World-Famous Studio Tour
Universal Studios Hollywood · Studio Tour Plaza
Overview
This hour-long tram tour winds through Universal's actual working film and television backlot, passing real standing sets — including the Psycho house, Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives, and the New York street backlot — while also running through two large-format special-effects sequences: King Kong 360 3-D and the Fast & Furious — Supercharged finale. Unlike most theme park attractions, this one shows guests genuine production infrastructure rather than purely themed environments, tying directly back to the park's original identity as a working studio. Live narrators guide most tours, giving each run some day-to-day variation in commentary and jokes.
ParksLog verdict
The attraction that explains why this park exists in the first place, and still one of the best studio tours anywhere. The blend of real, working backlot with two genuinely impressive built-in effects sequences gives it more substance than a typical tram tour. Ride it early, and treat it as the one attraction you build the rest of your day around.
About this experience
Guided tram tour through real film and television backlots, with show scenes, special effects demonstrations, and iconic sets. Includes experiences such as King Kong 360 and Fast & Furious — Supercharged.
Best for
- Film and TV production fans
- Guests wanting the park's signature, must-do experience
- Families looking for a long, air-conditioned-adjacent break with real scale
Tips
- Ride it early in the day if possible — waits build quickly and it's long enough that timing affects the rest of your schedule.
- Sit toward the outer edge of the tram for the best sightlines during the effects sequences.
- The tour includes real, still-active studio backlot areas, so the specific sets on view can vary if filming is in progress.
Details
History
The Studio Tour dates back to 1964, when Universal Studios Hollywood began offering guided tram tours of its working backlot as the founding attraction of what would become the theme park. It has been continuously updated over six decades with new effects sequences, including King Kong 360 3-D and Fast & Furious — Supercharged, while retaining its core identity as a real backlot tour.
Fun facts
- It dates back to 1964, making it the original attraction from which the entire Universal Studios Hollywood theme park grew.
- The tour passes real standing sets used in actual film and TV productions, not purely built-for-tourists facades.
- It includes two major built-in effects sequences, King Kong 360 3-D and Fast & Furious — Supercharged, each staged as its own mini-attraction within the hour-long tour.