As a (formerly) closeted Warner Bros. Studio Tour stan, I do wonder what the normal tour experience is like at this point. They've spent a TON of money on infrastructure since I first went in 2015, and I really enjoyed the deluxe tour last month-we got to see the costume warehouse, go through the mill & prop shop, and eat at the commissary. We also got expanded time on the backlot and walking around the different areas. It definitely was better for the film buff than the VIP Experience at Universal the next day was, which was helpful for the park itself but the main difference with the backlot/film studio was better tour guides.
BUT the normal tour has lost an hour from what it once was. Part of that is simply a result of the tour becoming more efficient-the DC and Potter stuff used to be in one building where they'd drop you for ~20 min before you got back on, and then there was a separate building for vehicles that you would get time in before you were driven to yet another place. That's all streamlined now and it works better than before. But I still can't imagine that the one hour experience lives up to what used to be the standard 2 hour tour.
I will agree that it their focus is EXTREMELY contemporary and of the moment unless it's a huge property with a lot of name recognition. The majority of the guests on the Deluxe Tour with me were international visitors, and some of them voiced disappointment that there wasn't much focus on classical films. I get that they want (or think the guests want) to focus on the now, but it's definitely odd when you're walking through sets or hearing about shows are current that I've never heard of either.
On the upside, they DO have a classics tour now. That is an option that didn't exist when I previously visited.
The only thing that really bugged me about the tour I took is in their welcome area, which naturally hypes all the innovations Warner has made over the years and their properties, but hopes you won't notice that some of those properties/innovations they trumpet came from other companies that Warner later acquired.
That said, I totally understand why the experience wouldn't be for everyone and could be seen as tacky or touristy.
The Warner Bros. Tour has gone ALL IN on Friends. They was already a fair amount of Friends content there in 2017, but there's more than there used to be. Now, in addition to the Friends set and coffee stop there's also a "couch" photo op in front of the Friends fountain, which was new. I like Friends, but the hype around the show can be a bit nauseating. I can't imagine how irritating it would be if someone who *hated* Friends found themselves on the Warner tour.
I totally get why they're doing it-IP milking=$$$ but it definitely makes the whole experience feel more tacky than it would otherwise.