Our family loved going to the movies before the pandemic, but this year we have become a little more creative with our movie nights. One really fun, and vintage, way to have family movie night is to find some great drive-in movie theaters in North Texas!
5 Tips For Going to Drive-In Movie Theaters in North Texas
1) Know your car
Figure out what does and doesn’t drain your car battery, how to turn off your headlights, and how high your trunk pops. You don’t want to drain your battery during the movie and you might need to tie down your trunk if you’re watching from the back of the car, because it can’t be higher than the roof of your car. Pro Tip: Bring a portable radio so you don’t have to worry about using your car stereo.
2) Stock up on the fun food and snacks
While there are usually concession stands, one of the most awesome things about drive-in movie theaters is that you can bring whatever you want to eat!
*Some theaters do have guidelines about not bringing in outside food because theaters depend on concession sales*
3) Make sure you’ll be comfortable
You may find that sitting in the trunk, or right outside of the car with lawn chairs, or a blanket is more comfortable than looking at the screen from your seats. This may not be an option with COVID restrictions, so come prepared with a back-up option. And remember that it gets colder the darker it gets, so you might want to bring extra blankets. And whenever you’re outside during the summer, you never want to forget the bug spray!
4) Get there early and prepare for a late night
Just like in a theater, some spots are better than others. Go early for a better spot and play in front of the car while you wait. (If you have a little one and might need to split in the middle of a movie, make sure you ask to be at the end of a row.) Most of the time you get a double feature for one ticket, but since the movie doesn’t start until sunset, the second one doesn’t end until well after bedtime.
5) Go on a Thursday or Sunday instead of Friday and Saturday
Drive-in movie theaters in North Texas are the busiest on weekends. Going on a weeknight or Sunday night pretty much guarantees a better spot and a shorter exit line. As a bonus, you can go in pajamas to have a super easy transfer from car to bed when you get home!
5 Drive-in Movie Theaters in North Texas
1) Coyote Drive In, Fort Worth
The Coyote Drive In Theater has a lot of great reviews. We’ve been really impressed with them! They show movies on four screens every night, suggest that you arrive over an hour early, and do not allow outside food to be brought in. They do allow you to sit in front of or behind your vehicle, and as of April 2021, are requiring masks if you are outside of your own car.
2) Galaxy Drive In, Ennis
Located about 45 miles outside of DFW, the Galaxy Drive-In Theater shows movies Thursday through Sunday nights. Currently showing movies on seven screens, the Galaxy also has a bunch of great reviews! They charge per person instead of per car. Tickets are sold at the gate.
3) Brazos Drive In, Granbury
About 30 minutes outside of Fort Worth and an hour from Dallas, they offer private event packages from November to March. They’re intentional about keeping a vintage feel, and they show double features Friday and Saturday.
4) Community One-Time Pop-ups
Even Walmart got in on this last summer, and I hope that they do it again! They had cheap drive-in movie pop-ups in their parking lot. Because of the pandemic, some movie theaters have done these pop-ups, too, such as the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff. Often times community groups will do movies (& concerts) in the park or at the local swimming pool! These one-time events are usually free or cheap and are SO much fun! For Collin County summer events, make sure you’re following Collin County Moms on social media and sign up for our newsletter here to keep up with all the family events.
5) The DIY Option
Right now a lot of movies are available both in theaters and to rent for a premium at home. Taking my whole family to see Raya and the Last Dragon in the theater would have cost upwards of $50, so buying it for $30 and setting up our own fancy movie night was a great deal! You can even make your own drive in movie theater in the backyard! If you are anything like me, you have some big delivery boxes laying around that the kids could convert into their very own vehicles! And most portable movie projection systems can be used inside or outside on a clear wall or on a sheet.
Here’s an option with a screen. Here’s one that’s more affordable and cheaper than taking my whole family to the theater!
Bonus:
* Did you know that movie theater rentals are pretty affordable right now? Rent out an entire theater for a party or just for a family gathering and you can very easily space everyone out across the theater for safety.
* Once you feel safe going back to the theater, you can expect theaters to have awesome deals for screening older kid movies this summer.
* Keep an eye out for one time events. Places like Hawaiian Falls and NRH20, or even your local rec center will usually do movie nights over the wave pool in the summers.
