Vent - Vue Cinema allocated seating

System

ScarletMarble wrote: »

The arts cinema I visit only uses allocated seating for the National Theatre Live or RSC Live showings. This allows for rows of seats being evenly used and they all have been full.

On the other shows, they are not. I prefer to use the arts cinema for viewing movies generally as never get the teens and young adults that like to have their hand on their mobile all the time - the white squares in the distance are very annoying, If you cannot be away from your mobile for 2 hours - you have issues. Plus they don't have popcorn for sale and the smell makes me sick!

On the few times I have visited Vue, Odeon, the screenings I have been to have been less than 40 in the room! Do they expect and put the 40 of us in 2-3 rows? They should only use allocated seating on Friday and Sat evenings for the movie's first two weekends of opening.

You can choose to sit where you want.

However I was forced to go to my local vue recently to watch the new hunger games film (my date wanted to watch it on their xtreme screen). The cinema was empty with only about 10 people in it but one weird guy had chosen the seat next to us(obviously after I had booked) so we were sat in a row!

It was very strange.

AndyBSG

goater78 wrote: »

Any reason? It would be interesting to see what the positives of allocated seating are?

I prefer allocated seats because it means that during busy screenings you don't get the following

OOXOOOXOOOX where O is a person and X is an empty seat that a group of people have deliberately left so they don't have to sit next to strangers.

Nothing annoys me more than coming into a cinema with friends and seeing a dozen empty seats but all on their own acting as a buffer!

System

My Dad being 6ft 3 if he can get allocated seating to get a seat on the end of a row as most places the knee room is poor and if its alright, the knee room is reduced if someone sits in front of him as it pushes their seat back.

pulliptears

I prefer allocated seating as well, though 9 times out of 10 I book VIP with Vue. My reasons for this are I have Hypermobility Syndrome and a curved spine. I need to move my legs and stretch a bit and to sit cramped for 2+ hours can be a killer. My HMS can also lead to stomach issues to it's good to be able to choose the end of an aisle where I can shoot to the loo if I need to without disturbing those around me. I'm also 2 inches shorter than I used to be (and still shrinking) and sods law puts a 6ft 4" bloke in front of me

My local Vue has 2 seats at the top with nothing in front of them at all, close to the exit and have great stretchability factor. They are usually the first to go, hence why I book, but being able to book those now means I can save a few quid on VIP.

As an aside, did love Star Trek Into Darkness. I'd be Khan's b1tch any day of the week

jackieb

I prefer allocated seating. I live 40 miles from the cinema and if i'm planning on going i'll go beforehand to book the seats I like. I'm often in town so I don't just drive 40 miles to pre-book tickets! An aisle seat behind the barrier - they have more legroom.

I used to pre-book over the phone as you actually got to speak to a human and pick your seats. I don't do that now because it's automated and they don't let you choose.

Arlandria606

Another vote for allocated seating. Although it does make it harder to avoid problematic cinema-goers, it means you can choose a seat that works for you. I slipped a disc last year and the first time I went to the cinema after that my back was still aching. I was very aware that I might have to get up and stand, move about a bit, or leave - so I wanted to sit at the back on the end of a row so as not to inconvenience anyone. It's also handy if you know you're a frequent bathroom-visiter, or have long legs, etc.

In my local cinema, it also means you can choose a sofa over a chair, which is lovely when I go with my husband and generally leaves more wiggle-room for coats and bags.

ellay864

Surely non-allocated seating doesn't mean you're immune from sitting next to the sort of people you'd rather avoid. What if they come in later on and park themselves next to you? If the cinema is filling up there's only so much you can do to avoid people. Recently we were in a cinema were a group of 6 people came in together fairly late on and had to split in different rows but with seats quite close to each other - it was horrendous as they kept passing drinks and food to each other. We couldn't have then moved to avoid them if we'd wanted to.
Personally I agree with the people who like to choose seats near aisles, near the back etc - that's more important to me.