This post is about the NBC Studios tours, a behind-the-scenes look at some of your favorite NBC shows.
We give you tips to help plan your visit as well as analyze the reviews left by previous tour attendees.
How Much Do Tickets Cost?
There are a few different ways to get tickets for the NBC Studio Tour.
The most straightforward option is simply to purchase tickets either on-site or in advance.
- $48 for Adults | $42 for Children/Seniors
- Availability varies on week to week basis
- Duration: Between 75-90 minutes
- Location: Rockefeller Center
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
In addition to this option, some tour companies offer outings that include admission to the official NBC Studio tour.
For more information about this opportunity, make sure to check our deals section below.
TIP: If you arrive and find that the NBC Studio tour is fully booked, consider one of the following alternatives.
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7 CHEAPER TICKET OPTIONS
There are a few different ways to save money on the NBC Studio Tour, including combo deals and promo sites.
1. Purchase a Combo Package
If you want to learn about more than just NBC Studio, this tour will also cover several TV/Movie filming locations in New York City.
This is a great way to get tickets when tickets are sold out, and it covers even more detail.
- $84/Adults, Students | $79/Children
- Winter/Spring Availability: Mon & Sat at 12 pm
- Summer/Fall Availability: Mon, Thur-Sat at 12 pm
- Duration: 3 – 3 ½ hours
- Includes admission to the NBC Studio Tour.
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
2. Find Promos
Consider promo websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial.
They won't always have a promo for this tour but they always have offers on numerous top NYC attractions.
There are also other promo sites that you can find with a quick search. Just make sure to read the fine print.
3. Military Offers
NBC Studios currently offers a price cut of 25% off for all members of the military upon presenting a military ID.
You can only get this deal by purchasing tickets in person or over the phone.
4. Senior Citizen Offers
If you’re over the age of 55, you’re eligible to receive a price cut of $4 off the adult ticket price.
This is a much lower age requirement than most senior offers, ensuring that even more visitors will be able to take advantage of the deal.
5. Student Offers
Unfortunately, this tour does not include any regular student ticket pricing (as of March 2024).
This could change in the future, and we suggest calling them before making a purchase to see if one does exist.
6. AAA Offers
AAA offers several deals on a variety of popular activities and attractions in NYC, but sadly they do not currently offer any price cuts on NBC Studio Tour tickets.
7. Consider Getting a Tourist Pass
Although none of the concession passes in New York City currently offer any deals on the NBC Studio Tour, there are some other activities, attractions, and tours these services provide at no extra cost.
If you’re planning to visit NBC Studios, chances are you’ll also be close enough to the following attractions that you might want to consider getting a tourist pass to save some money on tickets.
- Top of the Rock
- Radio City Music Hall Tour
- Rockefeller Center Tour
- Movie/TV Bus Tour
- Empire State Building
- Madison Square Garden Tour
- Broadway & Times Square Tour
- And more!
Find out more about how these services work on our post covering New York City tourist passes.
NBC STUDIO TOUR OVERVIEW
Considering that this is the home of television shows like Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show, it probably shouldn't surprise anyone that the NBC Studio Tour is one of the most entertaining experiences offered at Rockefeller Center.
That being said, it might surprise you to discover that there's a lot more to do on this tour than learning about television studios.
Your tour will begin at NBC's new 4K theater, where you will be shown a short film that delves into the history of NBC.
From here, your guide will show you around the studios, taking the time to point out some of the finer details of their art deco rotunda.
Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy the NBC Production Gallery, a location filled with rare photographs and videos from throughout the history of the network.
As you walk through the building you'll see at least two different studios, some of which may be in regular use for live television productions.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to visit any studios that are currently in use, but some guests indicate that you might see a celebrity like Jimmy Fallon on his way to work.
In addition to visiting historic television studios, you'll also get a look behind the scenes at the NBC Broadcast Operations Center.
At the end of your tour, you'll visit a studio specifically created for tourists. This area is designed to give guests the chance to create their own television show.
Each visitor will have a role to play, allowing everyone to experience what it's like to work on a live production.
When the tour is over, they will send you an email with a link to the show you recorded at NBC Studios!
REVIEWS OF THE NBC STUDIO TOUR
The tour at NBC Studios currently has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor.
Although that's definitely a good score, it doesn't exactly tell you everything you might want to know about the experience.
Taking this into account, let's find out why people loved or hated this stroll through the studios.
Learn About Production
Many reviews indicate that this is an excellent opportunity to learn about how live television is produced.
Visitors appreciate the chance to see where current television shows are recorded and broadcast to the world.
This tour is highly recommended for media buffs and anyone interested in finding out more about the subject of television.
See Famous Studios
Guests who take this tour seem to love seeing famous shooting locations at NBC Studios.
Reviewers commonly visit the studios of Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and NBC Nightly News.
According to several comments, tour guides provide a lot of interesting information about both the history of these studios and how they are currently used.
Behind-the-Scenes
Visitors typically enjoy the chance to see behind the scenes of their favorite television shows.
In addition to learning about television production, they also get to see where some of their favorite celebrities go to work.
Some reviewers have even noted that they actually saw stars like Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon during this tour.
Somewhat Expensive
Even guests who enjoyed their tour at NBC Studios felt that the experience was a little pricey.
Considering that the studio tour is between 60-75 minutes on average, the ticket price might be a bit too expensive for some visitors.
Although this wasn't a problem for most reviewers, others didn't think the service provided was worth the cost of admission.
Make Your Own TV Show
This is one of the most popular activities included in the NBC Studio tour.
While some guests were unhappy that they missed out on the chance to play more significant roles, a majority of tourists enjoyed the chance to make their own television show.
After all, it's not every day that you have the opportunity to work on actual production in a real television studio!
See the Control Rooms
In addition to seeing the studios where live television shows are shot, you'll also visit the control rooms where producers manage audio and visual details.
Guests seem to appreciate this rare look at the technology that is used to make NBC's live content.
Some reviewers even refer to this area as the place "where the magic happens."
Short Movie
Although some visitors were unimpressed with this feature, others enjoyed the short film that was prepared for the introduction to the NBC Studios tour.
This video goes into some preliminary detail about the history of NBC and its programming.
Most reviewers were at least somewhat pleased with this prologue to their journey.
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