Is the movie something we should see before taking the experience tour? Is it more interesting after the tour? Does the movie spoil some of the grand sights you will see?

And (sorry, one more), when they say the experience tour is 1hr 45 minutes, is this INCLUDING the movie, or in addition?

The movie is in addition to the tour and is optional. The 1hr 45 minutes does include the time it takes to get up the hill by bus. When we went, it was foggy and chilly at sea level and sunny and warm at the top of the hill.

The movie was okay. I don't remember it spoiling anything and we saw it prior to our tour.

Have a great time!

We saw the movie after the tour and thought it was very interesting and well worth the extra time. I don't think it would "spoil" anything to see it first, and I don't think it really matters in which order you experience the visit. But I would try to see it.

The movie is definitly worth seeing. We saw it before and thought knowing a little more background on how the castle was built and the entertaining Hearst did there made the tour more intereting.

am I understanding this correctly that the theater is down by the loading area for the bus, and not up by the castle?

Yes, the movie is in the reception area.

Since I have visited Hearst Castle three times and have never seen the movie, I can assure you that the place can be enjoyed without the movie. In fact, there was no movie to watch on my first two visits.

I can't imagine that the movie reveals anything about the place that can't be gleaned from a book or a web search.

Is it Citizen Kane?

No, I think it's a Marion Davies last movie, "Ever Since Eve."

Be sure to watch Citizen Kane before visiting San Simeon.

Do you know what "rosebud" represented? It's not the same as in the movie.

The movie is National Geographic's Imax theatre "Building the Dream". You really should see the movie. It is excellent especially viewing it on the huge Imax screen. It is included in the price of the Tour 1 ticket I believe. By the way the Theatre has been there for at least 15 years.

The movie is included in the price of the ticket, is right there before you board the bus and sets the stage for what you are about to see. If you have made the effort to drive to the castle, have paid the price of the tour, what is the point of not going? Yes, you can enjoy the tour without the movie, but the movie includes interesting info that you will not learn on the tour. See the movie, you won't regret it.

The movie theater opened in 1996--eleven years ago.

I first visited the Hearst Castle decades before that, and I didn't miss anything by not sitting in a movie theater. Take Tour 2, which is very interesting and you won't get the movie included.