Tickets and Info
Mask Rules | Ticket Prices & Policies | Gift Certificates | Location | Parking & Transit | Accessibility & Assistive Devices
Mask Rules
- Masks remain required for weekend screenings before 6:00 PM and for select special event screenings as noted.
- Masks are encouraged for all other screenings, but not required.
- Why are we doing this? Our aim is to make seeing movies here safe and comfortable for everyone. In addition, the cinema is operated 100% by volunteers and we are trying to keep them healthy!
Ticket Prices and Policies
Ticket Prices
- General Admission: $11
- Student/Child, Military (w/ valid ID), & Senior (65+): $8
- Grand Illusion Member: $6
We accept cash & credit/debit cards at the box office.
Advance tickets for all screenings are available through our website — simply browse our events and click the corresponding “buy tickets” button.
Ticket Policies
- All sales are final.
- Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to showtime. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime.
- At 5 minutes prior to showtime, we reserve the right to release your ticket in a sell out situation.
- Our shows start promptly. We have minimal trailers and zero ads.
- Masks are only required for weekend screenings before 6:00 PM.
Gift Certificates
Yes, we offer gift certificates for both tickets and Memberships!
(To give a gift Membership, buy a gift certificate at the price of a Membership. Learn more about Memberships.)
A PDF will automatically be emailed to you. You can then print or forward it to the lucky recipient.
Location
We are located in the U District at 1403 NE 50th Street, on the corner of University Way and NE 50th. We are near the U Heights Center and the U District Safeway.
Our entrance is on 50th — there is a gate and stairs. We share the building with Arepas Venezuelan Kitchen.
Parking & Transit
We have no parking lot. Street parking is available — please take note of signs for paid parking (especially south of NE 50th Street)!
SATURDAYS between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM — the U District Farmers Market blocks all of University Way between NE 50th Street and NE 52nd Street. Parking in the area is also affected.
The U District is a major transit hub! There are many bus options, plus light rail. Use the King Country Metro Trip Planner or consult the list below.
- Light Rail — The U District station for the 1 Line is just four blocks away, at the corner of NE 43rd Street and Brooklyn Ave. NE (just south of the Neptune Theatre).
- Route 45 bus stops half a block north of us on University Way
- Route 44 Bus — Eastbound stops at the corner of NE 45th Street and University Way, just three blocks south of us. Westbound stops at the U District light rail station.
- Bus routes 31/32, 43, 48, 49, 70, and 372 all stop at the intersection of NE 45th Street and University Way.
Accessibility
Accessibility at our location is very limited. Our building dates to the 1930s, and regrettably does not have normal modern access both outside and inside.
Wheelchair and scooter users will be unable to access our theater. We deeply regret this, and apologize.
For those using canes, walkers, and similar assistive devices, please be aware of the following site limitations:
- Street access: steps or flat grade — There are two ways to approach our front entrances. 1) Directly on NE 50th Street, there are seven steps up with a sturdy metal railing. 2) There is flat grade access from the parking lot on the east side of the building. It is through a gate, which is normally locked after 8:00 PM — we are happy to unlock it for you anytime!
- Steps outside our direct entrances — Access to both of our entrances require two steps up.
- Steps for bathroom access — We share bathroom facilities with the restaurant next door. Bathroom access is via three steps up from our lobby. There are no wall handles within the bathroom.
Assistive Listening Devices & Captioning
Sorry, we do not currently offer Assistive Listening devices.
We also do not currently offer Closed Captioning devices at this time. Select screenings are occasionally offered with open captioning (on-screen subtitles) — individual event listings will announce these when they are available.
We hope to provide assistive devices in the future.