Drive In Theatres

[malcorub16]

Drive in is set to close in a few months to make way for warehouse.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqIZ2I8d4yA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8jOj-brIx0&t=126s

[Axxlrod]

Drive-in theaters are a business model that has run it's course. Land is too valuable now.

[NORTY FLATZ]

Originally Posted by BBslider001

Yup, the one in O'Side was a good one...great scenery and kind of felt out there before all of the development.

Speaking of which, has this project fallen on hard times? I was over that way 4 times last week, and it seems like the project has been abandoned....

Now, why have the vast majority of "passion pits" been scraped?

It might be because the movie experience has sub-par audio? Or

The land required is too valuable so the owners sold out to development. Or

There's no money in it, anymore. Or

The popularity of "streaming" at home has taken it's toll.

Could be any (or all) of these reasons. Or, it could be something entirely different.

[Axxlrod]

I think drive-ins are a relic of a bygone era. It's just not fun/interesting for people to go sit in their car and watch a movie anymore. I'm sure it was an "event" or a "thing" back in the day; now not so much.

Plus drive-ins occupy huge chunks of land, and that land has now become very valuable. Most drive-in owners are probably pretty close to retirement age I would guess, so a big check from a developer is tough to turn down.

[joosoon]

It still amazes me that theaters in general survive in this era. The old refrain about movies being "better on the big screen" doesn't even hold true anymore, since you can buy a 70"+ TV and an awesome sound system for a few hundred bucks and have that experience right at home.... in your underwear.

[Axxlrod]

Originally Posted by joosoon

It still amazes me that theaters in general survive in this era. The old refrain about movies being "better on the big screen" doesn't even hold true anymore, since you can buy a 70"+ TV and an awesome sound system for a few hundred bucks and have that experience right at home.... in your underwear.

So true.

And to build on this... Cinepolis tickets are $20 each, so it costs $100 to take a family of 5 to the movies. Versus paying $20 to watch the same movie at home on your big screen and couch a few weeks later.

I'm in the second camp.

[malcorub16]

Originally Posted by Axxlrod

I think drive-ins are a relic of a bygone era. It's just not fun/interesting for people to go sit in their car and watch a movie anymore. I'm sure it was an "event" or a "thing" back in the day; now not so much.

It's still great for teenagers/young adults who live at home who want to get lucky in their car OR for families with young kids that want a cheaper way to see a new movie and get out of the house as the prices were Adults=$12, Juniors=$6.

For my family of six the price was $48 (2 adults 4 juniors) and you bring in your own food and ice chest. Prices were slightly cheaper pre pandemic.

[Axxlrod]

Originally Posted by malcorub16

It's still great for teenagers/young adults who live at home who want to get lucky in their car OR for families with young kids that want a cheaper way to see a new movie and get out of the house as the prices were Adults=$12, Juniors=$6.

For my family of six the price was $48 (2 adults 4 juniors) and you bring in your own food and ice chest. Prices were slightly cheaper pre pandemic.

So they charge per person and not a flat fee per vehicle? They have an employee that looks inside your vehicle to see how many people are inside?

[phinneas j. whoopee]

What killed drive ins was the end of large american made sedans with huge trunks you could fit 4 free loaders in. The drive ins still made money on concessions.

[CalWorth]

Skyline Drive-In, Barstow, CA