop in addition to a fine display that showcases they studios history and major films. Being of Polish descent, I was also excited to see the word “welcome” in many different languages upon my entrance, including a Polish translation. I thought this was a nice nod to the Warner family history, as three of the four founding Warners were born in Poland.

Once the tour group had assembled, we were led into a theater and shown a film depicting the history of the studio. The film prefacing the tour offered strong contextual information about the studio, its impact upon the industry, and its legacy today. Prior to heading out in our movie touring car, we chatted with our tour group members, received our tour badges, and toasted the studio with complimentary champagne.

As we got started on our tour, we were taken through many different sets that were grouped into themes. For example, the studio has a section that is meant to look like small-town USA, another to portray New York, others for Chicago, and so many more. Of course, since the studio is quite active, some locations were not able to be visited due to the need for “quiet on the set” and for the studio work to continue on without interruption. As a result, each tour will vary to a degree.

While making our way through the studio, I highly enjoyed picking out the different sets and connecting them to different films I had seen over the years. It is fascinating to see how malleable the sets can be to fit the needs of a given film but certain elements of the facades remain consistent. Here are a few connections, classic and modern, that I was able to make on the tour:

Casablanca (1942):

East of Eden  (1955):

The Music Man (1962):

La La Land (2016):

As we visited the different sets, we learned about the different film in which they appeared. We also were able to stop inside of some of them to get a sense of how filming inside and outside of these venues worked. It was also interesting to touch some of them, as parts of the building were brick whereas others were rubbery.

While movie soundstages may not be as thrilling for some people, I enjoy passing them and learning about which films were shot in them. Though we did not enter the soundstages, each of them was labeled with a plaque that listed some of the major productions that were housed in them.

Here is the history behind the studio soundstages I passed and photographed on the tour:

Stage 1: Stage 1 was built in 1936. Some of the films shot here include:

• Now, Voyager (1942)
• Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
• Princess O’Rourke (1943)
• This is the Army (1943)
• Mildred Pierce (1945)
• The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
• Strangers on a Train (1951)
• Calamity Jane (1953)
• A Star is Born (1954)
• Them! (1954)
• The Lone Ranger (1956)
• Ocean’s Eleven (1960)

Stage 6: Stage 6 was built in 1927. Some of the films shot here include:

• Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)
• The Petrified Forest (1938)
• Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
• Arsenic and Old Lace (1941)
• The Maltese Falcon (1941)
• Sergeant York (1941)
• They Died With Their Boots On (1942)
• Watch on the Rhine (1943)
• Sayonara (1957)
• The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)
• Auntie Mame (1958)
• Damn Yankees (1958)
• A Summer Place (1959)

Stage 11: Stage 11 was constructed in 1926. Some of the films shot here include:

• Dangerous (1935)
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
• Kings Road (1942)
• White Heat (1949)
• A Star Is Born (1954)
• Pajama Game (1957)
• A Summer Place (1958)

Stage 15: Stage 15 was constructed in 1927. Some of the films shot here include:

• Anthony Adverse (1936)
• The Petrified Forest (1936)
• The Big Sleep (1946)
• House of Wax (1953)
• Mr. Roberts (1955)
• The Old Man and the Sea (1958)

Stage 16: Stage 16 was built in 1935/36 and was formerly known as Stage 7. One of the tallest stages in the world, Stage 16 was raised foot by foot in 1935 to its current height of 98 feet for the Marion Davies and Clark Gable film Cain and Mabel (1936). Some of the films shot here include:

• The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)
• The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
• The Adventures of Don Juan (1949)
• The Old Man and the Sea (1959)

Stage 20: Stage 20 was constructed 1935. Some of the films shot here include:

• The Roaring Twenties (1939)
• They Drive By Night (1940)
• This Is The Army (1943)
• Watch On The Rhine (1943)
• Johnny Belinda (1946)
• Mister Roberts (1955)
• The Old Man And The Sea (1958)

Stage 24: Stage 24 was constructed 1935. Some of the films shot here include:

• The Letter (1940)
• Johnny Belinda (1948)

Stage 25: Stage 25 was constructed 1935. Some of the films shot here include:

• Knute Rockne: All American (1940)
• High Sierra (1941)
• Kings Row (1942)

While on the tour, we also happened to pass by other buildings of interest, including Bette Davis’s dressing room and Jack Warner’s office.

