The Douglas Grand, 1100 P St., opens today (11-19-2004). Here's a quick opening-day guide for theater-goers.

THE VITALS: The Douglas Grand Theatre is at 1100 P St. It features 14 screens and 3,200 seats. Films begin at noon daily.

PARKING: The Douglas Theatre Company and the city of Lincoln have collaborated to provide parking and access for patrons of the Douglas Grand.

Movie-goers will be able to park free for three hours at the Center Park garage at 12 and O streets. Patrons must bring their parking receipts to the theater for validation.

The theater also will validate one hour of free parking at other public or private downtown parking garages.

To ease theater traffic, the city will extend two-way travel one block south of 12 and O streets. Drivers can drop passengers off at the P Street entrance, then turn onto 12th Street to go to the Center Park garage.

TICKETS: The Douglas Grand is the first Lincoln movie theater to offer advance ticket purchase via the Internet.

To purchase tickets for pictures showing at the Grand, log on to www.douglastheatres.com and use a credit card to make the purchase. Then print out a ticket receipt and bring it to the theater.

The Douglas Theatre Co. has been offering Internet sales at two of its Omaha theaters. That option has been well received by patrons, who are using the service at a higher rate than expected, said Douglas president David Livingston.

Advance tickets also are available at the theater box office.

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: All 14 auditoriums are wheelchair accessible on their entry level. MoPix, a system for the hearing impaired and visually impaired, is available in one auditorium. Today through Tuesday, MoPix will be available for "The Polar Express." From Wednesday through Dec. 2, it will be available for "Christmas With the Kranks."