The Ultimate Ant-Man Movie Experience at the El Capitan Theatre

We attended as a guest of Disney

I love summer break.  I love that I can spend more time with my kids and plan memorable adventure days.  My kid’s usual bedtime of 8 pm has been thrown to the wind, and I let them stay up later which means we can take advantage of the longer days.  On Monday, we were invited to preview the new Marvel movie Ant-Man up at the El Capitan in Hollywood.

Now I know it seems like quite a trek to go up to LA but in all honesty it was so worth the trip.  If you haven’t seen a showing at the El Capitan, then you are missing out.

The El Capitan Theatre first opened its doors in 1926.  It was dubbed Hollywood’s First Home of Spoken Drama and with it came all the glitz and glamor of old Hollywood.  For a decade, it presented live plays, with over 120 productions including such legends as Clark Gable and Joan Fontaine.

Picture courtesy of El Capitan Theatre

The theatre went through some rough times.  In 1989, The Walt Disney Company came to an agreement and spent $14 million on restoring much of the building’s original decor, reopened in 1991 with the premiere of The Rocketeer.

The theatre is also home to a giant Wurlitzer Theatre organ originally installed in San Francisco’s Fox Theatre in 1929.

In the basement of the theater is a small exhibit space, often used to display props from the films, such as costumes or set pieces.  When we went for the Frozen sing-a-long they had a life-sized Olaf in the area to take pictures.

Next door to the El Capitan is Ghirardelli’s Soda Fountain and Disney Studio Store, where patrons can take a step back in time and have a treat before their movie or purchase unique Disney merchandise.

If this hasn’t enticed you to visit the El Capitan then maybe the movie experience itself would.  The El Capitan provides patrons with a pre-show entertainment.  They also provide VIP or general seating options.

Picture Courtesy of El Capitan Theatre

VIP seats include pre-purchased seats, an El Capitan souvenir popcorn bucket with a lid and 20 oz twist top soda.  It’s just a few dollars more than going to a regular movie without the popcorn and drinks and well worth the price!  When we went to the theater for the Frozen sing-a-long, we weren’t able to experience the organ. Instead, we had Elsa singing and performing on stage, but on this last visit we saw it in its glory.

My children had never heard an organ, and we were excited to see it rise from the floor to the stage.  The organist played a variety of songs from The Phantom of the Opera, Indian Jones Title theme and Let it Go.  Once the movie, Ant-Man, was set to start the organist and organ slowly sunk under the stage.  I am a huge superhero film gal.  My favorite superheroes of all time for many years have been Captain America and Wolverine.  No one could even come close until Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.

He seriously is the perfect superhero.  Smart, funny and witty, plus he makes ants look like cute little friends – what more could you ask for out of a superhero?  Unlike the other superhero films out there, Ant-Man is lighter and funnier.  I took my 7-year-old and 10-year-old, and they were laughing and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

There were a few bits of language that I kind of wish they hadn’t heard, but most of the adult content was so light that it blew over their heads.  Captain America and Wolverine will always be my personal favorite characters, but Ant-Man and this movie have sure given them a run for their money.  In my opinion, Ant-Man is the best superhero movie to date!  I can’t wait for families everywhere to see it and enjoy it as much as we did!

 The El Capitan Theatre is located at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028 across the street from The Hollywood and Highland Center.  For more information about the El Capitan Theatre to purchase tickets please visit their website at www.elcapitantheatre.com.

I highly recommend taking your family to see the movie “Ant-Man” at the El Capitan when it opens in theaters this Friday.

Learn more about Ant-Man on Facebook, Twitter, and online. Don’t miss taking your kids to see it in theaters this Friday.

I’m an OC mom of two and photographer. I love living in Southern California and want to expose my children to all that it offers. I love taking my kids on adventures and capturing their every moment so much so that my kids find it odd if I don’t take their pictures. You can see my work on facebook.com/photosbynaz.