LACEY, Wash. — Movies are back on the big screen in Thurston County.
For the first time in five months, major movie theater chains are reopening their doors, including Regal Cinemas in Lacey and Cinemark in Olympia.
Madeline, 11, was the first one through the front door when Regal Cinemas reopened Friday at noon. She’s been waiting a while to see a movie and, like many people, she’s felt pretty cooped up at home.
“Well, first of all, I wanted a break from my home and I also wanted to like see a movie on a giant TV,” said Madeline.
Madeline dragged her dad to come see Sonic and, of course, they had to stop to grab some movie theater snacks.
“I like the popcorn at the movies and there isn’t that good of popcorn at other places,” she said.
Madeline wasn’t the only one who missed the popcorn. Kit Waddle and his wife drove all the way from Castle Rock, which is an hour away.
“I love Regal popcorn,” said Waddle. “If it wasn’t for the popcorn I’d watch movies at home on my big screen TV.”
The experience inside the theater is a bit different these days.
Everyone wears masks, except when eating and drinking, there are stickers on the floor to help with social distancing and plexiglass dividers between you and the concession stand.
Cinemark is also back open and they're putting safety at the forefront as well. Employees use pressurized sprayers to disinfect theaters between showtimes, use seat-buffering technology to spread out groups and sanitize high-touch areas every half hour.
“I feel pretty comfortable with it, I mean, they’re doing all this enhanced cleaning and I don’t have a problem wearing a mask, so it’s not a problem for me, so I’m pretty comfortable with it, I feel safe,” said John Nesbit.
Which is great, because John and his son, Quincy, love coming to the movies together.
“It’s something that I can relax at and sit and watch a normal movie and just be happy,” said Quincy.
Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online and use contactless payment methods inside the cinema.
Cox Media Group
