What you need to know if you’re going to the movies this weekend
The movies will still look the same when five Las Vegas theaters reopen Friday.
In most cases, they’ll look downright familiar, considering the first wave of new films won’t start arriving until Aug. 21.
The moviegoing experience, though, may be almost unrecognizable.
Among the noticeable differences in the Century-branded theaters — inside The Orleans, Sam’s Town, Santa Fe Station, South Point and Suncoast — are mandatory face masks, limited concessions and far fewer opportunities to spend cash.
The safety protocols being employed by these theaters, as well as the ones that will be reopening in the coming days and weeks, are exhaustive.
According to its parent company, Cinemark, all Century auditoriums will be disinfected each morning. Handrails and occupied seats, plus those on either side, will be sanitized between screenings. Seat wipes and hand sanitizer will be available, as well.
Each auditorium will operate under a reduced capacity. The ticketing system will block off seats adjacent to each party. Admission purchased online will no longer require a physical ticket, and those paper tickets bought at the box office won’t need to be handed to an usher.
At the concession stand, plexiglass barriers have been installed, some menu items may be temporarily unavailable, and popcorn and soda refills have been discontinued. Cash payments no longer will be accepted, but gift cards will be available for purchase.
High-touch spaces, including door handles, self-ticketing kiosks and restrooms, will be sanitized every 30 minutes.
And masks must be worn at all times, including inside the auditorium, except when eating or drinking.
As for the movies themselves, there will be a mix of films that were playing in March when theaters went dark, along with fan favorites including “Back to the Future,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Ghostbusters,” “Iron Man” and “The Goonies.”
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children and seniors.
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.