The soundstages were not the only connections to classic films and performers. A particularly humbling moment on the tour included a stop at the stately World War II Memorial, honoring the various Warner Bros talents who also happened to serve in the war.

Another exciting stop on the tour included a visit to the studio prop house. Containing a vast amount of film props that are each labeled and organized carefully, it is a fascinating sight to behold.

Of the many different props here, these stood out as my favorites:

The  Casablanca globe used in publicity shots.

A  Casablanca  piano.

The Maltese falcons.

The prop house continues to be active today to meet the needs of current film and television productions.

As an archivist and film historian, I am especially excited to encounter costumes and other artifacts that were crucial to the production of classic films. I think that much can be gained from studying these items in their original material form and that working with these pieces can be a moving experience. The last stop on the tour was a museum, which showcased many of these incredible pieces.

The collection included costumes from the following films:

Rebel Without a Cause (1955):

My Fair Lady (1964):

In addition, the collection also profiled costumes worn by different actors and actresses aside from grouping them into one particular film.

Some of the actresses featured included:

Elizabeth Taylor ,

Olivia de Havilland,

Joan Crawford,

and Lauren Bacall.

As for actors, some costumes worn by James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson were also displayed.

As with the prop house, this museum area also has a sizable amount of film history on display. There are a wide range of props and costume pieces here, in addition to awards that commemorate the achievements of the studio and its talents.

Of course, I had a few favorite items in the collection that I was especially honored to see. Among them were:

Jack Warner’s phone and phone book

and a microphone used on the set of the first feature-length motion picture with not only a synchronized recorded music score but also lip-synchronous singing and speech– The Jazz Singer  (1927).

By the time I finished my tour, it was evening. I managed to glimpse the Warner Bros tower on my way out, all lit up for the night.

Overall, I think that the Warner Bros Classic Tour is the best of the bunch for fans of classic cinema. In addition to all of the history encountered here, the guides do a fine job of connecting with their tour attendees individually and learning about which classic stars or classic films are the most interesting to them. My guide asked each one of us about this and did his best to incorporate these points of interest into the tour. For the record, I mentioned that I loved the Busby Berkeley production unit and the Gold Digger films , and the various soundstages in which Berkeley worked were pointed out to me as we passed them on the tour.

I appreciate their efforts to make this tour meaningful to every attendee and highly recommend partaking in this tour offering.

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12 responses to warner brothers classic tour.

Loved this! Thank you for all the photos, and I hope to take this tour someday. Noticed in the phone book – Salvador Dali!!!!

It’s an epic phone book!

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Thorough Practical Experiential Travel

The Warner Bros Studio Tour Hollywood – A Thorough Review

I love TV.  I have one of those brains that has a hard time relaxing. One of the few ways I can get a break is to watch a show…or two.  My favorites over the years have ranged from Cheers & Seinfeld to Breaking Bad & Survivor to current favorites like Ted Lasso & Fauda. So, when I was tripping activities in the LA area for our recent Rose Bowl trip , and came across the Warner Bros Studio Tour, it seemed like a no-brainer.  A chance to see where and how TV and movies are made?  Sign me up!

Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  If you buy something after clicking one of these links, I may earn a small commission.  This does not cost you anything extra and helps support this blog .

First, a Little History

The Warner Bros Hollywood Studio is located in Burbank, about 15 minutes north of downtown LA.  The studio was established all the way back in 1926. Films – and then TV – have been made there for almost 100 years!  The studio sits on 62 acres and is made up of outdoor movie sets, multiple sound stages, and buildings dedicated to all facets of movie & television production.  Well-known films made here include Casablanca, My Fair Lady , Goonies, and several of the Batman movies.  Well-known TV series include Friends and The Big Bang Theory.  

