Cirque du soleil

[herdadditions]

Can anyone tell me where the wheelchair seating is in this theatre? When looking at tickets online it does not show a way to book accessible seats.

 

[SueM in MN]

I’m pretty sure in the past there was a way to look at the accessible seats online.
I believe the really, really light grey dots in the screenshot that I circled in hot pink are the accessible spots. From what I remember reading, there are removable seats in those areas so they can configure it for a guest in a wheelchair plus the number of their party. I think the spots I marked with a hot pink arrow are individual wheelchair spots with permanent seats next to them.

Since there is no way to search for or choose the seats online, you may need to book by calling.

 

[ppony]

Thanks for asking this question, and Sue for the answer. I was wondering myself last week when I was looking at getting tickets. I couldn’t tell and the last time I was there, I wasn’t in a wheelchair so I didn’t pay attention to that. That answer was very helpful.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks for asking this question, and Sue for the answer. I was wondering myself last week when I was looking at getting tickets. I couldn’t tell and the last time I was there, I wasn’t in a wheelchair so I didn’t pay attention to that. That answer was very helpful.

Good luck with getting good seats.
Please let us know if my guesses were correct

 

[CJN]

Back in March 2020 we had tickets for one of those spots Sue circled in the lower area. We definitely had to call for booking. The CM let us know that my companions, who would be in two adjacent seats, would be separated from me by a bar. Since it ended being shut down, obviously we never got to see the show or the accessible seating area.

 

[ppony]

Good luck with getting good seats.
Please let us know if my guesses were correct

I was on hold for 2 hours today and then it was already 1 hour past regular business hours so I hung up. I'll try earlier tomorrow if I can. I have told them a few times that they REALLY need to make this information clear on their site because as we see here, it's most certainly not. Forcing someone simply because they have a disability to sit on hold for hours is just a terrible business model. I might add that their business hours are very difficult to find on their site, and their system just leaves you on hold long after business hours are up. WTH w/ that?!

 

[a1tinkfans]

I was on hold for 2 hours today and then it was already 1 hour past regular business hours so I hung up. I'll try earlier tomorrow if I can. I have told them a few times that they REALLY need to make this information clear on their site because as we see here, it's most certainly not. Forcing someone simply because they have a disability to sit on hold for hours is just a terrible business model. I might add that their business hours are very difficult to find on their site, and their system just leaves you on hold long after business hours are up. WTH w/ that?!

Oh, that’s Awful customer service. Good luck… hope it works out for you.

 

[ppony]

Here we go. I made a new map. Be prepared, the wait times on the phone are LONG, but in addition to that, it still took half an hour with an agent to buy 3 tickets. They will need to do 2 transactions if there is more than just the one wheelchair and companion. They book those 2 seats first. Those 2 seats will be the greyed out seats that you can barely see on the map. Even if one person is mobile, they'll be placed in one of those spots. The other seats will be close by, but there will almost always be a seat's space of empty between you and your companions. If there isn't a grey dot in the space, it's not a space for a seat. I'll try to remember to take a pic of the view from our seats in the back before the show starts so you can see the view. Sadly, there is no other way to book those seats w/o a l-o-n-g phone call.

 

[Evita_W]

Here we go. I made a new map. Be prepared, the wait times on the phone are LONG, but in addition to that, it still took half an hour with an agent to buy 3 tickets. They will need to do 2 transactions if there is more than just the one wheelchair and companion. They book those 2 seats first. Those 2 seats will be the greyed out seats that you can barely see on the map. Even if one person is mobile, they'll be placed in one of those spots. The other seats will be close by, but there will almost always be a seat's space of empty between you and your companions. If there isn't a grey dot in the space, it's not a space for a seat. I'll try to remember to take a pic of the view from our seats in the back before the show starts so you can see the view. Sadly, there is no other way to book those seats w/o a l-o-n-g phone call.

Aren't they now required to allow you to book wheelchair seats online if they allow others to book online? Or is that just a California law?

