Opening weekend at Tri-Way Drive-In with new features for 2022

PLYMOUTH, Ind., --Michiana’s drive-in theater, Tri-Way Drive-in, is opening back up for the season Friday night. The opening was postponed from April 8 due to the inclement weather.

The theater has seen a rollercoaster of attendance thanks to the pandemic.

At the start of the pandemic, attendance was up. For some, it was a great experience to get out of the house while still staying safe. However, as other spaces opened back up and movie makers postponed releases and sent films straight to streaming services instead of theaters, drive-in attendance took a hit, but as pandemic numbers and restrictions ease this year, the owner, David Kinnney, is hopeful for a more successful season.

“This year [is] going to be different because the movie companies have a lot of their major tet poles so to speak, like on May 6 we’re going to have Doctor Strange and on May 27 we’re going to have Bob’s burgers and we’re going to have the Top Gun sequel,” said Kinney.

Kinney added that he’s not too worried about streaming services taking away business now.

He said people still want the full experience.

That experience will be different this year.

Kinney is excited to not only show guests the cosmetic changes to the theater but also a new feature that uses technology to improve the audience experience.

The changes can be soon as soon as you roll in. New and improved signs make policies clear and concise. The restaurant area had the most noticeable changes, including something the drive-in hasn’t seen in ten years: new floors and countertops throughout.

In addition, the restaurant is starting an online ordering system, which Kinney hopes will solve the biggest nuisance of all: the long lines for food.

“People will be able to sit in their vehicle, place an order. We’ll let them know when it’s ready to be picked up. They can come up here and pick it up. They don’t have to miss any of the movie,” he said.

Kinney mentioned that the drive-in tried online ordering in the past but was unsuccessful due to a poor connection, however, he worked out some tweaks and is confident in this new system.

You can watch a double feature of films tonight including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Morbius, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and The Lost City. Tickets for double features are sold for the price of one.