The Warner Bros Studio Tour is a great way to see and understand the process that goes into making film and TV.  And I will say right off the bat that the tour exceeded my expectations.  In my research, I discovered that the tour is one of the highest-rated area activities on TripAdvisor. But still, I thought our access to a busy working studio might be somewhat diluted.  Not the case!  It was an in-depth tour with a great deal of insight and access to what seemed like a big portion of the studio.  Plus, it featured a lot of really impressive interactive displays.  Let me show you….

Getting Started

Warner Bros Studio offers a few different kinds of tours. We went on the most popular – The Studio Tour.  This tour starts every 30 minutes between 8:30am and 3:30pm, 5-7 days weekly (depending on the time of year). The Studio recommends that you buy your tickets online ahead of time, though limited walkup tickets may be available depending on demand. The guided portion of the tour lasts about an hour.  Self-guided touring through various displays can take another 1-3 hours depending on how long you want to linger.  We spent 2 hours on the lot. 

You can click here to purchase tickets on Viator

Our tour started in a screening room where we watched  a short 5-minute movie quickly covering the Studio’s history. 

We were then directed outside where we divided up into smaller groups.  Each group was assigned a guide and a tour cart.  Our guide’s name was Maxx. 

The Backlot – You Might Recognize Some of This

First we drove through and explored the Backlot – a series of outdoor sets that have been constructed over the years, and have been used in countless movies and TV shows. Many of these sets date to the 1930s and all are still in use today. As Maxx took us down one street after the other, we jumped from small town Midwest to downtown New York, from tree-lined residential streets to seedy back alleys.

And we didn’t just stay in the cart. We got out and walked up and down these empty streets. We were even allowed enter a few of the buildings. Some are just empty shells like the photo below….

While others are called “Practicals” and are used for their interiors as well. In the photo below, Maxx explains how the decor of the room is changed constantly depending on what’s needed for the production, and how the open ceilings are used for gear.

Maxx also explained how even the exteriors can be adjusted. The bricks aren’t bricks. They are made of styrene and can easily be replaced in en masse for a different look. All the buildings also lack exterior features like door handles and lights, as you can see in the picture below. These are added at the time of filming, based on each production’s needs.

As we walked from location to location, Maxx would point out the storied filming history of individual streets, storefronts, and buildings. Memorable scenes like the alley for Spiderman’s upside-side down kiss, the cafe in Casablanca, the street outside Annie’s orphanage, the last shot of the Seinfeld series, and many many more.

Once back in the cart after each set, a short video would then show us each set’s transformation from one movie to another over the decades – very cool!

The Front Lot and Stage 16

Next up on the Warner Bros Studio Tour was the Front Lot. This is its collection of 30 sound stages where the interior production of films and TV takes place. Inside these huge soundproof buildings, elaborate sets are built, specific to each production.

We stopped at Stage 16. At 65 feet tall, it’s the largest on the lot and one of the tallest in the world. It also has a 2 million gallon water tank under its floor, extending another 30 feet below ground, allowing films like The Perfect Storm and Poseidon to be filmed inside.

At the time of our tour, the soundstage wasn’t in use. So we were able to walk inside and take in its cavernous enormity.

Each soundstage has a plaque on the outside listing its production history. Take a close look and you can see plenty of classics on Stage 16’s list including Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park.

We also had the chance to drive directly through The Mill. This is the construction department where the interior sets are created.

We also drove past the large building that houses the property department. This is where all the furniture and fixtures required to dress a set are kept. We weren’t able to enter, but could see stacks of lamps and other fixtures through the windows. Maxx described the intricate cataloguing and ordering system that the Studio has set up as we passed.

After this, the guided portion of the tour ended, and Maxx dropped us off at a building called Stage 48.

