Best Intentions at Tradition
While skulking around the internet a few months ago, I found the website Drive-In.com. It's a really cool list of both operating and closed drive-in's throughout the United States. As we have only been in Columbus for two years and don't remember seeing a drive-in during our past exploration of the city, I typed in our zip code. Low and behold, we are a mere 18.2 miles from South Drive-In! An operating drive-in right under our noses!
Since finding the website, we (well, mostly me) have been talking about going to the drive-in. The kids were pretty hyped up about it (me and my big mouth) and had resorted to asking almost daily when were were going. Hubby has never experienced a drive-in as well. That's right - I was the only experienced drive-in-er in the family. Hubby had never been bowling as well when we first met. Maybe it's just the Buffalo in me - these were rights of passage growing up - drive-in movie theaters and moonlight bowling. I could tell Hubby was not thrilled about sitting in an SUV for five hours, using public restrooms and paying $7 for a bucket of popcorn but he was willing to give it a try for the experience value.
So, we loaded the kids in the car last night along with our Google directions, cooler (yes, you can bring sodas and food in!), pillows and, of course my knitting and headed south on the 670. We arrived in plenty of time as the website said the first show started at 8:50 pm....uh, try 9:15. Guy at the ticket booth was really nice (albeit mostly toothless) but had that midwesterner hospitality that I've come to enjoy in this area of the country. There were only twenty or so other cars that had come out to enjoy a beautiful Monday night at the drive-in.
South Drive-In definitely has seen better days. It's a two screen facility in a not-so-fantastic part of Columbus. The wear and tear is evident on the place and it was almost a step back in time. The kids were dismayed that they were going to have to stay in the back seat and complained of not being able to see. They both blew through three cans of Pepsi a piece during the first movie so you know what that meant - bathrooms were imminent by intermission. Bathrooms at the South Drive-In are in need of a serious overhaul - ew. Intermission was about 3 minutes long so we missed the start of the second feature. By the midway point of the second feature (Harry Potter), we all were pretty cramped with my son exclaiming he's never coming back.
I understand now why drive-in's are dying out. How can these places compete with mega theatres, 50" home plasma screens, etc. The upside is the price - $8 for an adult and $1 for kids under 12. And you get to see two movies. Last nights feature was G-Force (story about special agent hamsters that save the world) and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Pretty cheap night out for the family and we got to see the top two rated box office movies in one night (G-Force was much cuter than I expected). There are definitely some improvements cosmetically that they could make to the property to heighten the visitor's experience but you have to wonder if it would really make a difference.
Not sure if this family will ever see a drive in movie again but overall, it was fun and nostalgic. Then again, when next summer rolls around, I'm sure the kids will have forgotten how much they were cramped, etc and beg to go again! Now, to convince Hubby..........ha!
