Support NeoGAF

[Redd]

Strongly disagreed. Waiting in line for ANYTHING for hours on its opening is wonderful and always a great part of the experience. People get dressed up, everyone is excited and happy, great conversations happen, and it's an awesome way to meet people! Besides the longer you wait in line, the more excited you get!!! I've waited in line for lots of things (including stuff for over a dozen hours) and I've never regretted it once.


I wouldn't have described it that way, but now that you have, I love self seating even more. I LOVE shopping on Black Friday. It's so exciting and thrilling and everyone is gutting out for the best stuff and you're trying to beat them all.

I gotta say both of those things you love doing sound like terrible and a waste of time. I can do both easily at home comfortably weeks or for Black Friday, hours in advance. You do you and enjoy it though.

 

[butalala]

I'm with you, OP. I hate assigned seats. I don't go to theaters that have them.

 

[ClosingADoor]

Yea reserved seating blows. If I have to make plans and commit ahead of time to see a movie I'll pretty much nevet get around to it and if you try to show up ten minutes before you're basically guaranteed to have to look straight up at the screen.

I've spent the majority of my life going to the movies at least once a week and I only ever ended up in one of the front rows once, and that's including all your Star Wars, Harry Potters, Marvel movies, and what have you on or around release day, but the last four times I've tried to go to reserve theaters I got to the kiosk and saw the only seats were front row and had to go home.

If the movie was already popular that the theater is that full, then showing up 10 minutes before without reserved seating has the same effect, since other people already took the good seats.

 

[davepoobond]

Maybe don't try to see a hugely popular fan based movie on a whim

You weren't going to get good seats regardless. There was going to be a line of Jedi and jar jars waiting way before you would have "strolled down" to get your "good seats" in the front for the most popular movie of the year

 

[ScatheZombie]

All of your complaints about reserved seating were a problem before reserved seating too.

You could just as easily walk into a packed theater with a group and be unable to find enough seats to sit together.

You could just as easily only be able to sit in the front row at a packed theater.

All that reserved seating has done is transfer the inconveniences and uncertainties from the moment you enter the theater and see available seating to the moment you purchase tickets and see available seating - which is vastly preferable, since now you know BEFORE you pay money as opposed to getting to the theater and realizing there's only three seats left in the front row corner and they're covered in someone's spilled soda and leftover popcorn.

 

[Hoo-doo]

I think this is unreasonable, personally speaking. Of course close groups would want to sit next to each other. My 40+ groups ALWAYS sit next to each other and we all pick who we want to sit next to so we can get our preferred experience. Some of us like it to be silent so they sit next to those who don't speak, some of us like whispering snarky commentary to the people who they sit next to so they sit next to people who are cool with it/do it back (like yours truly), and there are some of us who like to geek out about minute detail #3252, so they sit next to people who are cool with that. Going to the theater together is part of the experience, as is sitting next to one another. There is absolutely a great reason to sit with your group, and reserved seating interferes with that.

Oh and of course we always get dinner afterwards.


Strongly disagreed. Waiting in line for ANYTHING for hours on its opening is wonderful and always a great part of the experience. People get dressed up, everyone is excited and happy, great conversations happen, and it's an awesome way to meet people! Besides the longer you wait in line, the more excited you get!!! I've waited in line for lots of things (including stuff for over a dozen hours) and I've never regretted it once.


I wouldn't have described it that way, but now that you have, I love self seating even more. I LOVE shopping on Black Friday. It's so exciting and thrilling and everyone is gutting out for the best stuff and you're trying to beat them all.

Also if you're a pair and no seats next to each other, you roll the dice asking for someone to move or you just say "screw it we can do something else" and leave. But it's kinda your fault for not being early.

I feel fucking old whenever I read your posts. I can't help it.
If i'd meet you i'd probably feel like i've just met the person who's the most incompatible to me in every way. Like some anti-me. Maybe we'd fuse together and annihilate in a ball of light.

Like your thread about the thermostat in your home that you NEED to have at a ridiculous temperature like 86F or something. Why. Why.

 

[Garmonbozia]

assigned seats are the best.

