Are there any Drive In movie theaters left?
By spalladino
@spalladino (17891)
United States
June 4, 2008 2:11pm CST
I used to love going to see a movie at the Drive In when I was a teen and taking my kids there when they were little. Our local Drive In had a pretty good playground so we would get there a little bit early so they could play. I believe it cost something like $1.00 per person and the kids were free so, if we brought snacks from home, we had a night out for next to nothing. Sometime in the 80's the owner of the Drive In realized that he could make more by selling the property to a developer than staying in business so that's what he did. I haven't seen another one in the different areas I've lived in so, I'm wondering, are there any left? Did anyone else enjoy going to the Drive In and do you remember the last movie you saw there? I think the last one we saw was E.T., that's how long ago it was.
6 people like this
27 responses
@Palmerhusky (843)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Drive ins are still around you just have to know where to look. i remember where i was living before. when we first moved there i saw a field with two huge screens and i was like...huh? so i asked my mother what they were and and she told me that it was a drive in. she was actually a little surprised herself as i recall. so yeah...they are still around but they are quickly becoming an endangered species.
3 people like this
@jashley1 (746)
• United States
5 Jun 08
I live in Southern CA outside of San Diego and there are still a few places left! I have never been but we have friends who still take advantage of the sights! Definately have thought about it and would love to try it sometime! Our kids are huge fans and much less expensive than trying to take them all to the theater!
@Sherry12 (2472)
• United States
5 Jun 08
We still have one left. I can't remember the last time I went to it. I have happy memories of going to ours. We always stopped and got a gallon of rootbeer and a big bag of popcorn from A&W. Like you I remember going as a child, a teenager, and taking my own kids.
@Timothy31 (649)
• United States
5 Jun 08
I'm not sure if there are any around my are or not still but i do know there is one where some friends of mine live. They go there once in awhile for dates. They seem to enjoy it better then an actual movie theater.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (168473)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Jun 08
There is still a drive in over in a small town near us. Only one left I know about. We used to pay 5$ a car load. We would make a huge bag of popcorn and watch two movies. One of my first dates with my husband was at a drive in where he conveniently ran out of gas. Ah, memories.
2 people like this
@ambkeb (782)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Ive never been to it, but there is one about 45 minutes away from where I live now. I used to live just right down the road haha and I have never been. I do know that they charge only $5 for a whole car...doesnt matter how many people are in the car. You still have to pay seperate for the snacks and stuff of course. They play 2 movies at a time. There are 3 show times I belive, the morning, afternoon, and evening times. And each time they show 2 movies. Usually they are older movies, but I've been told that every once in awhile they will play a new release and an older movie.
2 people like this
@luvstochat (6907)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Well there was a Drive Inn movie theater in the town about 40 minutes away until last Thursday when a tornado ripped the screen down.
I went there wtih my son and a friend once we saw the movie Cars and Pirates of the Carribean part 2.
They do not know if they will be able to reopen this season or not.
1 person likes this
@Shawchert (1094)
• United States
5 Jun 08
there is an active one still about an hour from where I live :) so yeah there are some still around but few and far between, I loved going to them when I was younger.
These days it costs more to get into one of those than it does to go out to a theater. Although the funny thing is the one near me plays older movies and not the new ones that are coming out in theaters lol.
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
5 Jun 08
There is one near Manitou Mineral Spa in Saskatchewan. They run it on weekends during the summer. It was really neat getting to go sit in the car and watch a movie, hear it through the radio speakers. I liked the little cars being closer to the front not stuck behind some big truck (like some guy sitting in front of you wearing a big cowboy hat in a sit down theatre)
1 person likes this
@jalucia (1431)
• United States
4 Jun 08
I remember going to the drive in when I was little with my family. We used to eat fried chicken and stuff. I don't even remember which movies we saw, just remember the experience. I'm not sure if they still exist. I'm sure they do, somewhere. A couple of ours have been turned into flea markets on the weekend. I'm not sure if they still do the drive-in in addition to the flea. I think you have sparked my interest, though. I'm gonna see if there are still any around. My kids would probably love it.
@sunnflr (2767)
• United States
4 Jun 08
I remember going to the drive in with my parents when I was very young. The one in our town closed down before I was ten so we didn't go that often.
We saw a drive in not too long ago. I couldn't believe there were still any open. I think it was in Gadsden but it may have been in a town closer to Cathedral Caverns. I can't remember if I saw the drive in going to the cavern or going to Gadsden.
@cukal6 (146)
• United States
4 Jun 08
I remember seeing ET at the drive in! There is one 30 minutes west of me and one an hour to the east of me. my husband and I went last year and saw I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. We had such a good time. I don't remember the cost but I think it was $4 or $5 per person. Still cheaper than going to the theater.
@jayperiod (870)
• United States
4 Jun 08
While I haven't been, I know there is one in a little town about 20 miles from us. It is the only one in the region. Large towns don't generally have one, and I'd say that city lights might be one reason. Smaller towns have fewer lights to distract, while larger towns have more. I'm glad they still have them, and the fact that you don't have to use the little box, but rather your FM radio makes it that much better.
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
4 Jun 08
we still have a drive in near us. it's about half hour away. and i believe there is still one open about half hour the other direction too. i don't remember the last movie we saw at the drive in. its been about 6 years since we've gone. once we had kids lol. our oldest is 5 now and i think she would enjoy going. our middle one is 3 and she is the spawn of satan so i don't think taking her would go so well. we'd spend the night searching for her between cars lol. i would like to try to go sometime this summer with my husband.
1 person likes this
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
6 Jun 08
There are actually two that are not too far from me. One is only about 15 minutes away, the same people also own a small indoor discount theater in the little down town area. The other one is about 40 minutes away. I am pretty sure we will go at least once this year. At the closer one the adult price is $6.00 which is 2 to 3 dollars cheaper than a regular theater and children are only $3.00.
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
5 Jun 08
I loved drive in theaters... When I was in high school, there was 1 drive in movie theater... That was me & my buddy's hang out almost every weekend, except winter times... One year, they were closed to winter & never opened since... I don't even know what came of that place now...
@metschica25 (5399)
• United States
5 Jun 08
There were so many when I was a kid and then they started to take them all down. There is one by me that is about a 40 min drive. You get to see 2 movies and they only change 10 bucks per car.
I was happy me and my fiance got to go and cuddle up. I don't get to go as often as I like , but hope to get a group together on a cool summer night and go.
When I was a kid I saw Jungle Book there
With my finace we saw my big fat greek wedding and i cant remember the oter movie.
@Mirenia (199)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Honestly, I have never seen or been to a Drive In movie. The only ones I have seen are in movies but other than that, I'm pretty sure we dont have any near where I live. I've been almost all over this state and havent seen one but who knows.. there might be one around here somewhere. If i ever come across one, it would be pretty cool to go to.
1 person likes this
