El Capitan Theater

[pap64]

I've yet to visit this Disney movie theater. Yet I've read so many wonderful things about it, mainly here on UD, that I wish I did. It really does seem to be the ultimate place to watch a Disney film. The Soda Fountain next door looks awesome, and the menu...GOOD LORD! SO MANY SWEET STUFF!

Anyone here had the chance to catch a movie at "El Capitan"? If so, which movie did you see? Any anecdotes and experiences? And to be fair here, anything bad to say about it?

And any word on the Soda Fountain?

[Skellington or Sparrow]

in 2006, i saw pirates of the caribbean: dead man's chest at the el capitan. probably an experience i'll never forget (at least, in terms of seeing movies, or pirates of the caribbean related things). i saw all three pirates multiple times in theaters (saw the first 13, second 8, and third 10) and that was the most memorable, with the exception of first/last times. wish i lived in southern california, i'd have seen them all there and at midnight (of course, seeing midnight ANYWHERE was fun). just look up "el capitan" and "pirates" and you'll probably see lots and lots of pictures of the display area featuring props and costumes, and inside the theater room. the narnia films look like they'd have been very cool to see there, as well as the haunted mansion and a few other live action films had very cool displays. anyones, pirates 2 was the only film i've seen there.

listening to disney music from the organist is very cool. definately puts you in the disney mood.

i wish i were seeing an animated classic like from the renaisance era or sleeping beauty or something there sometime. i'm not as interested in seeing art on display there, but seeing the films on the big screen would be phenomenal.

the soda fountain/studio store sells some good stuff, though lots of it you could find at any disney park/disney store. still worth checking out, they sometimes have exclusive stuff. and their ice creme's great.

definately try and see something there, if it's a good current movie or a classic, that is. (the last two years, it's been walle (which is a great movie, but i'd already seen it twice in theaters and didn't care to see it more) and underdog (need i say more?)).

[Poody]

I've seen Enchanted and Narnia: Prince Caspian there.... It was great, especially how they had all the costumes and the "Enchanted Experience" area. The only thing I don't like is the way the theater is built.... You won't have a very good view of the screen if you're slightly on the side.

[Ariel'sprince]

Did you took pictures with the Princesses in the Enchanted Exprience? and Giselle,Jasmine,Snow White and Ariel were the only Princesses you could taken pictures with?.
There's a Little Mermaid Sing Along not very long ago.
I whould like to see Sleeping Beauty.

[blackcauldron85]

We're going to California next month, and I want to go to the El Capitan...we'll be visiting Hollywood the day or the next day that Tinker Bell starts playing...Bobby looked up ticket prices, and I think he said it's $13 a person or something like that, so for the 2 of us, it'd be $26 + to see a movie that I'll get on DVD soon...Sleeping Beauty is playing now up until Tinker Bell starts playing, but even then, I doubt we'd pay to watch a film that we have (even though I'd like to see it on the big screen)!

I'm definitely looking forward to the ice cream if we do go!

[kbehm29]

It wouldn't matter to me what Disney movie was playing. If I ever get to Hollywood, I totally want to go!

[Ariel'sprince]

We're going to California next month, and I want to go to the El Capitan...we'll be visiting Hollywood the day or the next day that Tinker Bell starts playing...Bobby looked up ticket prices, and I think he said it's $13 a person or something like that, so for the 2 of us, it'd be $26 + to see a movie that I'll get on DVD soon...Sleeping Beauty is playing now up until Tinker Bell starts playing, but even then, I doubt we'd pay to watch a film that we have (even though I'd like to see it on the big screen)!

I'm definitely looking forward to the ice cream if we do go!

Sounds like fun I whould love to go there.

[rs_milo_whatever]

I visited the Los Angeles Area for my senior trip a couple of months ago; we went to Hollywood and visited the Chinesse Theater and El Capitan.
It meant to me so much, i actually went twice, they were playing a Sing Along for the Little Mermaid which most of us wanted to see, there was also an add for
Prince Caspian but i don't know if they were gonna have a screening.

[pap64]

Did you took pictures with the Princesses in the Enchanted Exprience? and Giselle,Jasmine,Snow White and Ariel were the only Princesses you could taken pictures with?.
There's a Little Mermaid Sing Along not very long ago.
I whould like to see Sleeping Beauty.

