What to do at the Drive-Ins

10/11/2021

I recently released a review on the movie Free Guy. The movie didn't get a very good review from me (read it here) however I saw this movie with my family at the drive-ins and it got me thinking: what can you do to make the drive-in movies a unique experience from the cinema? So in today's article, I thought I'd cover everything you need to do to make the drive-ins an unforgettable experience.

For those who don't know, a drive-in theatre is an outdoor cinema where viewers watch the movie from the comfort of their cars. Patrons park their cars in front of a large screen whilst the sound is played through their radio. The drive-ins were most popular in the mid-60s but have once again sparked popularity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In many countries, entertainment venues have been allowed more patrons outside than inside. Technically, the drive-ins are outside so many people have found this to be the best way to see the latest releases.

Credit: Drive-In Movie Club

Unlike most cinemas around the world, drive-in cinemas are less about the movie you are seeing and more about the experience. Because of this, I suggest that it is better to go and see a good movie that you have already seen. This way you are focussing more on having fun than trying to understand the movie or reviewing the movie if you are like me. This also means, and I speak from experience when I say this, you don't end up seeing a hopeless movie (I saw The Witches and Free Guy at the drive-ins which are the lowest rated movies on my website). Like many things on this list, this choice might be out of your control but if you have free will on what movie to see, you can never go wrong with classics like Back to the Future, Star Wars and Jurassic Park.

So now that you have chosen your movie, you need to make sure you choose a good session time. Mostly you will just be going with whatever time your chosen movie is being played but you want to make sure you're not going at a stupid time like 4 p.m. It is a must that it is dark while you are watching the movie. Usually, drive-in cinemas will only play movies at night time but you never know. If you do have more variety in times, try and book a session where it is light when you arrive but is dark by the time the movie starts. This way it is light whilst you are setting up and but dark for the movie.

This leads me to my next point. Make sure you get there early! I'd suggest getting there at least fifteen minutes before your session is scheduled to start. Normally the cinema may say what time to get there but aim to arrive a bit earlier than they say. This way, you have enough time to line up, grab a good spot, go to the bathroom and get snacks. And no one likes that moron who drives up in the middle of the movie in their massive Range Rover with the blinding headlights.

So now possibly the most important part of the experience: the configuration. You firstly want quite a large car. I know many people may not have a choice in what car they use, but if you can, choose the largest car in your collection. Where you park your car is an entirely personal preference. I like to be about the second or third row from the front right in the centre but others might like to be stationed somewhere else. And this is why you need to be early: so you can choose whichever seat in the house you want. How you position your car is also totally up to you and depends on what car you have. If you have a large boot, it could be good to back up and lie down or set up some deck chairs out the back if you have multiple people. But if you have very comfortable seats, then facing forward could easily work; just be sure to take the headrests out so everyone can see.

Ok, so we've chosen a great movie, in a perfect spot, and it's just getting dark. Oh no! We forgot the snacks! Not to worry, there will almost always be a snack bar. However, these can often be quite crowded and you never know the quality of the food. So if it isn't too hard trying to remember all six kids, then I'd suggest bringing your snacks from home. Once again, it's your choice what to pick but what my family does is we will buy multiple packets of lollies, then make up our own lolly bags to avoid any arguments on who gets to hold what. I always love to have M&M's and Maltesers. It's also a good idea to bring blankets, pillows, deck chairs and multiple layers of clothing. You might not need all this but better safe than sorry.

One final note: bring along someone who isn't going to be annoying during the movie. The drive-ins are always better with a friend but you don't want to be stuck with someone who laughs too loud, screws up the chips bag, doesn't laugh at all, or who complains the whole time. Just kidding! Take whoever you want! So feel free to take the one who falls asleep (and snores!) during the movie, just don't say I didn't warn you!