Hooray for Hollywood! Studio Tours With No Theme Park Ticket Required

So, you think Universal Studios has a monopoly on revealing the pulleys, green screens, and coffee-guzzling extras behind Hollywood’s magic? Think again, my Tinseltown-curious friend. In the land of $5 lattes and perpetual sunshine, where every waiter has a screenplay, and every barista is between auditions, you have options—a whole smorgasbord of them, actually. Forget the theme park fanfare for a moment. Did you know you can actually traipse through some of Hollywood’s most iconic studios without ever having to dodge a stroller or endure another tram ride through a 3D CGI Fast and the Furious tunnel?

Buckle up, because we’re about to take you on a guided tour of movie studio tours, sans the theme park lines. From Warner Bros. hitting the big 1-0-0 to the selfie heaven that is Central Perk, we’re unveiling the backlots that have been hiding in plain sight. So sit back, relax, and remember: you’re not in Kansas anymore. Welcome to the land where dreams, and occasionally your favorite TV shows, are made…

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Disney isn’t the only 100-year-old studio in town; Warner Bros. is also celebrating its milestone 100^th anniversary in 2023, plus the Warner Bros. Studio Tour turns 50 this year.

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood not only offers a behind-the-scenes look at where some of the most iconic movies and television shows were made but also features theme park-worthy interactive experiences that immerse guests in the DC Universe and Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

“The tour prides itself on being a personalized, exclusive, and intimate experience – and that hasn’t changed,” said VP and General Manager Danny Kahn, who’s overseen the tour for nearly half its 50 years. “The tour has evolved over the past 50 years, but what makes it special, unique, and repeatable is the time you have with your expert tour guide. It’s such a great opportunity to learn more about how and where we shot some of the most memorable scenes in movie and TV history.”

TV fans can also literally step into the Central Perk set from “Friends” and the boys’ apartment set from ”The Big Bang Theory,” which Kahn says, was immediately moved from Stage 25 when the show wrapped production after 16 seasons – and yes, you can actually sit in Sheldon spot.

“Friends” fans can also pose for selfies at the “Friends Fountain” on the studio’s backlot.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood offers four different tour experiences:

• Studio Tour (about 3 hours) – Includes the Storytelling Showcase, a guided tour around the movie studio’s iconic backlot, Stage 48: Script to Screen interactive exhibits, and the Action and Magic Made Here finale featuring costumes, props, and vehicles from the DC universe and magical interactive experiences from The Wizarding World. Prices are $70 for adults ages 11+, $60 for kids ages 5-10, and $58 for SoCal residents ages 5+.
• Studio Tour Plus (about 4 hours) – Includes everything on the original Studio Tour plus a welcome reception (coffee, juice, water, soft drinks, and an assortment of pastries and snacks), an expanded two-hour guided tour on the backlot, and lunch in Central Perk Café (one hot or cold entrée, one side, and one hot or cold beverage). Prices are $150 for adults ages 11+, $129 for kids ages 5-10, and $126 for SoCal residents ages 5+.
• Deluxe Tour (about 6 hours) – Includes all the elements of the Studio Tour Plus, with an expanded three-hour guided tour on the backlot, plus a visit to the Property Department, lunch at the Commissary Fine Dining Room, and a beverage and snack at Central Perk Café. The price is $300 per person ages 5+.
• Classics Tour (about 3 hours) – Focuses award-winning titles from the “Golden Age” of film and TV that shot on the studio’s backlot from the early days through the 1970s. Prices are $70 for adults ages 11+, $60 for kids ages 5-10, and $58 for SoCal residents ages 5+.

Advanced purchase is recommended, but a limited number of same-day tour tickets may be available. The minimum age is 5. Click here for more information and to book a tour. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Welcome Center (including the WB Studio Store) is open to the public without a tour ticket.

From Nov. 6-19, 2023, the first annual Warner Bros. Art Expo will feature appearances by Warner Bros. artists and creators, plus original drawings, hand-painted animation cels, and fine art limited edition signed prints from iconic Warner Bros. characters and franchises, including DC, Looney Tunes, and Harry Potter. Pieces will also be available for purchase.

The Warner Bros. Art Expo will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Welcome Center lobby. It’s free to attend but reservations are recommended (click here to save your spot).

Sony Pictures Studio Tour

Known for its massive rainbow sculpture (in honor of one of its iconic movies), Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, Calif. (formally MGM Studios) is one of the most historic studio lots in the world.

