Drive-in theaters, who goes?

[Thermo1223]

Just went to one of the two local favs here.

http://www.beckysdi.com/

Also go here as well.

http://www.shankweilers.com/index.html

Becky's is a nicer more modern affair with the ability to switch screens if you want after the first movie.

It did rain a bit last night which isn't horrible just makes it a night in the car.

However since this BITOG and we talk cars a bit I have to wonder how many people actually read their effing owners manual.

For the second movie we found a nice spot center of screen with no one around us really. Then pull up two idiots one in a Civic and another in a Buick Rendezvous.

It was perfectly fine IMO to start the car an idle to keep the windows clear while it was raining. You can't hear the other cars with yours up.

What I can't fathom is why after it stopped with a cool 66F temp you would start the car every 25 mins to run in for literally 30 secs instead of just rolling down your windows. The not disable your DRL's so mess with everyone's focus on the screen. My only thought was they were smoking which is banned at this place because of the potential for a fire. It is a field after all. The Buick left the car in the ON position the entire second movie w/ it's parking lights on. It's wipers were going back and forth across a dry windshield for 45 mins at least. So think of the noise they can make, it was wearing me thin. WHY WOULDN'T you put it in ACCESSORY?

I swear I loose faith in people every day because this.

How hard is it really to follow simple rules and be courteous? Obviously the most difficult thing next to breathing for them.

 

[threeputtpar]

We like to go to the old one in Door County, because it usually has a kid's movie first and then an adult one second. Our kids love the experience of parking the van backwards and camping out in the back with blankets and watching and listening through the van's radio. Hardly ever stay for the second movie though, but it's the same price regardless.

It's pretty cheap, too. Less than $20 for two adults and two young children. Maybe it's the class of people up in Door, but we've never had a problem with inconsiderate patrons ruining the experience. Quite the opposite, as we've met some pretty nice people that have a vacation home in the county and come up for weekends like we do.

 

[earlyre]

used to go quite regularly, but haven't made it out for the last 2 summers.
http://van-del.com/ (the name comes from the fact they & the near by town of Middlepoint, are halfway between Van Wert, and Delphos)
google maps satellite view
3 screens, and a different FM Frequency for each,
screen 1 is the big main screen that's always been there, then they added 2 smaller ones , one at the back of the lot, and another in the grass strip between the lot and the road.

the only issue I've had is people not following the no vans or SUV's in the first 4 rows rule.

that and forgetting to get cash out before going, b/c that's all they accept.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Haven't been to one in a few years. I really like drive-ins though.

The drive in closest to me just got blown down by a Tornado

 

[OneEyeJack]

In the 50's and 60's the drive-ins where cheap family entertainment. Today you can stream it all right into your home. Live is different, now.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

The drive-in experience can be fun and should be done at least once in your lifetime.

That said, any movie made in the last 20 years will look and sound terrible at a drive-in theater. Go see Grease or Rocky Horror Picture Show, sure, but not Transformers.

 

[Thermo1223]

Actually they use the same projectors a modern theater does and they all offer sound either via car FM or over their own speakers. It isn't any worse than the indoor theaters.

So no Transformers didn't look terrible.

 

[zzyzzx]

Nobody goes to these places any more, partly because they don't exist any more.

 

[JHZR2]

Never been, though I have seen signs for a few in my travels. It would probably be a fun thing to do if the weather is perfect.

 

[Chris142]

we go ocasionally. i cant keep up with new movies. i dunno too many bad guys? plus its down right hot in Barstow, ca even at midnight.

we cant take her tahoe because the stupid automatic headlights are on whenever the key is on and theres no acc position for the key.

 

[JDW]

Not many left this day and age .

 

[Volvohead]

We went to Shankweiler's this past weekend.

Fireworks going off in the nearby farms during the first show. A good time. Hit some decent BBQ beforehand. Couldn't last for the second feature, though. The place was 90% full, which was good to see on a Saturday night.

Very old time. Very truck friendly. Back in, pull out the chairs, and bring your own eats if you like. Would prefer the old style wired speakers, but we set up a big portable radio to save the vehicle battery.

