Hollywood Attraction Discounts & Coupons
LAST UPDATE: 12/29/22
For years, the “dirty little secret” about Hollywood was that only tourists went there, and most of them regretted it! Although located close to some lovely areas of Los Angeles, Hollywood itself was a real dump, populated all-too-frequently by hustlers, pickpockets, drug addicts, con artists and panhandlers. To view the “major attractions” at the time – the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – you had to walk a gantlet of tacky souvenir stands, adult book stores and X-rated movie theaters.
Fortunately Hollywood is now significantly more pleasant than it used to be, and Disney has played a major role in the improvements. The changes started in the mid-1990s when the city of Los Angeles decided to place a stop on the new Metro Red Line subway right in the heart of Hollywood. From that point on, improvement has been happening slowly but surely along the central section of Hollywood Boulevard.
The good news about Hollywood is, everything you will want to see is located within about three city blocks, with the center being Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. (The famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine has nothing to offer.) The bad news is, there’s still a seedy side to Hollywood, even in the central tourist area. Be prepared for crowds. Watch for pickpockets. Also, be aware that there are many costumed individuals, particularly in the plaza in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, who will try to get you to have your picture taken with them, and then charge you money. These people are not official, licensed or authorized to do this, so proceed with caution.
Jump to:
- Getting to Hollywood and Getting Around
- Organized Tours
- Multi-Attraction Passes
- Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Hollywood & Highland Center
- Dolby Theatre (formerly Kodak Theatre)
- Disney’s El Capitan Theatre
- Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop and Disney Studio Store
- The Chinese Theatre
- Egyptian Theatre
- Pig ‘N Whistle
- Snow White Cafe
- Musso & Frank Grill
- The Hollywood Museum
- Madame Tussauds Hollywood
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
Getting to Hollywood and Getting Around
Assuming you want to visit Hollywood in conjunction with a Disneyland vacation, there really are only two viable ways to get to there independently: driving and taking public transportation. (Taking an organized tour is another option.)
Jump to:
- Rental Car from Disneyland
- Public Transportation from Disneyland
- Public Transportation from Other Areas
- Lyft
- Taxis
Rental Car from Disneyland
Renting a car is a good bet. Los Angeles is a town dominated by the automobile, so traveling by car is the quintessential way to experience it.
Alamo has a location at Downtown Disney where you can pick up a car. Disneyland and central Hollywood are about 34 miles apart. Driving time to Hollywood is about 45 minutes from Disneyland, if traffic is light. (In heavy traffic, it can take up to 2 hours. Avoid rush hours: 6:00 – 9:00 am and 3:00 – 7:00 pm.)
Once you’re in Hollywood, park at Hollywood & Highland Center.
Public Transportation from Disneyland
An easy option for getting to Hollywood from Disneyland by public transportation is:
- Get a cab or Lyft to the Anaheim train station, located about 2.5 miles from Disneyland. This should cost around $10-$15.
- From there you can take either an Amtrak train (fare about $15 one way) or a Metrolink commuter train (fare about $8.75 one way) to Los Angeles Union Station. This portion of the trip takes about 45-50 minutes.
- At Union Station, transfer to the Metro Red Line toward North Hollywood and exit at Hollywood & Highland station. The Metro fare is $1.75 and this portion of the trip takes 31 minutes.
Read more about train services from the Disneyland area.
Public Transportation from Other Areas
The Metro Red Line Hollywood and Highland station will put you right in the middle of everything described on this page. Check the LA Metro website for detailed public transportation routing and itinerary information.
Lyft
Taking a Lyft all the way from Disneyland to Hollywood will be pretty expensive; allow for $50-$70 each way, depending on traffic. Taking it within the greater Hollywood area is a very reasonable idea — there are a bunch of interesting things to do in the local region that might be a little too far to walk. For example, you can take a Lyft from the tourist area of Hollywood Boulevard to Warner Bros studios for less than $10.
