Well, That once stuck in my head so I looked into it..It seemed in the older days before crowds many parks had these houses to cuddle with your date and just have fun as a cart took you around in the dark. There is a site of famous most remembered ones and the site mentions how they eventually became damaged and delapidated - hard to find now as they use to only be enough to carry 5 cars through the whole ride and in these times it would take all day to get a chance to ride through one! Also, it was mentioned how due to vandals, you would notice almost ALL parks had to cover the objects within with chicken wire as vandals(mostly teens) would wreck the objects grabbing at them or tearing them apart!

Glad I got to experience them at one time in my life?

Do you remember? Maybe next, FUNHOUSES!

I miss drive-ins!  You can still find one here and there.  There are a few in So Cal still.  I go whenever I get a chance.  Brings back memories!

I went to a drive in once, they placed:

The Full Monty
Mask of Zorro
Some other film I forgot
Entrapment

I had a great time there.

Yeah, one of the cool things was that you would get to see two to three movies.  You also didn't have to worry about a complete stranger sitting right next to you and bumping your arm through the entire movie.

There's an active drive-in theater about 5 miles from where I live (and right next door to where I work). It's supposed to reopen next month. Of course I can't go there until I find a woman to go with me--I'd feel like a weirdo sitting alone in my car in a drive-in theater. But I really want to check it out. I haven't been to a drive-in movie since 1989.

There's an active drive-in theater about 5 miles from where I live (and right next door to where I work). It's supposed to reopen next month. Of course I can't go there until I find a woman to go with me--I'd feel like a weirdo sitting alone in my car in a drive-in theater. But I really want to check it out. I haven't been to a drive-in movie since 1989.


That's OK, it will be dark and nobody will be able to see what that weirdo looks like. :)  I know how you feel though.  I always wanted to go by myself, but since I'm a female I was always a little nervous about being alone in my car at night.  And the drive-ins are hardly ever on the good side of town.

u mean drive in movies?

There is one just a mile away from my house.  My daughter and I try to go once a year.  I love it.

There is one just a mile away from my house.  My daughter and I try to go once a year.  I love it.


there's one not far from my house, we tried it with the top down in the Mustang, but the bugs were killer.

u mean drive in movies?


Yep.

I miss drive-ins!  You can still find one here and there.  There are a few in So Cal still.  I go whenever I get a chance.  Brings back memories!

Is that so? I don't know of any that still exist, being that I'm a So-Cal resident.

Is that so? I don't know of any that still exist, being that I'm a So-Cal resident.


Yep.  What part are you from?  I think most are in Riverside County.

Yep.  What part are you from?  I think most are in Riverside County.

That's an area that I'm not familiar with at all...I've only been out that way once, and it was in December of '87, to visit my grandparents on my dad's side (who moved out there permanently ten years later).

To answer your question, I live in Ventura County, although I have been spending time in Los Angeles County (where I lived until age 20). :)

That's an area that I'm not familiar with at all...I've only been out that way once, and it was in December of '87, to visit my grandparents on my dad's side (who moved out there permanently ten years later).

To answer your question, I live in Ventura County, although I have been spending time in Los Angeles County (where I lived until age 20). :)


Yeah, there's not a lot up that way.  Most are in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego County.  I found this web site that has California drive ins.  The ones that say "dark" are closed.    http://www.driveinmovie.com/CA.htm

I am fortunate enough to have 3 drive-ins in a 20-some mile radius from my home. My husband and I (when we were dating) would love to go to the drive-in on a Fri or Sat night.....you can't beat the price.....2 movies for the price of 1!!

Erin :)

Yeah, there's not a lot up that way.  Most are in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego County.  I found this web site that has California drive ins.  The ones that say "dark" are closed.  http://www.driveinmovie.com/CA.htm

Thanks for the link, jacks. I clicked on it and found that most of the L.A. County ones are in the east part of the county, where I do not frequently go.