Have not been to Becky's yet.

I grew up with Drive-ins. It's still a great outdoor experience even in today's big screen, hi def world. Not many are left.

 

[InhalingBullets]

We have a new one here just north of downtown Fort Worth that opened a few years ago. I haven't been yet but several friends say its great. http://coyotedrive-in.com/

 

[eljefino]

Went 2x last year. Haven't been yet this year. Last year was the last of film projection. The Saco, ME drive-in won some social media contest through Honda to get a free $80k digital projector. Yay on them I guess.

I wish car radios had a "drive in" mode where they didn't use all the amp power and could run the battery all night. Actually looking for a pocket radio from Goodwill that runs on rechargeable AAs.

 

[123Saab]

Originally Posted By: Thermo1223
Just went to one of the two local favs here.

http://www.beckysdi.com/

Also go here as well.

http://www.shankweilers.com/index.html

Becky's is a nicer more modern affair with the ability to switch screens if you want after the first movie.

It did rain a bit last night which isn't horrible just makes it a night in the car.

However since this BITOG and we talk cars a bit I have to wonder how many people actually read their effing owners manual.

For the second movie we found a nice spot center of screen with no one around us really. Then pull up two idiots one in a Civic and another in a Buick Rendezvous.

It was perfectly fine IMO to start the car an idle to keep the windows clear while it was raining. You can't hear the other cars with yours up.

What I can't fathom is why after it stopped with a cool 66F temp you would start the car every 25 mins to run in for literally 30 secs instead of just rolling down your windows. The not disable your DRL's so mess with everyone's focus on the screen. My only thought was they were smoking which is banned at this place because of the potential for a fire. It is a field after all. The Buick left the car in the ON position the entire second movie w/ it's parking lights on. It's wipers were going back and forth across a dry windshield for 45 mins at least. So think of the noise they can make, it was wearing me thin. WHY WOULDN'T you put it in ACCESSORY?

I swear I loose faith in people every day because this.

How hard is it really to follow simple rules and be courteous? Obviously the most difficult thing next to breathing for them.


Thanks for those links Thermo, Me and the wife used to go to the old Starlite in Bethlehem.

 

[UncleS2]

Haven't been to a drive-in since I lived in Austin in the mid-80s. There's a closed drive-in less than 4 miles from home, it closed in the mid-late 80s, I think. By then, cable TV, VCRs, & central air conditioning had all become common even in this economically depressed area. They just couldn't compete with all that, I guess.

Growing up here, we had the choice of that drive-in, or the conventional theater in the next town- which, of course, we called the Walk-In.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: InhalingBullets
We have a new one here just north of downtown Fort Worth that opened a few years ago. I haven't been yet but several friends say its great. http://coyotedrive-in.com/

Huh! I drove within a few blocks of it this past May while coming back in to Fort Worth from Amarillo! I wish I'd known.

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Originally Posted By: InhalingBullets
We have a new one here just north of downtown Fort Worth that opened a few years ago. I haven't been yet but several friends say its great. http://coyotedrive-in.com/

Huh! I drove within a few blocks of it this past May while coming back in to Fort Worth from Amarillo! I wish I'd known.

+1
I'll have to bookmark that for when we go visit my brother in North Richland Hills

 

[Patman]

We are very lucky that one of the only ones left around here, is actually less than a 5 minute drive from our house! And they just recently updated to a new digital projector so they are not planning on closing down any time soon either. We see all the cars lining up to get in there every night and it's always super busy, so that's very nice to see. It is so much fun to bring all the kids there and pull out our lawn chairs and watch a movie under the stars. We never actually stay inside the car, it's much better being outside on a nice hot summer night (you gotta make sure you pick the right night, those chilly summer nights aren't as much fun)

 

[Rolomoto]

The last one anywhere near me closed a good 15 yrs. ago. I do have an indelible memory of seeing a double bill of Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and The Vanishing Point. My father cleaned the windshield with windex and newspaper.