Great place showing first run movies. Clean and family friendly. Reasonable prices. It is for sale so I hope someone will buy it and keep it going. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Road sign - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

It's a great place to visit. Sure, the radios and the snack sack could be redone and don't work in the best condition, and the consessions lines go really long, but workers there still work hard and get their job done, and if you can't hear, you can tune in to your car radio station to hear the movie. Honestly, it's one of the best family places you can bring your kids. Nothing like getting that outdoor experience, playing catch with a football, sneaking in snacks, then being able to watch 2 movies until after midnight. Highly recommend this theater and I hope Lee finds a buyer and it keeps running. read more

Great family drive in. It's for sale. I hope someone buys it and keeps it going. First run movies and way cheaper than going to a show house. Support this business and help preserve it for the next generation. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

Could use some updating with landscaping and the snack shack is a tad rundown. But easy in and out, and fun experience. Popcorn was pretty blah even with the added butter. read more

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It's a great adventure. Everything was great except for my date. LOL . Fun family night and great munchies and old games to play

This place is a must try!! The food offerings are incredible. The lines get insane about an hour before the movie starts so recommend ordering early. HIGHLY recommend the funnel fries and chicken strips. I took away a star because the speakers at the theater were very poor. Knowing this next time I'd bring a radio! We were in the back of a truck so weren't able to hear our vehicles radio. This made it very hard to understand most of the movie. Other than that highly recommend!! read more

Cool experience but for putting such a huge emphasis on purchasing their food they should definitely staff their snack shack better. It shouldn't take 15 minutes to microwave a hot dog. And they literally enforce zero of their rules. People talking, yelling, laughing, being super disruptive during both movies and not a single worker told them to be quiet. Why bother having rules if you're not going to enforce them. You might as well bring your own snacks too since nobody checks. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

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I love, love, love going to the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater. It is a great wholesome family activity or fun date night. The concession stand has tummy treats. Tjis is one of Jefferson Counties best kept secrets! read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Fast 9 & Nobody! - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

This place is like stepping back in time. Old school feel, good prices, hopefully it can stay in business.

Fun way to escape the city and venture back in time. This place is about 30 minutes outside of Madison. Tickets are super affordable as well as concessions. There is a wide variety of drink and snack options. Unfortunately, People crowded around the concessions which was a turn off. I personally would rather have a more expensive ticket price and be allowed to bring in outside food especially during the pandemic. I would love to see this changed/considered by the owners for at least this period of time. read more

Family saw Twister. Website sounded strict on rules--no carrying in food, no smoking, hatchbacks must be tied down to roof line, etc. Reality is no rules are enforced so should have brought our own popcorn since there was a long slow line for food lasting well after start of show due to understaffing for number of customers. Missed portion of movie getting promised popcorn for the kids. And almost all vehicles had their hatches up making view past row 3 difficult, and then people smoked which smelled up the air. No attempts to fix any of this and All this made it not very enjoyable. read more

The wait to get in was short but that is about it. The wait for hot food was an hour long, popcorn had no flavor, nacho cheese sauce was bland, too much salt on pretzel. Plus there were inconsiderate people in their vehicles turning headlights on and off. I guess to get any hot food like burgers and fries you have to be the first ones in the drive in. Will not be going back. read more

After reading all the updated rules at Highway 18, we felt comfortable and looking forward to a night out. The employees do not enforce any rules that we noticed. Here were the big ones that made this an adventure of a night and why we won't be returning: Concessions: The concession stand was a mess, with very little direction, and pick up with right next to order window. There was a mass amount of people standing around waiting for their food, no social distancing whatsoever. The ordering system is clearly not working. The person fulfilling orders would just set the food out, and people would walk up look (TOUCH) to see what it was, then wait when it wasn't theirs. I saw multiple people touching other peoples food, and the employee did nothing about it. I heard several people complaining about the wait time for their food. We probably waited 15 minutes, but I heard wait times of +30 minutes. It was confusing and just a mess, they really need to work on this flow. New Parking Rules: New rules state one car parked in every other space, between the poles. We arrived about an hour before dusk and everything seemed to be enforced. There was no one to direct where to park, but we managed. However, once we got closer to show-time, cars were piling up and filling in wherever they could. It was congested and not fair to those who arrived early and respected the rules. Not only were they allowing cars to enter during the movie which was annoying with car lights, we even witnessed another car side swipe a parked one as they tried to squeeze in. This was supposed to be a fun night out, which really was a stressful experience. The rules they have listed on their site are decent, and made us want to adventure out to Jefferson, but we won't be back until we know they're actually enforcing it. They lure you in with the thought of making everyone comfortable but will still do what they need to make a quick buck. Not worth it. read more

