This is a review for the 6-hour Deluxe Tour. 3 hours guided, 1-hour fine dining at the WB…read moreCommissary, free snack/drink at Central Perk Cafe.
Pro-Tip: If after the tour and you have to hop back on the freeway to go home (during rush hour), you can kill some time at the Burbank Town Center Mall that is close by.
Easy to find the parking lot, everything is clearly labeled and they charge $15 for the day. Go down the looney toons elevator (level G) and you are now in the lobby. You will have to go through metal detectors. If you get there early, you can hang out at one of the most expensive Starbucks to relax. The bathroom is near the gift shop.
You can also go into "check in" area and look at some cool stuff. They ask that you arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled time. The 30 minutes is KEY for the Deluxe Tour.
I checked in around 9am with Michael for our 930am tour. He said we are early and go ahead and have a seat and he will call us when ready.
(THIS IS WRONG! HE DUCKED OUT AFTER SCANNING OUR TICKET BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE OF A DIFFERENT RACE, HE SAID, "OH, YOU HAVE THE DELUXE, LET ME GIVE YOU YOUR LANDYARDS." I WITNESS THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN. WHEN HE LEFT THE COUNTER AGAIN, I ASKED A DIFFERENT PERSON FOR OUR LANYARDS)
Michael NEVER called us and forgot about us. This is BS because if you have the Deluxe Tour, your name is on the list. He claimed we were just added, nope! I saw my name on the list and he crossed it out. The lanyard is important because on the bottom of it, is a voucher (don't tear) that is good at Central Perk for a free snack and drink. Michael, you are a POS, how hard is it to bend down and give me 4 lanyards? I know what you were doing but I was there with my two kids. I showed them how to handle things when someone is being "selective" in treatment.
After the 930pm group is called, you are invited into a lounge. Feel free to take advantage and get some pastries, chips, other snacks, cold drinks, and coffee. The silverware and cups must stay in the lounge. Hopefully, you didn't buy anything at Starbucks. Then give you a count down when the tour will start, use the bathroom outside at this point. If you don't need to, trust me, do it. In the lounge, we were also offered a complementary admission to the Superman experience (do it).
Then you go into a movie theater to watch a quick 5-minute video before meeting your tour guide. Our tour guide was Alejandro and he was wonderful. Super cool and turned our day around quickly. He is full of energy and knowledge and you can tell he enjoys his job. Alejandro took us around the studio and empty sets and explained how movies were made and which movies were made with each specific set. We would go to a different part and get out and walk. Alejandro did such a good job and that is why I am rating this 5 stars. We were able to see the costumes department and they have tons of clothes from different eras. Pictures were not allowed in there. After visiting a few areas and actually a stage (think warehouse) and the sound department (how the mix in effects plus music), we took our first break at the exclusive WB Commissary. The best part was that Alejandro was about to join us for lunch (working lunch). Lunch was delicious and top notch. You can order a starter and entree and they are sensitive to guests with allergies. A drink is also included. After lunch, we made our way to the prop department and it is amazing at some of the stuff they have in there.
After the guided tour, it was time for Alejandro to say bye to us for the self-guided portion. Right at the Central Perk. No snacks are allowed in the exhibits room on left so we did that area first and saw the costumes for Mortal Kombat, a few cool things, and photo OP on the Friends and Big Bang Theory Couch. Give them your phone. They will also take a picture too and hand you a QR card. Then you can do a motion video of Harry Potter riding the broom or Batman in the motorcycle and they take the picture at the end. You are not allowed to photo or film while you are doing this on the green screen. Then show the QR code and maybe you want to buy a picture or two? There is another sound stage presentation similar to the one we did on the tour but different movie. A few exhibits and we were back into Central Perk again to cash in for a free drink and free snack. I decided on a blended drink and apple fritter. My kids took chips and bottle of lemonade. Inside the giftshop was the counter of Central Perk, the sofa again inside the coffee shop, Monica's kitchen, etc.
It was close to 4pm at this point and we did the Superman Experience and they take to the Friends fountain for a quick picture. Then it's off to play your game and afterwards, you can explore the exhibits inside the Fortress of Solitude. You can take pictures and buy them afterwards. There is a giftshop too. Then shuttle to Batman and Harry Potter stuff. Great day!