Taxis
Taking taxis for long distances in Los Angeles is expensive. Distances are large and fares are high. For example, a cab from Disneyland to the El Capitan theater in Hollywood is going to be around $110-140 each way, depending on traffic. As with Lyft, fares are much more reasonable to go between sites in and around the greater Hollywood area, but unless you happen to see a waiting cab at a stand, we’d usually suggest trying Lyft first.
Organized Tours
Adventures by Disney
Adventures by Disney is a family tour program offered by Disney, in which guests travel in small groups limited to 40 participants, and are led by two Disney-trained Adventure Guides. Each adventure is filled with immersive, interactive experiences you might never have tried if you were traveling on your own.
One of the Adventures by Disney vacation packages, called “Disneyland Resort & Southern California Vacation”, includes a stay at Disneyland — with amazing backstage visits to Walt Disney’s Disneyland apartment and other areas most people never get to see — as well as visits to Disney’s El Capitan Theatre, The Jim Henson Company Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering and lots of other Southern California fun. This is a 5-night/6-day itinerary that focuses on Southern California, with 3 of those nights spent at the Disneyland Resort.
This package would be ideal for first-time visitors to California who want to see more than just Disneyland. It is especially suitable for those who are not comfortable with driving the California freeways, since all of the ground transportation from place to place is provided by Disney.
Thanks to Small World Vacations for info.
- To book an Adventures by Disney “Disneyland Resort & Southern California Vacation,” please contact a Disney Specialist travel agent.
Multi-Attraction Passes
If you plan to explore other attractions in the Los Angeles/Orange County area in addition to Hollywood, the Go City Los Angeles Pass gives you access to more than 30 Southern California attractions, including Dolby Theatre Guided Tour, The Hollywood Museum and Madame Tussauds Hollywood. Universal Studios Hollywood is included with 3, 5, and 7-day cards.
If you plan to explore other attractions in the Los Angeles/Orange County/San Diego area in addition to Hollywood, the Go City San Diego Pass gives you access to over 45 Southern California attractions, including Dolby Theatre Guided Tour and The Hollywood Museum.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame, created in 1960, consists of the famous bronze and terrazzo “stars” imbedded in the sidewalks along Hollywood Blvd. between Gower St. and La Brea Ave., and along Vine St. from Sunset Blvd. to Yucca St.
- If you want to visit your favorite celebrity’s “star” visit the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce website to learn its location.
Bear in mind that in the central tourist area of Hollywood (around Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave.), many of the “stars” are difficult to see (much less photograph) due to the high volume of pedestrian traffic. Also, be aware that many major celebrities do not have a “star.”
Hollywood & Highland Center
Hollywood & Highland Center is the center of Hollywood’s revitalization. You’ll definitely want to check out the center’s over-the-top Babylon Court, inspired by D.W. Griffith’s 1916 silent film Intolerance. The two gigantic elephants and huge columns are quite amazing.
Hollywood & Highland is the home of many restaurants, a couple of nightclubs, a trendy bowling alley/restaurant/lounge called Lucky Strike Lanes, a multiplex movie theater (Chinese 6) and the Loews Hollywood Hotel.
For a reasonably-priced meal, Hollywood & Highland has quite a few options such as California Pizza Kitchen, Johnny Rocket’s and Hard Rock Cafe.
Hollywood & Highland is located on the north side of Hollywood Blvd., half a block west of Highland Ave.
There is a large parking structure in Hollywood & Highland Center and this is the best place to park for your explorations of Hollywood. Entrances are on Highland Ave. and Orange Ave.
Dolby Theatre
Dolby Theatre, home to the Academy Awards, was formerly known as the Kodak Theater. Most concerts, shows and other events held at Dolby Theatre are open to the general public, so if you’re going to Hollywood, check to see what’s playing during your visit.
Even if you don’t choose to attend a live show, there are some aspects of the theater anyone can enjoy. Walk through the impressive multi-story portal from Hollywood Blvd. to approach the theater, which is set back from the street. Once inside the portal, you can wander along an Awards Walk of glass plaques featuring winners of the Best Picture Oscar.