Stage 48 – Friendstravaganza

Stage 48 is the first of two interactive experiences on the Warner Bros Studio Tour. And there was lots going on in this building. Most popular is the coffee shop set from the TV series Friends. I personally never watched much of Friends, but this seemed to be the highlight for a great percentage of tour participants. Here, fans can line up and get a photo on the couch. I had to act fast to get the shot below in between groups of giddy fans.

There is also a Friend’s-themed fully-functioning coffee shop inside the building. Plus, a large gift shop mostly dedicated to Friend’s paraphernalia. Important note to those who need to eat midday like I do – the coffee shop has what looked to be a decent food menu, too.

Stage 48 also features the living room set from The Big Bang Theory where fans can also pose for photos.

In addition to the sets from those two popular TV shows, Stage 48 also offers an immersive experience called Script to Screen. As we walked from room to room, we were learned about the many sequential steps involved in film and TV production. It was all very interesting, especially all the costume displays. And I finally know what a foley artist does (creates the every day sound effects that are added post-production).

To Couch or Not to Couch

It would be easy to spend several hours at Stage 48. But we breezed through pretty quick, spending about 30 minutes. When we were ready to leave, a tour cart was waiting outside, and we were taken to the final displays on the tour.

First though, while again passing through the Backlot, we were given the option to get off and have our picture taken on the couch and fountain from Friend’s opening sequence. Again, not big Friend’s fans, so we stayed on the cart and headed directly to The Archive, which is located in the main tour building.

The Archive – Where I Became Hufflepuff

First up – costumes from many of the DC Comics movies, all made by Warner Bros Studios, including Michael Keaton’s Batman and Christopher Reeves’s Superman,

Ben Affleck’s Batman and Henry Cavill’s Superman,

and one of a long line of Batmobiles used in the movie franchise – this is the Tim Burton version.

Next, was Harry Potter’s Wizarding World. Harry Potter was filmed at the Warner Bros Studio in England rather than this one, but it is still a big deal on the Hollywood Studio Tour.

Here, several Harry Potter sets and scenes were recreated for our photo-taking pleasure.

Plus, we had the opportunity to participate in a Sorting Ceremony. We may have not wanted to sit on the various Friend’s couches, but we couldn’t pass up the Sorting Ceremony! The hat was lowered on to our heads (kind of), and our House was chosen by a voice above and around us. Me – Hufflepuff! Mrs. TT – Slytherin!! I’ll have to watch out around her now….

Finally, we found ourselves in a room surrounded by various awards collected by the Studio over the years, including a few of their Oscars. This is the first time I’ve ever seen an actual Oscar. The one pictured here is My Fair Lady’s Best Picture Academy Award from 1964.

Final Thoughts

Our time on the Warner Bros Studio Tour was thoroughly enjoyable. We learned a lot about film and TV production, had much better studio access than I imagined, and we were impressed with the interactive displays. We don’t tend to linger at displays, so our tour only took about 2 hours. But I can certainly understand why the Warner Bros website states that it could take 3-4. If you love TV (or movies) as much as I do, then don’t hesitate to spend a few hours on the Warner Bros Studio Tour in Burbank. You can click here to purchase tickets on Viator

If you would like to read about some of other great tours from my travels, then check out this post about an Air Tour in Kauai , this one about Touring Ballard Locks in Seattle , or this one about a Cooking Class in Seville Spain .

And during this trip to LA, I decided to exclusively use ride share for our transportation needs rather than renting a car like I usually do. Did I save money? Yes! A lot actually. Click here to check out my blog post about Uber vs Car Rental in LA

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Road tripping along the southern oregon coast, grand lake colorado & the spectacular rocky mountain national park, a weekend in sunny tucson arizona, 23 comments.

Tom Smalltownplussize

I enjoyed reading about your tour. Mrs Small Town has been so I’ve heard a lot of fun stories. I can’t wait to see it myself.

thethoroughtripper

Thanks Tom! As I think back to many trips to LA over the years, it’s definitely a highlight. Not sure why I’ve never done it until now.

