If you’ve driven past the sprawling, tan-colored mass of The Vista in Lewisville recently, you might still call it Vista Ridge Mall out of habit. Most of us do. But for movie buffs and local urban explorers, the real interest isn't the name change or the shifting anchors. It’s the weird, frozen-in-time reality of the vista ridge mall movies experience.
You see, there’s a "secret" theater inside. Well, not secret—just walled off.
Back in the early 2000s, Cinemark did something that felt right at the time but looks bizarre today. They built a massive, shiny new 15-screen theater attached to the mall and simply... walked away from the original 12-screen theater inside. They didn't tear it down. They didn't turn it into a food court. They just built a wall over the entrance.
The Dual Identity of Movies at the Mall
Right now, if you want to see a flick at the old Vista Ridge site, you’re heading to Cinemark Lewisville and XD. It’s the "new" one (even though it opened in 2006). It’s got the Luxury Loungers, the XD large-format screens, and that specific smell of overpriced popcorn and floor cleaner we all secretly love.
But it’s the other theater that haunts the local memory.
The original Movies 12 opened in October 1989. For nearly two decades, it was the place to be. If you grew up in Lewisville or Flower Mound in the 90s, you probably saw Jurassic Park or Titanic there. When the new 15-screen complex opened, the old one was essentially entombed.
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- The Current Spot: Cinemark Lewisville and XD (15 screens).
- The Ghost Spot: The walled-up Movies 12 (12 screens).
- The Vibe: A mix of modern luxury and eerie mall nostalgia.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild to think that behind a simple drywall partition near the center of the mall, there are theater seats, projector rooms, and neon lights that haven't seen a paying customer since 2006. Some explorers have even claimed the neon still flickers back there, powered by a grid that forgot to die.
Why Cinemark Lewisville and XD is the Survivor
You might wonder why they didn't just renovate the old space. Simple: stadium seating.
The 1989 theater had sloped floors. In the mid-2000s, every theater chain was racing to offer stadium seating where you didn't have to stare at the back of a tall person's head for two hours. It was cheaper for Cinemark to build a fresh extension on the mall's footprint than to gut 12 individual auditoriums and rebuild the concrete tiers.
Today, the Cinemark Lewisville and XD handles the heavy lifting. In 2026, it’s still the primary destination for the big blockbusters. Whether it's the latest Avatar sequel or a niche anime release, this is where the vista ridge mall movies legacy lives on. They’ve kept it updated too—heated recliners are pretty much the standard now, making it hard to go back to the "good old days" of squeaky folding chairs.
The "Music City" Era and Beyond
For a few years, the mall tried to be "Music City Mall." The owners at the time, ICA Properties, wanted to pivot to live music. They even put a massive 10 Commandments monument out front. It was... a choice.
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During that era, the movie theater was actually one of the few things keeping the lights on. While retail stores were fleeing for the brighter pastures of Grandscape or Grapevine Mills, the Cinemark stayed put. It’s a "fortress" tenant. People will always show up for a movie, even if half the storefronts in the wing are covered in "Coming Soon" stickers that have been there since 2019.
Now that the mall is rebranded as The Vista, there's a $200 million redevelopment plan on the table. The city of Lewisville wants to turn the whole area into a mixed-use "live-work-play" hub.
What stays and what goes?
The good news for movie fans is that the Cinemark is explicitly included in the "stay" list for the master plan. While huge chunks of the old mall might get demolished to make way for apartments and outdoor plazas, the theater is considered an anchor worth keeping.
The fate of the walled-off theater? That’s less certain. Most redevelopment renderings show that area being gutted for "entrepreneurial space" or modern retail.
Pro-Tips for Catching a Show at The Vista
If you're heading out to see a movie at the former Vista Ridge, there are a few things you should know to avoid the typical mall-hassle.
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- Park in the North Lot: Don't try to enter through the main mall doors if you're running late. The Cinemark has its own dedicated exterior entrance. It saves you a five-minute walk through a semi-vacant mall.
- Check for "XD" Showtimes: If you're going to spend $15+ on a ticket, get the XD screen. The sound system in those specific auditoriums is significantly beefier than the standard rooms.
- The Zion Market Factor: Since Zion Market (the massive Korean grocery) took over the old Sears/JCPenney area, the food options nearby have actually gotten better. Skip the sad food court and grab some Korean snacks or a bowl of ramen before your show.
It’s easy to look at the mall and see a relic of the past. But for Lewisville residents, the movie theater is a bridge. It’s the one part of the 1989 dream that actually evolved. You can sit in a heated recliner in 2026, watching a digital 4K projection, knowing that just a few hundred feet away, the ghosts of 35mm film reels are still sitting in a dark, walled-off room.
Moving Forward with Your Movie Plans
If you want to experience the current state of vista ridge mall movies, your best bet is to check the Cinemark Lewisville and XD listings directly through their app. They run frequent "Discount Tuesdays" where tickets are nearly half-price, which is a lifesaver given how much a large ICEE costs these days.
Take a moment to look at the walls near the center court while you’re there. Somewhere behind the paint and the advertisements, the 1989 cinema is still waiting. It’s a weird, cool piece of North Texas history that you can literally stand next to while you wait for your 7:00 PM showing to start.
Check the current showtimes at the Cinemark Lewisville and XD website or through a third-party app like Fandango to ensure you get your preferred seating. If you’re interested in the mall’s future, keep an eye on the Lewisville City Council’s "The Vista" redevelopment updates, as they often post new site plans that show how the entertainment district will expand in the coming years.