Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is rooted in tradition.
The iconic resort hosts a slew of seasonal events, such as Summer at the Princess, that brings the community together.
How could the Princess honor these time-honored traditions during a global pandemic?
The solution was simple – create a drive-in movie night for families to enjoy an evening out in the safety of their car.
“We are definitely involved in our community in a big way and over the years, we’ve become a part of the community’s traditions,” says Teresa Thompson, the director of retail and resort experience at the Princess. “In times like this, I think that you automatically get drawn to your roots, and those are our roots.”
Thompson says the hotel has been receiving “an overwhelming amount of positive feedback and demand” since it launched the concept, so they added an extra showing.
Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night in the Princess parking lot, two family-oriented films will be shown. The first showing will be a classic or contemporary animated movie, while the second showing will be a non-animated film meant for an older audience.
The drive-in is also a fundraiser for furloughed Princess employees and their families. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for for children ages 6 to 12 and free for kids under 5. All proceeds will go directly to the Princess Employee Family Meal Fund.
Thompson says the resort started supporting its staff immediately after Governor Ducey announced the shelter-in-place order, providing family meals to its nearly 1,000 employees.
The Princess offers pickup for the four-person meals every Tuesday and Friday. The resort has already produced more than 10,000 meals.
“We’re anticipating being able to produce about 24,000 meals throughout this time,” Thompson says.
The Princess is following all recommended CDC guidelines to ensure that the drive-in is as safe as possible.
“We’ve done quite a bit of research in regards to that and that’s something that’s very important to us,” Thompson says. “We’re inviting everyone out to enjoy the movie and there are safety rules to adhere to during that time. One of those safety rules is to stay in your vehicle and respect everyone’s space. We’ll also be parking the cars a minimum of 10 feet apart from each other.”
The event will also be offering contactless concessions, available at the admission gate upon request. Moviegoers can purchase popcorn, candy, water and soda to enjoy while watching the movie.
The Princess also recently rolled out a market, where people can buy hard-to-find products like bleach, hand sanitizer and toilet paper, as well as grocery items like eggs, flour and produce.
“Not everyone wants to visit the grocery store, so it’s just providing an alternative to the community,” Thompson says.
Several Princess employees have been making masks, which are also available through the market.
Thompson hopes initiatives like the market and movies will cultivate a sense of community during this dark time.
“I think that there’s always a brighter day and I think that a lot of people are ready to have a bit of sunshine in their life,” she says. “We’re here for the community, we’ll always be here for the community. Come out and take a deep breath and enjoy a couple of hours of fun in a safe manner.”
For more information, visit scottsdaleprincess.com.
