The FRIENDS™ Experience brings the beloved TV show to life in a must-see attraction. With Ticketmaster partnering with The Luna Entertainment Group, fans can anticipate a seamless ticketing process—because, after all, we’ll be there for you. In this exclusive interview, George Wood, Managing Director at The Luna Entertainment Group, provides a behind-the-scenes look at what fans can expect and how this incredible experience was brought to life.
What can fans expect from The FRIENDS™ Experience?
“Fans can expect the ultimate FRIENDS™ experience – we literally create the entire world of the greatest TV show ever. This includes full scale sets that you actually get to go into and sit at Monica’s kitchen table, play on the fusball table in Joey and Chandler’s, and of course pose on the orange sofa in Central Perk. We have also recreated some of the fans’ favourite moments from all ten seasons, giving them the chance to shout ‘Pivot’ whilst manoeuvring the sofa on the stairs, pose with Joey’s Hugsy The Penguin, and Phoebe’s taxi. Exclusively for London, we have created a new “London Baby” zone, celebrating all the iconic moments from the episodes that were shot in London (the only time FRIENDS™ was ever shot on location, outside of the studio). This area includes of course Ross and Emily’s wedding chapel, and Joey’s iconic stepping into the map moment! There’s also a large free-flow area called Friends Station, where guests can kick back, grab a coffee, and enjoy a bite, with numerous photo ops in a New York themed setting. On top of this there’s exclusive merchandise in The FRIENDS™ Experience shop. All in all, it’s the perfect day out for any FRIENDS™ fan!”
2. What inspired you to create this attraction?
“Over the years we have created experiences around so many of the world’s best films and TV shows, but FRIENDS™ is completely unique in a few factors. Firstly, the sets are literally the most iconic backdrops in TV history, where jaws hit the floor the first time you step into Monica’s apartment and see the famous yellow peephole picture frame against the purple door. Moreover, FRIENDS™ is special in that whilst it’s 30 years old this year, it has continuously found new generations of fans. Most historic TV shows feel dated over time and the audiences get old and less fanatical. FRIENDS™ has done the opposite and regenerated its audience continuously. Based on these unique qualities to the show, we instinctively felt FRIENDS™ made the ideal world around which to create an experience.”
3. The FRIENDS™ Experience has travelled the globe. How do you tailor it for different cities while staying true to the spirit of the show?
“We have toured The FRIENDS™ Experience to so many different countries over the years, but the degree to which it can be tailored is limited as the show is so iconic and fans across the world want it to be as close the show they know and love as possible. We obviously always localise the language and can sometimes shape the menu in the café to feel more aligned to local custom, but in truth it’s only with the London flagship that we have genuinely been able to create brand new content that is fully exclusive to this market. The team at Warner Bros, who own FRIENDS™, were brilliantly supportive around the idea that London must feel special, as there were these fantastic episodes that were shot here, that it warranted a new take on the experience to let audiences enjoy new content. The “London Baby” section of the experience is now of course the bit we’re all most excited to see as it’s brand new, and alongside Ross’s wedding chapel, that moment where Joey steps into his London map was always the point of reference that the team had for an iconic piece of London content that we know the FRIENDS™ fans will want to experience.”
4. Who is The FRIENDS™ Experience aimed at? What unique elements make it enjoyable for both longtime fans and newcomers?
“The FRIENDS™ Experience is aimed at everyone – literally from people who can quote every single line and tell you the episode it comes from, to those who have had FRIENDS™ on in the background whilst they’re ironing! We have deliberately created an experience that the fans love as it’s full of little Easter Eggs they can find – small references that they enjoy looking for as they explore their favourite sets, but the entire experience works just as well if you’re a passive fan. The key photo ops, such as the Fountain and Pivot, are so much fun to recreate that even if you don’t know the name of Ross’s monkey, you’ll have a great time!”
5. Given the diverse fan base, how do you keep The FRIENDS™ Experience engaging for all ages, ensuring it resonates with fans both young and old?
“The entire experience is designed to be as inclusive as possible to ensure it appeals to a fan base such as FRIENDS’™ which spans 10 year olds to 80 year olds! For those who want to learn how the show was created, the costume design and casting process, we have all of that exhibition-style content. For those who want to get the best photo moments in the world of immersive experiences, we certainly have that, and for those who just want to be around like-minded people in a cool, New York themed setting, the experience also ticks that box, so it’s designed to appeal to every type of fan and indeed every demographic.”
