Sony Picture Studio Tour Farmers Market, The Grove Update 9/14/07 #11

[Goofster57]

We had Friends visiting us from New York for a week and we did some of the touristy things with them while they were here. One of the things we did was take the Sony Pictures Studio Tour.

Here is the spill from their website;
Take the Sony Pictures Studios Tour and step back into a legendary time. Located on one of the world's most famous studio lots, our walking tour gives you a rare glimpse of old Hollywood's glory days and an insider's view of a state-of-the-art motion picture studio.

Not only is this the studio where the Yellow Brick Road once wound through Munchkin Land, it is also the place where the agents from "Men In Black" battled aliens from outer space and Spider-Man catapulted from skyscraper to skyscraper. Our dynamic studio tour guides will shed light on the film and television production process by taking you to various soundstages and by sharing tales of days gone by. You may even have the chance to visit the sets of the hit game shows "Jeopardy!" or "Wheel of Fortune."

Filled with movie, television and commercial productions on any given day, you never know what- or who- will be just around the corner!

Tours depart daily Monday through Friday from Sony Pictures Plaza
Regular studio tour times are 9:30am, 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm (call for availability)
Summer Twilight tour time is 6:30pm, June 14-September 28, 2007.
Reservations highly recommended
Admission is $25 per person
Children ages 12 and older are welcome
Free parking in Sony Pictures Plaza
Includes visit to our exclusive Studio Emporium
Customized group tours available

Here is the outside of Sony Picture Plaza

Here are a few shots of inside

After checking in for the tour we were given our lanyard tags to identify us as tour guest and told we could walk around the lobby and look at the many displays of movie memorabilia.

Spiderman

Here are some things from Talladega Nights
Hey Blue is this what Grumpy looked like?

Ghost Rider

Da Vinci Code

Battlestar Galactica

Stuart Little

Jumanji

And Sleepless in Seattle

I have reached my picture limit so stay tuned for the next installment.

 

[blue_river]

We had Friends visiting us from New York for a week and we did some of the touristy things with them while they were here. One of the things we did was take the Sony Pictures Studio Tour.

It's about time you had an update

Here are some things from Talladega Nights
Hey Blue is this what Grumpy looked like?

Pretty close!
Except he wasn't sponsoring bread

And Sleepless in Seattle

Loved that movie

Okay that was cool.....and I finished rather quickly.

Waiting for some more

Told you I wasn't busy today.

 

[Goofster57]

Waiting for some more

Boy you are an impatient little gal aren't you....

 

[Disneyolic]

Love it. I didn't even know you could tour that and I've been out to CA a bunch of times. Having family there really takes time away from precious touring!!!!

Okay more please....

 

[Danauk]

I can't wait for more either, DH and I are going to do this tour on our CA trip next year (and the Warner Bros, Paramount and Universal VIP one!! Can you tell we are interested in backstage movie stuff!)

 

[blue_river]

Boy you are an impatient little gal aren't you....

 

[Goofster57]

Okay so after getting to look around the lobby for a few minutes we were called to the center of the lobby for our tour briefing were we were given the general rules of the tour, most of them were pretty much common sense

Now for some reason the guide looked at me specifically when talking about not approaching any stars that we may recognize while on the tour. Whats up with that?

We started the tour with a 20 minute movie recapping the history of the Studio; this was presented in a small theater off the lobby;

We then headed across the street from the Sony Plaza to the Back lot area of the studios

Our first stop was the Thalberg Building, which is currently the world headquarters of Columbia Pictures. We got to go in the lobby and look at some actual Oscars that have been received by the Studio for Best Picture.

Side Note;
We called to confirm if we could bring cameras or not. We were told that still camera were allowed, but not movie cameras, sounded good, until our rules meeting in the lobby.
Our Guide informed us that we could take pictures in the lobby of the Plaza and on “Main Street” and that was it, so unfortunately I do not have pictures of all the places we went.

From the Thalberg building we went to “Main Street” which is your basis façade street, we were allowed to take picture here so here they are.

Back to no pictures

From “Main Street” we went to a “Scoring Sound Stage” this is a sound stage used to score the movies such as “The Wizard of OZ, Jurassic Park and Spiderman. This was a very large empty building where they could bring in an Orchestra and record the music that goes with the movies. There was a control booth on one side and a large screen on the other, they play the movie and the Conductor watches it while conducting the orchestra. I noticed that a Studio Security Guard stayed with the tour the whole time we were in this building. There was nothing inside except folding chairs and music stands.

