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| - The Esplanade is a decent movie theater to go to. We are currently in a bit of a fight though, as they've decided to stop selling Snickers Popables. It might not be entirely their fault, maybe more of a corporate decision, but I think I'm going to start sneaking my own treats in after that slap in the face.
Besides disagreeing as to acceptable movie snacks (they replaced the Popables with Goldfish crackers), I'll usually choose this theater over others, if only for it's proximity to my house and the mostly civilized crowd. I find less screaming babies in R-rated movies at this theater than at, say, AMC Arizona Center. Sometimes you get some annoying, giggly teens and pre-teens, which is why post-city-mandated-curfew shows are great.
I never have figured out why they can't seem to solve the problem of the garbage odor though. It's not always present, but when it is, it's there in full force. I'm guessing it's the food garbage from the restaurants, but I can't think that their neighbor, the Ritz-Carlton, is a big fan of that stink wafting over.
Some tips:
* If you want to avoid parking lines, park underground. (This may only be useful after business hours and on weekends.) If you come in off 24th Street, the entrance to the underground parking is to the right. It's kind of creepy, but you can usually park right by the elevators and avoid the reeeeeally long lines that occur when almost all 14 theaters let out at the same time.
* If you're afraid to park underground, simply go downstairs and get an ice cream/coffee/pastry/drink at one of the restaurants and bars on the ground level. By the time you get your food or drink and get back to your car, you've most likely avoided the line. Don't be too leisurely though, or you'll catch the next exodus and the circle will start all over again.
* If you take the stairs, make sure you make note of which side of the stairs you came up. There are two sets on each side of the theater and if you go down the wrong side, the entrance to your floor will be a non-descript little door rather than the wide open double-doored entrance that you recognize.
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