Drive from Disney to Warner Brothers?

[finnster77]

Our family is going on a once in a lifetime trip to Anaheim this June. We staying on West Katella and walking to the parks, but will have a rented car. The rest of my family really wants to take the Warner Brothers Studio tour. But, Anaheim Tour Company charges $140 a piece for transportation, ticket, and some sight seeing that we really aren't interested in. The tour itself is $69.

Would it be nuts to try to drive to the studio? It's 38 miles away, but mapquest says it will take an hour and a half. I've heard horror stories about LA traffic, and I also realize that Warner Bros. will tack on a hefty parking fee. But, wow. To pay double the price of each ticket for transportation makes me queasy.

Any advice?

 

[GenGen22]

We have drove there a couple of times. It's near Universal Studios. Its about 45 minute drive w/o traffic but with traffic can be up to 2 hours. It just depends on the day. It usually has taken us a bout an hour or a little over an hour. Once I took a tour bus transport to take us to USH and it took even longer to get there as they transported us to some transport hub where we had to wait for another bus to take us to the park. This was with grey line tours. Personally I would rather drive it cuz it's faster and less frustrating while wasting time waiting. Plus you can come and go as you please.

 

[nkereina]

Take an Uber. Looks like it would be roughly $110 round trip for 4 people, plus the cost of the tour for each. No parking fees or hassles to contend with, and no driving in LA traffic.

 

[ashley0139]

Drive. If you go on a weekday, drive but go super duper early. Sitting in an Uber for an hour and a half for me would be worse than just driving in traffic when you already have a car. Also there is tons of street parking around the Warner Bros studio tour and you won't have to pay for parking.

 

[BrianL]

First, let me tell you that the WB tour is really great and worth doing! I've done it twice and had a great time. It is not the easiest place to get to from Anaheim. We did it when staying near Universal, and it was a quick hop. There is a parking lot there, but expect to pay. It's be cheaper than an Uber though. I agree with those who have advised to go early.

 

[LaurieRL]

I did the Warner Brothers tour a few years ago - so fun! We did the first tour of the day on a weekend.

Traffic is LA can be completely ridiculous. Plan longer than you think for everything. I just went on google maps and it says about an hour to get from Disneyland to Warner Brothers. I'd drive and plan for 2 hours to get there.You have to book your tour at WB ahead of time.

 

[GenGen22]

Drive. If you go on a weekday, drive but go super duper early. Sitting in an Uber for an hour and a half for me would be worse than just driving in traffic when you already have a car. Also there is tons of street parking around the Warner Bros studio tour and you won't have to pay for parking.

I agree with this. Going super early and maybe finding a breakfast place near Warner Bros. Before your tour would be a great idea. We always went super early. This would also save you a ton of money.

 

[GoingSince1990]

That's a massive ripoff. Definitely drive given that you will have the rental car anyway. If you are planning on visiting Hollywood too you can go there too after the studios and kill two birds with one stone.

 

[l4dyj8]

Unsure of the time of the tours but avoid weekday rush hour. Or just accept your fate of traffic. I will say 8-9:30 is the worst. But rush hour is anytime before 10:30am and when leaving after 3pm (with after 5pm being the peak time.) I personally would do a morning tour and just get out of there before the afternoon traffic. Or plan a Universal Studios Day

The area around Warner Brothers is just fine. Burbank is a suburban area. Easy to navigate. It’s the 5 FWy northbound and near downtown that will be bad. To me, it is what it is. There are always pockets of traffic. But I know it may intimidate visitors.

 

[finnster77]

Drive. If you go on a weekday, drive but go super duper early. Sitting in an Uber for an hour and a half for me would be worse than just driving in traffic when you already have a car. Also there is tons of street parking around the Warner Bros studio tour and you won't have to pay for parking.

Thank you!
By super early, do you mean leave at 7-730 A.M. to arrive in time for the first tour, or even earlier than that? I would worry about morning rush hour.

 

[ashley0139]

Thank you!
By super early, do you mean leave at 7-730 A.M. to arrive in time for the first tour, or even earlier than that? I would worry about morning rush hour.

I would leave at 6-6:30 and plan to get breakfast in Burbank, if you don't want to spend 1 1/2-2 hours in traffic.

 

[BrianL]

For breakfast, there is a little cafeteria in the building where you begin your tour. It's a typical workplace style cafe but anyone can eat there. There is also a Starbucks in the gift shop where the tours begin. Otherwise, there's not a lot that is super close. Check out a map of the area. The tour starts in the building with the triangular ridges on S. Avon street. Have fun!

 

[nkereina]

Sorry to hijack, but wanted to pose a similar timing question:

We have a 9am tour booked on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. If its true the tour is roughly 3 hours, we should be done by 12pm. We'd then like to Uber back to Loews Hollywood Hotel to pick up our bags, maybe grab a quick lunch, and be on the road to LAX by 1:30pm. Is that enough time or are we cutting things too close? Thanks!

 

[loloandstitch]

Sorry to hijack, but wanted to pose a similar timing question:

We have a 9am tour booked on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. If its true the tour is roughly 3 hours, we should be done by 12pm. We'd then like to Uber back to Loews Hollywood Hotel to pick up our bags, maybe grab a quick lunch, and be on the road to LAX by 1:30pm. Is that enough time or are we cutting things too close? Thanks!

Do you have to be at LAX to 1:30pm? Or just on the road by 1:30? If the latter, you may hit some, but minimal traffic going from Burbank to Hollywood, but it sounds doable. However, going to LAX on Memorial Day weekend may be a little hectic, especially if it's nice weather and everyone is heading towards the coast so keep that in mind.

 

[nkereina]

Do you have to be at LAX to 1:30pm? Or just on the road by 1:30? If the latter, you may hit some, but minimal traffic going from Burbank to Hollywood, but it sounds doable. However, going to LAX on Memorial Day weekend may be a little hectic, especially if it's nice weather and everyone is heading towards the coast so keep that in mind.

Thanks for the tip. Just would like to be on the road to the airport by 1:30pm. Our flight is out of LAX at 5:15pm, so I was hoping leaving Loews Hollywood Hotel at 1:30 would give us enough time, accounting for traffic and delays at the airport.

 

[oakleycat]

You should have plenty of time. The ride from WB Studios back to Loews is quick (15 minutes so probably no more than 30 even with heavy traffic) and if you grab lunch at one of the Hollywood and Highland restaurants you shouldn't have a problem getting on the road by 1:30. I've never waited more than 5 minutes for an Uber in Hollywood, they are everywhere. An hour or so to get to the airport gives you three hours before your flight, and the TSA lines have been minimal with TSA precheck the last few times I've been recently (once waited over two hours without pre-check but haven't done it recently).