Movie Ticket Prices Hit Record High

[Megalith]

Here’s more reason to wait for the Blu-ray or digital release. Ticket prices are increasing along with declining box office performance. How much is a ticket in your area?

Average ticket prices hit a new high during the second quarter of 2016, topping out at $8.73, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners, an exhibition lobbying firm. That trumps the previous record of $8.70, a pinnacle that the industry reached in the final fiscal quarter of 2015. The culprit is likely more premium format, IMAX and 3D screenings for recent hits such as “Captain America: Civil War” and “Finding Dory.” These showings often carry surcharges. The latest numbers also represent a 1.7% hike from the first quarter average of $8.58 a ticket, as well as a 1.4% increase from the year-ago average of $8.61.

 

[MavericK]

I think if you want to see 3D IMAX blahblahblah it's like $15 here. Not sure what a normal ticket is, but I imagine it's around $9-10.

 

[doz]

Here’s more reason to wait for the Blu-ray or digital release. Ticket prices are increasing along with declining box office performance. How much is a ticket in your area?

Average ticket prices hit a new high during the second quarter of 2016, topping out at $8.73, according to the National Association of Theatre Owners, an exhibition lobbying firm. That trumps the previous record of $8.70, a pinnacle that the industry reached in the final fiscal quarter of 2015. The culprit is likely more premium format, IMAX and 3D screenings for recent hits such as “Captain America: Civil War” and “Finding Dory.” These showings often carry surcharges. The latest numbers also represent a 1.7% hike from the first quarter average of $8.58 a ticket, as well as a 1.4% increase from the year-ago average of $8.61.

I know you do not spend money on movie tickets

 

[Darkswordz]

IMAX tickets here in Northern VA during prime time are $18.00. Normal tickets are $12.00

 

[azuza001]

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.

 

[twonunpackmule]

An Fuax-Max movie ticket is $19 here in Fairbanks, AK. It's horsecrap. I usually avoid it, but they tend to lock certain time frames to Fuax-Max.

 

[Armenius]

And here I am still paying $7 locally, $9.50 for 3D. The theater I go to is actually increasing concession prices to make money instead of ticket prices, which I think is a good move. Their ticket prices haven't changed in more than 10 years, as far as I remember.

 

[MrTroy03]

In the Indianapolis area a normal (not 3d, not Imax etc.) currently runs around $10.50 per ticket. I moved east of the city and found a small theater, non-chain and it's "prime time" night tickets are $8... but if you do a weekday matinee they can be as low as like $6.

 

[twonunpackmule]

Yea, I can see a film in Annapolis, MD for $6 on a Tuesday.

 

[Beaflag VonRathburg]

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.

 

[SuicidalGoat]

upstate ny $10.50 for regular adult, more if you want 3D

 

[Deleted member 245375]

Too costly to see one in even twilight hours nowadays and certainly not after that. My wife and I usually try to find something on Tuesdays worth checking out because most of the Regal Cinema theaters here in Las Vegas have $5 Tuesdays (they actually charge $5.50). It's rare to find anything worth the trip to the theater, to be honest, like right now there isn't a single movie I give a shit about worth going to see tomorrow - the one theater we usually visit (Sam's Town Casino-Hotel) actually still has X-Men: Apocalypse playing but that's the last one we saw like 2 months ago on a Tuesday.

Pricing is a bit crazy, so I don't go nearly as much as I did in my younger days. Movies these days seem to suck for the most part with a few gems that happen on rare occasions. Hell, I haven't bought a movie (DVD) in years either, just keep rewatching the stuff I considered worth purchasing, same with music CDs, the new stuff just doesn't really interest me at all. Thirty cents worth of soda and a four cent cup for $4.25, the popcorn is shit and not even using real butter anymore, the boxed candy is 5x what it's worth (we usually grab a few "theater boxes" from a local $.99 store instead of paying $5+ for it hence that 5x markup), and so on.

I know theaters are in business to make a profit and I don't mind that, it's when they go for making excessively bloated profits by jacking the prices way high that I have a problem.

