Regal Hollywood - Sarasota — Attraction in Sarasota

Hollywood 11 is under new ownership, and the investors have made some valuable improvements. Lobby and corridors are typical and average, but the theaters themselves are exceptional with wide, luxurious reclining seats that rival a living room "Lazy Boy" recliner. The seats also have a tray table, not unlike a commercial airplane and, to make good use of those tray tables their concession stand also offers items that could be considered a meal, such as pizza, enabling moviegoers to make a true event out of the evening. I did not try the concessions, but pricing seemed in line with most theaters (expensive, of course) but the meals seemed surprisingly inexpensive, such as $9.995 for a personal pizza.

Ticket prices were an outstanding value at around $7.

Hollywood 20 has an online ticket purchase system that enables you to see a seating chart and choose your seat(s) and to also see how crowded , or near "sold out", a show may be. Their website gives the appearance that all tickets must be purchased ahead of time, in this fashion, but upon arrival at the theater with our pre-purchased tickets in hand we noticed a very large point-of-sale ticket counter as well. So, while we did not like feeling pressured to pre-purchase our tickets, perhaps they offer the best of both worlds: the option to guarantee a good seat in an otherwise near sold out theater, or the option to wing it and just show up.

Overall, 5 stars. Great value, clean, modern, great experience. For those who live north of Hollywood 11, consider also the Parkway 8; a very different experience but another good option. The Parkway 8 charges only $2.50 per seat, offering big screen immersion at cable TV on-demand pricing. Parkway 8 is not updated, seats are conventional old-style, restrooms have a reputation for not being that clean, but the seats are perfectly comfortable, the screens and projection equipment are first rate, they manage to get top rated current films (perhaps just a little later than other theaters, by a matter of a few weeks) and at $2.50 a ticket it is one of today's few remaining bargains. They deserve our support.

But Hollywood 11 is a solid value as well, and they provide a more upscale experience at a slightly higher price, giving Sarasota two...

The location of the theatre is great and most of the employees are nice, but that's about the only thing great about it. Going to the movies here was nice about 10 years ago but it has not been updated or renovated since. The seats are broken and you often find ones where the springs poke into your back. They also smell horrible. I've been to countless movies over the past 4 months where the theatre looked as if it hadn't been cleaned ALL day. Popcorn everywhere, trash in cupholders, sticky candy and soda on floors. If you look up, the ceiling tiles have water damage and some are missing. Bathrooms are NEVER clean. Water all over the floors as if a toilet is leaking, urine all over the toilets, never flushed, toilet paper strewn everywhere, some of the faucets don't work. This wasn't an incidence of kids being disrespectful, it's legit like this all the time. How did they even pass an inspection??? Concession stands are understaffed and messy. Dasani is $5 a pop. WATER IS $5. They refuse to give you courtesy ice or water, and also refused to give me an extra popcorn bag for the seasoning we bought. How the heck do they expect you to mix seasoning in?? I offered to even pay for the bag but no-can-do. The ticket sellers are generally nice, high school-aged kids. I was accidentally sold a ticket for the wrong time but didn't realize until I had sat in the theatre. I didn't look at the marquee time, just looked for the theatre # as directed by the ticker taker. I generally get there early so I have time to find a seat and use restroom. Screen was black so I left, but when I returned from bathroom the movie had already launched and I had missed the first 5 minutes. When I informed the manager of the mistake all I received was attitude and the manager shifted the blame. I wasn't going to ask for anything, just simply letting them know that the sellers should be more careful. With that being the last straw, I asked for a free ticket so I could just see it again. I'll continue to utilize this theatre because it's inexpensive and close by, but the theatre and management could both use some...

Once upon a haunting night, I ventured into the abyss of Regal Hollywood, the movie theater that turned my evening into a nightmare.

It all began with the treacherous parking garage. The construction maze of chaos left me circling like a lost soul, trying to find a spot in this labyrinth of despair.

As I entered the theater, I hoped for some respite at the bar, but it was just another chamber of horrors. The bartender paid no attention to who arrived first, leaving my friend to wait 20 minutes while others were served without a second glance. We finally gave up on the bar.

With spirits dampened, we moved to the ticket check-in. The usher was a ghastly figure, treating us like mere specters, dismissing us with a cold "you can't go in yet." As she checked in others with an indifferent gaze, we stood there like lost souls, waiting for some guidance. I asked her when we should come back and she said “I’ll let you know. Go sit over there” while pointing across the lobby to tables that were obviously full. Finally, 5 minutes til the movie? I asked if we could go in as I assume she forget to “let us know”, and she grudgingly allowed us passage without a single word of courtesy.

And then came Theatre 4—a chamber of terror. The screen was marred by a ghastly stain front and center, an ominous shadow casting a pall over the entire movie. The once promising film turned into a chilling experience as we were haunted by the unsightly distraction.

In the end, my recommendation is simple: Escape this theater of horrors and seek solace in a more welcoming cinema. Regal Hollywood has become a place where nightmares come to life, and I can only advise others to steer clear from this nightmarish abyss. Head to a different theater, and you may yet find a happy ending to your cinematic adventure. I regretfully say Hollywood 20 dumpster dive was better than the rebranded & remodeled...