Anyone else like drive-ins?

[madoka]

Lately, I've been watching all my movies at the local drive-in. I find it to be a superior experience to movie theaters. Here are the advantages I see:

- You get two movies for the price of one. For example, I saw Despicable Me 2 paired with Man of Steel and Monsters U paired with Lone Ranger last week.

- WAY cheaper. Adults are $7 and children are $1. My family of four can watch two movies for $16. Last time we went to the movie theater, it cost about $70 for one.

- It's pleasant watching outdoors. Instead of sitting in the car, I sit outside using a folding lounge chair and a blanket.

- I can control the sound. Sometimes theaters have their sound systems cranked up to ear-piercing levels. At the drive-in I use an iPod with comfortable, closed ear headphones which also keeps ambient noise out.

- You can bring your own food and drinks. I bring an ice chest with me and take-out from nearby restaurants.

The downsides are no 3d or Imax, restrooms are hard to get to, and latecomers shine their headlights onto the screen. But overall, I find the drive-in to be a more pleasant experience.

 

[purbeast0]

i'd say a huge downside is the sound sucks as well.

i would never watch a movie that i actually wanted to see, for the first time at a drive in. it would totally ruin the experience simply because the sound would be terrible.

 

[Kaido]

That's pretty cool, we don't have any around here. Closest thing we do is outdoor movie parties with an inflatable projector screen from Walmart, which is pretty dang fun with movies, video games, and grilling.

Would love to have one local!

 

[Fritzo]

i'd say a huge downside is the sound sucks as well.

i would never watch a movie that i actually wanted to see, for the first time at a drive in. it would totally ruin the experience simply because the sound would be terrible.

Came here to post that. For instance, we're going to see Despicable Me 2 and Monsters Inc 2 this weekend, which is fine. However, I would never go see an action movie like Man of Steel of Pacific Rim at one. The screens usually suck, there's bugs, people talking all around you...it's more of a picnic at night thing than a movie experience

 

[AustinInDallas]

The just built a new one in fort worth and its amazing. Also amazingly busy too. Its cool to get a group of people and bring a cooler

 

[ImpulsE69]

Love the drive in. I have a rather nice system in the vehicle so I don't have sound issues.

I remember when Twister came out and we saw it at the drive in, and a storm was coming in, at the same time as the drive in scene in the movie. That was kind of surreal.

 

[madoka]

While the sound isn't as good as the best theaters, I never found it distractingly bad. Usually I'm using Sennheiser HD 600 headphones or if I'm in my car, it is a Lexus with a Martin Levinson sound system so that may contribute to it. Or maybe my local drive-in has a better than normal sound system. :hmm:

 

[Scarpozzi]

I've only been to one.

Around here, the screen quality is far better in theaters than the drive ins. The drive ins have older, less bright projectors.....

Weather is a factor for me because I tend to hit the theaters more when the weather's bad....or in the Winter. Summer nights that would be nice for the drive in are usually better nights to be out on the lake.

 

[QueBert]

The sound will be as good as your car stereo, it'll sound like poo in a stock Honda Accord. I have all JL audio so movies sounds pretty damn amazing. Only downside for me is due to the watts my system pushes I have to start the car multiple times during each movie to keep the battery from dying, which is kind of a pain in the ass

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I'd love to have a local drive-in, anything has got to be better than the movie theater experience. Sadly, none within driving distance of me.

The only real downside of drive-ins, other than scarcity of venues, is weather. There's a very limited "Goldilocks zone" where the weather is neither too hot nor too cold.

 

[sushiwarrior]

The sound will be as good as your car stereo, it'll sound like poo in a stock Honda Accord. I have all JL audio so movies sounds pretty damn amazing. Only downside for me is due to the watts my system pushes I have to start the car multiple times during each movie to keep the battery from dying, which is kind of a pain in the ass

Sound is transmitted over FM, so no, the sound will be as good as your speakers OR FM. Which isn't really saying a whole lot... FM is far from audiophile quality.

 

[AustinInDallas]

no matter how good your stereo is, you are still getting a fm radio single, short range at that, so it wont be that great

 

[MisterJackson]

We have a drive in theater about 45 minutes away. I love going there, and would do so more over a theater if it weren't a 45 minute drive. It's cheap as hell, there's two screens, each showing a different set of 2-3 new release movies. Sound is fine for me. I have Infinity speakers and 2 12's in my 4runner. We just pop open the back gate, put out some folding chairs and a blanket for the dogs, make some adult beverages, and enjoy the show.