Thanks for the link, jacks. I clicked on it and found that most of the L.A. County ones are in the east part of the county, where I do not frequently go.


No problem. :)  That's too bad that they are a little too far.  Maybe one day you can make a night of going out that way and having dinner and a movie.  Something to do. :)

I never got to be around for drive ins. Wish i had. Also, full service stations, and the old fashioned cinemas with the red curtains and the balconies, etc.

we have a bunch of drive-ins still around our area

Erin

I never got to be around for drive ins. Wish i had. Also, full service stations, and the old fashioned cinemas with the red curtains and the balconies, etc.


Here is a web site that lists drive-ins in Texas.  http://www.worley-world.com/txdriveins/
As for the full service station, you can still find them in upscale neighborhoods. :)

Here is a web site that lists drive-ins in Texas.  http://www.worley-world.com/txdriveins/
As for the full service station, you can still find them in upscale neighborhoods. :)


I know in the Northeast, almost every Getty gas station is full service, and so are a lot of the non-name brand gas stations. My wife doesn't pump her own, so I've been trying to make sure I spot more of them so I don't have to do it >grin<

My father owned a full service station until I was out of college.  It's still full-serve under the new owners.  It basically has to be, they opened a gigantic self-serve station across the street a few years after he sold it.  I know when I worked there, we still washed windows and checked fluid levels, but only if you asked.  Most "full serve" stations probably don't even do that now.  Kind of stupid, since most people would probably buy a quart of oil if they were down.

I know in the Northeast, almost every Getty gas station is full service, and so are a lot of the non-name brand gas stations. My wife doesn't pump her own, so I've been trying to make sure I spot more of them so I don't have to do it >grin<

My father owned a full service station until I was out of college.  It's still full-serve under the new owners.  It basically has to be, they opened a gigantic self-serve station across the street a few years after he sold it.  I know when I worked there, we still washed windows and checked fluid levels, but only if you asked.  Most "full serve" stations probably don't even do that now.  Kind of stupid, since most people would probably buy a quart of oil if they were down.


I think what I remember most about the full service station is the little black sensor that you would run over as you pulled in.  Ding ding! :)

Oh, I have a question for you.  Is there a way to get rid of the little quick reply window that pops up when I try to respond to a post?

Oh, I have a question for you.  Is there a way to get rid of the little quick reply window that pops up when I try to respond to a post?


??? not sure I understand the question

??? not sure I understand the question
 

Hmm...maybe it's not happening to anyone else.  What happens is when I try to reply to a post by clicking on reply with a quote.  A little box pops up that says quick reply.  I can type in this box and reply, but I don't have access to any of the options at the top (bold, font, smiley faces).

 

Hmm...maybe it's not happening to anyone else.  What happens is when I try to reply to a post by clicking on reply with a quote.  A little box pops up that says quick reply.  I can type in this box and reply, but I don't have access to any of the options at the top (bold, font, smiley faces).


under your profile, select "Look and Layout Preferences" and look for the quick reply function.

under your profile, select "Look and Layout Preferences" and look for the quick reply function.


I'll definitly try that, thank you so much! :)

under your profile, select "Look and Layout Preferences" and look for the quick reply function.


Aahhhhhh, it worked.  Thanks again!

We're lucky to have one run by volunteers near my hometown. You get to see two movies for $15 a carload. Plus the prices on snacks is really reasonable as well. Thats really the only time that I see new movies cause theatres are way over priced. My friends and I usually go every week, regardless of what is playing cause we always have a ton of laughs. Mind you we've had to sit through stinkers like New York Minute and Johnny English, but it was awesome!

there's one that's near where I live....it's called the Evergreen Drive-In.....check out their website...it's kinda neato!!


www.evergreendrivein.com

Erin :)

Goddddd I wish they had had 'drive-ins' here in the UK..

we still have quite a few old Art-Deco cinemas, usually we have to fight hard to keep them as some developer always wants to knock them down to build a characterless multiplex dump with screens the size of Goddam postage stamps!!!

