Royal Sunset Drive-In

94-110 Leolua Street,
Waipahu, HI 96797

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Aerial photo 1972, courtesy of USGS Earth Explorer

The Royal Sunset Drive-In was opened by Royal Theatres on July 8, 1966 with Elvis Presley in “Paradise, Hawaiian Style”. It was the drive-in “out in Waipahu” and I remember going to this place only once in the late-1970’s. As someone who used to live in nearby Ewa Beach, it was always great to see the big screen while going up Farrington Highway or up Fort Weaver Road before heading back onto the H-1. I just know that it was considered to be at “the end of” Waipahu to the west, on the corner of Farrington Highway and Fort Weaver Road before one would head down what used to be plantation roads towards Ewa Beach.

It was closed and demolished in 1980. The Waipahu Town Center Shopping Center is now on the land that used to be the Royal Sunset Drive-In.

Contributed by John Book

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

thisisjohnbook
thisisjohnbook on January 23, 2013 at 11:53 am

I’ve since learned that the Royal Sunset was owned by Royal Theaters (thus the name). Opened in 1969, closed in demolished in 1980, which sounds about right

Toshpen
Toshpen on January 16, 2016 at 1:27 am

There was an Motel directly behind it. I was situated there while I was signing in to Schofield. I watched the Godfather w/o sound uncountable times while I was billeted there in 1972

Kuuleilani
Kuuleilani on August 12, 2016 at 3:31 am

This theater brought back some amazing memories. Packing 7 kids, my mom & dad in a re-modeled postal truck. We had wooden bench seats and the back roll up door worked great! We bought our own food into the drive-in. It felt like a movie in the park and a picnic at night. Just down the road the best pizza ever, Shakey’s Pizza. Back in those days were the best!!!

rivest266
rivest266 on March 12, 2017 at 12:04 pm

This opened on July 8th, 1966. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

kennerado
kennerado on August 22, 2021 at 4:07 am

Opened with “Paradise, Hawaiian Style”.

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