We had a great time here. Classic playground in front of the screen and kids seemed to be having a great time. They didn't have my favorite piece of playground equipment from my youth, the spinny wheel of death--if they did I positively would have pushed all the kids off so I could play on it. The double feature value can't be beat, although it was still light out and hard to see the first movie very well. I had romanticized ideas of sitting in the fresh air in lawn chairs but despite using bug spray the insects were too annoying. Based on reviews I came prepared for overeager outside food enforcers and a crazy line for concessions but none of the employees hassled us or seemed to be paying much attention to us at all and there was never too long of a wait for food. Probably because it was early in the season and not as busy. The food was decent, pretty much what you'd expect. We tried a lot of stuff: mac & cheese bites (good), burger (think school lunch quality), cheese curds (no pull but hey, it's fried cheese), chili cheese dog (reminds me of sonic's), and chicken tenders (nothing special but can't go wrong). Next time I think I would get a pizza and an order of chicken tenders and call it a day. read more

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I haven't been to an outdoor since the 70s. Great nostalgic experience! Very well organized from the ticket purchase to the concession stands. We got there an hour early, and the lines weren't very long. The lines did get somewhat longer, but they were short staffed, just as other businesses currently are. It is what it is! The staff was very cordial and attentive. The popcorn was excellent. Hot and fresh. Very reasonably priced. There were a couple of SUVs that should've parked behind the smaller cars (because they blocked other's views), but all in all a great experience. Definitely a return trip. read more

Great retro place. You get a double feature and there are lots of food options at the concession stand. No carry in food allowed.. Up the hill is a bar for alcoholic drinks and a couple pinball/bar games. Fun place to spend a summer night with the kids. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Screen under the sky - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

The ONLY DRIVE IN WORTH VISITING!!! Being there makes me feel like a kid again. The prices are right, the screen is huge, and the concession has a decent selection! My only complaint is that I wish their season ran longer. It would be amazing if they could open for Halloween movie nights! read more

Had a great time here and dog friendly... two movies for the price of one is a steal. Get a comfy spot bring a blanket grab some snacks and enjoy the throwback vibes with the community around you read more

This drive-in is my favorite place in the whole world. I literally tell everyone I know about it, and I can't say enough good things. I love the oldies playing when you first get there until the movie starts. I love the star spangled banner with the screen footage. I love the cartoon, especially when once in a blue moon it's a pink panther cartoon. I LOVE LOVE the old intermission footage. The concession stand rules, and I really like their chicken tenders. Even though you aren't supposed to bring in outside food, I have to admit that I sneak in barbeque sauce because I really don't like the sauce they have. So, I bring my Smoky Jon's from home. I hope I don't get in trouble now! They have a good burger, and even veggie burgers. The food is really good and cheap. I will see any crappy movie they show here. I really don't care (as evidenced by my watching The Island [twice!] and Shrek 3), just as long as I am there. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

