Family Drive-In Theatre
| Address: | 5890 Valley Pike, Stephens City, VA 22655, USA |
| Phone: | +1 540-665-6982 |
| Site: | thefamilydriveintheatre.com |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
Location
Photos 1
Reviews 7
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A Private User
Of course I love this place and the new owners have only improved it and seem committed to keeping it alive. They even have funnel cakes now, how great is that! The price is cant be beat, two features for $7.50 and the movies tend to be pretty current release. The best part is if you like the old drive-in feel you can use the speaker on your car window, if not, you can play the sound through your car stereo - just dont drain your battery! The food is definitely reminescent of 50s era. It is a drive-in and you are expected to sit IN your car or on the grass under the screen you absolutely are NOT supposed to sit in the gravel. Do you really want to be sitting in the gravel when cars are driving through with no lights? Yes, it is a drive-in so you do not have your lights on; either headlights or inside lights of the vehicle (but please use your parking lights if you must drive before the features end so the idiots who DO sit in the gravel can at least see you coming since you wont be able to see them - or better yet, just stay for both features :) Treat it like what it is, a 50s era drive-in, if you dont wish to sit in your car go the a movie at the mall or take a blanket and find a spot on the grass under the screen - NOT in the parking lot. The sun is sometimes going down on screen 2 but by the time the previews are over, the sun has long gone. Some folks live to drive tank-sized vehicles and unfortunately they can obstruct your view but typically only the very bottom of the screen, that is not the fault of the drive-in, in the 50s the general population did not have the option to buy vehicles like this, perhaps they should just ban them from entry ;) My only complaint is like that of any drive-in the lines are long for the bathroom between movies, plan appropriately.
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Natasha Gilbert
They dont let kids play on the playground. We spent over 6 hours here! You have to get there at 6:00 to get a spot for the first movie which didnt start until 8:30-9:00! Kids still cant play during intermission they rudely announced on the loudspeaker. The restrooms werent very clean and had long lines as there were only two stalls and one toilet stopped working because so many people were using both the men and womens bathrooms at the some time. One of the gentlemen, who is a worker and family member, possibly owner of the place.. came out of the kitchen wearing his gloves and touching everything in sight. Then he proceeded to head outside to the grill to help with food. I found this unsettling and unsanitary. Im not from here and was unaware that we had to keep our receipt, as I wasnt told at the register. When I told them I had thrown it away, not knowing I was to keep it, the girl handling the food got an attitude with me. I asked another employee who was making drunks and he said I needed to go back to the register in which I had ordered... because turning an inch to tell the girl at the register was clearly too large a task for him. By this time the line was out both doors on either side. I waited in line at least 20 minutes... after already waiting a good 20 minutes prior!! When we did get our food, my chicken was undercooked. It was a huge waist of time and money. Not how I would imagine the original owners would want their business/ family legacy remembered, as Im sure it wasnt always this way. I think they need to clean up the theatre and perhaps their act a bit. It didnt have the cozy family friendly vibe I expected.
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Grace Be
Always have a great time here. Appreciate the double features for $8, while its a bit of a drive from DMV area its a fun thing to do a few times during the opening months. Concessions line can be slow right before the movie and its the standard fare but they are trying to add healthier options. I do wish they could let you reserve online just because you have to get there really early in order to get a prime spot. Sometimes its too dark of a screen to see detail, but depending on the movie its not a problem at all. Appreciate that they have the playground so if you do come early and have kids they can go on that. They also try to have events from time to time, just friendly and oriented to their customers.
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Rahil Merchant
This is a fantastic place: great movies, great great food, and a great value! I agree with the other reviews in that the lines can be long, but thats what happens when a place is this popular! I had one small issue: one of the staff members working at the snow-cone stall yelled a very racist and bigoted comment about me which I probably cannot repeat in this review. When he saw that I heard, he ran away. It would not have phased me if it was one of the patrons, but because it was a STAFF member, I had to knock off two stars (being generous). Would highly recommend this place for a great night out at a great price, as long as you do not have brown skin color.
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A Private User
expensive and the way it is set up the cars are so packed in that if your car is behind a truck of van, you cant see. plus there is almost no grass area so you have to stay in your vehicle. They have signs up saying "no chairs on the gravel" well the whole thing is nothing but gravel. plus they start the movie before it gets dark so you can barely see the first 20 minutes of the movie. Hulls drive in in Lexington is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better. Cheaper, plus plenty of grass between lanes so you can take blankets, chairs, etc. plus its amphi-theatre style so cars dont get in the way of your vision. Hulls in Lexington is TONS better. Chris, Harrisonburg, va.
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Bruce Rose
A great drive in only an hour outside of Washington DC. The old school vibe with modern digital projectors give this place a perfect balance of old and new. You can bring a cooler and your own food, but I recommend buying food from the concession stand. This is where they make a majority of their money and every dollar goes to keeping this place open. Drive in theaters are a dying breed, enjoy this one since its one of only a few left in VA. Friendly staff and modern movies make this a great value and experience for all ages. Some classic films are screen throughout the year so keep up with them in their website. I cannot recommend this place enough.
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A Private User
The Family Drive in, was a horrible experience for my family and I. During the second movie all you could smell and breath were fumes from the cars running. It was horrible and I had to leave my car for fresh air it was so nauseating. When I went to complain to an employee, he told me “there is nothing we can do” Which was just unsettling. You are parked inches from the car next to, and with cars parking backwards and forward the carbon monoxide comes right inside your car, I can’t believe they wouldn’t have this rule, already in effect. I will not be going back to this theater unless they change their rules.