The studio’s two-hour guided walking tours include visits to the sound stages where classics like “The Wizard of Oz” (hence, the rainbow); modern hits like “Men in Black” and “Spider-Man;” and the beloved game shows “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” were (and in some cases, still are) filmed.

• Two-Hour Daily Walking Tour ($55 per person plus fees) – Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. (additional tour times may be added during peak seasons).
• Two-Hour Twilight Walking Tour ($55 per person plus fees ) – Thursday evenings at 6 p.m.
• Two-Hour Coffee & Conversations Golf Cart Tour ($150 per person plus fees) – Monday through Friday at 3 p.m. Includes a stop at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on the lot and a souvenir photo.
• Three-hour VIP Lunch Golf Cart Tour ($200 per person plus fees) – Monday through Friday at 11 a.m. (tours are limited to 5 guests). Includes a three-course meal in the Sony Commissary Dining room (with a menu from Wolfgang Puck). VIP tour guests receive a souvenir photo and an employee discount on all merchandise in the Sony Studio Store.

Reservations are required, and the minimum age is 12. Click here for more information and to book a tour.

Paramount Studio Tour

The guided tour through Hollywood’s first major movie studio includes visits to iconic locations like the often photographed Bronson Gate, New York Street, and prop warehouse, all adding up to a history lesson about Paramount’s 110-year legacy.

Among the movies and TV shows filmed at Paramount are “Forrest Gump,” “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,” “Spider-Man 3,” and “Mission: Impossible,” plus the sitcoms “The Brady Bunch,” “Cheers,” “Frasier,” “Happy Days,” “Mork and Mindy,” and “Taxi.”

Two-Hour Daily Tour ($128 including fees) – 19 tour times daily (including weekends) between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Two hours not enough? The 4.5-hour guided VIP Tour ($215 per person including fees) is not only more than twice as long, it’s more than twice as exclusive, with access to the lot’s Sound Stages and Paramount’s Archives facilities for an up close and personal look at props and set items from past productions. The VIP tour also includes breakfast on the 9 a.m. tour or lunch on the 9:30 a.m. tour.

Reservations are highly advised, and the minimum age is 10. Click here for more information and to book a tour.

Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Tour

Which brings us back to Universal. In addition to the standard tram tour available to all theme park guests, Universal also offers a VIP tour, which includes a special backlot tour aboard a VIP trolley with exclusive behind-the-scenes access (those are the lucky people you see walking through the “War of the World” sets from the trams).

VIP Tour Tickets start at $369 per person and include complimentary valet parking; one-day park admission with express access to each ride, attraction, and seated show; a guided tour (including the backlot); snacks and refreshments; and an exclusive VIP meal in a private dining room.

Maximum 13 guests per guide, and the minimum age is 5. Click here for more information and to buy tickets.

What about Walt Disney Studios?

Sadly, Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, does not offer public tours; however, there are two ways to secure a visit.

1. Official Walt Disney Studios Tour Presented by D23

When available, D23 Members can register for a two-and-a-half-hour walking tour of The Walt Disney Studios.

The exclusive tours visit the original animation building, where classics like “Cinderella,” “Lady and the Tramp,” and “The Jungle Book” were created and sound stages used for filming live-action movies like “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” “Mary Poppins,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”

The tour also includes Legends Plaza (which showcases the hand prints of all the Disney Legends who made significant contributions to the Disney legacy), the Walt Disney Archives (where Disney history is stored and protected), and even Walt’s office suite. Plus, of course, “shopportunities” at the Disney Studio Store and Employee Center to purchase items only available at the studio.

Members can reserve a ticket for themselves and one guest (limit of one tour each calendar year). Availability is limited and the minimum age is 10. Click here for more information about D23 Member events.

2. Adventures by Disney Disneyland Resort and Southern California Escape

The four-day Adventures by Disney SoCal Escape itinerary not only includes multi-day tickets to the Disneyland theme parks (with a coveted visit to Walt’s apartment overlooking Main Street, U.S.A.), but also tours of Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Studios.

While it may be the costliest way to tour the Disney studio (starting at $3,299 per person), keep in mind, you’ll also get a stay at the posh Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, theme park tickets, six meals – including dinner at the famous Tam O’Shanter Restaurant where Walt and his team of animators and Imagineers worked on ideas for Disneyland park – and many other magical moments.

The minimum age is 5, but 6+ is recommended. For more information about the Adventures by Disney SoCal Escape visit our travel partners at Get Away Today (HERE). If you call, always ask for the MiceChat discount.