 

[Major Rage]

Why go to the movies when I can rent a movie on demand for $4 bucks on my 60 inch and drink all the beer and cocktails I want as well as goodies in the comfort of my lazy boy. I hate listening to people chat on their phones, or talk during the movie, people who bring their babies so I can hear them cry, or any dipshit who cackles or narrates during a show.

 

[DukenukemX]

I didn't notice.

 

[Eiolon]

My theater in AZ is very reasonable so I go lots. $4.99 (normal or 3D), online reserved seating, leather reclining chairs and unlimited free soft drinks / icee's, loyalty card gives free upgrades on popcorn sizes so you can jump from medium to large for same price as medium.

 

[Galvin]

That's why you go only a few times a year.
15 to 18 for the premium screen. They only have one.

 

[Sp33dFr33k]

I haven't been to the theater in almost 10 years. We just prefer watching movies at home. Finally went to a theater for Warcraft. I was amazed at how much they've changed. Aisles were huge, wide, power reclining seats, seating makes it impossible for anyone to block your view and we picked our seats. It was pretty nice. Probably won't go often but I'd more inclined to go now. Some theaters around here are less than $10 before noon and have assigned seating which is an awesome feature.

Could get very expensive for a family of 4 especially if you get food.

 

[J Macker]

Theaters in my region are between $10.50 and $12.50 for non-3D movies.
For the price of 2 people, I choose to wait for discs to be released.

They'll get me to go to the theater if they start offering a digital download code for 1080p with the purchase of 2 theater tickets.

 

[Spewn]

Prices just went down here a few months back by a significant amount. It used to be like $22 to see a VIP(alcohol/food service to your seat, bigger/more comfy seats) 3D movie, now it's $14, $12 if not in 3D. On "cheap Tuesday" last week my wife and I saw Pets in a local theater we'd never been to before - they had these great big(super comfy, best movie experience at the theater I've ever had) recliners instead of normal theater seats...gonna be hard going anywhere else to be honest, and it was only $7/ticket.

 

[tunatime]

i paid 13 a ticket 2 weeks ago for a non 3d movie i was like yea no wonder i go once or 2 times a year ....then the gf wanted drink and popcorn so add $25 to that

 

[NeoNemesis]

IMAX is $20, 3D is $16, Regular movie is $13. No discount days or matinees.

Unsurprisingly, there aren't very many regular viewings in a day....

HOWEVER, Costco has bundles for sale which give 2 tickets, 2 drinks, 1 popcorn for $24.99 (although you have to upgrade for 3D or IMAX).

 

[Biznatch]

And my movie theater attendance is at an all time low, imagine that! It can't possibly because they are only releasing re-hashed bullshit that you get to watch in a dirty theater with a bunch of annoying people either talking or dicking with their phone. All for the low price of $15 (unless you want 3d/Imax, those are a few dollars more each)... Plus another 20$ if you want to order nachos.... Is it really hard for them to see why less people are going less often?

And yes, it's literally 15$ base ticket price at AMC/UA here in LA... Only movie I watched in theaters in over a year was star wars....

 

[DarkLegacy]

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.

 

[tbonepat11]

I wish Northern VA was $8. It is ridiculously expensive like $14 and popcorn is like $12. Main reason I built my home theater.

 

[Domingo]

Tickets were $4-5 back in the early 90's, so I don't see this increase as being all that big of a deal. That was 25 years ago. Go back 25 years from 1990 and tickets were roughly $1.00.
Not like I go to many movies now anyway. The only times I do, it's to a place like the Alamo where I'm overpaying for beer and food, too...so I barely notice an additional buck or two.
It feels like the home releases are coming faster and faster anyway. Just wait a month if you're in doubt.

 

[amddragonpc]

Top out at $8.73?!?!? That's a BARGAIN. Average cost in the north of Chicago suburbs is $11.00-$12.00!

 

[Zohar78]

Unless its a movie i have to see, 2d movie is 8.50 or so. 3d 11 or so... ill just go to matinee 5.35 after taxes...

 

[Spidey329]

Here, standard tickets (non-matinee) are like $13 for adults. $11 for children/seniors.

