- Gets dark6:45 pmGates open 7:30 PM
- Google rating4.8012345678901234567890123456789reviews
- Screens1
- Price$12per adult
- Outside food$5permit per car
- DogsOn a leash
- This week's moviesOn Facebook pageWeekly
- Opened1952
El Rancho Drive-In Theatre is at 6070 NY-5, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.
Location
Where is El Rancho Drive-In Theatre?
El Rancho Drive-In Theatre is at 6070 NY-5, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428. The entrance is at Groff Road. The closest highway is NY-5. Landmarks: Mohawk River.
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Where to eat nearby
If you would rather eat before the movie than at the counter:
- Isaan Thai Restaurant
- New China
- Dunkin'
Start time
What time does the movie start at El Rancho Drive-In Theatre?
What El Rancho Drive-In Theatre says: The theater says the movie starts at sundown.
In October the sun sets around 6:16 pm and it gets dark around 6:45 pm.
Dark means full dark, about 25 minutes after sunset. It is not a time El Rancho Drive-In Theatre promises, and some drive-ins start the movie before it. Plan to be parked by sunset.
Here is when it gets dark in each month, from April to October, on the 15th.
| Month | Gets dark |
|---|---|
| April | 8:09 pm |
| May | 8:46 pm |
| June | 9:14 pm |
| July | 9:09 pm |
| August | 8:32 pm |
For more on what time it gets dark and when drive-ins really start their movies, read our start-time guide.
Prices
How much El Rancho Drive-In Theatre costs
- Adult$12
- Child$6Ages 3-11
Amenities
Food, restrooms and rules
- Outside food is allowed with a $5 permit, bought at the gate
- You can bring your dog, on a leash
- Sister venue: Ozoner 29 Drive-In, 837 St. Hwy. 29, Broadalbin, NY -- same Wemple family operator, same phone (518) 883-5735, shares the same $12/$6 pricing
- Radio: house rule says to keep the car radio tuned to the movie's FM station; no frequency published anywhere
- Car-load pricing: a past end-of-season Facebook post offered a one-off car-load rate for the final weekend -- not a standing price, not in price_carload
- Family lore: site's About page tells the story of a rival drive-in (The Chief Drive-In) built nearby by the owner's ex-wife after a divorce; The Chief lost the price war and is now a parking lot
Showtimes
What's playing at El Rancho Drive-In Theatre this week
El Rancho Drive-In Theatre posts this week's movies and start times on its Facebook page, usually weekly. Check there for tonight's show.
Reviews
What visitors say about El Rancho Drive-In Theatre
From 250 visitor reviews, 4.8 stars.
Nostalgia and the snack bar
- Multiple reviewers call the visit a childhood or family memory, some citing a parent who used to bring them.
- The snack bar draws repeat praise as worth the trip on its own, with popcorn singled out.
Before you go
Know before you go
- The box office opens 7:30 PM
- Bring cash. The gate does not take cards
- Larger vehicles are asked to skip the first few rows near the screen.
- The first feature starts at sundown, not a fixed clock time, even though the gate and snack bar open at 7:30 PM.
- The $5 picnic permit for outside food is bought at the ticket booth, not the snack bar.
History
The history of El Rancho Drive-In Theatre
Built in 1951 and officially open in 1952, El Rancho Drive-In Theatre is a single-screen drive-in on Route 5 in Palatine Bridge, off the Mohawk River. William and Darci Wemple purchased it in 1996; their son Devin Wemple and his wife Mariya plan to continue running it. The Wemples also own and operate the twin-screen Ozoner 29 Drive-In in Broadalbin, NY, built in 2002.
FAQ
Questions about El Rancho Drive-In Theatre, answered
How many screens does El Rancho Drive-In Theatre have?
El Rancho Drive-In Theatre has one screen. Everybody on the lot watches the same film, so there is nothing to choose when you arrive. Park where you like, tune your radio and wait for the light to go.
What time does the movie start at El Rancho Drive-In Theatre?
What El Rancho Drive-In Theatre says: The theater says the movie starts at sundown. In October it gets dark around 6:45 pm. Check with the theater on the day you go.
How much does El Rancho Drive-In Theatre cost?
Admission to El Rancho Drive-In Theatre is $12 per adult, $6 per child 3-11. Two adults and two children come to $36. The booth takes cash only, so stop at a machine on the way.
Can I bring my own food to El Rancho Drive-In Theatre?
You can bring your own food to El Rancho Drive-In Theatre once you have bought a permit for $5 a car. The permit is worth it if you were going to spend more than that at the counter anyway. Without one, outside food is not allowed in.
Are dogs allowed at El Rancho Drive-In Theatre?
Dogs are welcome at El Rancho Drive-In Theatre as long as the leash stays on. Keep it short near other cars, bring water, and clean up afterwards. A nervous dog is worth leaving at home, because sound carries across a lot.
Nearby
Other drive-in theaters in New York
- 23 miles awayOzoner 29 Twin Drive-In TheaterSee this theater
- 41 miles awayMalta Drive-In TheatreSee this theater
- 46 miles awayJericho Drive-InSee this theater
- 53 miles awayUnadilla Drive-InSee this theater