Glendale 9 Drive-In
5650 N. 55th Avenue,
Glendale,
AZ
85301
5650 N. 55th Avenue,
Glendale,
AZ
85301
3 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
West Wind Drive-Ins (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Century Theatres, Syufy Enterprises
Architects: Vincent G. Raney
Functions: Movies (First Run), Swap Meet
Previous Names: Glendale 7 Drive-In
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
623.939.9715
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Sep 20, 2007 — Free Classic Movies at West Wind Drive-Ins
Opened June 13, 1979 as a 7-screen drive-in theatre. It was first operated by Syufy Enterprises. Each screen shows a double feature. This drive-in is listed as the largest operating drive-in in Arizona. It was expanded to 9-screens on June 15, 1984.
It is now operated by West Winds Drive-Ins.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
June 13, 1979 grand opening ad in photo section.
Now that it’s the only operating drive-in in Arizona, the Glendale would have to be the largest. :) Like the others in the West Wind chain, they’re smart about offering periodic free movies, typically on Thursdays, to draw in new customers.
Now that it’s running digital, a couple of the shiny old film projectors are mounted like museum displays in the concession stand area.
Opened on screen 1 with “The great train robbery” and “Rocky 2” and screen 2 with “Jaws” and “The car” and screen 3 with “101 dalmations” and “The love bug” and screen 4 with “Superman” and “The deep” and screen 5 with “Butch and sundance the early years” and “The Duchess and Dirtwater Fox” and screen 6 with “Deer hunter” and “The boys in Company c” and screen 7 with “Game of death” and “Circle of iron”.
It would be nice to see an overhead view (like from a drone) of the field layout. I’d like to see how they got 9 screens laid out. How many acres does this theater have?
The theatre is essentially one large city block. Google it and give it a look-see. Original a 7-plex, screens 1 and 7 were divided to make the newer screens, it’s painfully obvious from the aerial shot.
There is also a swap meet there too(according to one of the photos in the photos section).
There is an overhead photo on the page for the nearby closed Thunderbird Drive-in.
Added bpnus: You can still see the skeleton ramps of the Old Bird next to thd Glendale in aerials! Cool!😍😍
Please correct, theatre opened June 17, 1979, Syufy/Century added expanded to 9 screen on June 15, 1984, ad in photos section and West Wind Drive In took over operation on April 20, 2007 from Century Theatres (ad in photos section.
The newspaper ad may have celebrated the opening on June 17, but it opened on June 13. I work at the home office for the drive-in and all our internal documents show we opened with free movies on June 13, 1979. Newspaper ad from June 13 shows the same. (Uploaded)