Dolby Theatre is located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard (north side, at Hollywood & Highland Center).
30-minute guided tours of Dolby Theatre are offered seven days a week, except when there are schedule conflicts due to rehearsals or productions. Call for the current schedule and tour costs.
- Admission to the Dolby Theatre Guided Tour is included in the Go City Los Angeles Pass, which gives you access to over 35 Southern California attractions.
- Admission to the Dolby Theatre Guided Tour is included in the Go City San Diego Pass, which gives you access to over 35 Southern California attractions.
Disney’s El Capitan Theatre

The fabulous El Capitan Theatre began life in 1926 as a live theater, hosting major plays of the day. In 1942 it was converted to a movie theater. Beginning in 1989, Disney undertook a phenomenal, “museum quality” restoration of the 1,040-seat theater and added a Dolby sound system. The theater reopened under Disney’s ownership in 1991.
The El Capitan usually hosts Disney’s movie premieres. If you want to watch the latest Disney movie in style, this is the place! You’ll get a kick out of the elaborately costumed ushers.
Be sure to arrive early so that you can enjoy the pre-show, which includes live organ music performed on a giant 1920s Wurlitzer. Some movies are preceded by a full-on live stage show with characters. During the run of certain movies, special exhibits about the making of the film, sets and props, etc., are displayed in the lobby and/or basement of the theater.
The El Capitan is located at 6838 Hollywood Blvd. (south side of Hollywood Blvd, west of Highland Ave., across the street from the Chinese Theatre).
There are two movie ticket options at the El Capitan: general admission and VIP. Tickets often sell out, especially for new releases and on weekends, so buy in advance. You can order tickets online or by calling (800) DISNEY6. There is a $2 per ticket processing fee for ordering online.
General admission tickets vary in price depending on the movie showing, but average $17 for adults, $12 for seniors and children. General admission tickets provide open seating only (no reserved seats).
VIP tickets also vary in price depending on the movie showing — typically $26 per person (no discounts for kids or seniors). VIP tickets entitle you to reserved seats in the center section of the theater and include a bucket of popcorn and a 20 oz drink. If you have VIP tickets, you do not have to wait in the long general admission line to get into the theater. In our opinion, the VIP tickets are worth the extra money.
- Park at Hollywood & Highland and get your parking ticket validated in the lobby of the El Capitan. With the validation parking is just $3 for up to 4 hours.
- LivingSocial and Goldstar often have deals on General Admission tickets for the El Capitan. If you don’t care about getting VIP tickets, might as well save a couple bucks!
- If you have a group of 20 or more, call (818) 845-3110 to get the group rate, which can be up to 33% off.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop and Disney Studio Store

Located next door to El Capitan Theatre, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop and Disney Studio Store makes a nice addition to any outing to Hollywood. The atmosphere is fun and the menu is simple – ice cream cones, sundaes, shakes, malts, freezes, phosphates and old-time flavored sodas, plus a few basic food items like grilled cheese, hot dogs and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Prices are pretty reasonable considering the location and surroundings: you can get a nice big sundae for $11.95.
Timing is everything here. We were fortunate enough to arrive midway through a movie showing at the El CapitanTheatre, and had no problems being seated immediately. As soon as the movie let out, however, the line to get into the Soda Fountain was halfway down the block. So if you just want ice cream, be sure to check the movie times and plan your visit accordingly.
The adjacent Studio Store itself isn’t anything too exciting – just the usual Disney plush toys, videos and souvenirs at inflated prices.
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop and Disney Studio Store is located at 6834 Hollywood Blvd. (southwest corner of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave., next to Disney’s El Capitan Theatre).
The Chinese Theatre
One of the most opulent of the city’s old movie palaces, TCL Chinese Theatre originally opened in 1927 as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Probably the most famous landmark in Hollywood, it still has the power to amaze. The forecourt in front of the theater is well-known for its handprints and footprints of movie stars, while the 90-foot tall theater itself is an wacky, “only in LA” architectural marvel. A replica of this theater houses The Great Movie Ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.