Goddddd I wish they had had 'drive-ins' here in the UK..

we still have quite a few old Art-Deco cinemas, usually we have to fight hard to keep them as some developer always wants to knock them down to build a characterless multiplex dump with screens the size of Goddam postage stamps!!!


I have always considered it is too cold for Drive-Ins in the UK, remember disasterous pop concerts in the rain.

I have always considered it is too cold for Drive-Ins in the UK, remember disasterous pop concerts in the rain.



They just shut down here for the winter, Drive-ins are still fairly popular around here, I know of at least 2 that have gone out of business within a 15 mile radius of me, just leaving 1 that does a great business during the summer months. And about an hr drive from me there is a triple screen Drive-in, cars park in the center facing outwards toward the screen you want to watch, all showing differant movies, great memories at drive-ins :)

Hey Gord where in the UK do they have drive-ins then???

or are you American..looking at the way you spell center..I think you are?  :)

Hey Gord where in the UK do they have drive-ins then???



Sorry I should have said, I'm in Canada :)

I live in Ohio, Home to Ceder Point and recently they took down the Pirate Ride which had things jumping out you, stuff like that.

The last time I saw a drive in movie was I think in 88 and watched Young Guns in Winsconson.

Yeah, I remember them. I always liked the spook houses that you walked through instead of the ones that you rode through. They seemed more creepy.

Oh can't we talk about really spooky things tonight, I'm in the mood to be scared stiff  :o :o

There used to be a spooky ghost house ride at Idora Park near Youngstown many yrs ago before it burned down.

Also, I believe that Conneaut Lake Park in PA had a spook house that still is running, but its in bad shape......

Ohio also had Geauga Lake Park-now owned by others..they had a little fun spook house ride that was a fun experience..Coney Island Park NY has/had numerous ones.. you almost HAD to try them to see what was most scary.

Most disappointing was one decorated outside like Batman then after the ride started, you went outside a door that took you throught the open back yard and the ride was over! Very lame!
those were the days!

Me and Chris went through one at Niagara and I was sooo scared I almost had a coronary running at 50 mph through the house - while Chris was laughing his head off at my terror.  :o :o

There was one in Atlanta (The 85 Twin Drive In) until sometime just a few years ago.  The last time I saw a movie there was "The Bodyguard" so that was a while ago.  I miss that place, and I ESPECIALLY miss going to the flea market there every Sunday when I was a kid.  :(

We still have one near us that gets a ton of business every year.. they rake in huge profits, and we love it.

We had one called the Bridgehead - they called it that because it was next to our Antioch Bridge. That one shut down and there's some legend that they started showing XXX movies on it - I bet that went well with drivers on the overpass  :P

We have one that's still hanging on for dear life in Concord (CA) named the Solano Drive in. It's very dinstinctive because for the entrance it has a "M" shape for cars to drive through. I will be sad to see that go.

They used to have one in SLO on the central coast of California for a while.  I had a lot of fun there.

They actually opened a new drive-in near where I live.  It is a 4 screen theatre, and it has an awesome in-car stereo system (different frequency for each screen, no need for that wire to attack to your antenna).

I have gone 2 times so far.  I saw Hitchhikers Guide and Star Wars 3 there.  Since then, most of the movies have sucked though, so have not bothered.

The drive-in we used to have here was right smack in the middle of town.  The last movie I ever saw there was "The Last Starfighter" in 1984.  They tore it down a few years later and built a shopping plaza :(

We have two drive-ins that we go to. One is 100 miles away and has been around since the 1950s. It still looks the same. They even have a covered area outdoors where you can sit in those 1950s clamshell style metal chairs. They have speakers broadcasting the movie to the seating area. At the end of the show, the young guys that work there jump start cars whose batteries have died.

The other is about 50 - 60 miles and just opened last winter. It has a retro look even though it is new. The new drive-in has speakers on poles plus the broadcast on the radio.

I love the drive-in!  :D

The site http://www.drive-ins.com/ is great. There are a lot of drive-ins left out there. Well, maybe not a lot, but more than you might think.

