interesting observations at the movie theatre

[SueM in MN]

LindsayDunn: I noticed that the new theater's handicapped section was right in the center of the theater, between the upper and lower decks, in probably the best area to view the movie. My kids and I were talking about how (literally) painful it is to see from the front when I noticed the designated area and realized what an annoyance it must be to *have* to sit in a bad spot. I'm glad to see theaters wising up and offering better for people who have no choice.

The stadium seating theaters around us have that set up. The wheelchair spots are in the first row of the "stadium" seating part. The area in front of that is sloped floor with seats.
Unfortunately, there are only 2 wheelchair "spots", one at each end of that row. So, if 2 people using wheelchairs want to go to the movie together, they can't unless one can transfer to a seat. Or, if someone using a wheelchair gets there and the 2 spots are already taken, they will either have to leave or park their wheelchair at the end of one of the first rows (so far to the side that the screen is beside you, not in front of you).
A lot of times, the seats right next to the wheelchair spots are occupied by someone already when a person using a wheelchair arrives. I have seen people refuse to move, even when there were other seats available a few seats away. The theater usher can ask them to move, but not make them.

 

[golfgal]

We went to the first showing yesterday and expected a huge line. There were maybe 50 people in front of us so it wasn't bad at all. The theater was almost full but as usual there were the late arrivals complaining in the aisle about how they couldn't find seats (get there earlier next time). We had one lady in our row that got up twice to I assume go to the bathroom. If you can't sit for 2 1/2 hours without going to the bathroom, sit on the aisle!

 

[LoveWDW]

I got off work Friday at noon so went over to the theater, not knowing if I could get a seat but thinking maybe the kids would be in school. I was wondering if parents would let their children skip school. I did see a few children but perhaps they were home-schooled. Anyway I asked the ticket seller which times were open and he said there was one starting right then, so I went in, and the theater was only about a fifth full. I had my choice of excellent seats. I had even brought a book to read, thinking that it would all be sold out and I'd have a wait until a time that was open. As it turned out I had no wait at all. Plenty of room around me. There was one baby that I heard making a small amount of noise but his mother carried him out quickly. It was a surprisingly fine experience for me in the theater that day, especially considering it was the first day.

I liked the movie but would be very careful about young children seeing it. The spider torture scene made me upset, such cruelty. The death scene later on came quickly but is still shocking. The other parts with Valdemort are oogie.

 

[Nana Annie]

A lot of times, the seats right next to the wheelchair spots are occupied by someone already when a person using a wheelchair arrives. I have seen people refuse to move, even when there were other seats available a few seats away. The theater usher can ask them to move, but not make them.

Our local stadium theater is designed the same way - handicap accessible seats are in the middle between the lower and upper sections. 2 seats then wheelchair space for 4 chairs - 3 seats - space for 4 chair space - 2 seats. The seats are draped with the handicap sign and specific wording saying that the seats are reserved for those in wheelchairs and their companions. And that if somebody needs the seat, they will be removed.

A few weeks ago, I was in a theater, sitting in the row right in front of the handicap accessible seats. A group of moms came in with their daughters. The girls looked between 16 and 21 - one in a wheelchair, the other three mobile, but each with some sort of disability.

It was early, so the theater was pretty empty. But there were a bunch of young girls (about 7) in the handicap seats. Apparently a birthday party or such. The moms (of the girls with disabilities) went over and politely asked the three girls in the center handicap section to please move, as they would need the seats for their wheelchair bound daughter and her companions. Now there were seats all over the theater - and good seats too. In fact, the mothers of the birthday party were sitting in the row behind the girls (across the aisle). There were available seats right behind the mothers.

The girls, very politely got up and started to move. The mother came flying over the railing behind them and asked the girls "what are you doing?" The girls said that they had been asked to move. The mother starts yelling - saying that they did not have to move, the mothers of the girls with disabilities had no right to ask them to move, they were there first, etc. Those poor little girls. They were being so polite and now this mother was making a huge scene. The mother of the girl in the wheelchair was about to go get the manager when the mother of the girls sitting in the section of 2 seats next to the center got up and told her girls to move. They did and the wheelchair was placed next to these handicap reserved seats with two of her friends in the seats next to her and one in the seats in front. It really would have been nice if all three girls could have sat together, but I guess the mothers didn't want to continue the scene by forcing the issue of having the three girls in the center move to different seats.