I'll accept unassigned seats when It's on smaller/arthouse theaters.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I have never seen this before in my life. I never saw anyone reserve more than a seat or two under the old system. That's total hyperbole.



More hyperbole, at least in the US. I would get to the theater 15-20 minutes early and always had a good seat.

The same movies that you can roll up 20 minutes early for and get a good seat are still the same movies you can roll up 20 minutes early for and select a good seat.

In no way, shape or form have you been able to line up 15 minutes early for an evening show of a huge movie on opening weekend and not be SOL since people even became aware of wide release dates.

 

[mxgt]

I INTENSELY agree.

As someone who goes to theaters in a friend group of 40+, organizing it is already a pain in the ass. Organizing it with assigned seating would be a complete and utter nightmare. It's infinitely easier to arrive two hours early as we all make our way with car pools and then have the ability to sit together and enjoy a film all together. With assigned seating we'd need to buy tickets in bulk beforehand, which is extremely difficult to manage considering that we each get money at different times and lots of us change our minds prior to going.

Hard no on assigned seating, will avoid any theater that does it.

lmao this has to be a joke

I feel bad for anyone that has to suffer your group of 40 in a cinema.

 

[Vhalyar]

One of the best improvement to theaters.

 

[tuxfool]

I feel fucking old whenever I read your posts. I can't help it.
If i'd meet you i'd probably feel like i've just met the person who's the most incompatible to me in every way. Like some anti-me. Maybe we'd fuse together and annihilate in a ball of light.

Like your thread about the thermostat in your home that you NEED to have at a ridiculous temperature like 86F or something. Why. Why.

Personally when reading those posts, I'm happy to be a human.

 

[JesseZao]

I gotta say both of those things you love doing sound like terrible and a waste of time. I can do both easily at home comfortably weeks or for Black Friday, hours in advance. You do you and enjoy it though.

Some people like to live in manic hype mode, I guess. I'll never understand, as I have better things to spend my time on than waiting to consume a product.

 

[blackflag]

The only reason I started going back to theaters is because of reserved seating so I strongly disagree.

 

[Smokey_Run]

I don't have a theater with reserve seating in my area, but I think I'd love it.

I've went countless times to the theater well in advance to secure good seats (at the very back or within a row or two and dead center) just to have a bunch of asshats come in 5 minutes before the movie starts (or even during the trailers) asking everyone to slide down and consolidate the row so their group of 5+ can sit together. The outcome? You are now nearing the ends of the row and just wasted the time you carved out to ensure decent seats. Fuck that. I stopped doing it. If you can't be bothered to get there in time, I'm not moving.

 

[Calamari41]

Reserved seating is the best thing to happen to movie theaters since stadium seating. Instead of being forced to make an entire day out of going to see a popular premiere, you can just waltz in as the lights are going down and sit down right at the center of the center.

The last time I had to wait in line was when we got to the theater for The Dark Knight Imax at 4:00 AM, and we still ended up with sub-optimal seats.

As long as you plan the movie outing a few days in advance, you'll be golden. Save the "on a whim" outings for screenings of movies that have been out for a week or two already.

lmao this has to be a joke

I feel bad for anyone that has to suffer your group of 40 in a cinema.

Yeah, seriously. You just know they yell at the screen and cheer the whole time, too. I'd ask for a refund.

 

[Zoe]

I think this is unreasonable, personally speaking. Of course close groups would want to sit next to each other. My 40+ groups ALWAYS sit next to each other and we all pick who we want to sit next to so we can get our preferred experience. Some of us like it to be silent so they sit next to those who don't speak, some of us like whispering snarky commentary to the people who they sit next to so they sit next to people who are cool with it/do it back (like yours truly), and there are some of us who like to geek out about minute detail #3252, so they sit next to people who are cool with that. Going to the theater together is part of the experience, as is sitting next to one another. There is absolutely a great reason to sit with your group, and reserved seating interferes with that.

Oh and of course we always get dinner afterwards.


