My husband and I recently took our children to watch “Toy Story 5” at The Big Mo, a drive-in movie theater located 5822 Columbia Highway North in Monetta, South Carolina – and it was a blast!
Finding an activity that all of us enjoy (including the teenagers) can be a challenge, but everyone loved The Big Mo. The drive-in theater offers three different fields showing double features, which you select upon arrival when you pay for your tickets. Be sure to bring cash, as they do not accept any other form of payment to get in!
The gates open at 7 p.m. but the movie typically doesn’t start until it gets dark, usually around 8:45-9PM. That being said, it was nice to get there early to find a good spot to park and to check out the concessions stand (located under the giant peach), which offers a wide variety of snacks and food – credit cards are accepted for concessions.
The Big Mo’s website offers several tips and tricks to keep in mind, which I would definitely recommend reviewing before your first trip. Speaking from experience here…we pretty much just showed up and had no idea what was going on. Thankfully it worked out, however here are some notes from our trip to the movies that will hopefully help you and your family out!
Tips and Tricks for The Big Mo
- CASH is king, bring enough cash to purchase your admission tickets ($10 per adult; $5 per child aged 4-11 years old; FREE for children 3 years old and under)
- Bring a portable radio to tune in to the film’s audio – you can use your vehicle radio but it seemed like most people relied on a portable radio instead. The Big Mo has a very limited number of radios for rent.
- Get there early! You’ll want enough time to get a prime parking spot. Plus, there is a playground underneath the screen at the children’s movie theater section.
- The Big Mo is child and pet friendly, so feel free to bring the whole family!
- Concessions are available and they offer a “Frequent Stargazer” loyalty program, but with that being said – we did see quite a few people with coolers and snacks from home.
- Where to sit? Anywhere you like! We opened up the trunk of our vehicle and let the kids watch the movie from there with blankets, pillows and stuffies, and then we also brought lawn chairs to sit in as well.
All in all, The Big Mo was a hit with our entire family, ranging from nine years old to forty-five! We can’t wait to go back, and will remember our experience there as one of the highlights of Summer 2026.