Brianna Garcia (best known for her Disney art) reported on her experience at the Enchanted event at El Capitan.

You can read about it here (scroll down a few pages to see the Enchanted pics

[Poody]

Did you took pictures with the Princesses in the Enchanted Exprience? and Giselle,Jasmine,Snow White and Ariel were the only Princesses you could taken pictures with?.

Yap i did.... but I also got pics with Belle, Aurora and Cinderella.

[Ariel'sprince]

Did you took pictures with the Princesses in the Enchanted Exprience? and Giselle,Jasmine,Snow White and Ariel were the only Princesses you could taken pictures with?.

Yap i did.... but I also got pics with Belle, Aurora and Cinderella.

Thanks for you and Pap64 for the picture (Oh,and I know that girl,I saw her fanarts and her Disney parks videos on YouTube).
Why didn't Cinderella,Aurroa and Belle got their own places? anyway it's sounds very fun I whould love to take a picture with all of the Princesses .
I wonder how Tiana will look at the parks.
Anyway I whould love to go there you can also take pictures with Aurora when Sleeping Beauty will be released there?.

[SofaKing381222]

I just moved to LA from Texas last year, and I have seen a movie here once, and eaten at the Soda Fountain many a time. The food there is really good. I had the French Dip and loved it. The theater is split for me. I really enjoy my movies, and if you are only there for the movie I don't think you should do the El capitan. I saw Narnia 2 there, and it is hard to pay attention to the screen. From the hundreds of little kids who wont shut up, to the people who decide to show up in the middle of the movie. Having ushers escort them to the front with the flashlights when we don't have stadium seating? I'm good.... They exhibits were pretty cool. Seeing props right after the movie is pretty sweet. And the organ is amazing. So as a tourist attraction, or a nice museum exhibit it is nice, but as a movie theater? Not so much...

[Poody]

Why didn't Cinderella,Aurroa and Belle got their own places? anyway it's sounds very fun I whould love to take a picture with all of the Princesses .
I wonder how Tiana will look at the parks.
Anyway I whould love to go there you can also take pictures with Aurora when Sleeping Beauty will be released there?.

When you entered, there was a stage in the middle and Aurora, Cindy, and Belle were dancing on the stage in a ballroom setting. Then they would come down and dance with the audience and take pics.

[Ariel'sprince]

Why didn't Cinderella,Aurroa and Belle got their own places? anyway it's sounds very fun I whould love to take a picture with all of the Princesses .
I wonder how Tiana will look at the parks.
Anyway I whould love to go there you can also take pictures with Aurora when Sleeping Beauty will be released there?.

When you entered, there was a stage in the middle and Aurora, Cindy, and Belle were dancing on the stage in a ballroom setting. Then they would come down and dance with the audience and take pics.

Oh,okay but I wonder why they didn't get their castle like the other Princesses.

[pap64]

I just moved to LA from Texas last year, and I have seen a movie here once, and eaten at the Soda Fountain many a time. The food there is really good. I had the French Dip and loved it. The theater is split for me. I really enjoy my movies, and if you are only there for the movie I don't think you should do the El capitan. I saw Narnia 2 there, and it is hard to pay attention to the screen. From the hundreds of little kids who wont shut up, to the people who decide to show up in the middle of the movie. Having ushers escort them to the front with the flashlights when we don't have stadium seating? I'm good.... They exhibits were pretty cool. Seeing props right after the movie is pretty sweet. And the organ is amazing. So as a tourist attraction, or a nice museum exhibit it is nice, but as a movie theater? Not so much...

I wouldn't say that the kids screaming is a problem exclusive to "El Capitan".

Don't know if this will work there, but this is what me and my friends do whenever we go see a movie that might attract families and children; go to a very late showing IF you can.

Most movies that start late end very late. When we saw "Cars" the movie ended close to midnight. Parents whose children go to school or have a strict curfew won't allow kids to see a movie very late in the day. So they go see the earliest showings, and the very late showings are filled with people that can and WILL see a movie late in the day.

Last year when we saw "Pirates 3" we avoided a lot of teeny boppers thanks to the late showing.

So if you go to ANY theater I recommend anyone do that if they can.

Again, since "El Capitan" is a long trip for someone not everyone can do it. But if you can, I recommend it.

[Skellington or Sparrow]

Last year when we saw "Pirates 3" we avoided a lot of teeny boppers thanks to the late showing.