Strongly disagreed. Waiting in line for ANYTHING for hours on its opening is wonderful and always a great part of the experience. People get dressed up, everyone is excited and happy, great conversations happen, and it's an awesome way to meet people! Besides the longer you wait in line, the more excited you get!!! I've waited in line for lots of things (including stuff for over a dozen hours) and I've never regretted it once.


I wouldn't have described it that way, but now that you have, I love self seating even more. I LOVE shopping on Black Friday. It's so exciting and thrilling and everyone is gutting out for the best stuff and you're trying to beat them all.

Also if you're a pair and no seats next to each other, you roll the dice asking for someone to move or you just say "screw it we can do something else" and leave. But it's kinda your fault for not being early.

Your group sounds very disruptive. At that number, you should be renting out the theater so nobody else has to deal with you.

Like your thread about the thermostat in your home that you NEED to have at a ridiculous temperature like 86F or something. Why. Why.

Hahaha, wut?

 

[Spiritwalker]

I wouldn't even go to the movies if I couldn't reserve decent seats.

 

[pizzacat]

I feel fucking old whenever I read your posts. I can't help it.
If i'd meet you i'd probably feel like i've just met the person who's the most incompatible to me in every way. Like some anti-me. Maybe we'd fuse together and annihilate in a ball of light.

Like your thread about the thermostat in your home that you NEED to have at a ridiculous temperature like 86F or something. Why. Why.

ive seen his other posts and just thought he's an alien training to fit in with society from his spaceship, but this 86F has to be fake like he's gotta admit that

theres no way

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

I INTENSELY agree.

As someone who goes to theaters in a friend group of 40+, organizing it is already a pain in the ass. Organizing it with assigned seating would be a complete and utter nightmare. It's infinitely easier to arrive two hours early as we all make our way with car pools and then have the ability to sit together and enjoy a film all together. With assigned seating we'd need to buy tickets in bulk beforehand, which is extremely difficult to manage considering that we each get money at different times and lots of us change our minds prior to going.

Hard no on assigned seating, will avoid any theater that does it.

You understand organizing with a group of 40 is not the norm for most customers. Most friend groups max out at the 8-15 range. That's on you for taking on the Herculean task of getting 40 people on the same page. At that point, the lot of you should be splitting up into smaller groups and planning that way. It's utterly ridiculous and unreasonable that all 40 people want to be part of the same movie plans.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

How could it even possibly matter that 40+ people sit "together" in a movie theater? Do you get some sort of chain bonus buff?

 

[air jordans for dogs]

when i first heard that reserved seating is not a standard in the US, i laughed. the us is so backwards.

 

[xRaizen]

Yeah nah reserved seating is a godsend. First movie my local theater did this for was TFA and I got some damn good seats for my brother, father, and I.

 

[Dan-o]

If a group of 40 people showed up to a theatre I was at, I'd probably just fucking leave. Not worth putting up with that madness. I have no problem with packed theatres, but damn. What a needy entitled group of people that must be.

Spoiler

so glad to be kind of a loner.

 

[kevin1025]

I think this is unreasonable, personally speaking. Of course close groups would want to sit next to each other. My 40+ groups ALWAYS sit next to each other and we all pick who we want to sit next to so we can get our preferred experience. Some of us like it to be silent so they sit next to those who don't speak, some of us like whispering snarky commentary to the people who they sit next to so they sit next to people who are cool with it/do it back (like yours truly), and there are some of us who like to geek out about minute detail #3252, so they sit next to people who are cool with that. Going to the theater together is part of the experience, as is sitting next to one another. There is absolutely a great reason to sit with your group, and reserved seating interferes with that.

How often does this happen? 40+ people gathering at the same time sounds like a logistical nightmare.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

It's awful for people that don't make plans and stuff.

 

[entremet]

Nope, OP. You're wrong.

Reserved seating is the only way to go to theatres these days.

 

[Cipher Peon]

You go with 40 people? How the hell does that work. And at that point, does it matter if you sit together. Just have everyone buy their seats and meet after for drinks.

We've perfected our technique over the years so we have it to an exact science. Let's use... Doctor Strange, as that was the last film that we all saw together. We saw the 7pm screening on opening day.