 

[ppony]

Aren't they now required to allow you to book wheelchair seats online if they allow others to book online? Or is that just a California law?

I'm not aware that that's a law even in my state. But Cirque is a Canadian company, so I'm not sure what they'd be forced to do to do business here.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm not aware that that's a law even in my state. But Cirque is a Canadian company, so I'm not sure what they'd be forced to do to do business here.

If they are doing business in the US, yes they must follow US laws. But to your point about whether it's a law in every state, I'm not sure. I thought it was a national law, at least for hotel booking I believe it is.

 

[SueM in MN]

Tickets should be available for purchase for accessible seats the same way as other seats from what I see in the ADA ticket guidelines
I don’t know why they are not; there may be some technical reason/loophole.
But, being an American company would not exempt them.

 

[ppony]

Maybe we need to remind them then. Because currently, calling is the only way. They *claim* to want to make things as accessible as possible on their website too, so blowing this one off belies that statement. I'll send them the ADA guidelines. I might get some spiel about them being Canadian and blah blah blah, but given a majority of their shows are doing in the States, they certainly know they have rules to play by. I'll let you guys know if I hear anything back.

 

[Evita_W]

Maybe we need to remind them then. Because currently, calling is the only way. They *claim* to want to make things as accessible as possible on their website too, so blowing this one off belies that statement. I'll send them the ADA guidelines. I might get some spiel about them being Canadian and blah blah blah, but given a majority of their shows are doing in the States, they certainly know they have rules to play by. I'll let you guys know if I hear anything back.

Yeah, it doesn't matter if they are a Canadian company, they are doing business in the U.S. and still have to follow U.S. laws.

 

[ppony]

Yeah, it doesn't matter if they are a Canadian company, they are doing business in the U.S. and still have to follow U.S. laws.

Agreed! To operate in another country, you are bound by their laws. It's there in black and white in the ADA ticket sales verbiage. I sent them a kind message outlining the lack of compliance as well as giving them the link Sue shared. Hopefully, they'll actually do something.

 

[Princess Nancy]

Can someone who has seen the show tell me if Performers walk in the Aisles? I have a child with anxiety and is nervous about going. Thanks soooo much!

 

[ppony]

Can someone who has seen the show tell me if Performers walk in the Aisles? I have a child with anxiety and is nervous about going. Thanks soooo much!

They do. Especially before the show. They spend most of their time in the middle ring between the seat decks. Then going up and down aisles a little. Nothing to worry about at all. Performers are extremely respectful and won’t scare a child they see if nervous. At an Allegria show, we were in seats at the stage and the activity so close w the wind blowing hard made my son a bit scared. The performer WHILE the performance was going on, made a point to check to see that my son was ok. They’re wonderful ppl. So I’d say not to get seats right next to the stage. The activity that close than be intense.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Looks like Cirque du Soleil is trying to get all of their websites up to snuff from an ADA perspective:

 

[ppony]

Looks like Cirque du Soleil is trying to get all of their websites up to snuff from an ADA perspective:

View attachment 640668

The first time I contacted Cirque about this issue, I didn't mention the ADA stuff because I didn't know, but I did mention how difficult it was and wasn't there another way? And that they really needed to make this available online. The response I got was basically tough poo, I needed to call. I swaths page on their site, but the person responding just blew me off. This time I attached the ADA stuff, so hopefully they'll actually take it seriously.

 

[OurBigTrip]

The first time I contacted Cirque about this issue, I didn't mention the ADA stuff because I didn't know, but I did mention how difficult it was and wasn't there another way? And that they really needed to make this available online. The response I got was basically tough poo, I needed to call. I swaths page on their site, but the person responding just blew me off. This time I attached the ADA stuff, so hopefully they'll actually take it seriously.

I recommend that you contact the email address above and let them know, if you haven’t already. I wouldn’t expect a reservations phone agent to know or be able to address ADA requirements.