Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood has announced its largest Gilmore Girls-themed holiday experience to date, expanding its seasonal entertainment programme with recreated television sets, interactive activities and dedicated food and beverage offerings.
Running from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, Gilmore Girls Holidays will operate as an independent ticketed attraction for the first time, marking a significant expansion of the studio’s established Holidays Made Here programme.
The development introduces an extended backlot footprint, incorporating additional environments and interactive features inspired by the television series.
For themed entertainment developers, studio tour operators and experiential designers, the project demonstrates how established screen-based intellectual property can support recurring seasonal attractions while creating additional commercial opportunities.
Expanded Backlot Features Detailed Television Set Recreations
The new experience places greater emphasis on physical environments associated with recognisable locations and storylines from Gilmore Girls.
A principal addition is the recreation of Luke’s apartment, reconstructed within Stage 13, its original filming location, using production specifications from the television series.
The development also includes a representation of the Chilton Graduation Courtyard, alongside an expanded walkthrough of the Hartford Gilmore Estate.
These installations extend the existing Stars Hollow environment, providing a larger collection of themed spaces that reference the programme’s production history.
An interactive seasonal adaptation of Rory’s Bid on a Basket Auction introduces participatory entertainment, connecting the original television storyline with a physical activity.
For scenic designers and attraction developers, the use of original studio infrastructure and production references demonstrates an approach to maintaining visual authenticity within licensed entertainment environments.
Themed Hospitality Becomes Part Of The Attraction Offering
Food and beverage operations form an important component of the expanded experience, incorporating products and presentation formats associated with the television series.
The programme includes Caesar’s Chilaquiles Nachos, presented in a collectible Luke’s baseball cap, alongside a dedicated Stars Hollow Creamery offering character-inspired milkshakes.
A themed Secret Bar will introduce cocktails referencing familiar moments and characters from the programme.
The Gazebo Popcorn Bucket provides another example of combining refreshments with collectible merchandise.
These offerings demonstrate how themed hospitality can contribute to the wider commercial structure of location-based entertainment.
For attraction operators, character-led menus and themed packaging provide opportunities to connect food service with established intellectual property while supporting secondary spending within the venue.
Merchandise And Live Programming Extend Commercial Opportunities
The seasonal programme will also incorporate exclusive retail products and entertainment activities designed around the Gilmore Girls brand.
Limited-edition apparel developed with Her Universe will be available alongside Department 56 miniature collectibles depicting Kim’s Antiques and Miss Patty’s.
Additional programming includes live podcast recordings and appearances involving Scott Patterson, who portrayed Luke Danes in the series.
The inclusion of performer appearances and media-related activities introduces further programming flexibility, allowing the attraction to incorporate entertainment formats beyond permanent scenic installations.
Warner Bros. has introduced a standalone admission model beginning at $79, with a combined ticket incorporating the wider studio tour priced from $124.
Implications For Studio Tours And Seasonal Attraction Development
The expansion of Gilmore Girls Holidays highlights the commercial potential of developing standalone experiences around established television franchises.
For studios, entertainment destinations and themed attraction operators, the project demonstrates how existing production facilities can support temporary attractions through scenic recreation, interactive programming and integrated retail operations.
The combination of licensed environments, hospitality concepts and exclusive merchandise also provides a reference for operators considering seasonal programming as a means of increasing attraction utilisation and generating additional revenue.
Warner Bros.’ expanded approach illustrates how recurring entertainment properties can support increasingly substantial location-based experiences within established studio destinations.