I finally visited this drive the weekend after Labor Day. 'This is the End' and 'Whitehouse Down' were the movies being shown. It was only $8 for a double feature. I arrived shortly after they opened the gates so I was able to get a decent spot on the left hand side of the projection booth. Not sure where the sweet (or Sheldony) spot is located exactly but I could see it unobstructed from my lawn chair in front of my car. I waited until I arrived before eating so I could scarf down whatever food they offered. Concessions are the primary sales that supports the drive in and insures its continued operation. I started with the Highway 18 Nachos. Pretty decent with cheese, chili sauce, and the option of peppers, sour cream, and picante sauce. Tried the vegetarian burger and although edible it looked kind of gross. The mac n' jack w/bacon nuggets were awesome. Clusters of macaroni with jack cheese and bacon breaded into slightly larger than bite sized nuggets were delicious. There was a potato dish but I didn't try it (yet). Since I figured I'm probably not going back until next season (they are closing in September, reopening in April or May) I also splurged on a large T-shirt. I also have to give the attendant / security guy props for explaining to the car in front of me that they need to switch their key to the correct position or else the brake lights would come on. I was pondering using a piece of cardboard held under the my eyes blocking it so I could not be distracted by them. They've gone digital so the picture is immaculate and the sound is great too, when it isn't overwhelming the speaker due to the dynamic range. I'd give a perfect score if they had Mountain Dew throwback or Sprecher's bottled root beer available. I know they make some effort to offer allergen free items on the menu, like no gluten or nuts I think. Now that I know there is an easy to use campground (Sandhill Station) near this theater I will be more likely to visit more than once next season. read more

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Nice way to see a movie( Top Gun, not my favorite but was good to sit outside) with Gary. Had popcorn and soda. We'll go back for sure!

We go here about once or twice a year only to keep the nostalgia factor with our kids. There are only two drive ins left in Wisconsin and this one is about an hour from home. This theatre meets our expectations each time. Saw Inside Out and Tomorrowland last night. Cost is $9 for adult and $5 for a child. This theatre, like most indoor and outdoor, survive on concession sales. So this one has a policy of no outside food or drinks. I have no problem buying concessions if means it will help keep the theatre open. Food is pretty good but only complaint is the looooong wait times at the concession stand. With as many people working behind the counter you would expect a little more efficiency. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

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Sometimes I wish I lived seventy years ago, and the Highway 18 drive-in certainly helps me live a little bit of that dream. Vintage pre-show & intermission clips, a deep-fry-centric snack bar, and the low, low price of $8 for a double feature make this place a gem. Also: Zoltar. You know, the fortune-telling machine that turns that kid into Tom Hanks in Big. Sedans, etc park in the front, SUVs and vans in the back, and a nice staffer comes around with twine so you can anchor your hatch so as not to block the view of those behind you if you backed in and want to lay out in the bed of your vehicle. Each stall has a speaker, and you can also tune your car radio to the theater's station for better sound. There are absolutely no carry-ins, and though I'm generally a cheapskate, I totally agree in this case. The owners aren't making anything off ticket sales ($4/movie), so concessions are what let them keep their prices down / stay open. The menu items are pretty reasonable price-wise, and they have everything from funnel cake fries to veggie burgers, water to orange soda, so there should be something for almost everyone. While you can't bring food or drink, you can and should bring bug spray, blankets, and chairs if you don't plan on sitting in your car. The area in front of our car was gravel, so I was grateful to have a seat off the ground. We went on a Friday night and it was about a thirty minute drive from downtown Madison - much faster than I thought it would be. Looking forward to a return visit. read more

Thumbs up it's really cool here. Feel like a kid again. All the old playground equipment. Pinball machines even a old juke box spinning 45's faster Service if you walk behind the big screen to the bar good is awesome!!! read more

A fantastic Drive-In that makes you feel like a kid again. We found this hidden gem 2 years ago and we try to go multiple times during the summer. Picture and sound quality are great, though I wish it was a tad louder. They also play old school cartoons and play the national anthem before the show begins at dusk. The food is surprisingly good for a Drive-In and everything is made to order so it's hot and fresh. It's $9 for 2 movies but sometimes you get 3 (still only $9). It's cash only and there's no carry-ins so be prepared. The staff does walk around so if you do end up bringing carry-ins be careful and on the look out. If you are looking for classic fun and to relive your childhood, go here and enjoy! Great for the the whole family or a night out with your friends! read more

Wonderful theater. The pizza was pretty good and reasonably priced. They even gave me a jump start when my Prius wouldn't start (apparently you're supposed to leave them running and not in the "power window/radio only" mode for an extended period. Will definitely go back next summer. read more