There are not many drive-ins left in Canada. :\'( There is one left in Ontario I think. It's called Port Elmsley Drive in and it is in Perth, I believe. I have not been to it, but I've heard of it. I have never been to a drive in unfortunately (was born at the wrong time, I am an '90s child, born in the '80s ;D) My mom, however, has been to a few drive-ins. I'm not sure what movies she saw at the drive-in though....this would have been in the '70s. She might have seen The Omen at a drive-in, but I would have to ask her for sure.

There are not many drive-ins left in Canada. :\'( There is one left in Ontario I think. It's called Port Elmsley Drive in and it is in Perth, I believe.



there are still a few scattered around Ontario, you might be suprised if you do a search :)

There used to be drive-ins in Absecon and Egg Harbor Township(NJ)..both are now gone. The Absecon one was shut down because the locals in both Absecon and Pleasantville raised a ruckus about R- and X- rated movies being shown there, 'where our kids can see it'..yes it could easily be seen if you lived near Absecon Bay. The EHT drive-in was torn down for the Towne 16 theatre, which is not too shabby.

8)  We still have the same Drive-In here that I went to as a kid..Summer Twin drive in...It hasnt changed much except the crowd now is annoyingly young..guess cause I am old..LOL...We used to pile at least 3 in the trunk to get in free and someone else would drive a pickup truck..we would put our chairs in the back and have a GREAT time!!...I havent been in some time..my husband and I went to see "Titantic" when our daughter was little and she cried half the movie...But I will always love the Drive-In!!

I live in a very small and country town (Sparta, TN, but I'm from PA so fortunately I'm not that country!), and they just reopened a really old drive in a few years ago.

They're open every weekend during the summer, and around Halloween they'll open again and play a bunch of new and old Haloween movies. Yeah, it's pretty cool. Sparta's the only town I know around here that has a functioning drive in. <3

We have a few in AZ, and even they are multiplexes! :( There's a 4 screen in Tucson, and two theatres in the Phoenix area, one with 6 screens and one with 9!

It's still fun though, they run the main feature as soon as the sun goes down, then a second run or otherwise "lesser" film, and then the main one again. So you can go early and get out by 11 or so, or go late and stay way past midnight. If I lived near it, I would go regularly, but I try to go once every few years. They broadcast the sound over FM. If the movie sucks, you can twirl the radio dial around and try to listen to one of the movies on either side of you. (The screens are layed out in a big wheel, with a projection tower in the middle.)

Last movie I saw in a REAL Drive-In was "Tron"!

There was a drive-in just down the road from where I grew up in northeast Ohio, but it went bust in the late 80s. It sat empty for several years before it was finally demolished...to make way for a Regal Cinema multiplex. Oh, the humanity.  ;) On the bright side, two drive-ins remain just north of there in Warren, Ohio. 

Never been to one, but I'd love to go to one. There's one or two of them in my area, but their in different counties.

About ten years ago, a drive-in theater in the West Valley (Chatsworth) was dismantled (after maybe 5 to 10 years of nonuse) and a regular Pacific movie theater (20 stadium theaters) was put in its place...with a large parking lot.

;Dis htere anyone here who went there?it closed in the early 80s,and there's a condo complex there now :(.They left a lot of the wild lands there though.it's near the hayes mansion.

Okay--has anyone ever HEARD of it??it was in san Jose.

Okay--has anyone ever HEARD of it??it was in san Jose.


Yes, yes, yes!!!!  I use to go there all the time as a kid.  Have many pictures of myself at Frontier Village.  It was a GREAT place for a kid to have fun.  Unfortunately Great America drove it out of business.  Do you remember Santa's Village off of highway 17 on the way to Santa Cruz?  That was another fun place to go as a kid.

