Julie in CA Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Our family isn't huge, but still, it's a little daunting to take everyone to the movies and we only do it once every year or two. We have Netflix, and that is so much cheaper than $8 per ticket (x7) for the movies that's hard to justify the cost of going to a theater. With all that said, we *loved* the first Pink Panther movie with Steve Martin, and I would really really enjoy the fun of going to see the second one with the kids and dh. I'm pretty sure though, that that's probably not a wise use of money. It got me thinking about other families the size of mine (and larger), and whether they ever go to the movies, and whether or not I'm the only cheapskate that has a hard time coughing up that much cash. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We go during matinees or discounted showings. No popcorn or drinks. It has to be something really special so we only go a couple times a year. It is expensive. Dh & I go a couple times a year together, too. There aren't many movies out there though that we want to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We haven't gone since #4 was born, but that's mostly because he's too young to sit quietly. If one of us stays home with the baby, then the other is left trying to figure out what to do when one of the older three (both genders involved) needs to use the bathroom. The logistics are just too much of a hassle. Thank goodness for Netflix streaming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We go occasionally, but really have a tough time justifying the cost. What we prefer to do is attend movies with boys or girls--depending on who is most interesting has just "has to" see the movie right away. LOL It's typically DH and boys.:D I usually wait until movie comes out on Apple TV or DVD and splurge for the cost ($14 instead of $56 for theatre), armed with popcorn, candy, and a soda! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat19 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We have 5 in our family(we don't have to pay for the baby) and we don't go to many movies. We go a couple times a year. We have what we call a cheap theater(tickets $3) so we usually wait for movies to go there. We go here more often since it's cheaper(even popcorn and drink). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohio12 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We are a small family, but I am going to weigh in anyway! I think you should go if it is something you really want to see. I guess not if you have significant money problems, unemployment or huge debt, but otherwise, I think it is a fun thing to do once a year or so. Can you call it your Valentine present to the family or something? (also, take candy for each child in your purse) It is terrible to smell all the goodies and not have any! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julpost Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 No, not really. Maybe once a year or every other year. We have a much better time renting movies from Netflix or watching something on cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We went to see both Narnia movies, and my dh had taken the kids to see the Veggie Tales' movie (the Jonah one), which was a number of years ago. My dh and I went to a movie, by ourselves, just once in the past 5 years. We went and saw Amazing Grace. We now have Netflix and are watching lots more movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have three. My oldest went to her first movie in a theatre at age 8, as a special time with me, for a movie she really wanted to see, and I thought was decent. My dh and I haven't been to a move theatre in probably 5 years together. (Note my dd has no real desire to go again - the food made her feel sick and the chairs at home are more comfy!) We just haven't felt the $$$ was worth it. We wait til we can see them at home, snuggled comfy on our couch, with home-popped popcorn and a microbrew, where we can hit <pause>, and we don't need a babysitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThelmaLou Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Rarely. Last 3 movies were Prince Caspian, Charlotte's Web, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. My husband only went to one of these with us, and we never buy the drinks or food. It's fun to have the big screen experience from time to time, but way too expensive. And I resent all the previews that we have to watch. Pure garbage in most cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaS Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I took my five about two weeks ago-we went to the cheap theater and we went for a matinee-no drinks, no snacks. It was $7.25 for all 6 of us. Since we go during the day (after lunch) I don't worry about showing up at the theater with a horde of little kids. The littlest ones often fall asleep towards the end and I'm okay with that. My older ones love to go and they don't get to do it often-more because there just aren't any movies, not so much the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) Rarely - because I KNOW that we WILL buy the DVD for most films and I just about get hives paying movie ticket prices for something I will eventually buy. That said - I did just take one kid to see Coraline, but he has autism and rarely asks for anything. But this film he had marked on the calender to see the day it opened. The entire gaggle of kids won't go the movies until the next Harry Potter comes out (although my two dds want to go see the - gag - Jonas Bros. They can pay their own way for that one!). We did all go see the last Indiana Jones film...and if ever another Pirates of the Caribbean comes out we will go to that, too. A film needs great special effects that make it WORTH the $$$ to see it on the big screen (even when we will buy the DVD later.) Edited February 11, 2009 by JFSinIL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 we did it once. Took the kids to see the first Narnia movie. Waaay to expensive. We get more mileage from family movie nights at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich with Kids Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We go as a family once a year on Christmas Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We have four at home and we go about once a month to a theatre that has movies for $3.00. It is also a restaurant (pizza and salads) and we usually eat dinner there. It usually ends up being our youngest three with dh and I. It usually costs about $40.00. We go so a "full price" movie about once a year if there is one that the children just have to see. Our 15 year old usuallly goes every other weekend to the movies with his friends. He works for my husband at his business one afternoon a week to earn the money to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) I remember with great fondness the night, three years ago, that we tried to cram all nine of the people in our local nuclear family into the theater. I remember that it was opening night, a midnight showing, and the theater was packed, and it took us forever to sit each little person