The Closest Drive-In Theaters to Sedalia and Warrensburg
Story update: According to the B&B Theatres Twin Drive In Facebook page the Twin Drive In is opening tonight, Friday May 15. One film is being screened per night. Tonight/Sunday/Tuesday the movies showing are "Goonies" or "Wonder Woman". Saturday/Monday/Wednesday the movies showing are "Groundhog Day" or "Wizard of Oz". Cost is $20 dollars a car load, tickets can be bought in advance through the theater website, no cash is being accepted, gates open at 7:30.
According to the Moberly Five and Drive Facebook page the drive in films are "Goonies" tonight /Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday. And Wonder Woman Saturday/Monday/Wednesday. They also have worked with local authorities to open their indoor theaters up.
Drive-in theaters have been in the news a lot lately. From the Boulevard Drive-in in Kansas City, Kansas holding graduation ceremonies. To stories about how drive-in theaters are a great way to share in a social experience while staying safe. So what if you want to experience the drive-in for yourself? In West Central Missouri that's a bit of a tall order. There's not a lot of drive-in theaters around here anymore.
I was slightly surprised there wasn't a drive-in in the Columbia area. Well there is, the B&B Theatres Five and Drive in Moberly. It's only a forty minute drive from Columbia, but an ambitious hour and forty minute drive (and 100 miles) from Sedalia according to Google Maps. So that's what? A little over two hours for those in the Warrensburg area. I don't see many people making that kind of drive for a movie.
What may work out better for Sedalia and Warrensburg residents is heading into Kansas City. It's still a little bit of a haul from Sedalia, But the B&B Theatre's Twin Drive-in in Independence is about an hour and twenty minutes from Sedalia, and probably about forty five minutes from Warrensburg.
There's also the Boulevard Drive-in. The drive-in that's made some news because they're holding some graduation ceremonies for Kansas City, Kansas public schools. It's a slightly longer ride than going to the Twin in Independence, but it's another option. They also claim to be the "world's first 4k drive-in cinema experience." I'm not quite sure I know what that means but it's something I've got to experience.
Now for the bad news, as of May 12, the only drive-in screening films is the Five and Drive in Moberly. They're screening one film a night. Tonight and Thursday it's "Groundhog Day" and tomorrow it's "Space Jam". The lot opens at 7:30PM CDT, and the movie starts at 8:40PM CDT. Admission is $20 a car load, tickets can be bought online in advance or at the theater. Credit cards only, no cash for both tickets and concessions. I suspect if things go well in Moberly, the Twin in Independence will follow as soon as they can.
Like I mentioned earlier I was a little surprised Columbia doesn't have a drive-in. Or that one of the towns in and around the Sedalia-Warrensburg area doesn't have one. I would think that it might be a good business for the area. So did some local businessmen about 25 years ago. It didn't work out all that well. You can read a little more about that here.
Am I missing any drive-in theaters you can drive to from the area? If I am let me know in the comments here or on Facebook.