The FRIEND[S] Experience in Manila: Fun when flying solo (but bring your barkada!)

Story and photos by Johanna D. Poblete

OH. MY. GAWD.

Call it an exhibit, an immersive experience, or whatever the main character inside of you wants to, but The FRIENDS Experience is a big — huge! — draw for those of us who spent an insane amount of time watching the comedic antics of the ultimate barkada onscreen: Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey. It doesn’t matter whether you grew up in the 1990s (a shoutout to my fellow elder millennials whose high school and college life spanned all 10 seasons of the show, from 1994 to 2004) or discovered the show in the latter aughts when the reruns ruled, or joined the gang just now, as binge-watching on streaming services are making fans of much younger generations. By the time Warner Bros. premiered Friends: The Reunion on HBO Max in 2021, the original show had been watched over 100 billion times across all platforms. You’re getting off that plane and pivoting this way.

There’s almost a cocoon-like atmosphere at the entryway, which is a blue room dominated by a large screen and the girls’ apartment door. You’re greeted by an introductory video telling you the rules (no food and drink inside the place is the big downer for those hoping to get some coffee — missed opportunity!) and showing familiar clips from the show. But as soon as the door with the iconic framed peephole slides open, it’s mainline nostalgia: a replica of the famous couch by the fountain, umbrella props included. That’s your first photo point — every stop has a camera box to snap photos of you and your companions — but I suggest you grab your own camphone and take as many selfies as you can, because you only get one free photo print at the end.

Theoretically, the maze could be a short walkthrough, doable in 15 minutes, except you’re going to be reading up on trivia from Friends memorabilia — deep cuts on designs, character studies, and copies of scripts, including Rachel’s “18 pages front and back” love letter to Ross and a very long wall detailing “Who’s dated whom?” Most of your time, however, will be spent queueing to take selfies with the set pieces: Joey and Chandler’s living room, complete with La-Z-Boys (“sweet mother of all that is good and pure”); the infamous couch that Ross was too cheap to have delivered upstairs to the apartment (“Pivot!”); Monica and Rachel’s kitchen (all those Thanksgivings), plus the turkey head the former wore to cheer up Chandler (who blurted out “I Love You” before being overcome with panic and anxiety); and the biggest space of all, Central Perk (where it all began, where Rachel the runaway bride takes refuge, and where, after much drama, Ross and Rachel have their first kiss).

Friends may be a product of its time, and the fandom lost a hero when Matthew Perry, aka “Miss Chanandler Bong,” died in 2023, but it is undeniably a classic beloved by many. As Warner Bros.’ Friends: The Reunion documents, the sitcom ran through 236 episodes, aired in over 220 territories, and was the No. 1 comedy show in the United States for six straight seasons, averaging 25 million viewers a week. Around 52 million people watched the finale, a good number of them likely Filipino, which could explain why The FRIENDS Experience’s first Asian stop is Manila. The set pieces may not be exact copies — eagle-eyed superfans can surely tell — but the look and feel of the space, with enough authentic and original props embedded within, transport you to that magical TV moment and make you a part of it all. Thanks to this experience, you get to relive a time when Friends felt like family and, if you’re lucky, share the feels with your buddies, your own fambam, or your lobster.

I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I kept thinking — “Johanna needs a friend right about now” or “they would die laughing over this part” — on my walkthrough.

The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Manila opened on Oct. 8 and is ongoing until Nov. 30 at The Space at Solaire, Solaire Resort Entertainment City, Parañaque City. Tickets may be purchased at Ticketworld, with entries timed at 15-minute intervals throughout the day (10 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.). Children must be accompanied by an adult; ages three and below can come in for free and ages four to 10 may avail of a lower-priced ticket (P529). The same ticket price (P1,058) applies for individuals aged 11 and above. Discounted tickets can be had for persons with a disability and seniors (P719.45 each), and diplomats (P944.66). A Barkada bundle (P5,290) can cover a group of six friends. VIP tickets, at a flat rate per person regardless of age (P2,962.40), will allow ticketholders to skip the queue on arrival and at three photo points, as well as get discounts on official merchandise and for their second visit. VIPs also get swag, among other perks. Those who splurge for the Ultimate Experience (P4,232) have “open entry” so may come in at any time.