![]() Stoudt says they didn’t mind the restrictions involved and planned accordingly. The restrictions are also why the West Wind hasn’t run afoul of the city of Glendale. I’ve been going stir-crazy a little bit.’” “We understand why we have to do it and we're trying to do our part, but when we realized we could see a movie in our cars and stay safe, we were like, ‘Let’s go to the drive-in. “We’re big movie buffs and love going out to a theater, so it’s been kind of hard for us being cooped up all the time,” she says. Similar outdoor theaters across the country are reportedly doing big business during the COVID-19 outbreak while maintaining social-distancing restrictions.ĭarlene Stoudt of Tempe attended a recent double feature of The Invisible Man and The Hunt at the West Wind Glendale 9 with her husband, Richard. Jason Keil The West Wind isn’t the only drive-in that’s experienced a resurgence in recent weeks. Now, it’s the only game in town for those wanting to see a movie on a screen larger than a television or personal device. The West Wind Glendale 9 has been the only drive-in still operating in Arizona since 2013. There were some people that had set up outside on lawn chairs, but once the movie started, a golf cart came by and right after those people packed up and got back into their car.” “As far as I could tell, everyone has been staying in their cars and obeying the rules. “I've gone to that drive-in plenty of times growing up here, but I’ve rarely seen this many people here before,” Quiroz says. (West Wind’s weekly Tuesday evening Family Fun Night on March 24, which features discounted admission, had more than 200 vehicles in attendance.)Įrnie Quiroz, a Valley resident and New Times contributor, says it's one the busiest periods he’s seen at the theater, which first opened in 1979. While Phoenix New Times has been unable to reach the drive-in’s management or owners despite repeated attempts to get exact attendance figures, recent screenings we’ve attended have been very busy. Those that don’t are immediately asked to leave.Įven with the restrictions, people have been coming to the West Wind Glendale 9 in droves. ![]() Employees patrol the property in golf carts to ensure everyone’s following the rules. The snack bar and playground are closed, and a limited number of people can visit the restrooms at one time. ![]() Patrons must remain in their cars or stay in the beds of pickup trucks or the cargo areas of vans and SUVs at all times during screenings. There's a catch: West Wind’s owners have restrictions in place for each screening. ![]() There's been a big turnout in recent weeks. With every other metro Phoenix cinema shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, locals have flocked to the nine-screen drive-in near 55th Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Glendale to see flicks like Onward and Fantasy Island. ![]() The West Wind Glendale 9 Drive-In is open for business and screening films nightly, giving Valley residents the chance to catch films on the big screen while maintaining social distance in their vehicles. At a time when cineplexes everywhere are closed, one local theater is thriving. ![]()
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