Personally, if it had been my daughters, I would have had the manager there in a heartbeat, not letting this horrible mother get her way and teach those girls, who tried so hard to be kind and considerate, to be total jerks.

Needless to say, she was stared at by the rest of us in the theater for the rest of the movie. But I am guessing it didn't phase her one bit.

 

[Lil_Tink]

Daxx's Wife here. DS9 and I went to see HP & GOF on Fri. and then, again, yesterday b/c Daxx wanted to see it. Fri. was def. a "better viewing" b/c the theatre we were in was the larger of the stadium theatres. The Sat. movie was in the smaller of the stadium theatres, so w/all the people, it felt very boxed in. Well, wouldn't you know ... there were about 30 kids between 3 and 7 around us. I said to DS9, "they're going to be crying!" and he agreed. Sure enough, they all started to howl (and I mean howl) when Voldemort came on.

I know some kids can handle that kind of stuff ... and I know there are some kids who can't. If your child gets scared easily, or is 3 or 4, don't take them. The whole Voldemort thing isn't pretty.

Exactly my friends little sister can handle almost anything. She is 3 and watched the boogie man and didnt find it scary at all.

 

[SueM in MN]

Our local stadium theater is designed the same way - handicap accessible seats are in the middle between the lower and upper sections. 2 seats then wheelchair space for 4 chairs - 3 seats - space for 4 chair space - 2 seats. The seats are draped with the handicap sign and specific wording saying that the seats are reserved for those in wheelchairs and their companions. And that if somebody needs the seat, they will be removed.

I wish ours were like that.
The theaters by us have one wheelchair spot on the end the front row of the upper section. The spot is marked with a small wheelchair symbol (small) and the seat right next to that seat has a small wheelchair symbol on the side of it. So, not very noticeable at all. And, it's only two wheelchair spots for the whole theater.

The story about the girls in the accessible seats is not uncommon. I've seen it too. I've also found kids to be much more accomidating than adults, so that is one case where the adults could learn from the children.

 

[va32h]

That's one of the reasons I took my daughter to the midnight showing. I figured there wouldn't be too many parents wanting to stay up til 3 am and let their child miss school the next day.

(and I was right; dd9 was the youngest person by several years in the theater - and for the record, she was beautifully behaved!).

But we want to see it again - in IMAX. My hope is that parents of little ones will not want to waste the extra $$ an IMAX showing costs...and we will go to the latest show, too.

But then again, I once had tickets to the National Figure Skating Championships - cost $80/each and the competition lasted past 11pm, and neither of those things kept the family next to me from bringing their restless, whiny preschoolers.

 

[eeyore kelly]

There was a two year old behind me and a 4 year old beside me. What were these parents thinking

 

[Steffi]

We saw GoF Friday night at 9. The theatre was, of course, packed to the gills. But the crowd was pretty good for the most part. Except for...

There was a huge group of teenagers sitting behind us who were talking loudly on their cell phones (before the movie started). The girl behind me was loudly complaining to her boyfriend that she was the only one in the group there 'alone' and demanding that he get his butt to the theatre. I'm assuming he told her the show was sold out, because the next thing I heard her say, was, "Oh, so what? Just buy a ticket for another show and I'll meet you in the lobby and give you my ticket stub. I'll sit on your lap."

 

[LoraJ]

I wrote about my GoF experience in another thread. I seemed to be sitting in the pre-school section with a bunch of tots who weren't watching the movie at all. One mother would laugh every time her little girl would make a fuss. Lady, it is not cute, it is annoying.

and then some kid, around 7 years old behind me got a phone call near the end of the movie and talked on the phone. His dad did nothing about it and didn't care that me and everyone else in front of him were giving the "glare'.