We established beforehand that we were all to meet at a convenient meeting location at a hard deadline of 5pm. People who have cars and are willing to drive volunteer as carpool agents, which they have a Slack for for communicating. Some of us purchase tickets through those organizing the car pool, so we need to deal with that. Many, of course, do not.

We each show up at the meeting location (all at different times before and after 5) and group up and get shuttled to the movie theater. Those who need to buy their tickets do so and those who already got their tickets start forming a line. Everyone already knows who they want to sit next to because we've been doing this for years. We buy concessions and hang out on line before the movie starts, while we shuttle those who are late in. Then when the doors open, we get seats in the back and if we're missing people we just put our jackets on the seats next to us. Considering the size of our group, anyone who shows up as early as we do would naturally not want to sit next to us, but if they ask for the seat, it's all theirs of course. We get the last few stragglers and then we enjoy the movie at our leisure.

...then we all pool out and talk about the movie (I often get bombarded with questions because I'm by far the most cynical and outspoken about my opinions of the group) and then we all go to the same eating joint to talk about the movie for a few hours.

Oh and we always take a picture! Not everyone can make the picture unfortunately, some have to bolt immediately and some are in the bathroom when we take it (hard to keep track of everyone) but here are a few pictures of all of us for a few movies!

Doctor Strange

Age of Ultron

Civil War

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I won't even pretend that we're a usual case, because we're far from it.
But reserved seating personally negatively impacts me, so I rail against it. If it's cool for you, it's cool, but it makes movie magic moments like these few instances impossible.

 

[jstripes]

Theaters there still check at the actual door? Over here they just check at the main entrance and afterwards you're fine to go.

Some theatres have an odd layout. The one I went to the other day is shaped like a large circle, and has a group of three cinemas separated from the rest by main entrances, so you need to go past the velvet rope to get to the washrooms. Concessions are also beyond the velvet rope for all of the cinemas there.

 

[Into the Light]

I would never go to a theater that didnt have reserve seating again. Best thing to ever happen

 

[sunshine and gasoline]

While reserved seating can be annoying if the good seats are taken, I really do enjoy the idea as I can get good seats while barely making it in time for a movie which happens more often than I like.

 

[timetokill]

OP you have maybe the worst opinion of all time. Reserved seating is the only way to go. Being able to check seating before a movie to make sure you get a good one, to not have to worry about getting awful seats, and not have to wait in fucking lines just to try and race for a decent seat makes reserved seating pretty much the best thing ever.

 

[Dan-o]

We've perfected our technique over the years so we have it to an exact science. Let's use... Doctor Strange, as that was the last film that we all saw together. We saw the 7pm screening on opening day.

We established beforehand that we were all to meet at a convenient meeting location at a hard deadline of 5pm. People who have cars and are willing to drive volunteer as carpool agents, which they have a Slack for for communicating. Some of us purchase tickets through those organizing the car pool, so we need to deal with that. Many, of course, do not.

We each show up at the meeting location (all at different times before and after 5) and group up and get shuttled to the movie theater. Those who need to buy their tickets do so and those who already got their tickets start forming a line. Everyone already knows who they want to sit next to because we've been doing this for years. We buy concessions and hang out on line before the movie starts, while we shuttle those who are late in. Then when the doors open, we get seats in the back and if we're missing people we just put our jackets on the seats next to us. Considering the size of our group, anyone who shows up as early as we do would naturally not want to sit next to us, but if they ask for the seat, it's all theirs of course. We get the last few stragglers and then we enjoy the movie at our leisure.

...then we all pool out and talk about the movie (I often get bombarded with questions because I'm by far the most cynical and outspoken about my opinions of the group) and then we all go to the same eating joint to talk about the movie for a few hours.

This post legit makes my palms sweaty. I can't even imagine...

 

[AstroLad]

Won't even consider going to a theater without reserved seating anymore. Super useful for grown-ups who don't have time to deal with bullshit.

 

[Lagamorph]

You're totally wrong OP.
I would never go to a cinema where I couldn't reserve my seats in advance anymore.

 

[BlastProcessing]

Logistically, how could 40+ people not end up sitting together?

