AMC ETX (IMAX) now open

[JEANYLASER]

where is the Imax theater located at in DTD Marketplace!

 

[jt04]

Exactly what the title says. If you're unfamiliar with ETX, it's a joint venture between IMAX and AMC and uses the new Sony Digital Ultra HD projectors, 11.1 surround installed by Klipsch Professional, and around 115,000 watts of sound.

Now playing in theater #1.

Great news and clever way to quickly provide a much much better movie going experience in the quickest way possible. I'm not sure where they could build a traditional Imax theater at DTD without tearing down an existing structure so I'm extremely pleased they came up with the next best thing.

Definitely another step in the right direction.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

where is the Imax theater located at in DTD Marketplace!

There is no real IMAX at Downtown Disney. It sounds like they've just enhanced the Theater One screen at the AMC with IMAX technology. It doesn't appear to me that they're actually marketing it with the IMAX name, though. Which is good, because the screen isn't true IMAX size, which is what you expect from that brand.

 

[krankenstein]

One word... LAME! :brick:

 

[hack2112]

Thanks for the head's up.

I kind of figured that an AMC theater would be too small to fit a true IMAX theater; especially one that's located in a mall.

Has anybody seen Avatar in true IMAX 3D? Is it really worth the extra $$ and time to get to the theater?

I see all I can in true IMAX, and it is an amazing experience, including Avatar.

where is the Imax theater located at in DTD Marketplace!

In the deepest recesses of your heart. The LieMAX on the other hand is at the AMC theater right in between the PI and West Side areas of DTD.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

I see all I can in true IMAX, and it is an amazing experience, including Avatar.

In the deepest recesses of your heart. The LieMAX on the other hand is at the AMC theater right in between the PI and West Side areas of DTD.

Now, to be fair, they don't seem to be marketing this as an IMAX screen, like they have with Universal and Altamonte. If that's the case, then I wouldn't call this anything other than an improvement.

 

[krankenstein]

Now, to be fair, they don't seem to be marketing this as an IMAX screen, like they have with Universal and Altamonte. If that's the case, then I wouldn't call this anything other than an improvement.

Are they marketing it as the ETX crap?

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

Are they marketing it as the ETX crap?

Yeah, I see special tickets being sold online for ETX Avatar 3-D. That's not the same to me as if they were calling it IMAX, though. Sure, they might be charging more, arguably too much, but at least then they aren't misrepresenting their product.

 

[jt04]

Yeah, I see special tickets being sold online for ETX Avatar 3-D. That's not the same to me as if they were calling it IMAX, though. Sure, they might be charging more, arguably too much, but at least then they aren't misrepresenting their product.

Exactly. This is definitely an improvement. I have some ideas of where Disney could add a standard Imax on property if they were so inclined.

 

[ImaYoyo]

Thanks for the clarification all. Off to see a movie on the new screen! BTW, DTD leaders were informed of updates for empty properties on the West Side today. Names for ALL empty locations were given.

 

[Andy Walker]

Probably too late now but the old Virgin megastore would have been the perfect spot for a proper Imax theatre

 

[Rob562]

For those interested about IMAX locations, here's a full listing of Large-Format (mostly IMAX) theaters in the US, and what format they project in:

http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm
The list was last updated in mid-January, so this newest theater isn't on there yet (though I presume it will be listed as "D: IMAX digital" when it eventually gets added)

Most "full size" IMAX theaters in Florida appear to be at museums, but there looks to be a couple in the Tampa/St. Pete area, and one at "Regal Pointe 21" in Orlando (which I think someone else on here already said).

If you're looking to see Avatar in IMAX, better go this week. The theaters up here at Jordan's are swithcing to Alice in Wonderland on Friday, so I presume most others around the country will, too.


And here's an article with a couple graphical representations of IMAX screens vs. regular screens and the "retrofit" IMAX Lite screens.
http://www.daveonfilm.com/screen-size-does-matter-with-imax-movies-8908.html
(Though I'll admit, the IMAX screen I go to is ~50 feet tall, not the 76-foot tall screen shown in the graphic... But it's still twice as tall as the IMAX Lite screen shown)

-Rob

 

[jt04]

Thanks for the clarification all. Off to see a movie on the new screen! BTW, DTD leaders were informed of updates for empty properties on the West Side today. Names for ALL empty locations were given.

