Saturday, July 16, 2005
Tours offer the chance to see everything from soap operas in production to the famed yellow brick road.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Looking for an insider's view of your favorite show? Consider a studio tour on your next visit to the Los Angeles area. Just remember to call ahead to make reservations and double-check schedules, as times and routes can vary.
Warner Bros. VIP Tour (4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, 818-972-8687) includes a trolley ride through back-lot sets, sound stages and craft shops where guests are likely to see productions in progress, followed by a final stop at the Warner Bros. Museum. The two-hour tours are offered every half-hour on weekdays beginning at 8:30 a.m., and each tour is slightly different, customized where possible to guests' interests. Tickets are $39, ages 8 and up. For a more in-depth look, four-hour deluxe tours are offered daily at 10:30 a.m. for $125.
Sony (10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, 323-520-8687) has a two-hour guided indoor and outdoor walking tour offering a glimpse of old Hollywood (you'll see where Dorothy's yellow brick road once was). Tours are 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $25, ages 12 and up.
Paramount (5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, 323-956-1777) has a two-hour behind-the-scenes tour of the studios that created "The Godfather" and "Titanic." Tour times are 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are $35, ages 12 and up.
NBC (3000 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, 818-840-3537) has a 70-minute behind-the-scenes tour of NBC studios, which may include glimpses of the "Tonight" show and "Days of Our Lives" sets. Tours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays; adults, $7.50 and kids 5 to 12, $4.
Perhaps the best-known tour is a tram ride to see movie sets -- from classics to "War of the Worlds" -- and special effects demonstrations at Universal Studios Hollywood. Admission to the theme park, which also has rides, shops and live entertainment, is $53 for adults and $43 for children; details at www.universalstudioshollywood.com.
But there is also an all-day VIP Studio Tour Experience of movie and production facilities offered daily at $149 a person, ages 5 and up (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 818-622-5120).