Great old drive in theater. You get a double feature under the stars. You have to buy your drinks and food from them, so be prepared for that. read more

Ambiance: five stars! Video and audio quality: five stars! Concessions: one star. Long lines that didn't move at every snack bar window and the restaurant. The menu they hand out at the entrance said the restaurant had a full menu, but they actually don't carry most snack items. The restaurant also ran out of many dishes before the first movie even started, probably because it had one person taking orders and one person cooking. Come on, guys. Invest in a couple more staff members, or count on people carrying in their own refreshments. read more

I'd like to give this 4.5, ideally, but I'm rounding up. Based on previous comments, I was prepared for aggressive/disaffected staff -- but from ticket sales to the two guys walking around the parking lot to the four staff at the concession place, everyone was uniformly courteous and efficient. In fact, I thought they could have asked some SUVs who were "double parked" to move over, but they didn't. Tall vehicles (mini-vans, CRVs, SUVs, Jeeps, trucks) go towards the back (red poles). Reasonable, esp. if you drive a small car. We heard movie well using the speaker contraption. It's not Dolby surround sound or anything, but, again, you're in the middle of cornfields, with a star-studded sky, enjoying a really fun night out at a classic drive-in. We arrived at 8:00 for an 8:05 sunset on a warm Friday night. No line for tickets. We got a decent spot and could see well. Lines @ concession stand were long, but the staff was hustling; it moved in spite of one customer who ordered like 8 kiddy packs, multiple popcorn buckets plus scads of drinks...). The kid's playground equipment was packed. Other kids played catch. They have a strict no-food carry-in policy and anyone who can't abide by it can simply eat before the movie. Compared to Madison or Milwaukee, I found the concessions to be fairly priced. It's not a particularly inspired menu, but it's fine. Think corn dogs, cheese/ham-burgers, fries, fried curds, onion rings, nachos plain & fancy, ice cream novelties, churros, funnel cakes, popcorn, candy, and some value options. Kid's pack was a great value. Full menu is online. Restrooms were clean, but not very big. Bring bug spray, mosquito coils, lawn chairs, blankets, sweatshirts if you want to sit outside, which many people did. We came light and watched from inside the car, which was fine too. We had a great time and will be back for kid-friendly movies. We love to go to the Door County outdoor theatre, so I'm really glad to have this one so close. read more

fun experience with friends! very long line for food--nonstop--but that is expected since it's summer and it was a saturday! recommended and would love to go again! read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

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So me and my cousins drove an hour to come see a movie, never been here before, paid $60 to get in and was unaware of the no food policy from outside the theater. The manager Jesse came up and told us that we couldn't have any food so we gave him what we had so he could donate it. (Looked online at their policy and if you donate the food we can stay for the show) when he left we found more food in the car once he left. He came back and called us a liar and kicked us out even though we donated the food. So we got kicked out without a refund. I would not recommend it he was very rude. We were there for less than five minutes. Horrible experience. We even said that we would spend money at the snack shop. read more

Great drive in theater, despite the appearance of the grounds the drive in is a great place to take your family to enjoy a night of movies under the stars in the open air. The admission is reasonable and the food is good for the prices. It is one of last last few drive in theaters in the state of Wisconsin, hate to see it ever come to an end. read more

Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre - Twilight pic of neon. - Cinema Near Me - Jefferson, Wisconsin

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The best outdoor movie experiences I have ever had. Been going here since I was 8! 44 years, always fun. Great food and many choices. Not over priced. Employees are friendly , professional and helpful. Hwy 12 west of Jefferson WI. read more

Seems like a cool place, wouldn't know though since they kicked us out for having water bottles in the cup holders of my car. That is, of course, after we'd already paid for 4 people. We will be taking our money AND our water bottles home and will not be coming back. :) read more

This place has a hard on for kicking people out. They police everyone all night like hawks to see if you are breaking their precious laundry list of rules and then they will gladly kick you out if they find a crumb of outside food in your car or if you start your car during the movie to defog your windows. Great drive-in...horrible management. You better sit up straight and fly right if you plan on going to Highway 18 drive in.j read more

