Drive In Movie Theater Near Me

If it’s a good old fashioned dose of nostalgia and innocent fun you’re looking for, then a drive in theater may be the perfect activity for you. Not only do drive in theaters create a movie experience unlike any other, but you can enjoy movie snacks and a big budget flick right from the comfort of your own car. They’ll be no need to shush loud talkers or cringe through couples necking, instead, it’s your beloved ride and the big screen right to the very end.

Are you interested in finding a drive in movie theater near you? Simply browse drive in movie theater near me on the map below and find a list of drive in movie theaters located in a close proximity to your current location. Need a bit more information on drive in theaters? Read on for facts, information, and trivia!

Drive In Movie Theater Near Me – Find it on the Map

Drive In Movie Theater Near Me – Drive In Movie Theater Trivia

Who invented the first drive in theater?

Drive in theaters provide a hearty dose of nostalgic Americana. They are one of the few lasting holdovers from a time long ago, when many found America to be more innocent, and a bit sweeter than it presently is. Consider these facts as you search drive in movie theater near me. The first drive in theater was opened for business in 1933 by Richard Hollingshead in Camden, NJ. On that fateful day in movie history, patrons paid just 25 cents per car was well as per person in order to see the uproarious British comedy “Wives Beware” on the big screen under the stars. Hollingshead first conceived the idea for the drive in theater as the answer to a big problem. Hollingshead’s mother loved movies, but was unfortunately a bit too large for indoor theater seats. This often gave his mother no choice but to forego seeing movies on the big screen altogether. Not one to take no for an answer, Hollingshead stuck his mother in a car and put a 1928 projector right on the hood. He then tied two sheets to a few trees in his yard. With that, the first drive in was born and Hollingshead’s mother no longer had to miss out on a cinematic experience. Of course, the concept of showing movies outdoors was far from a new idea at this point in time. People loved to watch silent films on screens that were set up at beaches, open fields, and other areas boasting an abundance of open sky. While many individuals enjoyed viewing movies in this way, it took a man such as Hollingshead to see the true genius in setting up a drive in theater, especially in a car loving nation such as the United States.

When did drive ins really start to take off?

If you’re searching drive in movie theater near me, then you know just how large of a role the drive in theater played in the lives of many Americans, especially in the 40s and 50s. Drive ins really found their footing in the 1950s. They offered families entertainment and a chance for a comfortable outing. Since people could sit in their cars, they were able to bring small children and even babies. They could also smoke freely and eat loudly. Drive ins offered a degree of flexibility that few entertainment venues could at the time, including indoor theaters. Though indoor theaters were often far more lenient and flexible in their schedule and could show one film five or six times a day rather than just once at night, many still sought the freedom of the drive in. Drive ins were often left to show B movies, as they didn’t sell the amount of tickets that their indoor counterparts could.

Drive in movie theaters may not be as popular as they once were, but they’re still just as much fun!

Drive In Movie Theater Near Me – Drive In Movie Theater Facts

Drive In Downturn

Modern cinema theaters have a lot of advantages that a drive in can’t offer. From digital screens, to 3D pictures, and even stadium seating, the drive in has experienced an unfortunate downturn in the digital age. Today, only 400 drive ins remain and operate in the United States. The number hasn’t fluctuated much in the past five years, but since the 1970s, the number of functioning drive ins has declined at break neck speed. Outside of the United States, around 100 drive ins still exist, mainly in Canada and Australia. Though the US may be waning in its love for the drive in, countries such as China have recently begun to embrace the idea. Many have even begun putting up new screens and operating larger venues. According to statistics, some 75% of all drive-ins in the United States are privately owned small businesses. Most are not owned by a large movie theater chain such as AMC and Cinemark, as they simply don’t boast the numbers that these larger chains are raving in terms of profit. In the age of technology, digital cinema both poses a threat and an opportunity for the modern drive in owner. Digital allows drive in theater owners to get new films faster than they previously had, as they are often currently weeks behind theaters in terms of showing new films. The major threat is that digital transition is highly expensive and often requires totally new equipment. A cost that many theater owners simply can’t handle. As you search drive in movie theater near me, consider how technology has changed many old school forms of entertainment. Do you think the changes have been positive?

Broadcasting Sounds

One of the unique features of every drive in movie theater is the way they broadcast the sound for the film. As you search drive in movie theater near me, consider these facts. Currently most drive in theaters are tasked with using the FM radio in your car to broadcast the sound for movies. Prior to this, there were speakers that one would have to place on the car window. Before this became the standard in the 1940s, drive ins often experimented with various ways to broadcast the sound, including placing large speakers behind the actual screen. The major issue with the screen speaker was that the speaker was very loud in the front rows and not loud enough in the back rows.