Yes, yes, yes!!!!  I use to go there all the time as a kid.  Have many pictures of myself at Frontier Village.  It was a GREAT place for a kid to have fun.  Unfortunately Great America drove it out of business.   Do you remember Santa's Village off of highway 17 on the way to Santa Cruz?  That was another fun place to go as a kid.
Oh yes! I went to santa's Village.I remember the Christmas tree ride.Frontier Village is close to my home--I could ride my bike there  if I wanted to.The Hayes mansion is there--it's a nice place now, with a nice restaureant.No more hippies squatting there!

Were there any roller rinks near you that are no longer in operation?


There was a great one here called "Studio 801".  It had a roller rink (with a dance floor), 5 pin bowling, arcade games, and cool mini rides like Bumper Cars, and one of those air castle thingies that you jump in.  In the 70s, it was called "13 Acres" and in the 90s, it was called "Celebrity Sportsworld", but to me, it will always be "Studio 801".  I used to have my birthday parties there when I was a kid, and those were great times.  Bowling a few frames, roller skating to some hip tunes, then having a burger and fries from the snack bar.  Man, those were the good old days.

In the mid-late 90s, "Celebrity Sportsworld" officially closed it's doors, and the building was eventually torn down  :\'(

I LOVE Roller Rinks! We had one near us that my dad would take us to on Saturday mornings...it was called, "Reflections II"....but it closed down years ago. We do still have a few near us....but we don't go nearly as much. I would like to take Vaughn though soon! :)

I haven't seen one in years. I miss them.

Roller Rinks seemed like a very 70s-90s sort of thing - I fondly remember 'Roller Discos' we periodically had in Primary (Elementary) school. It's sad that the last of the roller-skating rinks closed down about 3-4 years ago.  :\'(

Roller Rinks seemed like a very 70s-90s sort of thing - I fondly remember 'Roller Discos' we periodically had in Primary (Elementary) school. It's sad that the last of the roller-skating rinks closed down about 3-4 years ago.  :\'(




we still have a few near us. They have skating parties and sock hops still....I guess some people still try to keep traditions going. :)

we still have a few near us. They have skating parties and sock hops still....I guess some people still try to keep traditions going. :)


I wonder if anyone straps on their good old fashioned Roller-skates, instead of the new-flangled (for 1989 at least), Inline blades which came out in the 1980s. Nowadays you see few people riding even those.

I wonder if anyone straps on their good old fashioned Roller-skates, instead of the new-flangled (for 1989 at least), Inline blades which came out in the 1980s. Nowadays you see few people riding even those.



I still use the old roller skates...never could quite get the concept of the inline blades.

I still use the old roller skates...never could quite get the concept of the inline blades.


Good onya! I myself have never tried out the skates, growing up in the Roller-blading generation...

This is more of a personal loss of "Places That No Longer Exsit" but if anyone who reads this and bowled there will agree with me, that now, even with the Four Season's bowling alley gone, has a place in musical history. The Four Seasons bowling alley will forever be linked to the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" and now resently linked to the New York Broadway Theater's prestigious "Tony Award" through one of the most famous Rock and Roll singing group in history..."The Four Season's".

Nick Massi, Tommy DeVito and the Frankie Valli were introduced to Bob Gaudio at the Four Season's bowling alley by now famous Joe Pessi who then worked at the Four Seasons bowling alley. From that meeting the famed Rock and Roll group was born and took the name of the bowling alley "The Four Seasons" as their name for the group in tribute to the meeting, because it was a fitting name for the four of them and felt it was a good omen for success...and the rest is history.

I'm always passing the site where the Four Seasons bowling alley in Union NJ stood, and as I look over now, I see this Costco super store in it's place. They demolished the Four Seasons bowling alley and there isn't anything that refers to the Four Season's bowling alley ever exsisting there. I think, with the history it holds linking it to the musical and theatrical worlds, there should be some kind of plaque or monument at the site in tribute to the Four Season's bowling alley for the roll it played in the forming the famous "Four Season's" singing group that has world wide recognition today. A tribute for all people to see how it all started at this spot where Four Season's bowling alley stood...

