5-D theater in Schaumburg is a wild ride for kids

More than just a visual experience

By Linda Marsicano
Monday, February 18, 2013

At PIX 5-D Cinema, the seats move up and down, front and back, left and right in sync with the onscreen activity.

I took my 5-year-old twins to the PIX 5-D Cinema with absolutely no idea what to expect, having never even been to a 3-D movie. The only thing I assumed was that we'd probably have to wear special glasses. What I couldn't have guessed is that we'd also have to wear a seatbelt.

The seats move up and down, front and back, left and right in sync with the onscreen activity. Whether you're gliding high above a city trying to avoid colliding into skyscrapers or swerving down to duck a hungry dinosaur, what's happening on screen feels very real.

And it's not just the movement that makes the experience seem authentic: environmental effects can include smoke, fog, bubbles, thunderstorms, wind, rain, snow and more depending on the film's storyline. (My girls were delighted to be snowed on, and later slightly misted when our "boat" splashed into a wave; me slightly less so.)

With 36 seats, the intimate theater addresses all the senses with short movie clips including action, classic and thriller genres. Each show features two movie shorts deemed appropriate for all ages and the whole experience lasts about 15 minutes.

It's difficult to picture what 5-D means until you experience it firsthand, but for a preview, check out the introduction video at pix5d.com-it's sure to convince even the biggest skeptic that an enjoyable, unique experience awaits.

This article appeared in the February 2013 edition of Chicago Parent.