I love going to the movies and because I love going to the movies I like to find theatres that make my experience as great as possible. El Capitan is a theatre that is perfect for those who love movies and for those who love Disney. El Capitan was built in 1926 and is a beautiful theatre full of history. Before my first visit to El Capitan I knew that I would be seeing a movie but I was not aware of the special touches that they add to make it a memorable experience. My first time to the theatre was to see Beauty and the Beast in 3d which I was pretty excited about since I had walked past the theatre for years. I parked underneath the Loews Hotel across the street and got my ticket at the box office out front. For information on getting discounts for El Capitan please look at the bottom of this post.
Genie form Aladdin
When you purchase your ticket you have an option of a general admission ticket or a VIP ticket. I have never purchased a VIP ticket but it does include a reserved seat, popcorn and a drink so it might be the best deal for you depending on what you want when you go. Now you are probably curious about the special touches that I mentioned. The special touches vary by movie but are pretty great. For Beauty and the Beast Belle magically appeared before the movie to introduce it. My mom and I went to see Wreck it Ralph and before the movie they invited children up on stage to play a game that ended with Ralph appearing on the stage. My mom and I also went to see Frozen and while nothing happened before the show during Let It Go it snowed in the movie theatre. On the bottom level they have a mini museum where they showcase props from movies that have been shown at the theatre and you might even get to see some special old Hollywood type pictures.
For most movies if you arrive early enough there will be someone playing an organ who does a wonderful job providing entertainment and creating a fun atmosphere. Last year I scored free tickets to see Muppets Most Wanted and I thought it was adorable that Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy arrived on the stage to perform for the crowd before the movie. When Brave was out as well as some other movies there was an option to have breakfast with Merida before viewing the movie. When this offer is available it is on Saturday so if you are in the area and are unable to take your children to Disneyland taking them to the movies and to breakfast with the character might be a great and fun alternative. Attached to the theatre is a Disney/Ghirardelli Soda shop with cute Disney merchandise as well as a delicious ice cream. On occasion you can get a delicious dessert that will come with a limited edition pin so for Disney pin collectors that might be a winning dessert for you.
In addition to the special touches that the theatre adds to their movies they also host special events. El Capitan is typically where Disney holds their movie premieres so if you are in the area on a premiere night you can show up and try to see some of your favorite stars. They also host special events that are 100% open to the public. When I wrote this blog post I had no idea that four months later I would get to see Scott Weinger, voice of Aladdin, come to speak about the movie when the theatre brought the movie back for a few weeks. You can read about that here if you would like: Aladdin at El Capitan. If you have a Facebook I encourage you to like their page so you can find out about their events and also be sure to check out our upcoming events page as I will list their events as well. If you park underneath the Loews Hotel across the street, which I would recommend, you can get your parking validated at the theatre and will pay $2 for the time you spent at the movie.
While there is no guarantee almost every movie that plays at El Capitan will have discounted tickets on sites like GoldStar, Groupon, or LivingSocial. So search for a discount before you purchase your ticket. Every now and then you can find free tickets to a screening of a movie on the morning it is released at 6am. Keep an eye out on Facebook and Twitter for movie and concession deals offered by El Capitan. For information on getting free movie tickets please read this blog post: http://mybelleelle.com/movie-screenings/howtoseemoviesforfree/ Oh and for Disneyland lovers make sure to notice the Disneyland Walk of Fame star in front of the Soda Shop. And if you do not have time to see a movie you can take a tour!
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