After leaving the Scoring Sound Stage we weaved our way through the streets of the studio and our guide pointed out where back in the hay day of the studios the stars quarters were located, which were now all office spaces, we passed what was once the Studio School for child stars, which ironically was named after Joan Crawford. Now it houses the on site catering company for movie crews that are shooting on the Studio lot.

Our next destination was the largest sound stage in North America that was pretty much empty, they were building some sets for an up coming movie starring Will Smith titled “John Hancock” but all they had up at the time of our visit was some stud walls covered in drywall board, our guide informed us that when fished it would be a hospital scene.

From the Will Smith set we headed over to a working sound stage (they were not shooting on the day of our visit) for the currently running Television Sitcom ‘Til Death’ starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher. We took seats in the live audience area and our guide told us about how all of the equipment we saw would be used. There were some what he called three-wall sets, this are sets that only have three walls, the open walls are facing the audience and the cameras.

We then went to the sound stage were Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are taped,

I don’t care what the rules are if Vanna White is there

all bets are off

We only got to go to the Jeopardy Set (Dang) we spent about 20 minutes hearing about how the show is done. This Sound Stage was much smaller then we had imagined, it only holds about 75-80 audience members, and Alex’s podium, the Contestants podiums and the game board are almost on top of each other.

Upon leaving the Jeopardy set we headed back to “Main Street” and the ”Exclusive Studio Emporium” to spend the last 20 minutes of our tour

This was a very big disappointment, the shelves were virtually empty. They had a lot of CD’s and DVD’s of Sony productions and a couple of T-Shirts and Sweat Shirts with the Sony logo and that was about it.

After finishing our shopping in the “Exclusive Studio Store” we headed back across the street and that was the end of our tour.

We did enjoy the tour, but we did not feel it was worth the $25.00 price tag, it was billed as a 2 hour tour; we spent 15 minutes watching a movie, 20 minutes in the Studio Store and only about 80 minutes on the tour.

Oh we did get to keep our Studio Guest Lanyard Badges

If you are coming to Southern California and want to do a Studio Tour I would suggest that you do the Warner Brothers or Universal Studio tours.

From the Studio we headed to Farmers Market and The Grove for lunch and shopping, but those I’ll save for another time.

 

[Disneyolic]

Yes...I guess I wouldn't do that tour. My kids would be flipping bored. But I'm glad I got to live it through you! Thanks!

We did Universal Studios Hollywood before and liked that. Probably do it again if time permits. Okay, what's next for touring? Let's see...do you have any of Santa Monica Pier?

Darn it. I forgot I'm only on page 15 of your other TR. Back to that I go!

 

[blue_river]

I've been meaning to get over here...seriously, it's like these TR's are hidden in the back 40 or something.

Now for some reason the guide looked at me specifically when talking about not approaching any stars that we may recognize while on the tour. Whats up with that?

Gee I wonder.....

Side Note;
We called to confirm if we could bring cameras or not. We were told that still camera were allowed, but not movie cameras, sounded good, until our rules meeting in the lobby.
Our Guide informed us that we could take pictures in the lobby of the Plaza and on “Main Street” and that was it, so unfortunately I do not have pictures of all the places we went.

Why do they make these stupid rules?

I noticed that a Studio Security Guard stayed with the tour the whole time we were in this building. There was nothing inside except folding chairs and music stands.

Wonder what they thought people might do????

We then went to the sound stage were Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are taped,

I don’t care what the rules are if Vanna White is there

all bets are off

Now that would have been neat to see.

We did enjoy the tour, but we did not feel it was worth the $25.00 price tag, it was billed as a 2 hour tour; we spent 15 minutes watching a movie, 20 minutes in the Studio Store and only about 80 minutes on the tour.

Oh we did get to keep our Studio Guest Lanyard Badges

Ya, I kind of agree with DM...it doesn't look that exciting.

Cool badges though

From the Studio we headed to Farmers Market and The Grove for lunch and shopping, but those I’ll save for another time.

It's another time already

 

[Disneyolic]

It's another time already

You heard the woman....another time it is!

 

[Goofster57]

It's another time already

You heard the woman....another time it is!

Women they are always so pushy, I guess they think if they Bully and Nag us Men they will get their way.....Unbeliviable


So here is the next installment of my Los Angeles trip with friends

After the Sony Picture Studio Tour we head over to have lunch at Farmers market of Los Angeles and stroll the The Grove which features upscale shopping (expensive), dining, and a movie theater. Here is a short pictorial of the two places.

