We are trying to keep the Covid enemy out of the Palace walls. We are all under attack, but hopefully with some personal responsibility, we can stay safe and still enjoy our favorite activities. If you haven’t visited the Palace since we reopened in June, things are a little different around here. While we hope most of these adjustments are temporary, we are taking this very seriously in hopes that we can do our part to prevent the spread of Covid and get us back to normal as soon as possible. Here are some things you need to be aware of:
- You check in outside by the front door. We have a table set up where we will screen customers and you will give us your group size so that we can be sure we have room for your group in the theater. We will also give you the opportunity to put your information down so that we can contact you if a case of Covid comes through while you were here. You will enter the theater through the side door. To prevent contamination, our staff will open the door for you and direct you to the cashier.
- We have 6 feet markers outside and in the lobby. Please follow the lines in order to remain 6 feet apart from other guests. If possible, have one person from your group approach the concession counter while others wait a safe distance away.
- We only have the far register open. This is to help prevent crossover between guests and to help keep the number of guests at the coke machine/waiting at the usher stand to a minimum. If the 6 feet markers in the lobby are full, you will be asked to wait at 6 feet intervals outside.
- Our employees have designated tasks. Our cashier is handling money, not popcorn, for example. This will help keep contact between potential contaminants to a minimum.
- We have plexiglass dividers in front of the registers. Our staff wear masks. With these precautions and the noise of the popper, it can be difficult to hear. Keep this in mind when you get to the counter so that we can communicate correctly.
- We help you to your theater. This helps prevent unnecessary crossover. We also help you maintain the 6 feet distance between your group and others.
- We have removed the items that customers frequently touch, such as the lid/straw dispensers. You will be handed a cup with a lid. Our Coke machines do not require customers to touch the surface, so your cup is the only thing in contact with it. We frequently clean and sanitize all surfaces that could come in contact with customers.
- We are only utilizing some of the seats in the theater to give you space. We ask that you please be mindful of other guests when leaving your seat during the movie.
- We are directing guests to exit through the side doors of the auditorium. This prevents any contact with new guests entering the building and with guests in other auditoriums.
- While we are not adopting a contactless payment system, we do ask that you consider paying with exact change. This will prevent your exposure to potentially contaminated money, keep us from paying processor fees, speed up your transaction, and also help us with the coin shortage.
- We have longer than usual times between movies so that we are able to sanitize the auditoriums between each showing. In order to limit the amount of time spent in the lobby, please do not arrive more than 30 minutes early for your movie. Cleaning like this requires all hands on deck, so we will have fewer employees in the lobby area to help serve you, so your wait times will be longer until we return. We will begin to add more showtimes as we have more attendance.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Limit the amount of time you spend in the lobby. You can accomplish this by knowing what concessions you want before you approach the counter. Having exact change will make your transaction faster, too. Our menu is available on the screens in the lobby. We encourage you to look at it before you arrive at the cashier.
- Be considerate of other guests. We get it. Some of you do not want to wear masks. But others are trying to be careful to protect themselves or vulnerable family members, so please keep as much distance between you and others as possible.
- Remove as much of your trash from the theater as possible. This will help with the cleaning between shows and also prevent unnecessary contamination. Because we are operating with our full staff at all times, if one of us comes in contact with Covid, we are all out. That means… no movies for anyone. We do not have backups. Helping us avoid coming in contact with things that you have touched, especially items that were in your mouth, will go a long way to helping us stay open.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Exit through the side doors of each auditorium.
- Consider wearing a mask while you are moving through the theater.
- If you are feeling sick at all stay home.
- Purchase curbside concessions to help us pay the bills even if you are not interested in watching a movie inside!
- COME TO THE MOVIES! Studios will not continue to release movies if attendance isn’t there. This is a profit driven business and the best thing you can do is support the movies in theaters. Spread the word if you’ve been here and felt safe. So many people are waiting for a first hand account of what it’s really like.