Cineplex planning to start charging extra for middle seats in a theater

[grim22]

This is just ridiculous: http://filmschoolrejects.com/news/movie-theater-middle-charge.php

 

“It’s really about providing our guests with choices when they go to the movies,” said spokesperson Pat Marshall, as quoted by The Star. “I sort of position it akin to an aircraft where you have your regular coach seating, then you might want a bit more amenities, so you go into business class, and then you have a first-class.”
 

But sitting in the middle seats is hardly like sitting in first class on a flight. Unless they’re going to be bigger and sectioned off from the lower class customers and come with a complimentary glass of champagne. If you’re going to make an airline analogy for something like this, you’re only going to make it more apparent that it’s like making customers pay more for a window seat. Or for a headset. It makes me think that next they’ll charge extra if we want to bring a sweater into an over-air-conditioned auditorium. Meanwhile, many cinemas already have D-Box motion seats, which lets us feel even more like we’re on a plane, specifically one with a lot of turbulence.

You’d think that the smarter thing to do here would be to offer cheaper tickets for the less desirable seats. Knock off a few bucks for the front two rows or the seats all the way over to the side. But theater owners don’t do that kind of thing. 

[DAR]

I never heard of Cineplex.

[AniNate]

Yeah, me no like. Cinemas are not sports arenas. There is not enough demand on a daily basis to support this kind of tiered seat pricing.

[MovieGuyKyle17]

Ugh....please for the love of god don't do this. I don't know Cineplex but please considering all the money spend at the movies this is getting to a point where people just won't go.

[baumer]

cineplex is the biggest theater chain in Canada.  They really have no competition as AMC has never really broken into the Canadian market and even the few theaters in had, Cineplex bought them up.

 

That statement that they released is such a load of crap.  I just wish they'd be honest and say that we need to find way to make more revenue and this is the best way we could find to rip our guests off.  

[DeeCee]

Make the middle seats more expensive and the side seats cheaper.

 

Nah.  That's crazy talk.

[a2k]

piracy will keep on rising.

[DAR]

As someone who hardly goes to the movies anymore this doesn't offer much incentive to go to more often

[Hangman]

From Cineplex @CineplexMovies:

 

We would like to respond to some of the miscommunication that appears to present in some media circles. Later this year, as part of a larger renovation, we will “TEST” a new program – also known as a “PILOT PROGRAM,” in ONE location only at our CINEPLEX ODEON VARSITY AND VIP CINEMAS. The program is called “Cineplex Select” seating. IT WILL OFFER LARGER, CLUB-STYLE SEATING, THAT CAN BE RESERVED IN ADVANCE, similar to the reserved seating we currently offer in our VIP Cinemas, UltraAVX and IMAX auditoriums, for a $2.00 premium. Our current plan is to OFFER THIS SEATING IN THE TWO MIDDLE ROWS ACROSS THE AUDITORIUM. ALL OTHER SEATS WILL REMAIN THE SAME AND AT THE TRADITIONAL PRICE. The concept is a result of the tremendously positive feedback we received from our guests on the other concepts mentioned above where we offer reserved seating, and seeing it used in other theatres in parts of Europe.

[lilmac]

piracy will keep on rising.

 

This

 

 

 

 

My local theater appears to have premium prices for new releases and gradually decreases the cost of the ticket as the film ages.  

[Water Bottle]

From Cineplex @CineplexMovies:

 

We would like to respond to some of the miscommunication that appears to present in some media circles. Later this year, as part of a larger renovation, we will “TEST” a new program – also known as a “PILOT PROGRAM,” in ONE location only at our CINEPLEX ODEON VARSITY AND VIP CINEMAS. The program is called “Cineplex Select” seating. IT WILL OFFER LARGER, CLUB-STYLE SEATING, THAT CAN BE RESERVED IN ADVANCE, similar to the reserved seating we currently offer in our VIP Cinemas, UltraAVX and IMAX auditoriums, for a $2.00 premium. Our current plan is to OFFER THIS SEATING IN THE TWO MIDDLE ROWS ACROSS THE AUDITORIUM. ALL OTHER SEATS WILL REMAIN THE SAME AND AT THE TRADITIONAL PRICE. The concept is a result of the tremendously positive feedback we received from our guests on the other concepts mentioned above where we offer reserved seating, and seeing it used in other theatres in parts of Europe.

 

Oh this is a lot more understandable then. If people are willing to pay for larger, club-style seating then all the power to them.

[AniNate]

AMC theaters have something like that. I wouldn't pay for it, but I guess if it's not too intrusive for others...

[Incarnadine]

cineplex is the biggest theater chain in Canada.  They really have no competition as AMC has never really broken into the Canadian market and even the few theaters in had, Cineplex bought them up.

