FAQs & covid-19 information

Please read the information below for all information pertaining to Covid-19 operation changes at the drive-in. As the area moves from different tiers and phases throughout our season, these will be updated to reflect current conditions. 

 For the duration of the SEASON, we will be requiring these modifications to the drive-in experience. We will be changing these restrictions as the season proceeds and we are allowed to in coordination with the local health dept., CDC, WHO and IL state regulations.

We are required to limit our parking to  half capacity with vehicles parked 1 between the sets of poles. There are no exceptions to this. With this in mind, we will be offering our ticket sales in two methods. The majority of our designated spaces will be sold online in advance of the night's showing(up to 90%). We will have a small percentage(10% or more) available for onsite purchases with minimal contact, typically 10-20 spots per screen per night. Please plan accordingly as we have a strong chance of sell out due to these limitations. We ask if you plan to purchase in person, to arrive early and bring exact change if possible.

No ticket stubs, Food Permit Coupons or flyers will be handed out on arrival, online check in will be made by name of purchaser for the vehicle or via QR Code scan. If paying in person for non-online sales, we are cash only, please have exact change to limit contact.

Cash sales are $8 per person for 12 & older individuals, $7 for children 4-11 years old and children under 4 are admitted free. If bringing in outside food or beverages, a $5 food permit will apply to the entire vehicle for movie events and $20 for music events(when allowed per organizer). No food is allowed to be shared between vehicles, grilling is not allowed.

Online sales will follow the following operating procedures: Patrons will select 1 Parking Spot or Reserved Spot from the drop down menu. Afterwards, you will select the number of tickets you need for Adults or Children. If you need more than one parking spot, please select the number of parking spaces needed for your group: Up to 5 spots available per transaction. Other vehicle occupants will be purchased under the same transaction at the other standard Child(Child Ticket 4-11) or Adult(Adult 12 & Older) General Admission prices for everyone in the vehicle. Food permits can be purchased online also for the $5 fee if you plan to bring in food or drink to enjoy with your drive-in experience. These are available in the 'Add-ons' section. Convenience fees & a percentage charge apply to all online orders. We do have a limited number of Reserved Front Row Parking Spaces(10 per screen) for a premium. Those spots are reserved in the front row of each screen and the only reserved parking in the theater.

Our guests are required to be inside their vehicles OR outside on lawn chairs or blankets in front of their vehicle for the duration of the feature, with the exception of using the restrooms or picking up food or utilizing play areas. At this time, You MUST put chairs or blankets in front of your car or behind it depending on how you park. You can also sit in truck beds and have hatches open or topless vehicles and motorcycles. We recommend wearing a face covering if you do this but it is not required unless you leave your designated parking spot area. You are not allowed to sit next to your vehicle as we must maintain the large distancing measures for parking. We understand this is less than ideal, and it will be changed as restrictions are lifted in the future.

Vehicles are only allowed to have a maximum of 4 people in them, unless the entire car is from the same household. No oversize vehicles are allowed period(multi-passenger full size vans, limos, bus/minibus, rvs etc.)

Restrooms are to be used for minimal use. Restrooms will operate at limited capacity and 6' distancing will be required in line. Restroom attendants will be onsite as needed to enforce capacity , line distancing and sanitation of facilities at regular intervals. A mask will be required to be worn when in line for restroom use if you are medically able to do so.

Our concession stand and Burger Barn will both be open and ready to serve food with implementation of our Pickup and Order windows. Patrons must maintain 6' distancing and wear masks. The Burger Barn has clearly marked order and pick-up windows. The Snack Bar has orders placed at the main screen 1 door(Look for the signs) and order pick-up will be by the carousel door.

Other safety procedures include:

* If you are sick or feeling unwell at all- do not come to the movies! If you have been exposed to Covid-19 and should be in quarantined, DO NOT COME. If you purchased tickets in advance and cannot make it, a credit will be issued for a future date.

* Playground under the screens is open, however social distancing between groups MUST be maintained at all times and you must wear a face mask. The carousel and train rides will remain closed as we start off the 2021 season.

