Universal Studios Hollywood celebrates 60 years of taking fans behind the scenes

Guests board one of the famous Glamor trams, redesigned this year to feature their original iconic red and white stripes, and tour the live studios. They can get a sneak peek at a new show or movie currently in production, walk through recognizable locations from their favorite shows, or get the chance to walk through a preserved setting if they're part of a VIP tour .

The entire experience, which is included as part of your Universal Studios Hollywood park ticket, is further enhanced by the tour's brilliant guides and drivers, who are full of a million anecdotes to suit all interests.

If this level of detail and information sounds appealing to you, we highly recommend checking out the VIP version of the tour, which is included in a Universal Studios Hollywood VIP wrap. One of the main benefits of this version of the tour is the ability to get off the bus and explore the settings and locations on foot.

Customers can walk Desperate housewives' Wisteria Lane, stroll the square in the center of The right placeand cross the Jupiter concession, almost destroyed, from No. Even without the hop-off element, seeing these amazing installations up close is undeniably special.

The tour also includes moments intended to show other aspects of the filmmaking process. At one point, a short ride through a town in Mexico is interrupted by a flash flood, and guests get to see how physical special effects can be used in the blink of an eye before immediately being reset.

To celebrate the attraction's 60th anniversary, Universal Studios also added or brought back some fan-favorite elements from the tour's history, such as the “EarthquakeThe Big One” attraction that debuted during the studio tour in 1989. Visitors can also hop off during the tour for memorable photo ops with a giant king. Original Kong backdrop and suspension from theme parks Jaws shark.

There are also some slightly sillier aspects of the tour, like a Fast and Furious– inspired “ride” which features slightly strung CG (and more strung performances from the familia). This is a bit of a shame because a) it takes you away from the unique appeal of the attraction, and b) Universal Studios has managed this kind of ride in different formats elsewhere (i.e. King Kong 360).

The tour also includes amazing recreations of classic movie scenes and sets. Without spoiling too much, a short drive through Amity Bay makes an alarming detour and a quick visit to the Bates Motel will make you very much appreciate your own Hollywood accommodations.

A slightly less flashy element of the Universal Studios Hollywood VIP Studio Tour is a visit to a vast accessories warehouse. This might not seem like the most exciting place in a theme park, but it's cool for a very specific reason.

Filled with chairs, tables, armor, and everything else that makes up the fictional worlds of television and film, the warehouse is a reminder of the amount of work that goes into creating the things we watch and love.

On top of that, it reminds us that real people make movies. There is a whole community of people working on every element of entertainment that we all enjoy and the Studio Tour brings that to life in a truly exciting way.

This may seem obvious to say, but it seems pretty important to point out in 2024, as we contemplate a somewhat dystopian potential future for the entertainment industry.

Despite SAG-AFTRA's victories after last year's strikes, discussions around artificial intelligence and how it can “streamline” the production process still abound.

This is worrying not only because AI is fundamentally anti-art, lacking the creative impetus needed to create interesting and engaging entertainment, but also because it alienates people from an industry that has built itself on the backs of hundreds of professions, skills and trades.

At the end of the day, people make movies. They sweat over the smallest details and that's what makes art and entertainment special and visiting the studios gives you a glimpse of that. When you see, for example, a hundred coffee tables all slightly different lined up, all meticulously recorded, preserved and chosen for specific purposes, it's a bit overwhelming.

The Studio Tour celebrates its 60th anniversary the same year that the Hollywood brand celebrates its 100th anniversary. As the entertainment industry looks to the future, encouraging moviegoers to think about the way things were made and reminding them of the love and craftsmanship that go into it can only be a good thing . Plus, it's a good time.

Universal Studios Hollywood Buy 1 day, get 2nd day free special. Tickets cost from 92/102 per person, booking via Ticketattractions.com. Tickets are ready at the gate, providing instant entry to the park, bypassing ticket and voucher lines. The second visit to Universal Studios Hollywood can be made anytime within six days of the first visit. To book, visit www.attractiontickets.com

Ali has been covering television and film for over four years, all while battling digital spies. social networks And video channels – for which he received a PPA 30 Under 30 award. He specializes in writing about anime, LGBTQ+ representation, science fiction, and comic book adaptations. Recently, he started collecting Star Wars interviews like Infinity Stones and spoke with The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal, Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy, and the creative team behind The Bad Batch. Dave Filoni, it's your turn next.