IMAX is around $18.

 

[Sw1sher]

IMAX is around $18.

ROBBERY.

Starplex cinemas with recliner seats offer $8 before 6pm on weekdays, thats when i always go lol

 

[GotNoRice]

I believe the price here is about $18, $12 for matinee. That is for regular theater, not IMAX. Only time i've been to IMAX, someone else paid, so i'm not sure.

But really, it's not the actual cost of the ticket as much as it's other things that bother me. They fully take advantage of their "captive audience" by selling popcorn for like $10-15, drinks for $8+, candy for $5+, etc. All stuff that you could get for like $1-2 at somewhere like 7-11 or even cheaper if you brought it from home. I also hate the idea of paying that much for a movie ticket just to basically cross my fingers and hope that I get a good seat. Usually I get there so early the previous movie showing isn't even done yet, so I wait in front and a line starts to form - but no one regulates that line, so fuckers just ignore the line and mob up front at the door, cutting in front of everyone in line. Then of course you get in there and you are subject to tons of commercials. I'm not talking about movie trailers, which I actually don't mind, but basically the same kind of commercials you would see on TV, except that you have no choice other than to watch them. Of course the worst part is having to smell all the disgusting people sitting around you as clouds of anus gas float around in the theater.

 

[Skripka]

I don't even know. Been that long since I bought tickets. That is what I think of the worth of tickets versus movies in the last decade and change.

 

[vegeta535]

Around here in Baltimore it is about $11 for none 3D and $15 for IMAX. What bothers me is you can never see non 3D movies in the bigger theater rooms anymore. I for one can't stand 3D and it grinds my gears that you always get stuck in the crappy last run theaters for new releases if you opt for standard tickets.

 

[Spidey329]

ROBBERY.

Starplex cinemas with recliner seats offer $8 before 6pm on weekdays, thats when i always go lol

We have a few theaters that do traditional screens for $8 on certain days of the week. The others with reclining luxury seats, full bar, and that type of thing charge about $15 for a standard theater screen.

The $18 is the reason I've never seen a film in an IMAX theater. I refuse to pay that.

 

[DejaWiz]

Local Alamo Drafthouse prices if I wanted to take my family of 5 to a movie tonight:





We go to the theater about once a month, but we stick to morning matinee shows that are half the price.

 

[debaucher]

Where I live, it costs the equivalent of $20 USD to see a movie.
I am talking about just the normal everyday version, not the special 3d or whatever.. those cost closer to $35.

So, no surprise..... I have only seen one move at the theaters in the past 5 years.

 

[Hockster]

I just looked up ticket prices for Ghostbusters, 3D AVX is $24.25 for an adult. And theaters wonder why attendance is dropping.

Same theater, Finding Dory in 2D is $13.25.

 

[DarrisBard]

I agree with the guy who is disappointed that regular is only shown on the smaller screens now. I'm not a fan of 3d.

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.

Communal movie watching is a different experience than watching alone or with a couple friends. When everyone in the theater laughs at something its a feeling you don't get at home. I do think it's weird when people start clapping...

 

[csgill75]

I always go to the bargain price hours to see first run movies. Between 4pm-5:30 all ticket prices are $5.25. I have a gigantic annual bucket for popcorn so it's 4 bucks for enough popcorn for 2. When I purchase a drink, it's at a combo discount with the popcorn refill so it's around 3 dollars with free refills. My wife and I get to see movies for about 20 bucks all in. Of course the drive-in is cheaper if we want to take the family. 6 bucks a person for 2 movies and we bring the refreshments.

 

[TechLarry]

Ticket prices aren't the problem. It's the $8 popcorn and $7 soda's that turn me off. Not to mention the most uncomfortable damn chairs short of an airliner.

 

[Canon]

For non 3d: $10.99
For 3D: $13.99
For 3D IMAX: $14.99

For me, I don't got to the movies that often. I built a home theater in my living room and if I think a movie is worth watching, I buy it on Blu ray which generally works out cheaper than 2x tickets for the show and allows me to watch it again.