I said it's a personal loss because of all my memories of it, but if you're a real "Four Season's" fan, the loss is your's too. I think I'll spearhead a mission to get a plaque or monument put in front of Costco's front door...let's see what developes.

Hot Wax 

I haven't been to one since 1990!  :) http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/01/balloons.gif Gilroy, CA. Built in the early '60's and probably is gone now. My elementary school used to have skate nights there back in the 1980s. I had my 10th birthday party there. Many good memories there!

We had one growing up called Roller Haven. It actually is still in use by the same owners. We've known them for a long time. They are the same people who taught me how to roller skate.

We also had one in Pittsburg called Marina Skate, but it appears they shut it down around 2000 or possibly earlier. It was not that old of a rink, either. I remember when it was new and had a grand opening.

..did someone say Roller Rink  8)

growing up in Dartmouth,Nova Scotia you could always find me at 'Saints" on Saturday afternoons..it turned into 'Wheelies'..such an awesome part of my childhood and so many memorable songs from those days  :)

Wow, I had something to say on this topic but then I was smitten by the pic in the Ktel Queen's avatar.  :-*

OK, I used to love skating but the last time I went I ended up getting xrayed for a bruised tailbone! I thought it was like riding a bike and you didn't forget how.  :(

Roller Rinks... ah... the smell of sweaty gym socks and those rental skates that would give you blisters... Those were the good ol' days.

You know what would be cool? A haunted roller rink  ;) ;D ;D ;D

The Detroit Lions used to play home games at the potiac silverdome but got a new stadium and they use the parking lot of the old one for drive in movies....they have 4 screens

Theres a drive-in outside of Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. I remember going there as a kid. Saw movies like E.T and Battlestar Galactica on there. I know the battlestar galactica was a tv series but the first episode was put out in theaters and drive-ins first before they aired it on tv in the 70's

Some of your NJ people may remember this place. It was a haunted house that lived on a pier in Brigantine NJ. Below is a link to a tribute site dedicated to the memory of the place....check it out

http://www.frightscape.com/article1.html

Oh yes! I went to santa's Village.I remember the Christmas tree ride.Frontier Village is close to my home--I could ride my bike there  if I wanted to.The Hayes mansion is there--it's a nice place now, with a nice restaureant.No more hippies squatting there!
I went tbere this Mother's day.

I've heard of it. My parents used to go there a lot on dates and stuff and they have souvenirs saved from it.

Roller Rinks seemed like a very 70s-90s sort of thing - I fondly remember 'Roller Discos' we periodically had in Primary (Elementary) school. It's sad that the last of the roller-skating rinks closed down about 3-4 years ago.  :\'(

There's still one close to Cal State Northridge (in the Los Angeles area), called Skateland. It's the only roller rink I've ever gone to...even though I haven't been there in over 10 years. I learned how to roller skate there in March 1989 at the age of 8 2/3; had my 9th birthday party there later that year...and have gone there a few times since. I think there's one in Ventura closer to where we live now...but if I went there, I probably might not remember how to rollerskate, since it's been so long since I've last done it. It was fun though!

I went tbere this Mother's day.


I went to the Santa Cruz Museum a few years back and they had some real neat info about Santa's Village. Too bad I missed it in its heydey.  :\'(

When I was a kid there were a few drive in's here in St. Louis. When I would come and visit my Uncle he would take me to the drive in because there weren't any where I grew up. I think there are a couple waaaaay out in West County, but the last one in town was on Lemay and it got knocked down a few years ago for a freakin grocery store.

Ronnie's 20.. has a sort of faux drive in. They've got a bunch of classic cars inside a huge movie theater which is.. kinda neat.. but you miss the sweat stains and mosquito bites.

Ronnie's 20.. has a sort of faux drive in. They've got a bunch of classic cars inside a huge movie theater which is.. kinda neat.. but you miss the sweat stains and mosquito bites.



that sounds pretty neato!

that sounds pretty neato!


It is pretty cool.