Summer Movies

[bbymks5]

Is anyone else taking their littles to their movie theaters summer movie program? I was shocked to see only one AMC in AZ is participating in the Classic Summer Movie program, which happens to be in the heart of downtown...so I went with Harkins.

This will be our second time trying this; the first time we tried, my youngest was just a year old so we only made it to a couple of movies before I called it quits, now that she's almost 5 I think we'll have a lot fun!

 

[bestcee]

Do you have a Cinemark? They have a few theaters participating in cheap movies too.

 

[bestcee]

There's is called Summer Movie Clubhouse. We will go see at least a few of them I'm sure. It's the cheapest way to stay cool in the heat!

 

[bbymks5]

They have a theater in Mesa, which is about 45 mins from us The theater that is closest to use was a Carmike, but AMC bought them out earlier this year...that's the theater we first tried the summer program at.

Do you have a Cinemark? They have a few theaters participating in cheap movies too.

 

[ashleywb]

Regal Cinemas also has a program called Summer Movie Express. https://www.regmovies.com/movies/summer-movie-express
Unfortunately the only theaters participating in the Atlanta area are further out in the suburbs and not very convenient for us. We may still try to make it to one this summer.

 

[Tree City]

There isn't a theater near us with a kids program. There used to be, but that theater isn't participating this year (according to the website... I might just stop by and ask in person).

Anyway, our local library has a movie night once a week. We can't do every week cuz the time is kind of late for DS but I do want to try it cuz it's free!

 

[keepscrappin]

We've done it with Cinemark in the past, but the one near us isn't doing it this summer. We have most of the movies in our private collection anyways, so I guess it'll just be going to the pool for us this summer.

 

[enjoyyourpix]

check out the library/city to see if they are having anything. In the summer, our town does a monthly movie in the lawn in front of the library. They have a blow up screen and show newish cartoons/family movies. They have crafts going on before it gets dark.

The high school swimming pools are open for the summer and for lessons. At least once during the summer, they offer a movie night where you can watch the movie and hang out on innertubes/floaties.

I wish I had a projector at home. For my daughter's last birthday, I rented a screen and projector and we had an awesome movie night in the back yard. My girl friend in Vegas has one and she does movie nights on her street and the neighbor kids come and watch.

 

[Scrapping with Liz]

Our local theater does free summer movies every summer. I've actually never gone...but I'm thinking of taking my kids to a couple this year. Since it's free I figure it's a good time to test out if the 3 & 4 year old will sit through a movie.

 

[bbymks5]

I wonder why there are so many theaters that no longer participate in the summer movie programs? I remember when I was working they all seemed to. Wonder if it's just too much of a hassle for them?

Our library is really weird; they have programs for babies, toddlers and preschool/kinder aged kids all year; programs for children around my daughters age are very few and far between (I did sign her up for yoga and to make her own fidget spinner); there's a ton for the teens and adults to do. Then they have family programs, but it's always the same things presented by the same people, so after a couple of times the girls don't want to go again.

I would love to take the girls to the pool; but my middle refuses to go back after she got really sick a couple summers ago...she had crazy diarrhea, cramping the works.

Regal Cinemas also has a program called Summer Movie Express. https://www.regmovies.com/movies/summer-movie-express
Unfortunately the only theaters participating in the Atlanta area are further out in the suburbs and not very convenient for us. We may still try to make it to one this summer.

There isn't a theater near us with a kids program. There used to be, but that theater isn't participating this year (according to the website... I might just stop by and ask in person).

Anyway, our local library has a movie night once a week. We can't do every week cuz the time is kind of late for DS but I do want to try it cuz it's free!

We've done it with Cinemark in the past, but the one near us isn't doing it this summer. We have most of the movies in our private collection anyways, so I guess it'll just be going to the pool for us this summer.

check out the library/city to see if they are having anything. In the summer, our town does a monthly movie in the lawn in front of the library. They have a blow up screen and show newish cartoons/family movies. They have crafts going on before it gets dark.

The high school swimming pools are open for the summer and for lessons. At least once during the summer, they offer a movie night where you can watch the movie and hang out on innertubes/floaties.

I wish I had a projector at home. For my daughter's last birthday, I rented a screen and projector and we had an awesome movie night in the back yard. My girl friend in Vegas has one and she does movie nights on her street and the neighbor kids come and watch.

Our local theater does free summer movies every summer. I've actually never gone...but I'm thinking of taking my kids to a couple this year. Since it's free I figure it's a good time to test out if the 3 & 4 year old will sit through a movie.

 

[Tree City]

I wondered that too, @bbymks5! Around here, I figured it's cuz the Ys and the day cares all come, and it's a ZOO. Loud and a mess and smelly. LOL ok, I added that last one for fun. But there are lots of kids and very few adults in these large groups. On the plus side, it's helped me assess which day care we'd use if necessary.

 

[bbymks5]

I do remember it being a cluster the first year we tried it out...but I wasn't sure if it was a me thing or not LOL!!

I remember that same year, the bowling allies did free bowling and they've all pretty much stopped doing that as well...one ally is participating in that this year here in the valley.

I wondered that too, @bbymks5! Around here, I figured it's cuz the Ys and the day cares all come, and it's a ZOO. Loud and a mess and smelly. LOL ok, I added that last one for fun. But there are lots of kids and very few adults in these large groups. On the plus side, it's helped me assess which day care we'd use if necessary.

