Yatala Twin Drive-In Theatre

This is by far the best drive in! prices are good all round! always have fun coming here!

There are very few of these experiences left in Aus. Good old fashioned family time. We take a picnic dinner but there is food available at the drive inn with our blankets and pillows, the kids love getting into their pjs early and snuggling in the back of the car to watch a movie. I strongly recommend getting there early before gates open esp for the big popular movie releases. Don’t expect the movie to start on time but that’s part of the experience watching all the people parking and setting up. There is a playground near field 1 screen which the kids enjoy before the sun sets and the movie starts. Tickets are only available at the gate and correct change is preferred. My only gripe would be the people who arrive late when the movie has started and drive around with their lights on looking for a good spot disturbing the people who are trying to watch… But all in all this is a favorite of ours and will continue to visit ;)

My first experience at the Yatala Drive-​In was superb!!! I can’t wait to go back again. We went to their special event called Nostalgia Nights which is a tribute to the 50s and 60s where people can dress up, the DJ is playing tunes of Grease and announcing free face painting for the kids, and a spectacular car show with Mustangs, Corvettes, Cadillacs, and even a Rolls Royce! The event included all of the above and a double feature! We decided to go with F1 and watched Grown Ups 2 and 2 Guns. We had a great spot and loved watching it in the comfort of our own car.
Thank you to everyone who mentioned the deadly mosquitos because I came prepared with bug repellent! Do bring it with you or keep your windows rolled up once the sun goes down.
If you want to pack a picnic, feel free! I saw many people with lots of snacks, food, and drink but you can also opt to buy food and all your normal movie snacks such as popcorn and candy from the diner on the premises. My friends ordered their burgers and were pretty happy. The burger patty is a bit smaller but thicker instead of flatter and wider. You can also get fish and chips, corn dog, etc. If you are in a rush, no need to worry because you will be fed at the drive-​in. Food is decent. The popcorn was OK and a bit on the salty side.
The film started on time and there aren’t many commercials so if you plan to go just for the film, don’t be late and also know that many people make a day of the drive-​in so you might be stuck in the back or on the outer spaces to watch the film if you come closer to the start time.
The place is very family friendly and everyone was nice. I had a great time and though the drive is about 30 – 50 minutes from the city depending where you live, it’s so worth it! Everyone needs to go at least once in their life and then they will be hooked! :)

I am sure this place had not changed the whole time it has opened! Good size screens and you can listen to the movie on the old speakers (which sound great) or on the FM channel especially for the drive in.
The café (for lack of a better word) on site is good and the food reasonable — not fantastic but not awful. Being the fussy eater that I am, they were able to make my burger exactly how I wanted it. It is also reasonably priced for what you get. My husband loved the fact they they sold his favourite lollies there which are very hard to get in Queensland.

Drive-​ins remind me of my childhood and as far as I know, Yatala has the only drive in left in Brisbane. The great thing about the Yatala drive in is that makes me all nostalgic, warm and fuzzy inside.
Watching a movie from your car is pretty cool; you can bring your own snacks and snuggle up with pillows and blankets as you enjoy a film from the comfort of your own car. The Yatala drive in looks like it has not been refurbished for a while– but that is a good thing (odd circumstance)! Everything is retro here; from the candy bar to the speakers in the parking area. This is what I love about it because it reminds me of the Drive-​ins I used to go to as a kid.
Yatala may be a bit of a drive from central Brisbane but it is so worth it. If I had a car and more spare time, I would gladly come here every week.

I love everything about Yatala drive-​in, from its quaint, no-​frills signage, to the speakers that can be attached to your car window, to the families who construct living rooms on the back of their utes. I even love the fact that the toilet block reminds me of school camp because I once found a green tree frog on my seat and ran outside screaming.
But what I don’t love about Yatala drive in is the mosquitos. I don’t know if there is a swamp nearby, or perhaps the mosquitos know there’s fresh blood about, but Yatala Drive-​in is a hub for these bastards and insect repellent — TROPICAL GRADE IF POSSIBLE — is a must. Besides that, this drive in is the only one of its kind in Brisbane and shouldn’t be overlooked.
A ticket covers two films and a space for your car. There’s enough room in each space for you to set out a picnic blanket and feast on your own snacks, which is what my family and I like to do. However you’re essentially sitting on a dirt road, so bring cushions.
If you’re tuning in on your own car radio for surround sound (there is a special radio station reserved for the drive-​in) and your battery dies, there are jump leads at the candy bar that the staff can assist you with. They’ve seen it all before. Also I would keep the drive-​in lovin’ on the down low– this is a family friendly establishment!

Mossie repellent — those are the only two bad words I have for the drive-​in. If you like the nostalgia thing, you really should support the Yatala Drive-​In Theatre, ‘cos they’re pretty thin on the ground these days. It’s a good fun night out, the sound and picture quality are good and the canteen food is so bad it’s good, if you know what I mean. When we went the weather was fine, so I guess that’s one thing to be careful about, as it’s absolutely no fun in the rain, as I recall from a few years ago.
You can go for one movie or two (adults $ 13 or $ 16) so it’s worth doiing the double bill at either of the two drive-​in fields.