"Live from New York: The SNL 50 Experience" Review

"This is Weekend Update with your host... Tammy Tuckey!" 

"Live from New York: The SNL 50 Experience" Review: The premise of this pop-up is to see what it's like to be a SNL host. The event was just a block away from 30 Rock itself & the wait was about an hour long. You're paired up in a group of 6 to go through the entire exhibit and given an SNL ticket with a QR code to capture some moments from the exhibit for keepsakes. 

First, you start with a photo shoot to get your own SNL Host card photo. Afterwards, you get announced as the host backstage and walk onto a replica SNL stage as if you're about to do the opening monologue. From there, you travel backstage to see where the cue cards are made before going to the quick change dressing rooms that lead to the Weekend Update set. I wish there had been a photo op for this spot and better lighting - our tour guide did take photos of us at the table. We then moved on to the Lonely Island "**** in a Box" room for another silly photo op, before traveling through another room of props galore to get to the hair & make-up room. 

Then came my favorite room - the recreated set of "Wayne's World"! They played the intro song, and we rocked out with instruments to the song (I wish they would have had this a part of the SNL ticket QR package) - our tour guide filmed this for us. I got to play Wayne and hold a real guitar (it was heavy) before they took a polaroid of each of us on the couch (if they could have added a little holder for the polaroid, that would have been wonderful to protect it from getting damaged). 

The cast/crew of the project who were running the "Show" were wonderful - so sweet and excited to be there to make this fun event as realistic as possible for the guests. At the very end of the attraction, they gave us a really nice SNL tote bag with a SNL thermo mug & pin. You could even get a free SNL shirt if you took a digital survey about the exhibit! One of the surveyors actually talked to me directly about my experience and really seemed to be interested in my feedback while asking detailed questions about what worked & didn't work. 

My only three notes of improvement: First, I wish they had slowed down the experience a little bit, because it seemed like every room was timed to two minutes, and then you had to rush out so the next group came in. I know most SNL hosts are rushed from one point to the other when they actually do the show, but I was literally out of breath by the end (thankfully, the drinks - and chocolate donuts! - that were supplied at the Five Timers Club were perfect to have but, we were still rushed to drink them after getting one final group photo). Second, they spelled Will Ferrell's last name incorrectly on one of the displays (I let the team know and they were just as surprised as me!). Third, some of the photos/videos do not turn out well if you are wearing a white t-shirt due to overexposure.

From the survey questions, it sounds like they may extend this four-day pop-up event and make it into a paid event to celebrate the rest of the SNL50. Let's hope this happens, because I know some of you reading this are huge fans like me! Overall, it was worth the day trip to NYC and I'd love to do it again once they find better pacing for the run of the show.

Also... I ran into a long-time SNL crew member outside of 30Rock later that evening and we talked about the upcoming special in February to celebrate 50 years - what are the odds that would happen?!

Take a look at the fun I had here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/612183531753830