Movie Ticket Prices Hit Record High

I have a large family with young children. We go to a local drive in theatre. It's not often, maybe a few times a year, but i find it to be pretty reasonable.

2 current top listed movies in a row.

Admission Prices

Adults (12 years and older) - $9.00
Children (3 years to 11 years) - $4.00
Children (2 years or younger) - FREE!

It used to be that they could still get new movies on reel. Then a year or two ago hollywood stopped, and only sells the movies digitally, so they had to either go out of business or spend $100K on a new digital projector. Prices went up a bit since then.
 
Damn I didn't want to believe it, but IMAX 3d by me is 18.72!! Regular is 11.50.
 
Here in Hampton Roads it's $10.75 at AMC and $6.90 at Cinemark
 
DarrisBard said:
I paid $11 the last time I went. I don't see how they're getting such a low average when everyone in this thread is well above $9.
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$8.73 is likely not the average price people are paying, it is the average price of the available options (matinee, regular, 3D, etc.)
 
BryanSTG said:
$8.73 is likely not the average price people are paying, it is the average price of the available options (matinee, regular, 3D, etc.)
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I am pretty sure it's the average price for an adult during a normal screening.
 
4DX Real3d: $19.50
Real3d: $15.00
Ultrascreen DLX : $13.50
DreamLoungers: $12.00
DreaLounders & the movie has been out a month: $10
 
amddragonpc said:
Top out at $8.73?!?!? That's a BARGAIN. Average cost in the north of Chicago suburbs is $11.00-$12.00!
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$12 is the CHEAPEST near me unless you go to the $5 specials on Tuesday or you see a movie that has already been out a while. You better buy your tickets days in advance however or you are out of luck.
 
Regular ticket prices are $11-$13 where I am. IMAX is $16. Premium theaters are $20-35. Since the non-premium theaters here use Fandango there's also a $2 surcharge to book online.
 
Only movie I've seen in a movie theater in several years was the Jungle Book, and that was only because I won free tickets for the family to an advanced screening.

Just not worth the price, when I can later watch it at home with all the popcorn I can eat from my own popcorn machine.
 
No Thanks way to pricey and to many ignorant people making chewing noises and talking, smelling or standing in your way. I can rent it cheaper and watch it at home where I can get ripped and smother myself in huge screen goodness and premium surround sound.
 
AK0tA said:
No Thanks way to pricey and to many ignorant people making chewing noises and talking, smelling or standing in your way. I can rent it cheaper and watch it at home where I can get ripped and smother myself in huge screen goodness and premium surround sound.
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Do you lift weights while watching movies? That is an awesome idea...
 
Early morning Sunday tickets locally are $4.50. It's $8 if I want IMAX and $10 for IMAX 3D. Afternoon and evening are $8, $12 and $15 respectively. And this theater has big, comfy recliners with stadium seating and wide isles. Fully reclined, feet out and people still have 2-3' of room to get by.

Now, I don't mind the ticket prices. But WTF is up with paying $15 for a popcorn and soda?
 
As if I needed even more of a reason to not watch a movie in theaters.

DarkLegacy said:


Me & my wife go often but we tend to get in at least 2 free movies per year via points. So in the end, it works out well. We do have a massive Blu Ray collection as well. Especially of movies we tend to skip when they are in the theaters.
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Holy shit, is that David Boreanaz?
 
There's a place near me that has it right. The tickets are cheap ($8) and the food is unlimited and cheap. ($3, 5, 7) They even have reclining seats. There hasn't been a time I've gone it hasn't been busy. Pretty much every other place around here is $12 and a minimal of $5.50 for concessions.
 
Non-3D, Non-IMAX every day prices: $6 for first run movies. What was once a dead movie theater is now packed full most nights, most screens (20 plex) at 75% capacity all by dropping their prices in 1/2. On tuesday you get a free small popcorn.

We goto the movies more often now. $30 for 2 people including drinks and popcorn isn't so bad.
 
K
azuza001 said:
Normal ticket is 9$, add 3.50$ if you want 3d.

But we have drive in theaters around here, 2 of them. One charges 7$ for 2 movies, the other 8$ for 2 movies but there are 2 choices for each showing.

Drive ins rule. Even if you want to buy food there (which you don't have to because of the fact you are in your car with your own food) a bucket of popcorn is like 3$ at the drive in vs 7.50$ at the regular movies.
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It's even less when u have three people in the trunk too.

