Cineplex Charging $3 Extra For The Good Seats

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And the award for "lamest money grubbing idea of all time" goes to this movie theater. Have fun trying to get your customers back.

Later this year, at the Varsity location in Toronto’s Manulife Centre, the company will launch a pilot project in which patrons pay an extra $2-$3 for the prime seats in the middle rows of the theatre.
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whoever came up with this idea... I really really hope they get fired when they see how it permanently hurts their business.

Premium seating? What are they going to have some kind canadian bouncer there to screen people? for two adults it's already hitting the 50 dollar mark for ticket/popcorn/soda/candy and they want to tack on another few bucks?

These movie companies are just making it easier and easier to stay home, enjoy cheap snacks, no loud/fat/smelly people next to you, and save 50 dollars.

I'm sure they will blame their soon to be slump in sales on piracy.

Fuck em'
 
collegeboy69us said:
whoever came up with this idea... I really really hope they get fired when they see how it permanently hurts their business.

Premium seating? What are they going to have some kind canadian bouncer there to screen people? for two adults it's already hitting the 50 dollar mark for ticket/popcorn/soda/candy and they want to tack on another few bucks?

These movie companies are just making it easier and easier to stay home, enjoy cheap snacks, no loud/fat/smelly people next to you, and save 50 dollars.

I'm sure they will blame their soon to be slump in sales on piracy.

Fuck em'
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This is why I only go to around 3 movies a year now and stick with Imax screenings.

And yeah, they do have "seat bouncers" at these theatres now.
 
I can see this as being both good and bad, really.

The good is that you don't have to get there early if you buy tickets ahead of time for the good seats.

The bad is that people will probably buy out the good seats before you and if you just show up early you won't even have a chance.
 
I've never understood why theaters don't just go with all reserve seating.
It's not as if you can get more people in the theater if you don't assign the seats, at least not legally.

We have a local complex that has a Titan XC theater. Reserved seating, 4K video and Dolby ATMOS. That works great.

I've also been to theaters where they combine a restaurant with the theater.
You buy your ticket, you get a menu and order what you want. It's delivered before the movie begins and you sit at higher than normal tables in seats that aren't quite like a theater seat, but much better than your average restaurant chair.
 
Almost sounds like an Airline business manager got a job at this movie theatre. It's like paying more for prime airplane seats.
 
gathagan said:
I've never understood why theaters don't just go with all reserve seating.
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There's one theater that does that here. I'm not a fan of the idea though and won't go there. I like the concept of those who actually show up early get first pick of what seats they get. Less asses shoved in your face because a-holes who got center seats decides to show up for that 5:00pm movie at 5pm.
 
this is dumb... we already have something called "UltraAVX" which has reserved seating at a premium

now they're bringing reserved seating to normal performances?

sorry nope.
 
They do this in parts of Asia already too. Assigned seats, all the time, period - with the nicer ones costing more $$$.
 
Aurora Movie Tavern FTW! Cheaper than most theaters in the area, AND I can eat and get drunk if I feel like it. Plus the place is rarely ever super packed at the times I go (late showings after 10pm or a matinee showing, but never in between). Too bad most movies aren't worth going to go see.
 
Hmm...Hollywood isn't putting out any decent movies. How can we drive drive more customers away?
 
LoL...

As if I needed more reasons to cease giving these companies my business. Sorry guys, but shitty service, bad speakers, sticky floors, rude assholes and their cellphones, HD Flat Panel TVs, Surround Sound and Blu-Ray killed Any chance of me ever going back into a theater. Not to mention my snacks are better and cheaper.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
LoL...

As if I needed more reasons to cease giving these companies my business. Sorry guys, but shitty service, bad speakers, sticky floors, rude assholes and their cellphones, HD Flat Panel TVs, Surround Sound and Blu-Ray killed Any chance of me ever going back into a theater. Not to mention my snacks are better and cheaper.
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Yeah. No kidding.

I built a movie theater at home.... 13 years ago. I wait a few months longer than people who go to the theaters to see new movies but then again there are only a few movie out each year I wan to watch so it makes little difference. Buying a BD costs about as much as going to a theater. Renting is less. Piracy is a LOT less. I can get drunk while I watch a movie. I can eat whatever I decide I would like. I can pause the movie at my will to take a leak (due to drinking or otherwise) or go outside to smoke or take a phone call. Movie starts when I want. Don't have to drive anywhere. No God damn kids acting like kids, pissing me off, stinking like twizzlers. Really the list goes on and on..... and on.

The movie industry from soup to nuts is full of shit these days. Ass holes are churning out worthless garbage in the guise of film at face melting rate. I believe that the number of viewable films brought to the screen annually has decreased slowly while the sheer number of movies produced annually is increasing exponentially. Which brings me to another point: In my theater I can watch movies which were made in the past and don't make my cough up a little vomit in my mouth every few minutes. That right there's a deal maker for the home theater.
 