When you walk in any of the multiple entrances to Farmers Market they have their World Famous Carts waiting for you.

You can use these carts to carry your purchases of goodies

Strawberries

Citrus of Plenty

Apples of every variety

Pies and Pastries

Bananas

Well the stickers anyway

They have a number of eating establishments were you can get some lunch

Then right outside the back of the Farmers Market is “The Grove” a very upscale shopping Mecca. Here are a few shots from there.

The American Girl Store

This is the Trolley that you can take from Farmers Market to the other end of “The Grove” for a nominal charge

Well that concludes my trip to Los Angeles with friends, since these are the only Friends I have and they only come to town every two or three years I guess I will have to go back to Disneyland and continue my reports from their.

I would like to take a trip to Hollywood Blvd, but can't find anyone that will go with me, probably just as well since I probably couldn't post it here on the DIS

 

[Disneyolic]

Women they are always so pushy, I guess they think if they Bully and Nag us Men they will get their way.....Unbeliviable


So here is the next installment of my Los Angeles trip with friends

Well, it works!

Well that concludes my trip to Los Angeles with friends, since these are the only Friends I have and they only come to town every two or three years I guess I will have to go back to Disneyland and continue my reports from their.

I would like to take a trip to Hollywood Blvd, but can't find anyone that will go with me, probably just as well since I probably couldn't post it here on the DIS

Ah...maybe when we all come out there you can take us to Hollywood & Vine. I've been there before but not in a long long time. It's really thrilling. I was a teenager and I remember giggling at a man in pink pants carrying a purse. That was before I grew up and became mature, at least some of the time.

 

[Goofster57]

Well, it works!

No Way , I was going to post the next update anyway...No Really I was!

Ah...maybe when we all come out there you can take us to Hollywood & Vine. I've been there before but not in a long long time. It's really thrilling.

Sounds good to me, I am sure it would be a blast..everyone is responsible for their own Bail Money and Blue I don't think they take that Canadian Stuff

I was a teenager and I remember giggling at a man in pink pants carrying a purse.

What year was it that Buzz said he was out here...

That was before I grew up and became mature, at least some of the time. [/COLOR]

Oh Yeah thanks for pointing that out

 

[blue_river]

Women they are always so pushy, I guess they think if they Bully and Nag us Men they will get their way.....Unbeliviable

HEY

Someone once said "we only harass the ones we love."

Sorry I'm late Goofster

When you walk in any of the multiple entrances to Farmers Market they have their World Famous Carts waiting for you.

Odd looking carts! Way too deep for me...I wouldn't be able to reach down to the bottom

The American Girl Store

Is the store Kathy is talkin' bout in her TR with those dolls??

I would like to take a trip to Hollywood Blvd, but can't find anyone that will go with me, probably just as well since I probably couldn't post it here on the DIS

I get it now

 

[blue_river]

Sounds good to me, I am sure it would be a blast..everyone is responsible for their own Bail Money and Blue I don't think they take that Canadian Stuff

What about monopoly money?

What year was it that Buzz said he was out here...

Too bad he won't see this. Pretty sure he'll never be able to find his way here unless we take him by the hand

Heh Heh

Don't tell him I said that!

 

[Goofster57]

Someone once said "we only harass the ones we love."

That guy sounds like a loser, he probably used the line “What’s your Sign Baby”

Odd looking carts! Way too deep for me...I wouldn't be able to reach down to the bottom

I was thinking that you could stand in it and the girls could roll you around the market

Is the store Kathy is talkin' bout in her TR with those dolls??

That’s it, floor upon floor of nothing but dolls, doll clothing, doll accessories, doll luggage, doll food, doll hair care products, doll…..well you get the point

I get it now

What’s that saying a picture is worth a thousand words.

What about monopoly money?

You go ahead and try that and let us know how it works out.
I’ll start making you a cake with a file in it.

Too bad he won't see this. Pretty sure he'll never be able to find his way here unless we take him by the hand

Heh Heh

Don't tell him I said that!

Me? I wont say a thing…

 

[blue_river]

That guy sounds like a loser, he probably used the line “What’s your Sign Baby”

Pisces

I was thinking that you could stand in it and the girls could roll you around the market

I may or may not have done that with the regular shopping carts - just sayin'

You go ahead and try that and let us know how it works out.
I’ll start making you a cake with a file in it.

Me? I wont say a thing…

I trust you..............