We used to actually do this in the good old days
 
Beaflag VonRathburg said:
I've basically cut movies completely out of my budget. I'm not old, but when I was younger there was a movie theatre, "Across the street" from our house (We could walk there) and they had $4.00 anytime movies. That was the last time I would continuously go to see movies. Saw all of the new Stars Wars, LOTR, Terminator 3, etc... there for $4 / movie. Now, that theatre is no longer there and the new cheapest place in the area, tickets are $9.65 a piece and imax / 3d tickets are $12.90. Nope, I'll wait and download it for free in a few months.
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It's all psychological. That $4 that seems like less money when you were younger was actually probably worth a lot more than the 9.65 is to you now.
 
rive22 said:
It's all psychological. That $4 that seems like less money when you were younger was actually probably worth a lot more than the 9.65 is to you now.
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I beg to differ. In 2003, when some of those movies came out, I was 1, making $5.50 / hour, and only worked about 20 hours a week. Yes, I had a lot less expenses, but as shitty as it sounds my expendable income is currently lowr than it was then. Now, I work a full time job making significantly more per hour, but with higher expenses, paying $9.65 per ticket just seems excessive to me. If I was buying one ticket, fine. The thing is going with my girlfriend means I'm buying two tickets, and dinner. Now, $9.65 turns into $40-50 to see a movie. On the other hand, I can download the movie, cook dinner, buy a bottle of champagne, watch it at home, still spend less money (probably half as much), and have a good or better time.
 
I pay $11 at the Alamo Drafthouse here, which I guess is above average, but quite frankly it's worth every penny.

I could see this being cost-prohibitive if you have kids, but the Alamo being kid-unfriendly is exactly why I like it. :p
 
Nashville TN:

$17.57 per adult ticket for RPX Real 3d
$16.58 per adult Real 3d
$14.72 per adult Real 3d matinee
12.55 per adult standard ticket
$10.70 per adult matinee ticket
 
Well in mexico is still very cheap... it cost around 4 bucks to enter to a 2D film. 3D films and IMAX cost around 6-8 usd and VIP sitting 2D/3D is around 10 usd.
 
Call me crazy, but I tend to go to the more expensive theaters simply because the price keeps the riff raff out, and I'm guaranteed a good experience.

I'd rather see 1 movie @ $20/ticket, with reserved seating/recliners/full bar, than 3 movies @ $7/per in a shitty theater with people talking/texting.

Yes, a night out ends up costing $100 after food and drinks, but that makes me feel less guilty about torrenting the BR rip later.
 
Even when going to the super nice theaters with recliners, foot rests, and the lot, I still have an inferior experience to simply kicking back at home. Even at those expensive theaters there are douche canoes on their cell phones, children kicking seats and making noise, and sticky floors to deal with. I can literally buy the movie on release on Bluray for $20 or pay $30 to be annoyed and disappointed in the theater. I simply don't get my money's worth at theaters.
 
Beaflag VonRathburg said:
I beg to differ. In 2003, when some of those movies came out, I was 1, making $5.50 / hour, and only worked about 20 hours a week. Yes, I had a lot less expenses, but as shitty as it sounds my expendable income is currently lowr than it was then. Now, I work a full time job making significantly more per hour, but with higher expenses, paying $9.65 per ticket just seems excessive to me. If I was buying one ticket, fine. The thing is going with my girlfriend means I'm buying two tickets, and dinner. Now, $9.65 turns into $40-50 to see a movie. On the other hand, I can download the movie, cook dinner, buy a bottle of champagne, watch it at home, still spend less money (probably half as much), and have a good or better time.
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Wait until you have kid(s)!

For us it's:
$19.50 a ticket * 2 (Because if we are doing this once a month, lets do 4dx). My wife of course wants popcorn & a drink = +$13. At least 3 hours of a sitter who can deal with an autistic kid & is bilingual = $45. Oh wait the movie falls during dinner? Order a pizza for delivery beforehand: $10 + $5 tip.

Total output for my wife & I to see an adult movie: ($19.50+$19.50+$13+$45+15)=$112

This assumes we want to see something mainstream in the local theater nearby. For something indepdent/artsy in Chicago, add another $30-$45 for babysitting, another $6 for gas and $10-$20 for parking. Possibly + $71 = $183.

At that point we'd be better off doing the zoo for a DAY and taking the kid with.
 
Prices without the context of the local average wages is meaningless.
 
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