El Capitan Theatre

Yearning to relive your childhood and indulge in a Disney flick? El Capitan’s your spot—the lavish 1926-built theater screens classics like Lady and the Tramp, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Finding Nemo in between first-run movies from all of Disney’s properties, including Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. Tickets here have historically been pricier than at your run-of-the-mill cinema, but multiplexes like AMC have caught up over the years—and anyway, where else do you get to see a 2,500-pipe Wurlitzer organ performance before the show? And there’s usually a display of costumes and props from the film downstairs, as well as themed photo ops in the lobby. Next door, you can shop movie-themed merch and enjoy an ice cream sundae in the adjoining Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. 

If you’re looking to brush up on some Hollywood history and just want to peek your head in, there are historical tours offered of the El Capitan. The 45-minute-long guided tour ($25, select times Fri–Sun) takes you into the dressing rooms, behind the curtain and, of course, inside the actual theater auditorium, including a close-up photo op with the grand Wurlitzer organ. But at the same time, no experience beats simply settling in for a movie.

For parking, your best bet is the Ovation Hollywood structure across the street; the theater provides partial validation.