Cineworld Allocated Seating

[grumpyduck]

As I'm sure a lot of you have heard, Cineworld are due to introduce allocated seating for ALL performances of ALL films.

I don't know about you, but for me it's a terrible terrible idea... I'm against allocated seating because I like to pick my own seat upon entering the auditorium. There are various factors that affect this decision, including but not limited to.
1: Availability of a seat in my preferred area
2: How many other people attending
3: Of those people who will be the least inoffensive to sit near.
4: How many friends I have with me.

Also, as an Unlimited card holder, I can only book one film in advance, so if I want to see 2 or more films in one visit the availability of preferred seats diminishes the closer to the film start time.

Queues will form at the concession stands (as Cineworld Cinemas no longer use their Box Offices/Ticket Only counters) whilst most people (who are generally stupid anyway) struggle to decide on which seat they want to pick.

With allocated seating, if the person next to me becomes offensive (whether using phone, chatting, smelling or eating NACHOS !!) I can no longer legally change seats to somewhere less offensive , what if my wife and son go to the cinema together and are seated next to the local pervert..? .

Cineworld have posted a blog about their decision to introduce allocated seating and the responses are overwhelmingly negative.. see here.. http://www.cineworld.co.uk/blog/unlimit ... ED_SEATING
I can only imagine its a person in upper Cineworld management trying to impress their boss?

If you're against it too, then please go to Facebook and "LIKE" this page, https://www.facebook.com/NoAllocatedSeating?fref=ts signal to Cineworld that they need to rethink this awful idea.

[The Sparrow]

That patronising blog seems to have overlooked Cineworld's own 20 minute rule.

2) Enjoy a more relaxed journey to your seat

With allocated seating you no longer need to compete with other customers for available seats in the auditorium. Plus, if you arrive late you won’t have to search in the dark looking for available seats.

As Unlimited Members we are supposed to collect our pre booked tickets at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled time of the film otherwise they reserve the right to release the tickets and sell them to another customer. So we cannot arrive late and enjoyed a more relaxed journey to our seats.

I can understand that allocated seating can be useful for some films at busy times but not for all films at all times of every day. That is ridiculous.

The policy is badly thought out and makes no sense until you then find out that they are introducing premium priced seating too.

[RAZORBACK]

That patronising blog seems to have overlooked Cineworld's own 20 minute rule.

2) Enjoy a more relaxed journey to your seat

With allocated seating you no longer need to compete with other customers for available seats in the auditorium. Plus, if you arrive late you won’t have to search in the dark looking for available seats.

As Unlimited Members we are supposed to collect our pre booked tickets at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled time of the film otherwise they reserve the right to release the tickets and sell them to another customer. So we cannot arrive late and enjoyed a more relaxed journey to our seats.

To be fair, the 20 minute rule is rarely applied (based on my own experience at least) as I regularly collect tickets (previously booked online) after the scheduled start time & as yet have not had a problem.

However, once the new seating policy is up & running I do hope that they remove this rule from the t&cs as it undermines their argument for why allocated seats are beneficial to their (unlimited) customers.

As for the policy change itself, I agree that it's a step in the wrong direction but I don't think anything can be done to stop it from happening. There aren't any unlimited card equivalents offered by other cinema chains therefore it still represents the best (by far) value for money option currently available (well other than just sticking to free previews ).

Personally I think it's only going to create an issue on the odd occasion, more often than not the screenings I attend have plenty of spare seats so even though I'll have allocated seats, that won't stop me moving elsewhere if I'm near/next to anyone that's irritating.

Obviously that won't be possible all of the time, there will be 'blockbuster' releases that are packed out so for those films I'll either try to see them at times where they're less likely to be busy (the online seating plan section should confirm whether or not that's the case) or just put off seeing those films for a week or two...

[The Sparrow]

Actually I had forgotten about the 20 minute rule too and although I did have a booking cancelled once in the early times when we were first allowed to pre book, I have often arrived within seconds of a film starting but the fact that Cineworld have forgotten it too, means they haven't planned this out properly.

