The last vestigae of the old Dreamland Drive-In is going by the wayside. The local newspaper has the story here.
That part of town was once part of the boonies. It was so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face at night. So the Pless family opened up a drive-in theater there in 1948, just after the war. The place was a wonder. It was a destination, a place for families to meet and play and eat popcorn and just be a community together.
Here’s a UNCA oral history archiver summarizing some of what Dusty Pless said in an interview one time:
In 1947 their grandfather decided to open a drive-in theatre and leased land which held over 700 cars. The lot was packed every night and was the largest drive-in in the Southeast. There was also a miniature train, miniature golf course, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and a small zoo with caged animals. A dance pavilion was added in the mid 50’s. Most tourist dollars in Asheville were taken between the park and the tunnel. Wink’s, Maloy’s and Buck’s Drive-In were popular (see Buchanan tape). The Starlight Drive-In was up the street.
Recreation Park also had a drive-in. Route 81 was a busy thoroughfare going east to west with numerous produce stands in the summer. There was a carnival atmosphere in the area. He remembers produce stands with crafts, souvenirs, toys and stuffed bears. Friday and Saturday nights were busy times up and down Tunnel Rd.
But alas, time went on and development encroached. The VCR came along. The weather didn’t cooperate.Things changed, and the demise of the drive-in began not long after it reached its heydey.
In 1947, the Dreamland area was in the country. The city grew up around it. Lights from the Asheville Mall spoiled the quality of the picture on the screen. When VCR’s became popular people stayed at home to see programs. The film companies didn’t allow the drive-in theatres to get showings before the walk-in theatres and by the time the drive-ins could get them they were already on VCR’s. The market was drying up. Once they gambled $25,000 for a first run on a film, gambling on the weather. It “bombed” and, of course, the money was not refundable. At best, Drive-Ins could have two or three shows in an evening whereas the walk-in theatres could show 5 times a day and were not affected by the weather.
All that’s left is the little convenience store. And that’s going to be demolished to make way for a new drug store.