Last Saturday the Great Park kicked off its annual free summer movie series with “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2”. We prepared by reading the book at home and checking out the first Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs movie from the library. This was our first time going with the kids. Last year D and I went by ourselves to watch Captain America. Now that we have some experience, I would like to share some tips.
1. How early should we get there? If you care about where you sit arrive early. Now, what is “early” you may ask. That is actually a good question, because the start time of the movie is not clear—the website just says “dusk”. In our experience, they start the movie just after 8 p.m. This time we arrived just after 6 p.m. and there was a good number of people already set up. My friend arrived at 5:45 and they got primo seating.
2. Where is the best place to sit? This is also a tricky question. It depends in part on your setup. There are basically three sections you can sit in. The front section, closest to the screen; the middle section, which is separated from the front section by a roped-off walkway; and the back section, which begins with the ledge. The front section is limited to low back chairs and people sitting on blankets. They really need signage to make this explicit. We saw several people start to set up high back chairs, only to be confronted by people in the middle section who told them this was not allowed. Lack of signage just makes it awkward for everyone. We usually bring our ubiquitous Costco Tommy Bahama chairs. Technically, I guess they would qualify as low back, but I prefer to sit in the middle section anyway. I think the front section would be too loud because you are right next to the speakers. I would say the ideal spot would be the very front of the middle section, so you are right next to the walkway. That way, no one can set up chairs right in front of you. Also, you are close to the walkway for easy access to the bathroom and at exiting at the end of the movie. Another good spot would be the first row of the back section, as you are slightly elevated, guaranteeing good sight lines.
3. What kind of food should I bring? Since it is best to arrive early, there is plenty of time to eat dinner. This is the most fun part, in my opinion. Feel free to bring anything, as there are no restrictions on outside food, coolers, wagons, etc.
This time, we opted for sandwiches from Capriotti’s. We saw people sharing whole pizzas, as well as buying food from the food trucks parked nearby.
For dessert we brought some of the mini pies we obtained at the Orchard Hills opening. They were from I LIke Pie in Claremont. These were so cute! Yes, they got smushed, but they were still tasty. Also, remember to bring snacks to eat during the movie, if you so desire. Also bring something to entertain the kids during the waiting time—cards, books, etc. Our kids had fun just running around the open grassy area.
4. Are there bathrooms nearby? Always an important question, especially with kids in tow. There used to be portable toilets, but now there is a building with bathrooms two buildings behind the viewing area. I would suggest waiting until about 7:30-7:45 to go, so no one has to go during the movie!
5. Remember to bring warm clothes and/or blankets. Even though it was quite warm during the day, it cooled off fairly quickly. The movies do not end until around 9:45, so be prepared!