Is it possible for a family of 4 to go to the movies for under $50?

[Anonymous]

Adding to my prior post above, the theaters in Centreville have $5.75 prices on Tuesday's, all day.

[Anonymous]

How about just going less? We go to the movies as a family once or twice a year, and get popcorn, drinks, the works. We like the experience of going to the movies and love the popcorn, ect but since it's so expensive we don't go as much but we do make it a big and exciting event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about just going less? We go to the movies as a family once or twice a year, and get popcorn, drinks, the works. We like the experience of going to the movies and love the popcorn, etc but since it's so expensive we don't go as much but we do make it a big and exciting event.

Especially with most movies getting on Redbox or On Demand within 3 months of release date. Very few movies are worth paying for in the theaters now a days.

This is another option: http://arlingtondrafthouse.com/drafthouse/ (and yes, kids can go as long as it is before 9 PM AND accompanied by a parent). They have $2 Monday and Tuesday showings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Movie theaters make their money from Concessions, not the tickets. That's why a bottle of water is $4. My family will buy the popcorn because it's a treat but we also bring in water and the $1 candy boxes. Definitely recommend matinees and sign up for the Regal card or AMC rewards program.

We do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is really the first time some of you have heard of matinees? I almost always went to matinees - why pay full price if you don't have to?

Someone mentioned a $5 day at a local theater - I think they also do that all day at the theater at Fairfax Corner. I think it is Wednesday?

I remember back in the day when matinees meant any show before 6. Now, matinee just means the morning shows

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is really the first time some of you have heard of matinees? I almost always went to matinees - why pay full price if you don't have to?

Someone mentioned a $5 day at a local theater - I think they also do that all day at the theater at Fairfax Corner. I think it is Wednesday?

I remember back in the day when matinees meant any show before 6. Now, matinee just means the morning shows

I remember that too......in the mid 90's, you could pay $3 at AMC before 6 PM, then it jumped to $5.

Times have changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is really the first time some of you have heard of matinees? I almost always went to matinees - why pay full price if you don't have to?

Someone mentioned a $5 day at a local theater - I think they also do that all day at the theater at Fairfax Corner. I think it is Wednesday?

I remember back in the day when matinees meant any show before 6. Now, matinee just means the morning shows

really? It's only the morning show now? See, shows how often I go.

It just isn't worth paying an arm and a leg for a ticket AND a sitter to go... especially since movies are then released 3 months later (rather than a year!) to streaming and dvd rentals. $1 for a Redbox movie!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring snacks in your purse like everyone else does.

+1

I bring in whole freaking meals for my kids so that I can go to a 12 o'clock showing and feed them lunch at the same time. Peanut butter sandwich, fruit pouch, a couple cookies, boom. Done. I also bring their sippy cups and fill them from the water fountain.

I've brought in sodas, slurpees, candy, etc. The only time I ever carry a purse is when I'm going to the movies...

My friend even snuck in a freaking tea kettle and teacup once. Weird but whatever.

I second University Mall though. I won't buy my kids snacks at regular theatres but when we're only paying $4 for tickets, I don't mind buying them the $5 kid snack pack thing. It's so exciting for them to get that treat....more exciting than the actual movie itself. LOL!

[Anonymous]

I once snuck in a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. And an order of breadsticks. ??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring snacks in your purse like everyone else does.

+1

I bring in whole freaking meals for my kids so that I can go to a 12 o'clock showing and feed them lunch at the same time. Peanut butter sandwich, fruit pouch, a couple cookies, boom. Done. I also bring their sippy cups and fill them from the water fountain.

I've brought in sodas, slurpees, candy, etc. The only time I ever carry a purse is when I'm going to the movies...

My friend even snuck in a freaking tea kettle and teacup once. Weird but whatever.

I second University Mall though. I won't buy my kids snacks at regular theatres but when we're only paying $4 for tickets, I don't mind buying them the $5 kid snack pack thing. It's so exciting for them to get that treat....more exciting than the actual movie itself. LOL!

The $5 kids meal is worth the cost.....that could fill me up.

AMC (and I think Regal) allows free refills on large drinks, but let's face it, who will get up for that and miss a few minutes of a movie? However, some app's have a function called "runpee" (not joking) that gives a one sentence of a part of a movie that shows where you won't miss something.

Why don't you just feed your kids before the movie? Wouldn't that be easier than lugging in a ton of food?

[Anonymous]

Was just at Univ Mall. Adults are 5$, kids 4$, two buck Tuesdays all day long.. They have some sort of summer program too for their 10 am movies but don't remember what that is. No bag checks. I believe the back checks that Regal instituted are by cops looking for weapons. My mother in law had food in her bag and they didn't say anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you just feed your kids before the movie? Wouldn't that be easier than lugging in a ton of food?

Two reasons: 1 - part of the thrill for them is eating in the theatre (even if it's food I bring) and 2 - when the movie is at 12 and I want to get there by 11:30 to get tickets and get seats, that means leaving my house at 11:15 which means having to feed them at 10:45/11 (they're 3 and 5 so eating is still a slooow process full of distractions). That's just too early for them to be hungry for lunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you just feed your kids before the movie? Wouldn't that be easier than lugging in a ton of food?

Two reasons: 1 - part of the thrill for them is eating in the theatre (even if it's food I bring) and 2 - when the movie is at 12 and I want to get there by 11:30 to get tickets and get seats, that means leaving my house at 11:15 which means having to feed them at 10:45/11 (they're 3 and 5 so eating is still a slooow process full of distractions). That's just too early for them to be hungry for lunch.

This sounds good. I will have to try it next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you just feed your kids before the movie? Wouldn't that be easier than lugging in a ton of food?

Two reasons: 1 - part of the thrill for them is eating in the theater (even if it's food I bring) and 2 - when the movie is at 12 and I want to get there by 11:30 to get tickets and get seats, that means leaving my house at 11:15 which means having to feed them at 10:45/11 (they're 3 and 5 so eating is still a slooow process full of distractions). That's just too early for them to be hungry for lunch.

Fair enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes- go to university mall theater. Tickets will be $18 total. Add two kids' combos, two large popcorns and two large drinks for about $30. Skip the candy. Done.

This will not work for us. We live in McLean which is about 15 miles from University Theater. It's a trade off between traffic/driving vs. cheap seats. We just go to the $7 matinee at AMC Tysons and bring snacks for the kids.