* Parking will require you to park directly in the center of our speaker poles, leaving space of 7' from the pole on each side and 14' between cars. No exceptions to this rule can be made at this time.

* You cannot socialize between vehicles or in groups- you must stay with your vehicle.

*If you don't want to purchase concessions and bring your own food- that is okay-- but please help support us by purchasing a $5 per vehicle outside food permit at the time you purchase your movie tickets(either online in the 'add-ons' section or at box office). Permits are on sale as part of each night's movie ticket options. Food permits are $20 per vehicle for music events when outside food is allowed.

Intermissions take place each night depending on the weather(We may not have them in severe weather). This allows you a chance to use the restroom and get food without missing any of the feature as well as charge your vehicle battery by running the car.

Other rules and Guidelines:

Pets are allowed, however you must maintain a 6' social distance when walking them or using our dog walk paths, and we ask that you wear a mask or face covering if you are away from your parking area.

Grilling is not permitted right now.

Headlights and Exterior lighting must be off during the movie, no exceptions. Please research how to shut off your lights before arriving at the theater. We do rent a limited number of radios each night, but they run out fast due to the demand on busy nights. If you cannot get your lights figured out, please bring a portable radio with you. Sound is broadcast in FM only, apps do not work.

We ask that you take home any trash you have with you when you leave. This is for the safety of our staff and limits cross contamination. You may ask for a trash bag when picking up food orders. You can also use our garbage cans around the food buildings, the dumpster or our garbage trailer to dispose of trash. DO NOT THROW IT ON THE GROUND!

IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES-- it is our goal to provide our theatre community with a fun, but somewhat subdued movie experience-- it is absolutely vital that these social distancing guidelines be followed at all times. We will enforce these guidelines and ask for your patience and understanding. Should any patron not follow our guidelines, they will be asked to leave the theatre immediately without refund...This is up to the discretion of lot attendants and management.

Questions can be answered at our office at 815-268-4000.

• Do you still show movies in the rain and snow? Yes. Sometimes the theaters get a little muddy or sloppy, but we show in ALL weather conditions. The only weather reason we will cancel an event or show is due to heavy snow(we can't plow the lot with ramps), dangerous icy roads, or if we experience a power outage. 

• When are you open? We are now closed for our 2020 season. We will reopen in the Spring of 2021 around March 19th. We have many special events sporadically throughout the year including live concerts, on screen concert and sporting events, our kids carnival, car shows, 80's Flashback, our huge Frightfest celebration and more.

• Should I bring my own battery-operated radio or just use the one in the car? If you are concerned that your car battery will run down, please bring a battery powered, portable FM radio. Apps on phones do not work unless your device has a built in FM antenna. We are only able to rent out a small number of radios at the moment due to the restrictions. 
  
• What time does the gate open? Typically, the gate opens 1 hour prior to show time on most nights. We also open early on some special features/holidays when large crowds are anticipated. With the pandemic, a majority of our parking spaces will be sold in advance with our ticketing app.
  
• Can we sit on top of the car or do I need to bring chairs? Please do not sit on top of your car. It's dangerous and blocks other's view of the screen. You are allowed to sit outside your vehicle in chairs or on blankets, as long as you are directly in front of or behind your car depending on how you park facing the screen.

• Do you offer discounts for large groups? We do offer group discounts for larger groups, and are happy to accommodate you. The theater is also available for private rental during the nights we are not open for regular business or special events.(Call for special events or pricing specials for large groups-815-268-4000) 
  
• Can I barbeque while we watch the movie? No current restrictions do not allow it.
  
• How many movies do I get to watch with my admission? All admissions are for 1 movie per night per ticket, unless we are hosting a special 'Double Feature' event. For 'Double Features' you get to enjoy 2 movies on a single screen for your admission price.
  
• How much is it to get in? Admission: $8 for adults(12 and older) - $7 for children 4 through 11- and children under 4 are free. There will be a very limited number of tickets available at the box office until restrictions are lifted and we recommend booking in advance. Advance tickets are at a higher price and have service fees on both ends with our provider.
  