6. How has The FRIENDS™ Experience changed over time? Any key milestones that stand out?
“The FRIENDS™ Experience has certainly changed over time – I’d say the experience has become better and better, with more content and more to experience, but also over time we’ve been able to engage with the fans and really learn what they love about the show and want to see at the experience. When you look at everything from the retail, which started as a very simple offering with a Central Perk logo on a hoodie, compared to now where we fabricate lines of merchandise that are fully exclusive to the experience and can’t be found anywhere else, as well as the Central Perk café menu, all of these aspects have been developed and fleshed out over time. Perhaps the key evolution has been in the photo ops – in the early years we had to ask people to give their phones to a steward who would take your picture. These days it’s all done with professional cameras and each audience member is given a QR code to redeem all their shots at the end.”
7. What’s your process for selecting the exhibits and activities to keep fans engaged?
“The process for selecting the exhibits and activities at The FRIENDS™ Experience is always a fun one. We discuss it as a team first and have an idea of course what we think the audience will like or respond well to. We then take this to Warner Bros who know the show better than anyone, and get their approvals and support. We have even in the past asked audiences to vote for their favourite moment or backdrop they’d like recreated that we’d then build!”
8. How does visitor feedback shape the experience? Can you share a fun change that came from fan input?
“That audience vote actually gave us the entire Pivot section of the experience as the FRIENDS™ fans actually voted it as their favourite moment of all ten seasons, which gave us the impetus to design a complete Pivot set where you and your friends can stand around the sofa which is wedged on the staircase and all shout at the top of your voices ‘PIVOT!!!’”
9. What have been some of the most successful marketing campaigns or initiatives that you’ve implemented?
“In terms of the marketing campaigns and initiatives we’ve done over the years, I think the one I actually like the best is the current London campaign, where we have put the iconic orange sofa in front of famous London backdrops, such as Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, etc. Nothing says “FRIENDS™ is coming to London” better than the orange sofa with a uniformed soldier outside the Palace stood behind it!”
10. What are some of the most loved features of The FRIENDS™ Experience that keep fans coming back?
“Fans come back time and again to The FRIENDS™ Experience partly to recreate their favourite moments, many of which are so iconic they simply never date, but also because we do vary the content according to the season. When you come to The FRIENDS™ Experience at Thanksgiving, expect to see Monica’s table all set up for dinner, and of course over Christmas we fully decorate the sets including the half-neat, half shabbily dressed Christmas tree!”
11. How do you use technology to enhance the experience? Any exciting innovations on the horizon?
“We use a lot of technology in the experience these days, from fully automated sound and lighting to the smart technology we use on the photo ops. At its heart FRIENDS™ is a 1990s TV studio set so we’re always keen it retains that physical, tactile quality that people love about, rather than trying to go too digital in the way it’s presented, but fans will love some of the new touches we’re introducing for the One In London, to move it forward with the times.”
12. What trends are emerging in themed attractions, and how is The FRIENDS™ Experience adapting to them?
“We’ve always tried to ensure that we’re keeping up with and indeed leading the trends that are emerging in themed attractions. So much of this I think is around the shared experience – we all spent so long apart during the pandemic that experiences like ours are vital in bringing groups of friends and families together for this communal appreciation of an iconic TV show. We really have seen that people want to make a full day of their visit, so we have added the Friends Station, free-flow area for fans to be able to extend their visit and sit back with a Central Perk coffee or themed cocktail and enjoy just being in the world. It’s all about escapism ultimately and the FRIENDS™ world is certainly one that people enjoy inhabiting for a day.”
13. What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs looking to create their own themed attraction?
“The advice I would give to entrepreneurs looking at themed attractions is start off by getting to know the audience – who is it that you’re appealing to and what do they really want? It’s all then about attention to detail and offering a great value ticket!”
14. How do you balance maintaining the authenticity of the show while also innovating for new experiences?
“The skill is always about striking the right balance between upholding the authenticity of the show whilst always looking to innovate and drive things forward. FRIENDS™ is the perfect IP to explore this with as it’s got 30 years of nostalgia and affection attached to it, that the rooting of the experience in what people know and love about the show is almost sacrosanct. The innovation requires more consideration to ensure it enhances the world and doesn’t ever jar. When we were designing the London flagship we wanted to ensure that we were moving the experience forward by adding new photo ops, new theatrical elements with cutting edge tech in the lighting, sound and video, but always maintaining the heart of the show. Hopefully we’ve struck that balance!”
15. Were Ross and Rachel on a break?
“Good question! I would say they were on a break! But lord knows why as they are quite simply the ultimate TV romantic relationship – though it’s the on-off nature of it that made it all the more watchable!”
Why not see it for yourself? Find out more about The FRIENDS™ Experience here.
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