What really pisses me off is that at our local theater, the absolutely perfectly spaced seats (that are also ridiculously huge) at the center of the theater are for handicap use only.

Furthermore, they are generally only occupied by morbidly obese people on rascals.

If you need handicap seating in theaters, fine, whatever, stick them in the nose bleeds.
 
Interesting, here in Vegas their are a couple theaters offering the big recliner seats at standard prices, they also do seat selecting when you buy a ticket, its pretty awesome.
 
sfsuphysics said:
There's one theater that does that here. I'm not a fan of the idea though and won't go there. I like the concept of those who actually show up early get first pick of what seats they get. Less asses shoved in your face because a-holes who got center seats decides to show up for that 5:00pm movie at 5pm.
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Pretty much all the theatres in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area have assigned seating. You can buy tickets online, at an automated kiosk, or from the cashier. It actually works out great so you know you have X amount of seats blocked off by the time you get through concessions, bathroom, etc. Well, that and almost all of the theatres here now have tiered stadium seating with full leather power reclining seats. :cool:
 
Another push to go the home theater route. I had no problem redoing the living room for this purpose. And the benefit is that when friends are over we can use the speaker system for music too.

The last time we went out to a movie, we saw a 3D movie and my girl wanted some popcorn. I couldn't believe how expensive that night was. And that's just the movie part. I do prefer to go to the Arclight in Hollywood as I still think those are the best theaters in Los Angeles. Their prices aren't much different than other places. They have assigned seating and some other nice rules that people actually follow.

Should be assigned seating with no upcharge.
 
And this is why i wait for movies to hit streaming/bluray rental. If I stop going to theatres, I no longer "need" to see movies on release day. It's "new to me" effectively, albeit 5-6 months later.

...and I pay $5 plus one or two $1 bags of microwave popcorn, as opposed to $4x15 in tickets, 2x10 in popcorn and 4x5 in drinks. Plus no idiot teens on their phones, having conversations, being generally ignorant etc.

They wonder why people don't go to theatres any more...
 
RyanLucier said:
...and I pay $5 plus one or two $1 bags of microwave popcorn,
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Microwave popcorn? (gag)

You need to get a real popcorn popper (or at least use a pan on the stove) with some real oil (coconut is best), and Flavacol popcorn seasoning.

My current favorite is the "Amish Country Popcorn Medium White Popcorn" from Walmart on-line. Only problem is that it comes in a box of 8, 2lb bags. It takes a lot of movies to go through 32lb of popcorn :)
 
Let's see....
Rising prices...
Idiots yelling instructions at the people on screen...
Jackasses talking through the movie to their buddies...
Assholes with cellphones yapping away...
Sticky floors...
Screaming kids...
$8 sodas...
$5 popcorn...
$4.50 candy bars...
Screaming kids...
Remind my WHY we still go to these overpriced hellholes?
 
If I'm paying $12 for a ticket, $4.50 for a soda, $6 for popcorn, every seat in the place had better offer an experience superior to my couch. I guess that's why I haven't been to the movies in years though...
 
nutzo said:
Microwave popcorn? (gag)

You need to get a real popcorn popper (or at least use a pan on the stove) with some real oil (coconut is best), and Flavacol popcorn seasoning.

My current favorite is the "Amish Country Popcorn Medium White Popcorn" from Walmart on-line. Only problem is that it comes in a box of 8, 2lb bags. It takes a lot of movies to go through 32lb of popcorn :)
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I actually prefer light tender microwave popcorn over the denser tougher typical popped kind. Costcos kirkland brand microwave popcorn is actually damn good.
 
The best seats are at the very top or close to the top. never understood why people want to sit as close as possible to a 33434343" screen.
 
I like the idea of assigned seating, but not premium price for the good seats.
The last time we went to the theater, they had assigned seats. We saw that all the good seats were bought, so we left. No point in watching a movie if I'm not getting my money's worth.

But the best seat is at home with my HTPC
 
The theaters in Thailand had reserved seating (and there was different prices for seats in more choice locations and for the nicer/fancier seats) ... I didn't have any problems with it (especially since with reserved seating you could see if you wanted to switch to a later showing to get the more desirable seats) ... the theaters in the Philippines had different prices for balcony sections vs floor sections ... in my book I like having choices and I like getting the seats I want when I go to the theater, so I wouldn't have any issues with this (but I don't go to the theaters very often anymore)
 
Jesus no one gives a shit about your opinions on movie prices. Do you people equally complain about bars, amusement parks, any sporting event, any play/opera, casino etc?

Movie theaters would go out of business if they charged 1 dollar soda prices and you aren't forced to buy soda prices. 10-15 dollars for 90 minutes to 150 minutes of entertainment is not a terrible investment. Its about average when you consider most sporting events are higher in pricing, most concerns are 3 to 10 times that pricing.

