LA VISTA, Neb. (KMTV) — Starting Friday, patrons of the Alamo Drafthouse in La Vista once again were able to enjoy the unique movie-watching experience.
Movies are finally coming back to the big screen after being delayed or sent to streaming services for over a year. This is something Derek Dillon, a marketing consultant with the local Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, says has allowed them to confidently reopen their doors.
“We just felt right now, in September, was going to be the perfect time to reopen, just with all the movies that are coming out," Dillon said.
The theater reopened on Friday, and already sold around 1,500 tickets for the Labor Day weekend. Along with the newest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the theater is also hosting their Alamo Resurrected series in honor of their return. The series features four movies all about the undead.
Moviegoers Mary and Jason Nye were among many patrons who had been eagerly waiting to return.
“We just like the atmosphere," Mary said. "It’s kind of more of an adult movie experience without being too adultish.”
The theater is opening four of its eight screens this weekend to better scale to the staff they currently have. They’re also waiting a while to begin their more interactive experiences.
The menu is a bit smaller than before and patrons have the option to order their meal online to streamline the experience.
But Dillon says, the staff is aiming to keep up with the atmosphere and experience that patrons come for.
“Everyone is going to get that exact same Alamo experience that they got before," Dillon said.
When it comes to COVID-19 precautions, the theaters are recommending, but not requiring all guests to wear a mask.
Masks will be required for their kid-friendly, all-ages and sensory friendly events.
The Nyes say they felt safe and comfortable returning to the cinema.
“We are both vaccinated, and we’re both pretty confident about coming back out in public," Mary said. "And we play it safe; we have our mask so if the movie theater gets too crowded we’re going to slip them on.”
Dillon says plans are in place to hopefully open all eight screens at the theater soon and to open the Midtown location this fall.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REOPENING PROCEDURES
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