Hey, now most teenagers can keep their mouths shut, considering lots of their parents make them pay for their own $8 something ticket, and that they wanted to see the film as well as any adult. In my personal experience, teenagers are more likely to talk during "great" musicals like Across the Universe, scary movies like The Strangers, and dumb comedies like the Scary/Date/Superhero/Epic/Disaster Movies (I swear, I know none of the "Scary Movies" were that great, but at least THEY stuck to one genre for the first three films). Epic adventure films like Pirates, Harry Potter, The Dark Knight etc. you'll find less of the annoying, stupid teenagers and more of the movie-going, considerate teenagers. Just my little rant. Haha. I know where you're coming from, though, other teenagers really piss me off sometimes for acting like idiots in public and thinking it's SO cool.

I agree though, going late at night for family movies is a good idea. Even like 7-ish might be okay, because maybe kids by that time are too tired to be hyper-active. When I saw Wall-e opening night around that time, kids were well behaved. When I saw that movie again either that Saturday or Sunday, there was like a day camp of kids, and none of them would shut up until it was about 45 minutes into the movie, and they were VERY annoying.

I probably sound like a grumpy old man, "rotten kids." Haha.

[pap64]

Not saying that all teenagers are noisy and bothersome in theaters (one of our friends is in his teens and he goes to the movies with us). I was mainly referring to those young girls who squeal, cry, laugh and shout loudly whenever something happens or one of the characters appears on screen. Disney's Pirates is a series that inspires the fangirl in some people.

In fact, when we went to see Pirates 3 on its last showing a big group of young girls stepped out and started shouting "THAT WAS THE BEST MOVIE EVER!!!". Me and my friend looked at each other and pretty much agreed it was a great idea to see the last show.

Again, not saying that all teenagers are like that, but sometimes movies gather a certain type of audience, and its wise to avoid them if you can .

[Skellington or Sparrow]

Oh yeah, those types are DEFINATELY the types I can't stand. Haha.

[JiminyCrick91]

Epic adventure films like Pirates, Harry Potter, The Dark Knight etc. you'll find less of the annoying, stupid teenagers and more of the movie-going, considerate teenagers. Just my little rant.

Well, that caught my interest because the second time I saw The Dark Knight (of four so far) there were these kids between 12 and 16 (It was dark I could not tell) that caused me to blow up. It started with a kid behind me kicking my seat, then some girl friends of his and his friends snuck in so they sat next to me, just to get back up for popcorn and snacks with some boys hoping over the two rows of seats to leave with them. When they were back the boys who stayed jumped over to eat/sit with the girls or just bend over to get stuff. One girl kept hitting me with her damn balloon, there was a whole bunch more of up and down the rows and a lot! of talking. When it came to the point where Dent kisses Rachel before being taken by the Swat team they all yelled, not said YELLED, things such as 'Ow', 'I'd tap that.', 'Nice.', and 'Ew, why her? She's fugly'. I snapped, with my father beside me and much louder than I expected to, bellowed at the imbeciles 'This is not your f---in' living room! You should be quite and respectful during a movie'. I did not realize I swore until after and I hope I did not interrupt OTHERS too much but once I dressed down those inconsiderate imbeciles they were silent for the rest of the film, you know after there initial OMG's and WTF?'s midway through my miniature rant. I felt accomplished. I’ve only seen one other film where I had a terrible experience thanks to the audience and that was a large group of unruly guys during Fantastic Four: Rise of The Sliver Surfer. Both as you can see are Action/Superhero films.

As for El Capitan I've always wanted to see something there. I hope that someday if I DO move to Cali like I want to I can do that and Disneyland. It always seemed so cool with the organ, the Disney show and a new or classic film! I so want to go! Plus the Soda Fountain gets lots of excusive pins!

-Sky

[Skellington or Sparrow]

Haha, well I'm proud of you for doing that. That's WAY into the movie, someone needed to do something. Sometimes other teenagers really, really piss me off. It's people like that who give the rest of us a bad rep.

Anyways, back on topic again, I saw El Capitan as a tourist, and it's hard for me to watch a Pirates film without giving it 100% attention. So maybe I didn't notice the flashlights and stuff. Plus I was in the balcony, so it might not have flashed in my face like it did with others. I probably wouldn't go as a local.