Paul (Paul Passing Through)

Really interesting article. I think it’s so fascinating that the outdoor sets don’t have doorknobs or light fixtures. It would be so neat to walk through those soundstages where some of my favorite films were made. I do think it’s funny that they have Harry Potter sets. It would be fun but odd knowing none of them were filmed there.

We really learned so many interesting facts like that about TV and film production. Never read any Harry Potter myself. Watched each movie with the kids, but they came out so far apart that I had a hard time remembering the full story line over all the subsequent years. Still though, couldn’t pass up getting Sorted

Peggy Zipperer

Looks like a fun tour! I am completely fascinated with the huge water stage – 30 ft underground?!?! Mind-blowing! The Harry Potter scenes are great!

And we walked right across it. Would have loved to see what it looked like underneath that floor.

David Chalem

It’s actually *Maxx

Thanks for letting me know. I’ll add the second x to her name 🙂

Chalk and cheese travels8

What a great tour to do and see all the famous sets. Something we would love to do. We took the driving tour around Universal Studios and that was fun but this looks so much better

Brian Archambault

That Batmobile isn’t from the dark knight series. It’s from the 2 Tim Burton Batman’s with Michael Keaton

Thanks for letting me know. I’ll change it. I’m clearly not a Batman expert 🙂

I loved your letter I found it really interesting id love to see it in person that and tmz tour bus tour. I’d love to see the friends set when I know I’m going to la I’m going to book a tour with wb thats for the information. Pat

Glad to know that you found it so helpful. Hope you get the chance to experience yourself!

Lisa at Following the Rivera

I would love to do this tour! I love all of the Hollywood films and of course the shows too. It’s so cool to see the sets like this, it makes it more real!

Elena at TravelByExample

That’s a place I would love to visit one day! I’m sure everyone from my family would enjoy it, and I would be the one of those giddy fans to rush to take a picture in Friend’s coffee shop :))

Vanessa Shields

What an awesome tour! This is one thing I keep saying I’m going to do but never drive up to LA to go on it. You’ve motivated me to go this year! I’d love to see all the different sets and learn about productions. That’s neat that you can see everything that’s been filmed in each stage before entering. I had no idea there was such a huge water tank in one. Filming in that must be pretty cool to see.

Dylan Jones

I love the idea of doing this tour, it looks great. It’s great that they have the names of productions filmed in the soundstages listed outside. Definitely adding this to my list when I finally get back to LA.

I would love to take the Warner Bros Studio Tour. So cool to see the magic behind the scenes! Great pics and overview!

Exactly – the magic behind the scenes! Well put!

Stefan (Berkeley Square Barbarian)

Cheers, Seinfeld & Breaking Bad are all series I loved too, especially the latter. It is amazing that the studios have been around for nearly 100 years, yes, and that the Backlot outdoor sets are still in use but lack door handles or lights…

The dimensions of Stage 16 are truly mindboggling wow..

Fascinating! I would definitely go out of my way to take this tour. I am a huge fan of Big Bang so the chance to sit in Sheldon’s “spot” would be hard to resist and My Fair Lady is one of my favourites. The tour looks interesting and informative as well as fun. I suppose my only worry might be that seeing the shell behind the facade might take away some of the magic? Probably not! The suspension of disbelief is alive and well 😊

It’s so interesting seeing how iconic films and TV shows were made. I really like that they’ve kept the historical aspects like Stage 16 and the costumes. Would love a go on the sorting hat too!

It’s hard to pass up a hat sorting!!

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A Classics-Focused Tour Returns to Warner Bros.

Take a deep dive into hollywood's golden age as "classics made here" rolls again at the burbank studio., by alysia gray painter • published april 12, 2022 • updated on april 12, 2022 at 11:49 am.

If moxie is missing from your life, and your world feels a little light in both pluck and panache, taking some confident cues from the classics may be required.

For movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood often celebrated a certain sparkle, and gobs of get-up-and-go, and seeing a splashy star sashay across a glamorous set with oodles of oomph is not an unlikely occurrence.

