Mansfield Drive-In Theatre

The Mansfield Drive-​In is a true CT establishment. I don’t believe that there are any other drive-​ins in the area and I hope this place never closes. What’s better than seeing a movie on the big screen? Being able to bring your own snacks, your own drinks, a blanket and to kick your shoes off and roll your windows down. The staff does a good job of making sure the big trucks park in the back– which was a concern when i went in my friends tiny convertible. Also make sure that the weather is lookin’ good! I went on a semi foggy night a few years back and it was impossible to see the screen. Get there early for a good spot and stick around for the double feature! You can’t beat 2 movies for the price of one.

Excellent central Connecticut activity. Really makes you feel like you live in the middle of nowhere.
Getting to the movie about 10 minutes beforehand is about as close as you want to cut it in terms of getting a good «seat» and not having tons of cars piling through a narrow entrance at the last minute.
Drivers are quite conscientious of pedestrians, even in the dark, but definitely be sure to stay aware and keep your kids close. There are no official paths or walk ways.
If you have a hatchback, someone will come give you a rope so you can tie down the door to be level with the height of your car.
The concession stand is great for snacks, sodas, and people watching.

I really love this drive in theater. I wish that there were more of these back home in Florida. Without repeating what others have said, essentially there are three screens and you do not have to stick with one screen. They give you a radio station to tune into so that you can hear the audio from your car. There really aren’t any bad seats because the screen is so big you can see it from literally anywhere. I had a lot of fun and I would love to come back with friends and family. Also, it only cost $ 20 per car on Wednesdays, and you can watch two movies so it is a really great deal. I think normally it costs $ 10 per person and less for younger children which either way is still a great deal!

Our first time at a drive in! Everything was fantastic– it was a cool summer evening with hundreds of stars visible. We were wondering if we would enjoy watching MI-​but the sound plays through your car audio, so it was even better than the movie theatre!
Might be my new favorite way to watch movies in the summer.

This place is AWESOME! I haven’t been to a drive-​in .FOREVER…it was so neat!!! I brought my teenagers here.(who were VERY skeptical of the whole thing)…they’d never been before… a whole new experience, which they ABSOLUTELY LOVED!!! I wish this place was closer, we’d be there every week! We’re looking forward to our next chance we can go!

Mansfield is the last real drive in movie theater in Connecticut and its a great one! It shows 6 movies every night (3 screens).
Few things to know–
*Trucks and SUVs must park at a yellow pole closer to the back (or cars over 5 ft).
*if you have the back hatch open, you might be asked to tie it down so it’s level with the top of your vehicle.
*you need to tune in to the radio station to hear the movie. This means bringing a little radio or having the car radio on.
*they have a jump box incase your battery dies. Thank goodness. Haha. It happened ONCE people! My husband will never let me live it down.
*they have a playground for kids to play on… but most of the time it’s over run with teens.
*they have a nice snack bar that isn’t too expensive. Pizza, nachos, pretzels, popcorn and candy and soda.
*each screen shows two movies with a short intermission. The movies don’t all line up so don’t get your heart set on switching screens in the middle.
It really is a wonderful place to visit. Lots of people get there over an hour early to get good spots and bring camping chairs. It’s a must for summer!

Love this place. Super nostalgic, a CT establishment. 3 large screens, great selection. Each showing is a double feature. Although it’s hard to stay up through the second one, it’s great to have available! Old school concession stand has local legend, Hosmer Mountain Soda! Wednesday’s it’s $ 20 for a whole car, so pile in and enjoy a lovely evening :)

The last real drive-​in in CT which is a shame, drive-​in theaters are amazing and it just shocks me when people say they’ve never experienced a drive in movie. In my opinion it’s the best way to enjoy, when you’re in the privacy of your own vehicle, listening to the movie at any volume you like. Mansfield Drive-in’s concession stand is top notch with anything from burgers to pizza available. They’re popcorn is real and wonderful and not the «chainy» taste to it.

This drive-​in is what makes me long for spring and summer. Nothing beats the fun of gathering some snacks, grabbing a blanket or a lawn chair or two, piling into the car and heading over for fun from dusk to early morning! It’s especially great when one friend in a group has a minivan or SUV, or ideally a station wagon, and you can just shove ridiculous amounts of people into one vehicle and see 2 movies for $ 20 a car (I think they do that on Wednesdays). The snack bar is a bit overpriced, but the food is good. It also doesn’t hurt that Willimantic is just down the street, so you can stop there first and get food ahead of time if the snack bar is not your cup of tea.
Drive-in’s may not be everyone’s thing, but I feel that this kind of experience is vital, especially for younger generations, to… well…experience at least once in a lifetime. It’s so much more exhilarating to sit or lie down under the stars, in a lush, wooded area (or if you’re like my friends and me, half paying attention to the movie and horsing around) than having to pay out the nose for movie tickets, the same old movie theater snacks, and patting down your movie seat to make sure that there’s nothing gross on your seat before your plop down in it.

I don’t know why it took me so long to finally check this place out. It was a lot of fun, and can be cheap if you plan it out right. Seems unlikely that I’ll stay for the second movie very often since it starts so late, but it’s still worth it. We bought take-​out elsewhere and a couple of drinks down the street had a nice meal to eat while watching the movie. (OK the take-​out ended up being so-​so, but that’s not related to the drive-​in)
TIP — Don’t come in a vehicle taller than 5-​feet is possible, or they may make you park in back. Bring bug spray, esp. if you’ll be sitting outside you car.

