Anbody Ever Attend Taping of a TV Show?

[Zippa D Doodah]

I obtained tickets to the taping of Disney Channel's "Pair of Kings" show during our upcoming vacation. Tickets come with fairly detailed instructions about when and where to show up, how long to expect to stay, etc. I was just wondering what the experience might be like. My kids are naturally excited, but will it be worth the while? Is there more waiting around than anything?

 

[Valencia Joe]

I obtained tickets to the taping of Disney Channel's "Pair of Kings" show during our upcoming vacation. Tickets come with fairly detailed instructions about when and where to show up, how long to expect to stay, etc. I was just wondering what the experience might be like. My kids are naturally excited, but will it be worth the while? Is there more waiting around than anything?

Just expect a LONG wait, and lots of just sitting there, WAITING. Also, remember that the tickets do not provide you a guaranteed seat. You could show up at a taping, wait in line to go in, and end up not getting in at all. You could end up getting bumped by friends of the cast and production crew. That happened to me once where I was the 6th person in line and did not get in because there was large groups of people that were friends of the production crew that were admitted ahead of me. If you do get lucky and get to see the taping, be forewarned that it may last a long time. I went to a 30 minute sitcom taping once that started around 6 and ended up ending just before midnight.

 

[eduk8r26]

I've been to tapings of America's Got Talent and Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader recently. The wait times depend upon the show. Yes, you will wait until you are called into the studio. Then there's more waiting while they seat you where they want you to sit. Usually once they get started taping, it's a final run-through, so it doesn't take too long. But you can expect to take up to 4 hours all together.

 

[gojoe]

Wow, until you asked I had forgotten about all about it. 10 years ago we went to the Slim Time Live Show at Universal's Nickelodeon. My daughter was the hair dress of the host so we got a real back stage tour. It was great, we sat in on a script reading and all the actors made us feel very welcome. My granddaughter was very very shy and did not want to be slimmed, too bad.
Well to answer your question there was a ton of waiting. They did keep us entertained while we waited. We learned how to clap and laugh and cheer and smile on cue. I think it would be a good experience.
One of the last pod cast has a report about seeing the Jimmy Kimmel show

 

[Maddie2]

We went to a taping of Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventure when we were in CA in January of this year. It is a show set to be on Nickelodeon, but has yet to air - though they continue to tape, so it must be coming on at some point.

The show was supposed to start at 5:00, so we arrived around 3:30. We waited in line for a long time and lucked out that we got in. There were only 9 people in front of us in line and then they took our family of 4 and that was it. The other 40+ people behind us did not get in. However, just after we went in, a busload of kids from a CA middle school came in. Evidently the studios pay schools to bring in lots of excitable (read LOUD) teens to go crazy at every goofy joke. I talked to one of the chaperones and they used it as a fieldtrip for deserving students. The studios pay $5 per kid plus provide a meal and send a bus for the kids. Great deal for them; not so great deal for families that get tickets and wait in line for hours and then not get in.

From what I understand, seating is limited at most studios - not a ton of space. Hopefully you will get in, but prepare your kids in case you do not. Have a plan B.

Our experience was quite fun - and eye-opening for our kids. They watch TV a little differently now, knowing how things are set up and worked through. I think it took away a bit of the magic, but that's ok. It took about 5 hours to shoot one 30 minutes (less commercials) episode.

Good Luck!

 

[undertheradar]

Many local college and hs groups fundraise by providing audience members.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Thanks for all the input, folks. It sounds like you are confirming what I thought to be the case -attending a taping involves a lot of waiting. That helps with my planning

 

[Quinnie]

I took my 16 year old son to tapings of Ellen and Americas Got Talent this year. There was a lot of waiting, but with Ellen, they keep you busy with other entertainment and also let you check in and then leave. With America's Got Talent, the wait wasn't as long as there was plenty to do as far as people watching on the back lot, talking to the other people waiting, etc. I think if you have an older child (say 10 and up), it is a blast to see what really goes on behind the scenes. If you have younger ones than that, I don't know ... the waiting and the unpredictability might not make it worth it.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Looks like we will pass on the taping. When I explained things to the family we all agreed that it was best not to gamble on tix for a taping of a show. If something serendipitous happens while we are in the Hollywood area then we will enjoy it though