• Are the movie times night shows only or daytime? We show the movies under the great big sky! So, we have to wait until after the sun goes down to see the features. 
  
• How do we get sound to hear the movies? We have HD digital FM transmitters so you can hear the audio through your car stereo!
  
• Do I have to stay for the entire movie? No, you may leave as you please. However, If you leave the grounds and then plan to come back in, you will be required to pay for another admission due to our insurance policy. 
  
• Can I bring my own food? Yes, bringing in your own food is allowed as long as you purchase a $5 food permit. Please realize the drive-in only survives on our food and snack sales, so we appreciate it if you purchase items from the Snack Bar or Burger Barn during your visit. $1.00 from each Food Permit sale this season is going to benefit St. Jude's and Brave Beginnings charities. No sharing of food with other vehicles will be allowed currently due to the Covid-19 restrictions. For special music events, a $20 per vehicle cooler fee is needed to bring in outside food/beverages due to the low % of funds we receive on the ticket sales of those events. ​
  
• What kind of chairs can I bring? Lawn chairs or folding lawn chairs are the best option. We do also rent chairs on a limited basis, however they will not be available for the special Holiday events.
  
• Can I bring a camper to the drive in? Not at the moment due to the social distancing restrictions for our parking.
  
• My car does not have FM radio stations, what can I use to hear the movie? You can bring a portable stereo and get sound that way. All movie audio is fed through a digital high definition FM transmitter. We have radio rentals available on a limited basis.

• Can I bring out my dog? Yes, however we we ask that you only use our Dog Walk paths for your animal's restroom breaks, maintain a 6' social distance and wear a mask if you are within 6' of other patrons.
  
• Can I leave the theater to get food/etc? No. Once you enter the theater, you will have to pay admission to re-enter the theater if you leave and come back in. We do offer Pizza in our Snack Bar(slices or entire 12" pizzas) along with dozens of other great items at reasonable prices...

• Can I leave and come back in without being charged again? NO, see above. 

• What is there to do before the movie? Sit at or in your vehicle and socialize with those that you arrived with. Playground areas under the screens are open now but social distancing must be maintained between groups and masks are required! Until restrictions are lifted, most of the fun things people love about the drive-in are not allowed.

• Do you have gift cards? Yes, you must ask to speak to a manager or call our office at 815-268-4000 or visit or 'shop' page.

• Can I purchase tickets before the movie? Yes, as long as you purchase them on our website through the presale ticket app. Be advised that pre-purchased tickets are the only way to guarantee a parking spot with the Covid-19 restrictions. Please follow all ticket guidelines exactly for quick and contactless service.

• Is alcohol allowed? No, but we do not search vehicles.

• If I have van or suv, am  I allowed to back in and open my hatch? Yes, just make sure you stay in your designated parking area and immediate vicinity. If you leave the area, you must wear a mask and maintain social distancing.
  
• Can I smoke? NO, smoking is not permitted on the property unless in your vehicle, and only if it does not bother your neighbors. We also have a designated smoking area by our dumpster. Also no butts are to be thrown on the ground due to being a safety hazard to our staff. If you are observed doing this, you will be asked to leave without a refund.

• How early should I arrive? On busy nights such as Friday, Saturday, or special occasions/events, we suggest arriving when the gates open or sooner. We fill up fast once we open our gates on busy nights, and arriving early is the only way to get a good viewing spot. All parking is first come first served even with online sales and we are limited to 1/2 capacity at the moment.

• If the lot is full, can I still come in? Yes, we have limited parking outside the theater where you can walk in to sit and watch the movie on lawn chairs. However you must stay in a designated spot with a distance of 10' from anyone else and you must wear a face covering or mask when you leave that area. We recommend coming in a vehicle for the Holiday shows due to the anticipated cold weather.

• Is it Cash Only or do you accept credit cards? We take cash only at the box office(no machine out there that will work currently), but do accept credit and debit cards in our snack bar or burger barn. 

• When is show time? The movies start at dusk, once it is dark enough to see them on the screen.