near a big relative. I don't, however, remember the movie. That says it all, doesn't it? We haven't done it since. Instead, usually we pair up, one person over 13 with one person younger, and go to a weekday matinee. We do this maybe once a month, sometimes every other month in hard times. In the course of a year, everyone sees at least one movie. The exception to this is birthdays and holidays. If a movie is given as a holiday gift, it's usually given to everyone. I prefer movies to home viewing. Going to see it on a big screen is quite a different experience. The picture is better, the sound is awesome, the popcorn, the lights... I also would rather not have video intrude into our daily life, but let it remain a special event that we have to plan for and go out to. Edited February 11, 2009 by dragons in the flower bed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagnfun Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Our family isn't huge, but still, it's a little daunting to take everyone to the movies and we only do it once every year or two. We have Netflix, and that is so much cheaper than $8 per ticket (x7) for the movies that's hard to justify the cost of going to a theater. With all that said, we *loved* the first Pink Panther movie with Steve Martin, and I would really really enjoy the fun of going to see the second one with the kids and dh. I'm pretty sure though, that that's probably not a wise use of money. It got me thinking about other families the size of mine (and larger), and whether they ever go to the movies, and whether or not I'm the only cheapskate that has a hard time coughing up that much cash. :confused: Interstate theatres are $1.25 per movie w/ $1 popcorn & $1 hotdogs. We take in drinks from home. There are 6 of us, it is VERY rare we go to the actual theatre. Check out the site & see if there is one near you! http://www.interstate-theatres.com/index.asp There are theatres all over the US! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texascamps Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We are very lucky to have two discount second run theaters here. Tickets are $3.50 after 4 and only $2.50 before. There are coupons for buy 1 get1 free on our grocery receipts. The popcorn and refreshements are cheap, as well. Our family of 6 can go for $20 including popcorn and drinks. Its very close to my house. I have only taken my kids to one "real" movie in 6 years and that was a matinee. My husband and I only do discount movies on our date nights, as well. I promised my two oldest I'd take them to see Twilight as soon as they finished the books. Luckily, it just went to the discount theater! We are just patient and wait for the movies to get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I have 13 year age span in children so we may go to the movies but never to the same movie together. My oldest son and I like the same type of suspence/thriller movie so we'll go to together for that. It's usually me bringing baby girl to the disney or G movie or shopping and the boys heading to an action movie with my 8 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The boys can take the family to the movies for their birthday if they wish (we saw Kung Fu Panda and Star Wars: Clone Wars last year). Dh takes one boy out a week and sometimes they go to the cheap theater. My parents take the boys once a year when they visit (and they spring for drinks and candy and popcorn in addition to the tickets :001_huh:). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela in GA Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We take all 5 kids 2 or 3 times a year. Now that they're getting older, the big kids rarely want to see the same movie as the little kids do. Dh and I used to go to the movies often by ourselves. Until he started his current job as a Drill Sgt. He works too much now. He rarely gets home in time to eat dinner with us. :glare: Occasionally I'll drop the 2 big kids off at the theater to watch a movie without us. We subscribed to Netflix last month, and have been watching a bunch of movies. We love family movie night. However, it would be much more comfortable if my living room allowed them to spread out. Alas, it's too small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Rarely. There are 7 of us, so it costs a bundle to get in at regular prices. When we do go, we go to the $1.50 theater. We see movies that have been out for months and are on their last rounds, but it's fun and it only costs $10.50 for all of us to get in. Sometimes we splurge on popcorn for the kids to share, and that costs WAY more than the admission! Sometimes we go out for ice cream afterwards instead. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 yes, almost always a matinee to save funds and it's a rare thing - maybe once a year tops. honestly there's very little I find worth the money to see in theatres that I wouldn't rather just wait and see in the comfort of my home on netflix. about once or twice a year one of us parents will take only the older kids to a certain movie that isn't appropriate for the youngers, but is worth seeing on a big screen, like Harry Potter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 When we do go, we go to the $1.50 theater. We see movies that have been out for months and are on their last rounds, but it's fun and it only costs $10.50 for all of us to get in. I'm pretty jealous of you all who have discount theaters! :glare: There is *nothing* like that around here. The regular theater is something like $8.50 per ticket, kids under 11 are $6, first showing of the day is $6 for each person. Having a farming dh who literally works 7 days a week, he's just not available to go with us during the cheaper showing, no matter what day it is. I could take the dc without him, but that would spoil the fun...:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldilocks Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Our theatre has a great summer program where they show last year's children's movies for about a dollar. We do that once a week on summer mornings. I'm glad that they get the excitement of a theatre at a reasonable cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 My family is not as big but we make use of discounted theaters to be able to go more often. When we want to see a new release, we go to an AMC theater before noon on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The tickets are $5 each. When we want to see a movie in the theater but can wait awhile (or are taking one of the children on a date), we go to a discount $2 theater about 20 minutes away. To enjoy the theater experience without being too concerned about what we want to see, we go to Regal Cinemas Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10am (in line by 9am) for their free summer family film festival. We always eat right before going so that we don't need to buy food there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We love going to the theater here. When I was a kid it was the only form of entertainment in our small town. My parents still live in that little town and take my niece and nephews to every kid movie (no matter