Alternatively theaters could charge higher pricing for movies or service fees for movies and then lower the cost of concussions, but then they realize people would never go to the movies or bitch about entry prices. Cost of entry to something like movies has to be attainable for most minimum wage works (think under 24).

Finally I realize it may suck for some of you to live in places where you have one movie theater choice, but where I live we have free popcorn nights and 5 dollar movie nights. Although that doesn't stop me from seeing a movie like X-Men for 10.50 a ticket and spending 20-40 bucks at the bar/popcorn for me and my wife. 60 bucks for a 3-4 hour night out is about average when you take into account when we go to the bars anyways.

Sucks to be poor I guess or never go outside.
 
SGA76 said:
Remind my WHY we still go to these overpriced hellholes?
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Sex. Easy way to take out a girl and not have to talk to her too much, then just go to a bar after and talk about the movie and what not, and voila poke-poke with minimal effort. Questionable if its cheaper than a professional all said and done.
 
roaf85 said:
Jesus no one gives a shit about your opinions on movie prices. Do you people equally complain about bars, amusement parks, any sporting event, any play/opera, casino etc?

Movie theaters would go out of business if they charged 1 dollar soda prices and you aren't forced to buy soda prices. 10-15 dollars for 90 minutes to 150 minutes of entertainment is not a terrible investment. Its about average when you consider most sporting events are higher in pricing, most concerns are 3 to 10 times that pricing.

Alternatively theaters could charge higher pricing for movies or service fees for movies and then lower the cost of concussions, but then they realize people would never go to the movies or bitch about entry prices. Cost of entry to something like movies has to be attainable for most minimum wage works (think under 24).

Finally I realize it may suck for some of you to live in places where you have one movie theater choice, but where I live we have free popcorn nights and 5 dollar movie nights. Although that doesn't stop me from seeing a movie like X-Men for 10.50 a ticket and spending 20-40 bucks at the bar/popcorn for me and my wife. 60 bucks for a 3-4 hour night out is about average when you take into account when we go to the bars anyways.

Sucks to be poor I guess or never go outside.
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If you have the money to blow on that, good for you. Most of America doesn't have that kind of money. If you ask me, and yes this is my opinion, I think sports venues are exorbitantly overpriced. I won't even go off into the fact that owners and players make too much. I think concerts cost too much too, but I don't know standard pricing for most b/c I don't go to them. I don't drink either though, because I don't like drinking/smoking/sniffing/ingesting anything that takes me out of my normal cognitive state.

Look, you can't argue that inflation is completely out of control. When the government borrows more money and it immediately has debt attached to it, we just had to know it was a bad business model, but the Fed continues to operate and it has it's greedy claws sunk firmly into our society. I feel that most entertainment venues should be easily accessible by most of any given population, but with a shrinking middle class that is becoming less the case here in America.
 
ravx25 said:
If you ask me, and yes this is my opinion, I think sports venues are exorbitantly overpriced.
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Overpriced on purpose I think, as its a place where 1%ers go to be seen. They don't actually go to watch the game, its to be there with all the cameras and press and what not as a way of socializing and talking to the whose who of running the country.

Regular schmucks are supposed to watch it on the TV like good peons.
 
ravx25 said:
If you have the money to blow on that, good for you. Most of America doesn't have that kind of money. If you ask me, and yes this is my opinion, I think sports venues are exorbitantly overpriced. I won't even go off into the fact that owners and players make too much. I think concerts cost too much too, but I don't know standard pricing for most b/c I don't go to them. I don't drink either though, because I don't like drinking/smoking/sniffing/ingesting anything that takes me out of my normal cognitive state.

Look, you can't argue that inflation is completely out of control. When the government borrows more money and it immediately has debt attached to it, we just had to know it was a bad business model, but the Fed continues to operate and it has it's greedy claws sunk firmly into our society. I feel that most entertainment venues should be easily accessible by most of any given population, but with a shrinking middle class that is becoming less the case here in America.
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I can't argue that inflation is out of control? What does economic inflation have to do with movies? It doesn't and no it isn't out of control. Would you like me to list your current inflation figures? If you would have said "average family earnings are not what they use to be when adjusted for inflation" then maybe I would agree with you.

However when looking at movie tickets:

http://collider.com/movie-ticket-price-inflation-statistics/

They are actually some what cheaper compared to inflation for the last 40 years. To summarize. Movies are still cheap entertainment.

Certainly if you have a family it is not a cheap affair, but then nothing is really a cheap affair with children. But families are the only movie audience out there. Teens/young adults/seniors etc all go to the movies.

