Regal Atlas Park Stadium 8

80-28 Cooper Avenue,
Glendale, NY 11385

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Showing 26 - 32 of 32 comments

EMarkisch
EMarkisch on July 10, 2006 at 10:21 am

Does anyone have a breakdown of the number of seats for each of the 8 theaters that make up the total of 1641 seats noted above?

Bway
Bway on July 10, 2006 at 7:01 am

Not to mention the Oasis! I went there quite often when I lived in Ridgewood (and it was open) often.

EMarkisch
EMarkisch on July 10, 2006 at 6:27 am

Yes, one does have to pay for parking at Atlas Park, which does act as a deterrent to going to the multiplex, as well as to the rest of the shopping complex.

However, parking for the theater is only $2.00 for a 3 hour period. That is, if you have your parking ticket validated at the box office.

Concerning the Ridgewood, I may be wrong, but I would imagine that the majority of their customers are walk ins from the immediate area and very few come by other modes of transportation. Even though they are located right near a transit hub. They book the “safe” popular new releases available at every other multiplex in town and nothing unique to draw a crowd from outside the neighborhood. Without doubt, this is the secret to their survival in this day and age. It is still a “neighborhood theater” and has the advantage of being the only game in town. Long gone are the days when the immediate area supported, in addition to the Ridgewood, the RKO Madison, the Parthenon and the Irving/Mozart. All within a few blocks of each other.

Bway
Bway on July 9, 2006 at 8:47 pm

Yes, I agree, Ken’s photo show clean lobby and hall areas. I don’t think those ever looked all that bad though, even in the 80’s. The auditoriums of the Ridgewood were another story though, from what I remember. To be fair though, I havening been there in a long time, so have no idea how the auditoriums are cleanliness wise.

As for parking, I believe you have to pay for parking at Atlas Park, which may be a detriment.

Bway
Bway on July 9, 2006 at 5:45 pm

I agree Erwin. While I think the Atlas could have made the Ridgewood put on the endangered species list unless the management does make some effort to improve the theater, I think you may be on to something with the Cinemart. The Atlas will probably eat heavily into the Cinemart’s business too.
The Cinemart may be able to survive if they find a niche. Although that may not be the case today, in the 80’s and 90’s, I always found the Cinemart played “weird” movies.

EMarkisch
EMarkisch on July 9, 2006 at 12:43 pm

Thank you Bway Chris (aka Bway) for having the guts to list Regal’s Atlas Park Stadium 8.

Having lived in Middle Village (neighboring community to Glendale) all my life, I overwhelmingly support the opening of this multiplex. After almost 25 years, I once again have a movie house within walking distance.

I am one of those diehards who prefer to watch a movie on a BIG screen with superior surround sound. Regal certainly delivered on a recent viewing of “The Da Vinci Code” on their wall to wall screen in Theater #1. Look forward to making this my multiplex of choice in the future. Hopefully, Regal will keep the place in good condition and not run it into the ground like they have been known to in some situations.

Now, before all you Ridgewood Theater fans get into an uproar and put a curse on my head too, I must say that I am a long time admirer of movie palaces, as well as the smaller neighborhood theaters. I only went to the Ridgewood twice in my life….both times after the multiplexing. However, the last time that I went, the place was dirty, dingy and totally unappealing. Parking was difficult and, to top things off, I was the victim of a pickpocket in the theater. All factors to deter a return visit.

After the closing of the Arion, Drake, Elmwood, Trylon and Oasis, my theaters of choice in recent times have been the Kaufmann Astoria and the Whitestone multiplexes. Both of which are a good drive from Middle Village. While the Cinemart is closest to home with reasonable ticket prices, I find the screens and the theaters cramped. The Kew Gardens Cinemas are neat for art house product, but parking can be trying at times. The Forest Hills Midway and Brandon theaters, while excellently run houses, are extremely difficult to park near and, if you are not careful, you run the possibility of having your car towed away because you accidentally parked on one of their “private” streets.

Curses be damned…Long live Regal’s Atlas Park Stadium 8.

Seriously, I believe that the Ridgewood will survive, if they clean up their act and make the movie going experience more appealing. In my humble opinion, the theater to worry about is the Cinemart, which is located a relatively short distance down the road from Atlas Park, is situated in a less densely populated community than the Ridgewood and is an independent not affiliated with any major chain that I am aware of.

Bway
Bway on July 6, 2006 at 8:31 pm

Haha, uh oh…. I guess I am cursed, as I am posting here!
I feel like a traitor to the Ridgewood Theater adding this one!
Well, I felt it needed to be added, and who knows, perhaps the Atlas will make the owners of the Ridgewood do necessary upgrades to the place. The Atlas and the Ridgewood can live side by side, but the Ridgewood can’t take for granted that they are the only game in town now…as they aren’t anymore.

Let’s just hope that the Atlas 8 woun’t spell the end for the old workhorse, the Ridgewood, which I believe someone mentioned is one of the oldest CONTINUOUSLY operating movie theater in NY State