Movie Theaters Are Reopening: Is It Safe To Go?

Over the course of the next several weeks, three major movie theater chains will begin the reopening process. Regal Cinemas will open its doors beginning on July 10, while AMC Theaters are slated to open on July 15. Cinemark began its four-phase reopening plan on June 19 in select Dallas-area locations.

But even if theaters are reopening, is it safe to go?

In an interview with Variety magazine, AMC Theaters CEO and President Adam Aron said "We didn't rush to reopen … we opted to remain closed so we could give the country time to get a better handle on coronavirus. We wanted to use this time to figure out how best to open and how to do so safely.”

Despite safety measures that theaters will undergo to reopen, some moviegoers are skeptical. Instead, they're recreating their own movie-night experiences at home.

Mom Shaye Wylie is going all out with movie night. "Until we can get back into the theaters, we're participating in Camp Warner Bros and Camp DreamWorks, along with hosting movie nights every weekend at home," she told Mom.com. "I'm actually going to make a Summer Movie Bucket List for us to complete since we're stuck in the house for a bit longer. And of course lots of popcorn."

Mom of two Libby Liming has been working on preparing her own backyard staycation oasis. "We are not going to movie theaters for the near future," she told Mom.com. "We have been having a regular movie night, my next purchase is a projector so we can project on the back of the house and watch with our neighbors at social distances."

For those willing to go to the theater, facilities are doing what they can to ensure that it is a safe experience for everyone. “There are no guarantees and nobody knows what coronavirus will look like in the winter or how long it will take to get a vaccine, but I can tell you that we have a very able management team here," Aron explained.

Going to the movie theater in a post-COVID-19 world will look vastly different. As theaters begin their phased reopening, protocols will be put in place to ensure safety and help minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Many theaters will require customers to purchase tickets online or via an app before arriving. Temperature checks at the door are also a possibility. Drink and popcorn refills at the concession stands will be eliminated to reduce contact. In the auditorium, theaters will incorporate seat-blocking technology to ensure social distancing measures are met. After facing backlash online, most theaters will require patrons to wear masks in the facility.

Any type of personal contact or service will have to be reevalutated during this tentative reopening. “We want to talk to every guest, we want it to be a very hands-on experience, but we had to flip that upside down,” Jason Ostrow, vice president of development for dine-in-theater Star Cinema Grill, told CNBC.

AMC will sell disposable masks for $1 in the event that moviegoers show up without one. Cinemark will be requiring masks only when where required by local or state mandates. The pandemic is ever-changing and evolving. Because of this, it's a good idea to contact your theater for requirements and guidelines.

Shaye Wylie won't be taking her young daughter to the movie theater in the near future but is hopeful she'll be able to go herself soon. "Because I'm an entertainment blogger I'm hoping I can get out there, once I think it's safe, to test the waters for other parents," she explained to Mom.com.

As an '80s kid, visiting the drive-in was a regular occurrence. Their popularity began declining shortly after the energy crisis and operational costs increased. Simultaneously, home entertainment systems and VCRs gained significant popularity in the '80s. As a result, the novelty of the drive-in movie theater, which reached its heyday in the '50s, wore off.

The coronavirus outbreak has rekindled an interest in the drive-in movie theater and they're starting to make a comeback. According to the United Drive-in Theater Owners Association, there are just 305 drive-in theater locations across the US today.

Beau Bianchi's family has owned Los Angeles' Paramount Drive-in since 1946. “It has been a welcome relief for families and adults looking for a little getaway from the house," he told the Los Angeles Times. “We’ve been trying to let people know that we have a safe environment and [offer] a little escape.”

Pop-up drive-in movie theaters

In recent weeks, pop-up theaters have been cropping up around the country. Recreation departments, like the one in Wellesley, Massachusetts, are transforming open parking lots into drive-in theaters, at least through the summer months. The initiative is two-fold: Bringing some entertainment to residents while also creating summer jobs that have been in short supply as of late.

Whitney Cornelison recently visited a local drive-in theater with her family. "There were spaces in-between each vehicle, masks were mandatory, social distancing was expected, and there was an 'only two people in the restroom' rule," the mom of four told Mom.com.

Before heading out, she and her family agreed that they would leave if at any point they felt unsafe. "We stayed to ourselves and parked in the very back row. It was a great way to social distance while getting a small taste of normalcy," she recounted.