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Dec 2019
I was most excited about this Studio Tour. We didn't want to spend the extra money for the VIP tour, so we booked a general Studio Tour. I fear that the VIP tour definitely wouldn't be worth it if we went that route.
I want to make note that I am happy we did this tour and I don't regret doing it. My knowledge of movies is vast, but I was still excited to get a "backstage pass" into the Warner Brothers Lot. Unfortunately, it wasn't customized or as unique as I was hoping.
First off, the little trams are too small and more than likely you will not be able to sit next to your friends and family. I basically experienced the tour on my own when we were traveling from place to place (about half of the tour time which was in total around 2.5 hours).
Here is the list of our experiences (props, costumes, facts): Harry Potter, Aquaman, 1 sound stage of a random TV show, "Friends" look-alike coffee shop, Fuller House exterior, Batman, General America Set (open aired), A Star is Born Costumes, Oscars area.
Ultimately, I felt like our tour guide gave us general facts that I could have found on the internet and barely could provide any real "backstage secrets" which is why people seek out these tours in the first place. I felt like our guide assumed no one knew anything about movies or film terms and felt like I was being talked down to instead of "let's experience this together" sort of mentality. The tour didn't feel authentic or original and it felt scripted and stagnant. We passed Conan O'Brien on the street while he was getting out of his car and he was passed by quickly and missed by mostly everyone as we rode past because the guide didn't point out this "backstage perk" to anyone.
Warner Brothers seemed to be pushing Friends! Harry Potter! If you didn't like these movies or TV shows, then you basically would be out of luck. These exhibits can change frequently, but some still felt old and needing to be rotated out.
Furthermore, I wish that the tours were more original and felt less like an attempt to make money and sell merchandise. It makes me sad that the movie magic feeling was not present in one of the magical and historic places in Hollywood.