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Assigned seating in movie theaters (1 Viewer)

Bryan^H

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Anyone else have a local theater go to assigned seating?

Mine did, and I hate it. It just seems too prestigious for just shuffling in to catch a movie.

It makes things worse when people come in late after the lights go down looking for their seat in a crowded theater.

I used to love the freedom of going into an empty theater and have the pick of seats. No more.

Also if there are some obnoxious people ahead or close behind me, I always had the option to get up, and move.
 

Bryan^H

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Steve...O said:
The day my theater goes to assigned seating is the day I stop going.
I'm think with all the big summer movies coming up, I'll just drive an extra 30 miles to go see them. No way I'm going to get a lousy seat because all the others have been reserved early.
 

TravisR

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This just raises endless question in my mind:


They assign the seats in the whole theater? I don't even see how they'd implement that. Do they show you a seating plan and ask you where you want to sit when you're purchasing the ticket? If they do, the ticket lines just got a lot longer at the theater because people will have to confer and think about it. How will people (who are, generally, pretty stupid) locate their assigned seat? When you're buying your tickets, do they show you where others are sitting in relation to your chosen seat? I just went to a movie on Friday morning and there was one other guy in there. Are they going to seat us next to each other in an otherwise empty theater? That wouldn't be too fucking weird or anything.


I'm a wild man and rebel so I'll continue to sit where ever I want. :)
 

Chuck Mayer

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I love reserved seating. LOVE IT. They aren't assigned seats where I go; I select the seats when I buy the tickets. Then I don't have to get there 60-90 minutes to ensure a good seat. Much less pre-movie stress. Already got seats for Age of Ultron.
 

TravisR

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Chuck Mayer said:
I love reserved seating. LOVE IT. They aren't assigned seats where I go; I select the seats when I buy the tickets. Then I don't have to get there 60-90 minutes to ensure a good seat. Much less pre-movie stress. Already got seats for Age of Ultron.
How do they keep people from taking your seat?
 

Bryan^H

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TravisR said:
This just raises endless question in my mind:

They assign the seats in the whole theater? I don't even see how they'd implement that. Do they show you a seating plan and ask you where you want to sit when you're purchasing the ticket? If they do, the ticket lines just got a lot longer at the theater because people will have to confer and think about it. How will people (who are, generally, pretty stupid) locate their assigned seat? When you're buying your tickets, do they show you where others are sitting in relation to your chosen seat? I just went to a movie on Friday morning and there was one other guy in there. Are they going to seat us next to each other in an otherwise empty theater? That wouldn't be too fucking weird or anything.

I'm a wild man and rebel so I'll continue to sit where ever I want. :)
When you buy your ticket there is a digital screen showing the seating layout of the theater, and what seats are taken/available. I tell the ticket person the seat I would like. The isle, and seat number are then printed on your ticket so you know where to sit. It is stupid and unnecessary.
 

Bryan^H

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I LOVE IT. Best thing ever.
seriously? What do you love about it?
As mentioned earlier if you are stuck by an annoying person or group of talkers you are screwed.
 

Chuck Mayer

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No one sits in my seat. If they do, I politely ask them to move, showing them my ticket. I've never had an issue. If in the future, i get someone who won't move, I'll request that a theater employee seat my party in our assigned seats.


And I am pretty particular about where I sit (preferably staring dead center at the screen, center/center), so this lets me know where I am sitting before I pay for the ticket.


I like to see premiere shows (Thursday night, 7 PM), so the convenience is worth it. As an example, I have three seats for Age of Ultron at my favorite IMAX screen reserved. I was a little late ordering, so I am in the row I like but a few seats to the left. No big deal. I don't have to leave work early to get in line with my family an hour or two early. We can enjoy a nice dinner, and then arrive about 15 minutes ahead of time. Our seats will be there, waiting.


Just like for any other show or sporting event.
 

Chuck Mayer

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It is doing quite well in Northern Virginia. It has also been like this (reserved seating) in Europe for some time.


I am personally of the opinion that you can have it both ways. Have some screens that are come as you are. Have some others that are reserved seating. After local competition from an Angelika Mosaic here (spectactular theater, great food, very clean, balanced slates between art house, cineplex, etc, nice bar area, reserved seats), our local AMC 18 at our biggest mall switched to it. They still do gangbusters business. Since they have the closest (and biggest) fauxMAX, I use them for all of the big stuff and Angelika for all of the prestige stuff.
 

Alf S

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Most (all) of our Cinemark's switched to assigned seating as did the local AMC. I don't like it just because now you you have to stand in a slower line to buy tickets while you wait for (example) a mom and 6 of her kids to sit and stare at the seating options and argue about where the "best place" to sit is.


I prefer the good old days when I could walk up, buy a ticket and sit wherever I liked.


Luckily the new giant Warren Theaters haven't gone this route (yet).
 

Colin Jacobson

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Mark Booth

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Reserved seating rocks! With reserved seating, the customer picks his/her seat in advance. Or, they can pick it at the box office.


"Assigned seating" makes it sound like the theater picks your seat for you. I doubt that's actually the case. I'm pretty certain the customer picks it at the box office. The sooner you get your tickets, the better your choice of seat.


In theaters with reserved seating, the rows of seats are usually assigned a letter and each seat is numbered. It's really not any different than going to a professional football or baseball game, except the reserved seats in theaters are all the same price (so far).


Mark
 

Bryan^H

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Mark Booth said:
"Assigned seating" makes it sound like the theater picks your seat for you. I doubt that's actually the case. I'm pretty certain the customer picks it at the box office. The sooner you get your tickets, the better your choice of seat.
The movie goer picks the seat they want(of what is available at the time of ticket purchase) after that the seat they choose is their assigned spot. Tough luck if you want to move for any of the annoying reasons I mentioned earlier.
 

Bryan^H

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Chuck Mayer said:
I love reserved seating. LOVE IT. They aren't assigned seats where I go; I select the seats when I buy the tickets. Then I don't have to get there 60-90 minutes to ensure a good seat. Much less pre-movie stress. Already got seats for Age of Ultron.
So your theater has reserved seating but not assigned seating? Weird.


Never mind, I get where your coming from. Some people call them reserved seats some say assigned seating they are the same thing.
 

Bryan^H

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It looks like I'm in the minority of people that hate assigned seating in theaters. That's cool. But like I said I already miss the days where I could just stroll into a theater(The earlier I arrived the better seat I got) and choose on the spot. It just seems too formal. But my theater did start serving beer, so there is that at least.
 

Tino

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That's the point. No more having to go early to get a good seat. Now it just the click of a button. No more waiting on line for two hours before a big movie to get a good seat. I really can't think of any disadvantage to reserved seating.
 

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