WOW! Great news and thanks for everything you do for us here!

 

[fosse76]

I see all I can in true IMAX, and it is an amazing experience, including Avatar.

Now someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought IMAX is primarily about the film and projector, not the screen (or not as much about the screen). And that most of the mainstream features projected on the large screens aren't regular film stock being projected on the screen and aren't really IMAX.

In the deepest recesses of your heart. The LieMAX on the other hand is at the AMC theater right in between the PI and West Side areas of DTD.

AMC is installing these screens all over. After seeing the one they installed in Times Square, I REFUSE to go there again. The screen is the same size it was before they converted it. I'll stick to Lincoln Square.

 

[askmike1]

Forget about this.... if anyone is going to be in the Disney World area and wants to see true IMAX... take a drive down International Drive and visit Pointe Orlando (near the Orlando Convention Center). There is a true IMAX screen. I remember seeing The Dark Knight in it... truly amazing experience.

 

[jedimaster1227]

Altamonte is LieMAX. So is Universal. Real IMAX is at Pointe Orlando on International Drive.

Actually, the real IMAX is at the Orlando Science Center. The screen is the largest in the city, and was the first (if my memory serves me correctly) to use the IMAX features to the fullest. The theater that currently plays IMAX films at Pointe Orlando was converted from a previously standard definition, large screen theater from when the theater was still a Muvico. When the theater was bought by Regal, they shut down the entire facility to refurbish and rebrand the complex, including the upgrade of the large theater to offer IMAX viewing, much like Universal just did with their own theater.

Bottom line: the Orlando Science Center did it first, and it did it from the start. Universal and Regal were both late adopters that utilize the more flexible screen standard.

 

[s8film40]

The real reason behind this and all other digital transitions in theaters is to save money. Sure the upfront cost of these projectors is expensive but 35mm prints are way more expensive than delivering the video in a digital format. As long as they can convince the general public that what there seeing is the same or better they can save a lot of money. Personally I only go to the theater to see "Film" if there playing HiDef video I'll just watch the Blue Ray.

 

[Figment1986]

Actually, the real IMAX is at the Orlando Science Center. The screen is the largest in the city, and was the first (if my memory serves me correctly) to use the IMAX features to the fullest. The theater that currently plays IMAX films at Pointe Orlando was converted from a previously standard definition, large screen theater from when the theater was still a Muvico. When the theater was bought by Regal, they shut down the entire facility to refurbish and rebrand the complex, including the upgrade of the large theater to offer IMAX viewing, much like Universal just did with their own theater.

Bottom line: the Orlando Science Center did it first, and it did it from the start. Universal and Regal were both late adopters that utilize the more flexible screen standard.

Actually wasn't it listed as IMAX before muvico took it over, then they changed it from IMAX to just a large screen... and now whoever owns it switched it back to IMAX...

 

[NemoRocks78]

Actually wasn't it listed as IMAX before muvico took it over, then they changed it from IMAX to just a large screen... and now whoever owns it switched it back to IMAX...

Yep. They went from IMAX (back when IMAX wasn't popping out Hollywood flicks every month or so) to "Giant Screen," which they'd play the latest of the week on. Regal took over and it became a true IMAX again.

 

[DisneyCane]

The real reason behind this and all other digital transitions in theaters is to save money. Sure the upfront cost of these projectors is expensive but 35mm prints are way more expensive than delivering the video in a digital format. As long as they can convince the general public that what there seeing is the same or better they can save a lot of money. Personally I only go to the theater to see "Film" if there playing HiDef video I'll just watch the Blue Ray.

I agree with you to an extent but if the new 4k Digital Projection systems live up to their promise, they will look better than 35mm film. With a well projected 35mm release print you get about 3k of real resolution on screen even though the original negative had 4k or more. A film shot on 35mm and scanned in 4k resolution and then projected from a 4k digital projector will look better. The same goes for if the movie was shot on a very high end 4k digital camera. The issue I have is that since the studios wanted to get digital rolled out as fast as possible so they can save money on prints, they allowed 2k projectors as part of the standard and until AMC and Regal started installing 4k late last year, the vast majority of installations were 2k. All of the 4k right now are Sony SXRD projectors. There will finally be 4k DLP projectors next year.