Terrible! My daughter and her cousins got kicked out for bringing in candy. They were unaware of the rule. This is their fault for not understanding the rules; however, they wouldn't refund the money they paid to get in either and they were kicked out before the movie began. For 15 and 16 year olds spending their own money I think that's pretty pathetic. Watch your backs people! What a way to run a business! read more

I love drive-in theaters and really wanted to give this place 5 stars but the concession stand is horrible and the owner's attitude about it is really poor. First the good; the picture quality, for an outdoor movie is excellent and the sound is great. You can either tune in on your radio or they have a number of "old-school" speaker systems if you want to go that route. The staff, that I met, were very nice, and helped us after the movie when my car battery had died. We had problems jumping it and they gave us a hand. The lot is huge but there just about all the spots have a good view. They also request that if you are keeping the back of your van open then you need to tie it so it stays level with the roof of your van. They provided string if you had forgotten to bring your own. But, what really killed it was the concession stand. They have only 2 lines, 1 for fried food and things cooked to order, the other, called the "express" line was only for snacks such as popcorn, candy, soda, etc. Each line ends with only 1 cashier. Needless to say, the express line is not express. I waited almost 1 hour to make my way to the head of the line. Luckily we had arrived very early, and was hoping to play with my daughter before the movie, but I spent the entire time waiting in line. There were people that probably missed the entire first half of the movie. I spoke to one of their "security" staff members about this and he apologized but couldn't do anything about it. I also asked him about the draconian rules about no outside food being brought in and he said that yes, they are super strict about it and will either confiscate your outside food or make you leave. He also said that the concession issue is an ongoing one but nothing has been done about it. I did email the owner and expressed my disappoinment in how the concessions were run and that I'd much rather help support his business and buy food there but he makes it very difficult by not doing something about the slow lines. He responded and basically said "too bad." it was his place, his rules and if I didn't like it was my problem, but he would continue to strictly enforce his policy. I understand that theaters really rely on concessions to make any money as the film distributors take such a huge chunk of the ticket sales, but the guy really needs to come up with a better way to run his concessions. I'd love to say that I'll be back as I loved the atmosphere and the quality of the movies, but if the owner doesn't want to do anything about the poorly designed concession stand I can't say that I'll be back. It's an hour drive for us to go there and there are at least 2 other outdoor theaters, that same driving distance, that we can go to. read more

This is a wonderful place to go during the summer. It's super fun, super retro and just all around enjoyable. I would say if you want to eat there get there a few minutes early to beat the line. But honestly it's just so much fun to go there! read more

I have been here twice this year once to see Minnions/Jurrasic World and also Inside Out/Ant Man. The movie part I would probably give 5 stars or close to it, the picture is digital and the sound is real good as well. I actually prefer going to the drive in with my two young kids here than a theater like Marcus because we don't have to worry about them bothering others around them if they talk or walk/jump around. The problem is the concessions. My issue isn't not being allowed to bring in stuff as that is the rule at any movie theater. My issue is the long lines and slow service and nobody really seeming to care that they are so slow. I understand that they make money on concession but if they were faster they would make even more money and please their customers in the process. Also, they don't allow you to bring in water and after about ten minutes of the second movie starting they close concession so I can't even get refills on my soda and water that I bought. Basically they need a complete overhaul of their concession area. The owner was forward thinking in going digital before others that went out of business now he needs to correct a common complain of his customers. read more

I went for a quintuple feature night at this amazing drive-in. It was a beautiful, temperate night. I got a Gutbuster with cheese, this thing is a half pound of cow. The food stand has a good menu which includes entrees--lots of good greasy fare!--and people-watched all the lovely movie geeks. They showed Brave, The Avengers, and Prometheus during this drive in's last night open. They also played some movie with old white dudes (which I dozed off during). I tried to out for the last movie, the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I ALmost made until dawn. Not quite. Next year, I will be back for more outdoor movie greatness! read more