Drive ins are awesome! This one is great, enough space for each car and you cant beat the price for 2 brand new movies! We brought our own snacks and munched away. Bring a blanket! Even in the middle of summer you might get a little chilly.
The only thing that was really weird was the bathroom. Trust me.

We were very excited to come here. Came for my daughter’s sweet 16 with 3 car loads. Going thru the gate and the girl told us which screen and to park anywhere over there. We parked all 3 cars and unloaded all the coolers and kids when a snotty young kid came and rudely told us to move because we had a truck. He was very rude. We moved the truck to then have rude service at the food station. We will never come here again. Rude staff, very rude customers and just ridiculous rules. Its a 100 ft screen so I am sure the people behind us could see the screen. And they say nothing about the hatchbacks all open. Just very rude. Won’t be back.

There is no better way to spend a Friday or Saturday night in the summer.

Nice to have one of these around, still. You can tune the audio right into your FM stations on your car stereo. You could also, like I used to do when I was young, lay on a blanket on the hood of the car with a boom box on the roof and listen to it that way. There are three screens. Each yields a double-​feature, true to the form of the old drive-​ins that were once everywhere. Screen #1 is the largest and usually hosts the blockbusters on their opening weekend. Screen #3 is a bit smaller and usually hosts movies that were just pushed off Screen 1 by a new release. Screen #2 is the smallest. It hosts mostly children’s/family movies as well as movies that didn’t quite hit blockbuster status but are new, nonetheless.
The bathrooms are not spotless by any means, but generally taken care of enough that a paper toilet seat cover may be enough to keep you from leaving like you’d just contracted some disease.
The snack bar (same bldg as bathrooms, but separated) is clean enough but the prices are highway robbery. The movie prices are reasonable and Wednesday nights are carload nights at only $ 20 for all the clowns you can squeeze into a Volkswagen.
Otherwise, the only real con are idiots with SUVs and vans that park in front of you instead of in their designated spaces. (yes, they are clearly marked).

One of my favorite places during the summertime! (But I would go all year long if they were open!) I own a convertible so we love to bring all sorts of food, drinks, pillows, and blankets and put the top down. There’s a snack bar too so you don’t have to bring your own stuff if you don’t want to, but unlike traditional movie theaters they allow it. There are so few drive-​ins left in this country and I feel fortunate to live in a state that has such a great one. Whenever I tell people from out-​of-​state about it they get jealous :) And I can’t wait to bring my children here someday!

Such a fun idea for summertime! I didn’t realize at first that they’re all double features (duh) so if you want your money’s worth (2 movies for the price of 1 at a normal theatre) bring food, bug spray, and outdoor chairs. Or if you only want to see one of the movies show up at the right time. :)

i love a good drive in movie, and this place has everything that i could ask for in a drive in theater. there are a few things about this place. first of all, its a drive in moive! second, it shows three different movies simultaneously, so you can pick the movie that you want to see… and if you get bored, just turn around and watch the other screen. lastly, they have an awesome, old-​fashioned concessions area. the actual food is terrible, but who goes to the movie for food?
if youre looking for a drive in close to boston, i would highly recommend this place!

This was my first drive in experience and it was SOOO much fun! Wednesday night are the night to go $ 18 for your whole car and you get to see two movies! It is $ 9 per person otherwise — still cheaper than any local theatre.
Yes, the movies don’t start until 8:30 because it needs to be dark, so if you are working the next morning, you may have to leave before the second film.
This is a seasonal operation, so check the website to see if they are open. I’m on the email mailing list, so I only go if I like the films. Allegedly you can move your car if your second movie is on a different screen. They have 3. Weekday shows are already over for the season. There is also a Flea Market on Sundays, so it could fun to make a little day trip out of it.
Beware, make sure to start your car once and a while… you have to listen to the radio to hear the sound. Next time in we are bringing a battery powered one.

So fun! This place is great. You get a movie for like $ 9 and then you can stay for the second one. So you can look at like the second one if free or that they are both $ 4.50. Either way it’s a great deal!
There are plenty of bathrooms which isn’t always the case with drive-​ins. And while the latch is one the bottom of the door (randomly hilarious) at least they have doors on the stalls. (Again, not always the case.)
The snacks/​junk food is decently priced and more extensive than I’m used to at drive-​ins. Overall, just a fun, fun place.
Only downsides: 1) It might be a bit of a drive for many people.
2) You have to plan on being out really late as the first movie doesn’t start until dark. Not really a downside but something people should consider.
3) People often turn their headlights on and off during the movie. Who knows why. Maybe just another one of those quirky New England things that only make sense to New Englanders? It can be distracting but much less so than listening to people talk in a conventional theater.

Spring is upon us, and this has everyone going outdoors to enjoy the fresh air. I especially like going out at night (I am a night owl, what can I say? Just look at my job!). I am thinking about heading back up to Mansfield Drive-​In Theatre.
I’ve been here a couple times before. It’s the only Drive-​In I’ve ever been to, actually. But I loved it when I went. There’s nothing better than getting to watch 2 movies back-​to-​back, having a nice cooler of drinks and snacks in the backseat (or visit the snackbar on premises), and roll down the windows for a nice spring/​summer evening of fun.
I can’t wait to go back this season. And I see on their website that they have a flea market there on Sundays. My other love is a good bargain! This theatre is seriously after my heart!