The Chinese Theatre is located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. (north side, just west of Highland, across from Disney’s El Capitan Theatre).
- Backstage tours of the Chinese Theatre are offered 7 days a week. Visit the Chinese Theatre website or call (323) 463-9576 for tour times and prices.
- If you just want to see the interior, you can attend a movie at regular movie theater prices. However, be careful to pick whatever movie is playing in the actual Chinese Theatre itself. It has only one screen. There is an adjacent theater called the Chinese 6, which is a different multiplex — nothing special to see there. Visit the Chinese Theatre website or call (323) 461-3331 for showtimes.
Egyptian Theatre
One of the most amazing movie palaces in Los Angeles, the Egyptian Theatre (built in 1922) has been nicely renovated to its old glory. It is operated by a non-profit organization, the American Cinematheque, which shows art films, documentaries and classics on its giant screen.
The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd. (south side of Hollywood Blvd. about a block and a half east of the Chinese Theatre). Check their website for showtimes.
Tours for the public are offered once a month (check their online calendar) or private group tours of the Egyptian Theatre can be scheduled, call (323) 461-2020. Groups must be 10 or more people, but sometimes individuals can join a scheduled group tour, so if you don’t have 10 people, call and ask if there is a tour coming up.
Pig ‘N Whistle

Pig ‘N Whistle is a bar/restaurant next door to the Egyptian Theatre. Back in the early days, movie theaters did not have concession stands. Typically a “lunch counter” or “soda fountain” style restaurant would open up next door, so people could eat meals or snacks before and after the movies. Pig ‘N Whistle opened next to the Egyptian in 1927 for exactly that reason.
Eventually Pig ‘N Whistle had a chain of restaurants next to theaters, and in fact there was once another Pig ‘N Whistle right down the street next to the El Capitan, in the location now occupied by Ghirardelli Soda Fountain.
The pigs in the Pig ‘N Whistle logo look quite a bit like Walt Disney’s Three Little Pigs and it’s been suggested that they might have influenced Disney’s animators.
The Pig ‘N Whistle of today is a 2001 recreation of the original restaurant on the same spot, which was closed and gutted out in 1952. These days it’s mainly a hipster bar that also serves mediocre food, but it’s fun to see what an old-time restaurant of this type would have looked like.
Pig ‘N Whistle is located at 6714 Hollywood Blvd.
Snow White Cafe
Snow White Cafe, which opened in 1946, has a Snow White mural inside over the door that was supposedly painted by Disney animators. There is other Snow White artwork in the cafe as well, but only the mural claims a direct connection with Disney. There are are at least three stories behind the origins of the mural, but unfortunately none of them add up completely:
Story #1: Disney’s animators ate breakfast at the cafe every morning and painted the mural as a thank you to the owner. This doesn’t ring true since the current Walt Disney Studios location, which opened in 1940, is in Burbank, about 5 miles away, and prior to that, Disney’s studio was on Hyperion Avenue, 4.5 miles from the cafe. There were many, many other places where the animators could have eaten breakfast much closer to work!
Story #2: Walt himself opened the cafe because he couldn’t get good coffee near the studio. This is not believable for the same reasons as Story #1.
Story #3: Gregory Paul Williams’ The Story of Hollywood claims, “After the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Carthay Circle, Disney opened the film at the Vogue. For the party afterward, a friend offered a recently purchased shop he was remodeling into a restaurant. Disney sent Josh Meador and other animators over to paint murals of the Snow White characters on the walls and on the ceiling canvas, creating the Snow White Cafe.” This seems odd since the movie premiered in 1937 and the cafe is supposed to have opened in 1946. However, the building itself dates to 1928 and we’ve seen a photo showing that the space occupied by the cafe was originally a shop. The Vogue Theatre, which is no longer a movie house, is about 2 blocks from the cafe and it opened in 1935, so Snow White may have played there.