As for changing the rule, Cineworld actually stated on Facebook that the rule still applies.

Then again, what happens in one branch doesn't mean it will also happen in another. They don't seem to use consistency .

As for finding seats, even before the film starts it is too damn dark in most of their auditorium. When I was there recently, I made an effort to look at the end of the row to see what letter it was and although I knew it was F row, you would never know from their markings. In fairness,they have enhanced the seat numbers but not the row lettering.

They have had allocated seating in the past and most cinemas did away with it. Fingers crossed they realise that it isn't necessary for every performance.

[stuartboy]

Allocated seating sucks. Big time.

Vue have this, and on the odd occasion I am using a voucher and thus am effectively p*ying, they ask you where you want to sit - front middle or rear etc. How the hell do I know until I am in the auditorium. Every auditorium is different - even in the same multiplex - both in shape, size, rake, orientation of aisles etc. Plus why would I want to sit cheek-by-jowl with the great unwashed when there is plenty of space elsewhere? I have thus avoided Vue cinemas when there is an alternative option.

How much easier is it to spot an empty seat in comparsion to a particular number in a particular row, not to mention then potentially having to squeeze past any number of other people to get to your allocated seat.

Boycott Cineworld if they persist in this nonsense!

[McG]

Allocated seating sucks. Big time.

Vue have this, and on the odd occasion I am using a voucher and thus am effectively p*ying, they ask you where you want to sit - front middle or rear etc. How the hell do I know until I am in the auditorium. Every auditorium is different - even in the same multiplex - both in shape, size, rake, orientation of aisles etc. Plus why would I want to sit cheek-by-jowl with the great unwashed when there is plenty of space elsewhere? I have thus avoided Vue cinemas when there is an alternative option.

How much easier is it to spot an empty seat in comparsion to a particular number in a particular row, not to mention then potentially having to squeeze past any number of other people to get to your allocated seat.

Boycott Cineworld if they persist in this nonsense!

Totally agree, SB!
Allocated seating has been used in the past but is a real pain. Also, it takes longer to b*y tickets at the counter as folk have to discuss what seats they want . . .

[Beate]

To be honest, I don't go much to "normal" screenings but when I do, I don't care either way. At Picturehouse Greenwich I actually prefer it as I can book our favourite seats online and don't have to turn up ages before to make sure I get them. Nothing annoys me more than seeing someone sit in my preferred seats already! Also, once,when I wasn't allowed to book the seat I wanted (I was on my own and you can only book the loveseats at the back two at a time) I turned up and sat there anyway (after politely asking about the rules at the till). Once the film has started and no one's sitting there, you're allowed to move.
Hence I can't quite see the fuss about allocated seating but I know that people often go to the cinema spontaneously and haven't had time to check out the seating beforehand.

[scootermcc]

I can see the point of allocated seating on a busy Friday or Saturday night but there's nothing worse than going on a weekday morning or afternoon when there's hardly anyone there, you get in early and then someone comes in after you and they've picked the seat either directly in front of you or immediately behind you. Why do people do that ?

I think that staff get a laugh sticking everyone on top of each other or maybe their lazy and it makes it easier for them when they have to clean up after the film.

This rule if true would put me off going to Cineworld as it looks as if you can't pick either your favourite seat or a seat away from everyone else. You'll have to sit where the staff tell you, the only choice you'll have is front, middle or back.

6) There will not be any seating plans available for customers to see nor will we be able to view the seating plan on the screen at the box office etc. Staff will be instructed to ask “front, middle or rear”. (They system may well allocate the actual seat).


Looks as if their introducing premium seating as well. Here's the details-

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BoJfhm3CMAA8NkE.png

[stuartboy]

Thank goodness for previews!
No allocated seating.
Can select Premier Seats if arrive early enough.
No adverts!

[scootermcc]

Thank goodness for previews!
No allocated seating.
Can select Premier Seats if arrive early enough.
No adverts!

Premier seats only if you go to Aldershot, Dundee, Feltham, West India Quay or Northampton Cineworld. I'm afraid it's a bog standard seat for you in Edinburgh stuartboy.