 

[jstevenson]

We've perfected our technique over the years so we have it to an exact science. Let's use... Doctor Strange, as that was the last film that we all saw together. We saw the 7pm screening on opening day.

We established beforehand that we were all to meet at a convenient meeting location at a hard deadline of 5pm. People who have cars and are willing to drive volunteer as carpool agents, which they have a Slack for for communicating. Some of us purchase tickets through those organizing the car pool, so we need to deal with that. Many, of course, do not.

We each show up at the meeting location (all at different times before and after 5) and group up and get shuttled to the movie theater. Those who need to buy their tickets do so and those who already got their tickets start forming a line. Everyone already knows who they want to sit next to because we've been doing this for years. We buy concessions and hang out on line before the movie starts, while we shuttle those who are late in. Then when the doors open, we get seats in the back and if we're missing people we just put our jackets on the seats next to us. Considering the size of our group, anyone who shows up as early as we do would naturally not want to sit next to us, but if they ask for the seat, it's all theirs of course. We get the last few stragglers and then we enjoy the movie at our leisure.

...then we all pool out and talk about the movie (I often get bombarded with questions because I'm by far the most cynical and outspoken about my opinions of the group) and then we all go to the same eating joint to talk about the movie for a few hours.

Oh and we always take a picture! Not everyone can make the picture unfortunately, some have to bolt immediately and some are in the bathroom when we take it (hard to keep track of everyone) but here are a few pictures of all of us for a few movies!



I won't even pretend that we're a usual case, because we're far from it.
But reserved seating personally negatively impacts me, so I rail against it. If it's cool for you, it's cool, but it makes movie magic moments like these few instances impossible.

I mean, it seems like you do giant event movies... so can't someone just spring for 40 tickets on fandango for the showing you want? Yes it'll be far in advance but he movie date is known and you'll never all 40 people to agree anyway. Fandango has a liberal return policy so you can return a few tickets if needed as the show gets closer. You have reserved seats.

Then instead of dealing with the holding seats, you all can hang at a bar or something or Dave and Busters or whatever and have more in than waiting at the theatre.

Venmo makes paying the person who bought the tickets easy.

Or he'll, split it and 3-4 of you each buy 10-12 tickets to accommodate so know One is putting up more than 100 bucks.

Shit my group seeing Rogue One is huge, wasn't entirely locked in before I bought tickets, and I have 300 bucks out on tickets that people will pay me for one thursday night

 

[Stevey]

Book early, get the best seats

 

[Hoo-doo]

We've perfected our technique over the years so we have it to an exact science. Let's use... Doctor Strange, as that was the last film that we all saw together. We saw the 7pm screening on opening day.

We established beforehand that we were all to meet at a convenient meeting location at a hard deadline of 5pm. People who have cars and are willing to drive volunteer as carpool agents, which they have a Slack for for communicating. Some of us purchase tickets through those organizing the car pool, so we need to deal with that. Many, of course, do not.

We each show up at the meeting location (all at different times before and after 5) and group up and get shuttled to the movie theater. Those who need to buy their tickets do so and those who already got their tickets start forming a line. Everyone already knows who they want to sit next to because we've been doing this for years. We buy concessions and hang out on line before the movie starts, while we shuttle those who are late in. Then when the doors open, we get seats in the back and if we're missing people we just put our jackets on the seats next to us. Considering the size of our group, anyone who shows up as early as we do would naturally not want to sit next to us, but if they ask for the seat, it's all theirs of course. We get the last few stragglers and then we enjoy the movie at our leisure.

...then we all pool out and talk about the movie (I often get bombarded with questions because I'm by far the most cynical and outspoken about my opinions of the group) and then we all go to the same eating joint to talk about the movie for a few hours.

Oh and we always take a picture! Not everyone can make the picture unfortunately, some have to bolt immediately and some are in the bathroom when we take it (hard to keep track of everyone) but here are a few pictures of all of us for a few movies!

I won't even pretend that we're a usual case, because we're far from it.
But reserved seating personally negatively impacts me, so I rail against it. If it's cool for you, it's cool, but it makes movie magic moments like these few instances impossible.