The concession stand is kick ass too. They have some of the best hotdogs and hamburgers around, and even offer ribeye steak with baked potato.

When the "chef" at the concession stand told me about them serving steak, he said:

"I can cook you a ribeye as tender as my Mothers love."

Without missing a beat, the kid at the register said:

"His Mom doesn't love him all that much.".

EDIT: I forgot to mention, people just seem a lot nicer and more respectful at a drive in. Not to mention you pretty much have your own space. I am so sick of paying $15 to sit near some douchebag who wants to commentate the whole time, or check his phone often, in a regular theater.

 

[mizzou]

wish I had one near me

 

[SamQuint]

I miss them. Here in SoCal most are gone. I would pull my truck in with the bed facing the screen and put some small folding chairs or sleeping bags in the back.

 

[Red Squirrel]

There's a local guy here who got an inflatable screen and has a drive in every now and then. Problem is it's not really consistant so unless you're paying attention you wont really know when he does it and what movie is playing. He also got lot of flak for it since he used his position as a councilor to promote it and some even think he used his position to get access to the land to do it on (an arena parking lot). I think it's a cool idea though.

Never been to one but I can sometimes hear it from my house so I imagine the sound is decent. He probably does not transmit on any radio waves as it's probably a can of worms to get the rights to do that. At one point there was a real drive in I think, probably before I was even born. It would definitely be neat to go to a real one. On the other hand trying to view a screen from the car is probably tricky, and if you go outside you'll get eaten alive by the mosquitoes.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Never been to one, want to go and try it out

 

[sjwaste]

We have one in town here, but I haven't been to it yet. My daughter is 1 now, so maybe we'll go later in the summer. She probably won't watch a movie, given that she doesn't like TV, but she does like the rare treat of climbing around in the car unrestricted so there's that.

 

[mmntech]

There's one across the highway from where I work. They seem pretty busy. General admission is more expensive though at $12 per adult, but you get to see two films. They also don't allow outside food. Though I doubt they'd search the car. My parents used to take me there when I was little.
http://www.5drivein.com/

I've always though they're ideal for families. One of my biggest beefs about the movies are people who drag fussing kids along. At the drive-in, they're confined to their own soundproof pod.

I'm tempted to go there this summer. They've actually got World War Z playing. What better place to see a B-type movie. Screening starts at 9:45 and I get off work at 9 so it's very doable. Be weird going myself though.

 

[Newbian]

The only reason to go to a drive in is for some backseat action and if you go there to watch a movie you are doing it wrong.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Best part is sneaking your cheap-assed friends in for free inside the trunk of your car.

 

[rh71]

the only reason to go to a drive in is for some backseat action and if you go there to watch a movie you are doing it wrong.

"when i was your age..."

anyway, when I went to school in upstate NY they still had a few which was a cool experience. We ain't got that in downstate. I'd love to go every few months but they banned anything that's cheaper around here.

 

[BUTCH1]

Best part is sneaking your cheap-assed friends in for free inside the trunk of your car.

The local drive-in where I grew up would watch for cars that looked suspiciously "tail-heavy" and would make some obvious one's pull over and pop the trunk to check. The one around here closed in the mid-'80's, it's now a second-rate flea market, what a shame, it seems from reading this thread that the one's that stayed open or re-opened are doing well.

 

[ra1nman]

I miss them. Here in SoCal most are gone. I would pull my truck in with the bed facing the screen and put some small folding chairs or sleeping bags in the back.

This is what I do as well. I have an old ghetto blaster that I bring for sound and put down some mattress pads with a comforter on top. If the bugs are bad (on rare occasion) I'll have my thermacell handy. They don't allow carry-in's so occasionally they have some of the staff walking around. Another cool thing about the local drive-in is that they have basketball court, volleyball nets, and mini golfing available plus a decent playground for the kiddies.

 

[KidNiki1]

our closest drive in is about 30 mins away, but totally worth it. the only bad thing is mosquitoes. the minions like it because i make the back of the car into a mini bed, and they lay there with pillows on the comfy bedspread and watch and snack. sounds just fine in my car playing over the radio. and two movies for the price of one.

what's not to love?