The worst was a couple of weeks ago when we went to see Jarhead. Thisis not a kids movie at all, yet it seemed like a large number of people in the audience had snuck in with their young kids after watching Chicken Little (they all had the 3D glasses with them). Most behaved, but something happened in the back row and the kids started running up and down the aisle in and out yelling and hollering. Turned out one kid had stollen someone's purse. he was about 10 years old. Ugh!

 

[SamRoc]

I never go to the movies here in New York anymore, just for these reasons. If its not some young guys speaking another language very loudly on the cell phones during the film, its the "interactive" group as I like to call them. They seem to think they are a part of the movie and have to yell at the screen. Alot of people here think its perfectly fine to have their cell phones go off during a film and have a long conversation during it. I mean I can see if they were a doctor or something and it was emergency, but these are basically teenagers. I have only experienced a totally quiet film here once, and it was full of actors seeing a screening of The Lord of the Rings Return of the King. For the entire movie there wasn't one sound, everyone was respectful of others in the theater and that was on 42nd street at a private screening. For now, I'll wait til things come out on video, even though I would love to see The Constant Gardner and Pride and Prejudice. I think thats why so many people are buying large screen tvs (we bought a 50" one) and plasma tvs, so they don't have to deal with the rude selfish people in the movie theaters.

 

[Bashful2]

The last time I went to the movies was when The Ring 2 came out. My 2 DDs and I got there early to pick the seats we wanted. By the time the movie started, it was pretty crowded.

The group of teens behind us would not shut up to the point that we couldn't hear the movie. I asked them politely to stop talking, but that just got them going more. Several other people (and not just those sitting near them) in the theatre also told them to be quiet.

Finally, I went out and got security. He came in so, of course, they stopped. As soon as he left, they started again. I went out a couple of more times and the scenerio replayed. The manager ending up offering me 2 tickets (there were 3 of us) to come another time, but they wouldn't do anything about the unruly teens. We finally just left as did a few other people. That's when I decided that from now on, I would wait for the DVD to come out.

 

[Marseeya]

Finally, I went out and got security. He came in so, of course, they stopped. As soon as he left, they started again. I went out a couple of more times and the scenerio replayed. The manager ending up offering me 2 tickets (there were 3 of us) to come another time, but they wouldn't do anything about the unruly teens. We finally just left as did a few other people. That's when I decided that from now on, I would wait for the DVD to come out.

Why would it be so hard for them to ask disruptive people to leave? My DH worked for a theater a long time ago and he said they always asked them to leave rather than offering free tickets.

A good while back, I took my DD to a movie (Prince and Me). These women came in with young children between infancy and preschool age and they were letting the kids run back and forth in the aisles and make all kinds of noise. People were shushing them, but they wouldn't listen. I finally got fed up and tracked down a manager (an older lady) who said, "Well, what do you want me to do about it?" So, I told her matter of factly, "I'd like for you to ask them to quiet down or LEAVE." She came in and observed the behavior and must have told them to leave because they did. But I'll never get over her asking me what I expected her to do about it!

 

[April in Disney]

We saw GOF at 4.30 viewing in DTD." our first movie in FL" We loved the movie and the theater. The seats were nice and comfortable with no stain. The movie was sold out, we got our tickets a month ago. Hardly any children, my DD 10.5 was probably one of the younger one and she is a HP freak, we have done the midnight madness release of the books for the last 4 books, we buy three books for the three of us and donate two to the local library after we finish reading. DD is always the first to finish her book. We didn't hear any phone ringing or talking or rude behavior. Everyone around us took their garbage to the trash can at the end of the movie. DD got a star pin for her Hedwig and Dobby from a nice older couple. The overall experience was a 9.5 out of 10.

 

[Captain Brain]

I went to see GoF earlier today.

I may be 14 but those Voldemort parts are scary!!He looked like an alien when he was being 'reborn'.The spider torture really hurt me.I wouldn't let my brother see it.He was afraid of moths,I don't think he would have liked it.

We got there right as the movie was starting.My Mom's friend had not shown up yet.So,whenever we got to a part where the movie was 'bright',we looked for her.She was a bit late so she missed one of my favorite parts.(when the ship comes out of the water&the dance numbers the new people do)I was scared of the Graveyard scenes because the masksthe Death Eaters wear just looks creepy.