 

[bestcee]

our town does a monthly movie in the lawn in front of the library

I found out that there are a lot of community parks around here that do movie nights at the parks! They look cool.

My girl friend in Vegas has one and she does movie nights on her street and the neighbor kids come and watch.

What street is this? Perhaps I may need to wander over one night when she's showing a movie....

My friend bought a projector that attaches to her phone. We are going to have a movie night in her backyard. Well, the kids are going to watch a movie, the adults are going to hang out inside and play games. I'm excited to check it out! My brother's projector is a little bigger, but he got it for around $150-$200. They bought it instead of a tv.

 

[gonewiththewind]

I'll tell you why we stopped going . . . the summer camp programs would bring bus loads of kids in and they were ill behaved and poorly chaperoned. It was not a pleasant experience. I mean, I was expecting mostly small children and loudness anyway, but this was more than that.

The last time we tried to go back, the summer camp kids were in a separate theater, so that made it a bit better. It's just hard to take my almost 12 year old to see movies he's already seen when we might have them at home or can easily rent them for under $4 if he really wants to see them.

Soooo, if you don't have access to a library or theater who does this, close all your blinds and if you have curtains with black out linings, close those too. Then pop some popcorn and make some sodas, move your chairs and couches so they face the TV like a theater and voila! Homemade theater without leaving your home. I highly recommend this because our homemade theater allows you to wear pajamas. LOL

 

[bellbird]

well, as bad off as you think it is now, as far as i know nothing like that happens in cinemas here in Oz, the libraries are a better bet, sometimes the local council does outdoor screenings but the mozzies are the main deterent for us there !

 

[keepscrappin]

I'll tell you why we stopped going . . . the summer camp programs would bring bus loads of kids in and they were ill behaved and poorly chaperoned. It was not a pleasant experience. I mean, I was expecting mostly small children and loudness anyway, but this was more than that.

The last time we tried to go back, the summer camp kids were in a separate theater, so that made it a bit better. It's just hard to take my almost 12 year old to see movies he's already seen when we might have them at home or can easily rent them for under $4 if he really wants to see them.

Soooo, if you don't have access to a library or theater who does this, close all your blinds and if you have curtains with black out linings, close those too. Then pop some popcorn and make some sodas, move your chairs and couches so they face the TV like a theater and voila! Homemade theater without leaving your home. I highly recommend this because our homemade theater allows you to wear pajamas. LOL

So true Cheryl, about the summer camp / day care kids overrunning the movie theater. We have a theater room in our basement with leather recliners. We already own most of the movies they are showing this summer anyways, so I may just pop some popcorn and let Megan invite a couple of friends over to watch at our house. I love watching movies at home in my pjs! I've even picked up movie theater popcorn before and brought it home for our at home movie nights. I take an extra paper bag and purchase the large bucket that comes with a refill. Then dump it into my paper bag and get the bucket refilled. My hubby loves buttery movie theater popcorn so I get bonus points with him when I do that.

 

[kelley]

I'm kind of jealous! I live in north Iowa, and we have nothing like that here (unless I live under a rock which is quite possible)!

 

[bbymks5]

I didn't even think of this...ugh. That's probably a big reason so many theaters have stopped their summer programs...

We do pj movie nights here too I love them!! When it's 110+ most of the summer we hardly leave the house.

I'll tell you why we stopped going . . . the summer camp programs would bring bus loads of kids in and they were ill behaved and poorly chaperoned. It was not a pleasant experience. I mean, I was expecting mostly small children and loudness anyway, but this was more than that.

The last time we tried to go back, the summer camp kids were in a separate theater, so that made it a bit better. It's just hard to take my almost 12 year old to see movies he's already seen when we might have them at home or can easily rent them for under $4 if he really wants to see them.

Soooo, if you don't have access to a library or theater who does this, close all your blinds and if you have curtains with black out linings, close those too. Then pop some popcorn and make some sodas, move your chairs and couches so they face the TV like a theater and voila! Homemade theater without leaving your home. I highly recommend this because our homemade theater allows you to wear pajamas. LOL

So true Cheryl, about the summer camp / day care kids overrunning the movie theater. We have a theater room in our basement with leather recliners. We already own most of the movies they are showing this summer anyways, so I may just pop some popcorn and let Megan invite a couple of friends over to watch at our house. I love watching movies at home in my pjs! I've even picked up movie theater popcorn before and brought it home for our at home movie nights. I take an extra paper bag and purchase the large bucket that comes with a refill. Then dump it into my paper bag and get the bucket refilled. My hubby loves buttery movie theater popcorn so I get bonus points with my him when I do that.

What are mozzies?!!? The biggest problem the Valley has is the summer heat (it was 102 today) so doing anything outside is out of the question after 9 am; most larger cities have days where you can go to the museums, zoos, aquariums etc for for free, not here in AZ. Everything costs an arm and a leg to get into.

well, as bad off as you think it is now, as far as i know nothing like that happens in cinemas here in Oz, the libraries are a better bet, sometimes the local council does outdoor screenings but the mozzies are the main deterent for us there !

 

[bbymks5]

Oh no

I'm kind of jealous! I live in north Iowa, and we have nothing like that here (unless I live under a rock which is quite possible)!

 

[Dalis]

We have 3 around us that will do this (maybe 4). We usually go to the closest one, but this year we may go to one a bit further away but that is an antique theater with an organ player and everything!