The mural does look very Disney-like and it seems probable that there is some kind of long-ago Disney connection, since Disney — which is notorious for enforcing its copyrights and trademarks — has never forced the owners to remove the characters from the walls or change the name of the cafe. In fact, in the early days the cafe was called “Snow White Waffle Shop” and featured a picture of Disney’s Snow White on the menu, with a Walt Disney Productions copyright notice next to the graphic.
These days, Snow White Cafe is more a “dive bar” than a restaurant. It serves meals, but we understand the food is not particularly good. The big attraction (besides the mural) is a 34-oz beer for $7 during Happy Hour.
Snow White Cafe is very close to Hollywood & Highland, on the north side of the street at 6769 Hollywood Blvd.
Musso & Frank Grill
For a true “Old Hollywood” dining experience, the only choice is Musso & Frank Grill, which opened in 1919 and moved to its current location in 1937. Musso & Frank is an expensive chop house with a décor seemingly unchanged since its original opening: red leather booths and lots of dark wood.
Tourists come here, but so do locals who have been eating here for 60 years or more, and occasionally movie stars. The waiters are a trip. Some of them seem to have been working here since the place opened, and while they are super-professional, they tend to be cranky.
Everything, including side dishes, is sold a la carte at Musso & Frank. Order old-fashioned things like martinis, shrimp cocktail, steak and potatoes – this place does not deal in “California cuisine.” They’ve been serving the same stuff since 1919 and if it was good enough for Orson Welles, F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, it’s darn well good enough for you. (We can’t say for certain whether Walt Disney ever ate here, but it’s extremely likely.)
Expect to pay $60-$100 for dinner for two. Paid parking is behind the restaurant, and you enter through the back.
Musso & Frank is located at 6667 Hollywood Blvd. (northwest corner of Hollywood & Cherokee, about 3 blocks east of Highland Ave.). Open for dinner only on Sunday. Closed Monday.
The Hollywood Museum
Located in the renovated Max Factor Building (a masterpiece of Art Deco architecture), The Hollywood Museum features four floors of Hollywood exhibits, including displays on Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe and Mae West, as well as costumes and props from a few films including Moulin Rouge and Silence of the Lambs.
Naturally there is a significant focus on makeup impresario Max Factor and the way he invented the “look” of many famous stars of yesteryear: there’s a whole floor devoted to his color theories. A photo gallery gives you a chance to enjoy “Old Hollywood,” with pictures of long-lost movie-star hangouts like The Brown Derby and the Trocadero Ballroom. Special exhibitions are sometimes offered.
No photography is allowed in the museum and they will hold your camera at the entrance.
The Hollywood Museum is located at 1660 N. Highland Ave. (just south of Hollywood Blvd.).
- Admission to The Hollywood Museum is included in the Go City Los Angeles Pass, which gives you access to over 35 Southern California attractions.
- Admission to The Hollywood Museum is included in the Go City San Diego Pass, which gives you access to over 35 Southern California attractions.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood
At Madame Tussauds Hollywood, you can see life-sized wax figures of movie stars, Hollywood icons, movie characters, pop stars, sports stars, movie directors and TV stars.
Madame Tussauds is located right next to the Chinese Theatre, at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard.
- Admission to Madame Tussauds is included in the Go City Los Angeles Pass, which gives you access to over 35 Southern California attractions.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour offers you an up close and personal visit to the sets and sound stages where major motion pictures and television series have been produced. It’s an excellent in-depth tour for anyone interested in how television and movie production happens. There are several tours to choose from including the Studio Tour, Classics Tour and Deluxe Tour. Check their website for details about each tour, as well as the length and cost. Parking is $15 per vehicle.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is located at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank (near the northwest area of Griffith Park, a relatively short drive from Hollywood). Dress in comfortable shoes as there can be some walking.
Please note: tours are open to ages 5 and up only; everyone age 18 and up must show valid ID to enter. You must pass through a metal detector and large bags are not allowed.
- aRes Travel offers tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood at a slight discount.