how bad.) As much as I love it we can't justify the cost of an evening ticket for our family of 6. Tickets on weekend evenings are $10.50, and regular matinee tickets are $8.50 (not much better.) We try to go to the first matinee of the day where the tickets are $6 for everyone or we wait for "Teriffic Tuesday" where the tickets are $5 at our tiny discount theater. Popcorn is for movies we watch at home, unless we have coupons that make it almost free and I save the Halloween/ Easter candy for movies all year. I keep it hidden in a lidded bucket in the garage & everyone gets a pocketful on their way out the door. We also have a drive-in, but that is more for the "experience" than watching the actual movie. We also visit Grandma for 10 days in the Summer every year and last year she took my children to 3 movies during that time. I have one hyper-sensitive child (noise, bumpy car rides, temperature, etc.) so she doesn't like the theater experience. Amber in SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clane Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We are a family of five (kids are 10, 5 & 3) and we rarely go to the movies as a family. My mom or my ILs will take the kids (one at a time, or maybe the older two or younger two) to see things. Every now and then DH will take DS to something that the "guys" would appreciate. I would rather put that money to lunch or dinner at the science center or zoo during a family outing there. Maybe once the girls are older and I am not the one taking them on potty runs during the movie, I will appreciate it more. I doubt it though. I really like renting movies, making pizza & snacks to munch and cuddling up with my family on my comfy couch in my pjs. They can tell me what I missed the next day (because I will fall asleep!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Seven of us here and we go twice a year. Once on Christmas eve or Christmas day and then usually once again in the summer. Ticket here are now $8 each so that right there is $56. And then we usually get popcorn and soda which brings the total up to about $100. We bring our own candy. Some ones that we have seen in the theater are the Harry Potters and the Pirate of the Carribeans. Somehow my hubby and I managed to see the last Indiana Jones movie by ourselves. I wish I had waited. We are planning a family trip to see Coraline here soon and certainly hope it is worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhudson Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Our family likes to go to movies so we go on Sat mornings before noon when we can get in for $4 or $5 per person depending on which theatre we go to. Check into AMC, they are the ones that have this deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We are a family of 6 or 8 (depending whether or not the twins are home from college, lol). We go to see a movie as a family *maybe* once a year. We use Netflix. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We only go to second-run theatres. Ours is $1.00 each, 50c on Tuesdays (I think). It shows movies that are already out on DVD, but we enjoy going to a movie now and then. There's no way we would pay full price for the whole family. We'd rather just wait, and see it at the "dollar theatre", or on DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 There are several discount theatres around here (one is $2.00 for every seat, every show another is $4.00). Other than that, we go to the regular movie theatre about once or twice a year, matinees only and definitely no refreshments. It has to be a show the kids really want to see. However, in the summer quite a few of the theatres offer free kids movies. Some of them are from the same year and it gives the kids that movie experience. All the same, I don't even bother with that that much as there is so much else to do in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andie Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Yep! There are seven of us, and we love the movies. What keeps us from going more often is finding something that's appropriate content-wise for everyone. Our oldest is 14 and our youngest is 3, so it's a challenge. We usually try to hit a matinee, and we share popcorn (those bags are HUGE!) if we get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita in NC Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 There are 5 of us in the family and we go to the dollar movies about once per year. I love Netflix and the comfort of my own home vs expensive movie theaters. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 It's just so expensive now. But we make one notable exception. Here in San Jose is a very old, Art Deco movie theater with great acoustics and a might Wurlitzer organ that rises from the orchestra pit when needed, and big plush seats all the way to the second level balcony. It's called the California Theater. It was supposed to be torn down, but was refurbished instead. Mostly it's used for local arts organizations, like the San Jose Opera. However, at Christmas time they run old movies, on the big beautiful screen, for only $5/person, including a big bucket of popcorn. Because these are mostly carefully picked old movies, they tend to be shows that suit all ages. This year we saw "White Christmas" and "The Music Man". (Prompting very interesting discussions of various kinds of courtship with DD, 12; but I digress.) There is no comparison with at home TV when you end up with an experience like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AprilTN Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I only have 2 children, but we rarely go to the movies. Last year I think we went twice, and that was because the KIT movie and Prince Caspian were both out last year. It is way too expensive. We don't struggle financially, but I still hate forking over so much money for a movie. So we only go see the very very most special ones to us. This year, if it is rated G or PG, our yearly movie outing will probably be this summer when Night at the Museum part 2 will be out. I certainly wish we had a discount theater in our area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 For us it is a treat. The kids love to go because it is special. We are amazed at how much cheaper the tickets are near their grandparents compared to metro Atlanta. We also went to the $ movies recently and we will go back. I tell the kids for the price of us going we could own the dvd and order a pizza! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMindy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 We have a small family and we almost NEVER go to the movie theater. It just isn't a priority. If it is something we want to see, we just wait until it comes out on video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpidarkomama Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 $54 for a night at the movies when we can watch one at home (sometimes on a borrowed projector) for FREE from the library??? Sometimes it takes 4 months to get one of the latest releases, but who cares? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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