Give me your best drive in movie tips!
August 21, 2013 1:05 PM Subscribe
I need your best drive in movie tips! Difficulty level: motorcycle.
I'll be heading to the drive in movie tonight with a date. Neither of us have cars, so we'll be taking my motorcycle. I've never been to a drive in at all, so I need your tips to make this awesome. We've already planned on a battery operated radio, for the soundtrack. I might try & come up with some folding chairs, but we're certainly ok with sitting on blankets on the ground. What else should I bring/know/do?
I'll be heading to the drive in movie tonight with a date. Neither of us have cars, so we'll be taking my motorcycle. I've never been to a drive in at all, so I need your tips to make this awesome. We've already planned on a battery operated radio, for the soundtrack. I might try & come up with some folding chairs, but we're certainly ok with sitting on blankets on the ground. What else should I bring/know/do?
Best answer: Grab some extra batteries (kinda sucks when you can see the movie but not hear it, as I know from experience). Also take some food/drink (unless you buy it there, which does support the drive-in, which is a good thing). Def. try to be closer to the front.
posted by pyro979 at 1:13 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by pyro979 at 1:13 PM on August 21, 2013
Bring bug spray!
posted by goggie at 1:14 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by goggie at 1:14 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Bring an entire picnic, complete with booze if that's your thing.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:15 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:15 PM on August 21, 2013
Best answer: Layered blankets to smooth out rocky ground. Something to lounge on if sitting upright the whole time isn't comfortable. And bonus: if it's not quiiiite wide enough for two people to lounge against, one of you can lean on the other.
posted by Urban Winter at 1:16 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by Urban Winter at 1:16 PM on August 21, 2013
Best answer: Our scooter club goes to the drive-in on a regular basis. First, the radio needs to have an extendable antenna, and you do need extra batteries just in case. Their FM signal isn't as strong as radio stations have so a good antenna increases your chances of enjoying the movie. In our experience, this is the ONE main consideration. Some drive-ins still have the pole speakers, so check ahead of time. Ours has them on one screen only, and if that's the case with yours be aware that they switch screens seemingly at random so don't count on having the speakers match the movie you want to see. We strap fold-up chairs to our scoots, I use one of those bungee nets and can carry mine safely across the back. If you don't have one already, this is my most used accessory, outside of my helmet. We take food and drink, because the lines are so long. A small cooler works great. Bug spray. Have fun!
posted by raisingsand at 1:31 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by raisingsand at 1:31 PM on August 21, 2013
Verify that being outside of a vehicle is permitted at the drive in you're going to.
Then check around to see how gross the ground is.
Because people spill their drinks and their food and if they bring dogs they don't clean up after the dogs. In fact, I've been to some drive ins that are Not Grass, just paved lots with an abundance of broken glass and the occasional discarded condom. Some that are "grass" are really just hard packed dirt.
Go scope the place out first if you can. If the place isn't a super nice grassy area, have an alternate event planned in the event that your date seems the slightest big grossed out by sitting on the ground/remarks that she's caught a whiff of dog crap.
So that in mind, maybe beg, borrow, or steal light pick up truck. If you do that, sitting in the back is awesome. If it gets chilly in the evenings by you, then a surprise hot chocolate might be nice.
posted by bilabial at 1:32 PM on August 21, 2013
Then check around to see how gross the ground is.
Because people spill their drinks and their food and if they bring dogs they don't clean up after the dogs. In fact, I've been to some drive ins that are Not Grass, just paved lots with an abundance of broken glass and the occasional discarded condom. Some that are "grass" are really just hard packed dirt.
Go scope the place out first if you can. If the place isn't a super nice grassy area, have an alternate event planned in the event that your date seems the slightest big grossed out by sitting on the ground/remarks that she's caught a whiff of dog crap.
So that in mind, maybe beg, borrow, or steal light pick up truck. If you do that, sitting in the back is awesome. If it gets chilly in the evenings by you, then a surprise hot chocolate might be nice.
posted by bilabial at 1:32 PM on August 21, 2013
BUG. SPRAY. For serious.
posted by desjardins at 1:36 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by desjardins at 1:36 PM on August 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
Rent a car?
I'm serious. The bug spray thing is for real.
Sitting on asphalt in the summer, with cars all around you does not make for a good time.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:49 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'm serious. The bug spray thing is for real.
Sitting on asphalt in the summer, with cars all around you does not make for a good time.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:49 PM on August 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Renting or otherwise acquiring a car is not possible.
posted by mollymayhem at 2:09 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by mollymayhem at 2:09 PM on August 21, 2013
Best answer: Suggestions will be very very different if this is a make-out date as opposed to just a "me and a friend are going" date. Because for a make-out date you might want privacy (like bring a little beach cabana low tent thingie) but if it's a pal around date you don't care. I go to drive-ins a lot, here are my suggestions
- bring extra batteries!
- don't skimp on the bug spray!
- dress in layers because your outside layer may get covered in dew and you want to have inside layers be warm
- bring warmer clothes than you think you need, like seriously scarf and hat and mittens if it's going to be below 70 F
- pillows are good because you can bring inflatable ones (if you can't bring chairs) but anything that keeps your butt off the cold ground is a plus. I also second the tarp-under-blanket thing
- and yeah double-check that this is okay at your particular drive-in. Some of them are jerks about being outside your car and I don't know what they do about motorcycles
- if it might be chilly a thermos of something hot is a great idea, delicious snacks are also always good. I often just bring take out from somewhere nearby. Alcohol andor smoking might not be allowed, check first.
- have a visible way to stake out your turf since most people will be in cars you don't want them to sort of drive over your blanket while parking in the dark (anything will work here, but just things at the corners of your blankets)
posted by jessamyn at 3:45 PM on August 21, 2013
- bring extra batteries!
- don't skimp on the bug spray!
- dress in layers because your outside layer may get covered in dew and you want to have inside layers be warm
- bring warmer clothes than you think you need, like seriously scarf and hat and mittens if it's going to be below 70 F
- pillows are good because you can bring inflatable ones (if you can't bring chairs) but anything that keeps your butt off the cold ground is a plus. I also second the tarp-under-blanket thing
- and yeah double-check that this is okay at your particular drive-in. Some of them are jerks about being outside your car and I don't know what they do about motorcycles
- if it might be chilly a thermos of something hot is a great idea, delicious snacks are also always good. I often just bring take out from somewhere nearby. Alcohol andor smoking might not be allowed, check first.
- have a visible way to stake out your turf since most people will be in cars you don't want them to sort of drive over your blanket while parking in the dark (anything will work here, but just things at the corners of your blankets)
posted by jessamyn at 3:45 PM on August 21, 2013
Response by poster: My date is a guy I do, in fact, make out wih, but this isn't intended to be a "let's fuck in public under the pretext of seeing a movie" date. It's been postponed, though, as he has to work late. :( More time for planning awesome drive in fun times.
posted by mollymayhem at 5:17 PM on August 21, 2013
posted by mollymayhem at 5:17 PM on August 21, 2013
I'll reiterate the bug spray and also throw in a suggestion of a sleeping bag to either 1) act as padding under your picnic blanket or 2) wrap around yourselves if it gets cold (the evenings cool down pretty fast where I am these days).
posted by alvin545 at 7:48 AM on August 23, 2013
posted by alvin545 at 7:48 AM on August 23, 2013
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Try to get as close to the front as you can. Everyone seems to be showing up in pick-up trucks and SUVs with the hatches up these days. Folks are supposed to lower the movie starts, and high-profile vehicles are supposed to be towards the rear, but still...
posted by jquinby at 1:10 PM on August 21, 2013