 

That statement that they released is such a load of crap.  I just wish they'd be honest and say that we need to find way to make more revenue and this is the best way we could find to rip our guests off.  

Landmark is beginning to be some competition for Cineplex. In addition to new Landmark theaters sprouting up they also bought out the small Empire Theater chain.

I am finding myself going to the Landmark theater in New Westminster more and more often lately. Their ticket prices are lower, they have matinee pricing (virtually no Cineplex theater has matinee discounts, except for International Village, which they bought out from Cinemark) and all seats for all shows are reserved seating with no extra charge for it.

 

If Cineplex does go ahead with this they better limit it to 2 rows, kind of like the D-Box seating.

At Metrotown they just replaced all the seats with new reclining seats, but the first thing I noticed was they are narrower. I go there a lot so I actually know the seat counts for auditoriums and with the narrower seats they were able to get an extra seat per row in the smaller ones, and up to 2 extra seats per row in the big ones.

If Cineplex isn't careful they will end up driving people to Landmark. Landmark is only just beginning to become a threat to their market share, but in 5 years we might be in a position we were in 20 years ago with the big Cineplex Odeon vs. Famous Players theater wars. Obviously Cineplex ended up on top and bought out Famous players to become the near monopoly they have enjoyed for years.

[ChD]

Yay Romania. All seats cost the same.

[baumer]

Landmark is beginning to be some competition for Cineplex. In addition to new Landmark theaters sprouting up they also bought out the small Empire Theater chain.

I am finding myself going to the Landmark theater in New Westminster more and more often lately. Their ticket prices are lower, they have matinee pricing (virtually no Cineplex theater has matinee discounts, except for International Village, which they bought out from Cinemark) and all seats for all shows are reserved seating with no extra charge for it.

 

If Cineplex does go ahead with this they better limit it to 2 rows, kind of like the D-Box seating.

At Metrotown they just replaced all the seats with new reclining seats, but the first thing I noticed was they are narrower. I go there a lot so I actually know the seat counts for auditoriums and with the narrower seats they were able to get an extra seat per row in the smaller ones, and up to 2 extra seats per row in the big ones.

If Cineplex isn't careful they will end up driving people to Landmark. Landmark is only just beginning to become a threat to their market share, but in 5 years we might be in a position we were in 20 years ago with the big Cineplex Odeon vs. Famous Players theater wars. Obviously Cineplex ended up on top and bought out Famous players to become the near monopoly they have enjoyed for years.

 

I can only speak from Toronto and London experience.  Landmark is a blip.  There is one Landmark theater here in London and it is close to a discount theater.  The Empire theater in Mississauga (Toronto) is right next to a Cineplex and it basically plays Bollywood films and films that are later into their run. 

 

http://www.tribute.ca/showtimes/theatre/landmark-cinemas-10-square-one-mississauga-empire-studio-10/squar/

 

So they may be trying to compete, but Cineplex is the mafia in this country.  They have the market cornered.

[Incarnadine]

I can only speak from Toronto and London experience.  Landmark is a blip.  There is one Landmark theater here in London and it is close to a discount theater.  The Empire theater in Mississauga (Toronto) is right next to a Cineplex and it basically plays Bollywood films and films that are later into their run. 

 

http://www.tribute.ca/showtimes/theatre/landmark-cinemas-10-square-one-mississauga-empire-studio-10/squar/

 

So they may be trying to compete, but Cineplex is the mafia in this country.  They have the market cornered.

I just looked at the Landmark theater numbers for Canada, it looks like here in BC we have by far the most with 16 (2 more currently being built too), Ontario has  11, as does Alberta. The rest of Canada has just 7 combined. It looks like they are building up in the west mainly.

[baumer]

It would be nice if Landmark did form some competition for Cineplex.  I hated it when they bought most of the AMC theaters in Toronto.  

[Lordmandeep]

Cineplex will likely end up buying Landmark in the end.

 

Cineplex has an over 80% share of the market in Canada. 

[Incarnadine]

Cineplex will likely end up buying Landmark in the end.

 

Cineplex has an over 80% share of the market in Canada. 

Looking at the numbers I don't think Cineplex will be buying out Landmark. I actually didn't know Landmark has a good sized presence in the US as well as Canada, 54 theaters in Canada and over 50 in the US, and they look to be vigorously expanding.

Maybe we will have some true competition here soon, Landmark seems to be really pursuing market share here, unlike Cinemark, which opened just 1 theater here them sold it to Cineplex after a few years.

[redfirebird2008]

I wouldn't mind paying extra for the reservation itself. Sucks having to show up earlier to get a good seat.