To be honest if you don't like going to concerts, you don't like drinking you don't really it seems like spending money in society then how do you figure those places are still in business? Because people actually do spend money on those goods and services and chose to and in turn they create jobs.

Just because you don't like something or can't afford something doesn't make it terrible.
 
Ducman69 said:
Overpriced on purpose I think, as its a place where 1%ers go to be seen. They don't actually go to watch the game, its to be there with all the cameras and press and what not as a way of socializing and talking to the whose who of running the country.

Regular schmucks are supposed to watch it on the TV like good peons.
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And TV is cheap? Come on. Yea cheaper than going every single game, but you don't have to go to every single game.

And 1 percenters? Have you ever been to any sporting events? Plenty of fans like to go to things because they either enjoy the sport or like to get out of the house everyone once and a while and be social.
 
nutzo said:
Microwave popcorn? (gag)

You need to get a real popcorn popper (or at least use a pan on the stove) with some real oil (coconut is best), and Flavacol popcorn seasoning.

My current favorite is the "Amish Country Popcorn Medium White Popcorn" from Walmart on-line. Only problem is that it comes in a box of 8, 2lb bags. It takes a lot of movies to go through 32lb of popcorn :)
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I have 4 year old nephews. They like the popcorn machine more than I do. I can't eat microwave popcorn. Not after I bought the machine (it fit the home theater deco, and I wanted fresh popcorn. No idea it was so much better).

I go to the theater about 3-4 times a year now (probably more this summer). They priced me out of going every 2 weeks. Now, I just wait for Blu-ray and watch it at home. There are a few movies that are must see's a good theater (I wait until a weekday after opening weekend usually).

Adding higher prices for "premium" seats would make me switch theaters or not go at all. Piracy didn't stop me from going to the movies, the 'pricacy' (sounded better in my head) did. Adding more costs to going out if just making it worse. I can understand some things (beer, food, etc.) at a theater costing a little extra, but for seats that are normally open for anyone without an extra surcharge? Screw the movies.
 
SGA76 said:
Let's see....
Rising prices...
Idiots yelling instructions at the people on screen...
Jackasses talking through the movie to their buddies...
Assholes with cellphones yapping away...
Sticky floors...
Screaming kids...
$8 sodas...
$5 popcorn...
$4.50 candy bars...
Screaming kids...
Remind my WHY we still go to these overpriced hellholes?
Click to expand...

That's pretty mild. You've obviously never seen The Last Dragon. :D
 
ravx25 said:
If you have the money to blow on that, good for you. Most of America doesn't have that kind of money. If you ask me, and yes this is my opinion, I think sports venues are exorbitantly overpriced. I won't even go off into the fact that owners and players make too much. I think concerts cost too much too, but I don't know standard pricing for most b/c I don't go to them. I don't drink either though, because I don't like drinking/smoking/sniffing/ingesting anything that takes me out of my normal cognitive state.

Look, you can't argue that inflation is completely out of control. When the government borrows more money and it immediately has debt attached to it, we just had to know it was a bad business model, but the Fed continues to operate and it has it's greedy claws sunk firmly into our society. I feel that most entertainment venues should be easily accessible by most of any given population, but with a shrinking middle class that is becoming less the case here in America.
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The price of sports is pure supply and demand (for good or bad) ... if you want to see professional sports then most large cities only have 1-2 two teams ... since they have limited rosters there are only so many players that can be on a professional team ... if you are willing to go to see AAA or other non-professional sports events then the price drops off rather rapidly as there are more choices there ;)
 
I have no issues with paying for reserved seating, if it's premium seating. The local multiplex has a balcony with reserved premium seating and a full service restaurant/bar.

Charging extra for general admission seating is just bilking the customer simply because the theatre can.
 
Saturn_V said:
I have no issues with paying for reserved seating, if it's premium seating. The local multiplex has a balcony with reserved premium seating and a full service restaurant/bar.

Charging extra for general admission seating is just bilking the customer simply because the theatre can.
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It isn't bilking ... remember that the studios collect 100% of the normal seat revenue during the first couple of weeks and the percentages don't drop below 50% until months into the release ... this is why refreshment prices are so high, since that is money that the theater gets to keep without sharing with the studios ... it is possible that these premium seat fees are billed in a way where the money goes to the theater instead of the studio ... since the studios are trying to increase the windows where they collect all (or most of the ticket revenue) then we will likely see more of this
 
MavericK96 said:
Why bother coming into a thread where the title implies a pricing discussion and then post nonsense like this? :rolleyes:
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I could say all the other shit is non sense. Talk about opinions on upcharging for seats at movie theaters, not how "oh I hate movie theaters any ways so I am going to post why and it entails why I am poor".

Personally I think upcharging for middle seats is point less. I am comfortable setting on the sides.

We have a movie theater here that puts "dbox seats" in the prime middle location. It hasn't really bothered me though.
 
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