Pluck, panache, and flicks that have gracefully weathered the decades are in the spotlight at Warner Bros. Studio, specifically those movies and movie stars that are featured in the Classics Made Here tour

The specialized outing puts the focus on some of the best-known films of yore, those timeless movies that were made around the studio's celebrated backlot and soundstages.

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So is this themed tour similar to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, which also cruises around movie sets while giving cinema-loving visitors plenty of fun film facts?

It is, but while the famous Studio Tour covers modern-day works, Classics Made Here is all about the actors, directors, screenplays, and settings that captured the fancies of our grandparents' and parents' generations.

And our own, too, of course.

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If you count yourself as a "Casablanca" fan, or a maven of "My Fair Lady," you'll want to find your way to a tram, starting on April 28, 2022, when the tour returns to the studio after a hiatus.

Television is also included in the look-back look-around, which starts with the earliest days of the studio and concludes around the 1970s.

Traveling back in time to the starry era?

It takes around three hours. A visit to Stage 48: Script to Screen is part of the cinematic adventure, too, giving guests the chance to see a bevy of costumes worn by the biggest luminaries of the time, from Audrey Hepburn to Joan Crawford.

Stage 48 also has several interactive areas, a store, and the Central Perk Café (should you desire a pastry and pick-me-up after poking around the soundstages and backlots).

A SoCal resident ticket to the tour? It's $57, and other ticketing tiers are available.

So don your favorite tuxedo or glamor gown, if you're feeling dressy, and sashay, with confidence, over to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour site now to book your spot.

We may not be able to time-travel back to Old Hollywood, but its amazing artifacts and legendary locations still exist.

And ready to lead you those fabled places? A knowledgeable guide on the returning Classics Made Here tour.

This article tagged under:

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.

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A visit to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood and their ‘Classics Made Here’ tour

If you’re looking to take a studio tour while visiting Los Angeles, there are numerous options to choose from. Some of them are fairly basic tours of a movie studio, and on the opposite end of the spectrum is the Universal Studios Hollywood “World-Famous Studio Tour” which is more of a theme park attraction. But the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is a nice blend of the two. You’ll get a lot of foot-on-the-ground access to the working studio lot, but there are also certain areas designed specifically for the tourist experience. And now, Warner Bros. Studios Tour Hollywood offers a specially guided tour for fans of Hollywood’s golden age, called “Classics Made Here.”

Full disclosure, one of my first jobs when I moved to Los Angeles was as a tour guide at Warner Bros. But a lot has changed since those days of mine, driving the extended golf cart full of tourists around the studio.

It begins in a gallery space where you’ll wait to hear your tour group announced for departure. In this room, you’ll see a large recreation of the iconic WB water tower and several soundstages with a map of the studio below your feet. It’s a very cool display, especially if you have some prior knowledge of the studio lot layout. Here you’ll find various galleries highlighting the history of Warner Bros. For those guests interested in the classics, you’ll want to spend extra time in the “Classics to Contemporary” section.

Once your group is called, you’re escorted into a movie theater where you’ll see a montage of Warner Bros. clips, getting you even more hyped for the tour. Although this is the same montage shown to the other tours offered, it still features some of the classics. It wouldn’t feel right having a WB montage without including “Casablanca.”

After the montage plays, several tour guides come into the theater introducing themselves to the various groups. The tour guides who give the “Classics Made Here” tour are specially trained. They are fans of the classics themselves and are able to share more knowledge of the classics. As we hop onto our golf carts to ride around the lot, this is the portion of the tour that differentiates itself most from the standard tour.

Our well-informed tour guide, Jorja, was sure to ask us at the top of the tour if we had any favorite classics. She asked this in order to make sure she was showing us what we wanted to see. So, if you’re going on a WB tour, don’t be shy when this question is asked. They all want to make sure you’re enjoying the tour, so speak up.

Each of the tour carts are equipped with several monitors that are able to show clips of the locations you’re visiting, seen in films and TV. Earlier, I mentioned how the montage in the movie theater was the same for all tour groups. In this case, the clips shown are specially made for the “Classics Made Here” tour, only featuring the classics and history of the studio lot.