Over all,a good movie,no annoying people.But,they could have put it in the big theater instead of the small one.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

We went to see Harry Potter twice this weekend. Once no issues.

Then My friends opened a new cinema and I went down for opening night. There was quite a few kids in there 16? or so. they were really obnoxious. Now keep in mind millon dollar renovation and opening night. They had new stadium seating and reclining chairs. These kids were climbing up over and under and getting a little frisky from floor level. I moved my ds 11 to another seat.

I was on the row so. I could be seen by the ushers.. Now about half way into the movie the women next to me's cell phone rang. She answered it right there in her seat. and had a conversation. I could not believe it. The new owner( My friend) was standing there watching her. He came over and told her to take it out. She did and was all huffy I was shocked. Then He came over and brought me popcorn and soda for us. Now she thinks I complained... it made for an icey experience after that. After that he went out to dinner and the kids got wilder and wilder until they were whipping candy at each other and anyone else in the crossfire. At that point... I couldn't have said amything cause then she would have thought I had told on her...For sure....
If I had paid for any of it I would have been really upset, but, beggars can't be choosers!

 

[denisem]

We saw GOF at 4.30 viewing in DTD." our first movie in FL" We loved the movie and the theater. The seats were nice and comfortable with no stain. The movie was sold out, we got our tickets a month ago. Hardly any children, my DD 10.5 was probably one of the younger one and she is a HP freak, we have done the midnight madness release of the books for the last 4 books, we buy three books for the three of us and donate two to the local library after we finish reading. DD is always the first to finish her book. We didn't hear any phone ringing or talking or rude behavior. Everyone around us took their garbage to the trash can at the end of the movie. DD got a star pin for her Hedwig and Dobby from a nice older couple. The overall experience was a 9.5 out of 10.

Maybe it's a mid-central FL thing! GOF was also our 1st movie in FL. (Friday 10:55 pm showing of GOF). As Ocala is a predominently retirement-age community, we figured a late showing might be less crowded. Wrong - it was packed with every teenager in town and I'll admit I mentally rolled my eyes...

Wow, was I proven wrong! It was the most respectful, quiet movie experience we've had in years. There was one minor disruption by a crying baby, but the parent quickly whisked him/her out.

Denise < --- yet another reason I love livin' here.

 

[Crankyshank]

I seldom go to the movies anymore because quite honestly I'm not so well off that I can afford to blow close to $10 per ticket and not hear the movie because people are yakking so loud. If you want to chat with your friends then kindly go to the drive in or stay home!

I went to see Walk the Line this afternoon by myself. I was the youngest there by at least 25yrs. I thought to myself this would be great - no teens and no cell phones or chattering. Oh no! The elderly were worse. Not only were they ignoring the movie so they can talk, they were talking extra loud because they couldn't hear! and what's the manager going to do? Shush or kick out Grandma?

It seems to me that the higher the ticket prices go, the worse the movie etiquette becomes.

 

[Marseeya]

I went to see Walk the Line this afternoon by myself. I was the youngest there by at least 25yrs. I thought to myself this would be great - no teens and no cell phones or chattering. Oh no! The elderly were worse. Not only were they ignoring the movie so they can talk, they were talking extra loud because they couldn't hear! and what's the manager going to do? Shush or kick out Grandma?

It seems to me that the higher the ticket prices go, the worse the movie etiquette becomes.

I agree with you. Any time an elderly person sits in front of us, we end up having to move. We used to love sitting in that front row of stadium seating right above the wheelchair spots, but then we discovered that the older people don't like climbing up to the top so we started sitting in the highest row. It seems a bit better there.

And your comment about the ticket prices has me FIL owns a 2nd/3rd run theater and charges $1 a ticket. Most of the people who come in live in this poor section of town (where the theater's located) -- many kids, families, etc. They're actually a good big quieter than audience members in the stadium theaters. FIL tries to keep them in line, though, too.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

We are Netflix users and watch most of out movies through that. But I am a firm believer that there are some movies I just HAVE to see on the big screen- Walk the Line is going to be one of them.

I absolutely love going to the movies, it's the other people there that drive me bananas.