Let me guess, you're the guy with the fishnets on your arm and the red hair on the last photo. It looks like a comic-con crowd that spilled out into a movie theater.

 

[blackflag]

This post legit makes my palms sweaty. I can't even imagine...

Too much work to see a movie lol. Give me reserved seating otherwise I'm perfectly fine just waiting to rent it, which is what I did for several years before reserved seating.

 

[Fei]

My Regals recently changed to reserved seating and recliners, and it's terrible. The recliners are nice, but the seating capacity is reduced by 50% at least. Everything is sold out.

Just curious for the pro-reserved seating: When you go as a group, do you buy your tickets through Fandango and pay their fee?

 

[Azerare]

I agree. I like the Old West style where it's whoever gets to the seat first and arrives first that day. That's half the fun of the movie theater experience.

 

[FStop7]

Cipher is Huelen, gotta be.

 

[Calamari41]

lots of text

You realize how infinitely easier it would be to buy the seats in advance and just have everyone pay you back, right?

 

[KHarvey16]

Just curious for the pro-reserved seating: When you go as a group, do you buy your tickets through Fandango and pay their fee?

Yup, and happily too. Being able to show up during or after previews without needing to rush or panic and just relax is worth every penny they charge.

 

[Aiustis]

Normal theaters have reserved seating.

 

[jstripes]

How often does this happen? 40+ people gathering at the same time sounds like a logistical nightmare.

I don't know how 40 people can all mutually enjoy each others' company. In a group that large there's got to be several people who can't sand each other.

 

[sinxtanx]

My Regals recently changed to reserved seating and recliners, and it's terrible. The recliners are nice, but the seating capacity is reduced by 50% at least. Everything is sold out.

Just curious for the pro-reserved seating: When you go as a group, do you buy your tickets through Fandango and pay their fee?

is Fandango some sort of American rip-off service?

when I'm going with a group, we just buy tickets online for cheap

 

[Fei]

Yup, and happily too. Being able to show up during or after previews without needing to rush or panic and just relax is worth every penny they charge.

Awful.

is Fandango some sort of American rip-off service?

when I'm going with a group, we just buy tickets online for cheap

Basically, yes it is.

 

[Zoe]

You realize how infinitely easier it would be to buy the seats in advance and just have everyone pay you back, right?

It'd be easier to rent the theater.

 

[Smokey_Run]

We've perfected our technique over the years so we have it to an exact science. Let's use... Doctor Strange, as that was the last film that we all saw together. We saw the 7pm screening on opening day.

We established beforehand that we were all to meet at a convenient meeting location at a hard deadline of 5pm. People who have cars and are willing to drive volunteer as carpool agents, which they have a Slack for for communicating. Some of us purchase tickets through those organizing the car pool, so we need to deal with that. Many, of course, do not.

We each show up at the meeting location (all at different times before and after 5) and group up and get shuttled to the movie theater. Those who need to buy their tickets do so and those who already got their tickets start forming a line. Everyone already knows who they want to sit next to because we've been doing this for years. We buy concessions and hang out on line before the movie starts, while we shuttle those who are late in. Then when the doors open, we get seats in the back and if we're missing people we just put our jackets on the seats next to us. Considering the size of our group, anyone who shows up as early as we do would naturally not want to sit next to us, but if they ask for the seat, it's all theirs of course. We get the last few stragglers and then we enjoy the movie at our leisure.

...then we all pool out and talk about the movie (I often get bombarded with questions because I'm by far the most cynical and outspoken about my opinions of the group) and then we all go to the same eating joint to talk about the movie for a few hours.

Oh and we always take a picture! Not everyone can make the picture unfortunately, some have to bolt immediately and some are in the bathroom when we take it (hard to keep track of everyone) but here are a few pictures of all of us for a few movies!



I won't even pretend that we're a usual case, because we're far from it.
But reserved seating personally negatively impacts me, so I rail against it. If it's cool for you, it's cool, but it makes movie magic moments like these few instances impossible.

Forget the theater, I feel bad for the eating establishment that gets overrun by a 30-40 person group afterwards. I hope your group tips well.