For me, the magic of a studio lot has always been the backlot sets. In the Midwest backlot, movies including “The Music Man,” “East of Eden,” “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Bonnie & Clyde,” and so many more were all shot there. But these old backlot sets don’t still exist simply because of their history. They’re all still used today. In fact, while I was visiting the lot, they were setting up the space for a new shoot.

Perhaps the most iconic location on the “Classics Made Here” tour is the last remaining exterior set from “Casablanca.” On the backlot French Street, this façade has been used in countless projects. But it’s never changed too much in order to honor its place in cinematic history. French Street can also be seen in the classic WB film, “Now, Voyager” starring Bette Davis.

After visiting a couple of other backlots, including New York Street where classics like “The Big Sleep” and “The Maltese Falcon” were shot, we headed onto the front lot, which houses the soundstages. We went into soundstage 25, one of the few soundstages commemorated with a name and plaque. Stage 25 is called “The Big Bang Theory” stage, as all twelve seasons of the hit sitcom were shot inside. The stage is currently used for the show “Bob Hearts Abishola,” but that doesn’t mean it’s only used for current projects. On the sides of each soundstage there are plaques highlighting some of the projects that shot inside. Stage 25 was used for classics including “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Casablanca,” “Giant,” and more.

On the front lot sits soundstage 16. This is the largest soundstage on the lot, and one of the largest in North America. The stage was raised from the bottom up for the film “Cain and Mabel,” adding onto its height. Another classic shot in here was the drag race sequence in “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean.

After our exploration of the backlot and front lot, our tour guide dropped us off at “Stage 48: Script to Screen.” Fun fact, in reality there are less than 48 stages on the Warner Bros. main studio lot. Stage 48 was given this name, as the building that once sat on this land was numbered building 48.

This self-guided portion of the tour links you back up with all other tours. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t classic memorabilia to check out. Inside, you’ll find costumes and memorabilia from “Casablanca,” and “My Fair Lady,” plus the leading ladies and gangsters of yesteryear cinema. It’s also worth noting that guests will be able to visit the real sets of modern classics like hit TV shows “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory” in Stage 48.

After touring Stage 48, learning about the script to screen process, grabbing a bite at a recreated Central Perk, and shopping in a one-of-a-kind “Friends” themed store, it’s back on the golf cart for a short trip.

On the way to the tour finale, we took a pit stop by the “Friends” fountain in order to snap a picture. The original location of this iconic fountain was down the street at the Warner Bros. Studio Ranch, but the public cannot gain access to that smaller lot. It was recently moved to the main lot in order for tour guests to enjoy it. For those interested in the classics tour, it’s fun to note that although this fountain was made famous by “Friends,” it was also used by The Three Stooges.

After that short pit stop, you’ll hop on another golf cart taking you to the “Action and Magic Made Here” self-guided finale. In here you’ll mostly find props, costumes, and photo opportunities featuring DC Comics and Harry Potter. But, for those classics fans, the last thing you’ll see before entering the gift shop are the airplane scene costumes from “Casablanca” and Professor Harold Hill’s suitcase from “The Music Man.” It’s a nice reminder that without the classics that made Warner Bros. the brand that it is today, there would be no modern classics.

Overall, if you’re looking for a studio tour with a great mix of real-life studio production and elements created especially for tourists, you can’t go wrong with any Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood option. If you’re a fan of classic cinema, the “Classics Made Here” tour is the one you’ll want to book. For those of you who want an even more expanded tour experience, they offer a Studio Tour Plus, as well as a Deluxe Tour. Learn about all of your tour options at www.wbstudiotour.com .

Jeff DePaoli is a producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast,” the ultimate, unofficial Disney fan podcast. Get your FREE gifts of “America’s Hidden Mickeys,” “On the Rohde Again,” “Theme Park Comfort Kit” and more at  DizneyCoastToCoast.com . DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.

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