We might give superhero-obsessed Hollywood a hard time for always seeming to cater to kids with their on-screen fare, but two movie theaters opening next week take it to a whole new level: the theaters contain actual playground equipment inside the screening room.
The Cinépolis chain has had success with these kid-friendly theaters in Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Spain, but will be making its first foray into the U.S. market with the opening of two SoCal locations, one in Pico-Rivera and one near Carlsbad.
Offerings in each of the brightly-colored theaters vary, but have included features like bouncy rides, jungle gym structures, slides, beanbag chair seating and astroturf carpeting. Even the concessions are kid-oriented, with popcorn coming in Cheeto, chili, caramel and zebra flavors, according to LAist.
Cinépolis thinks these "junior auditoriums," as they call the kiddo screens, fill a niche for families that other cinemas can’t. Many families prefer to set little ones up in front of a Netflix stream rather than head out to a brick-and-mortar cinema, and they hope that by creating these designated family spaces they can lure them back into the ticket-buying market.
The junior auditoriums will be added on to existing Cinépolis multiplexes but will be used exclusively for daytime, family-friendly films. If the child screens are a hit, they’ll be expanding to Dallas next, and could potentially roll out to all of the chain’s U.S. locations over time.
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