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Holly Springs has a dinner and a movie type theater on Hwy 55. The food was just ok, but the chairs were leather power recliners and super-comfy. We saw Blade Runner there - very nice seating for such a long movie.
Raleigh is getting an Alamo Drafthouse on the east side of the city. I don't know when it's slated to open.
I've been there. Place is huge. I think I saw... hell, I forget now, but it was around the time the new Blade Runner was released, but I know it wasn't Blade Runner.
We saw that at Cinebistro.
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I haven't read the entire thread, but since we go to the movies 2-3X per week, I'll chime in with my thoughts. I'm assuming you've already got the list of theaters with the lounger.
Cinemark on Grove Barton - bad sound system. You'll hear everything from the theaters next door if it's a loud movie. And they have the worst loyalty program in the business. And if you're seeing a film that has any subtitles at all, you have to lean forward in your lounger to read them because the wall it built too high.
Brier Creek - great sound system, and Regal has a good loyalty program.
Carolina Theater in Durham - it's not about the seats. It's about the indie and foreign films. Great loyalty program, and the seats are terrible.
Rialto and the Chelsea and The Cary Theater - the seats are terrible, there's no loyalty program at all, but they show the indie films. (PS the chelsea is scheduled to close this month unless they can find somebody to take it over.)
Stone at Park West - incredibly clean, great seats, nice people. I wish more people went to this theater - they are also the ones who do special showings for folks that have sensory sensitivity issues.
CineBistro - never been. Refuse to pay the inflated prices. And I don't get the meal and a movie concept.
North Regal and Regal Crossroads - nice, good sound system.
AMC North Pointe - ugh.
AMC Blue Ridge - the worse seats and it kinda smells. OTOH, tickets are only $2 every day, all the time. I can deal with it to see some of the crap movies that are being produced that I won't pay $8 to see. We were there yesterday to see "Roman Israel Esq." Don't bother - and how did the get Denzel Washington to make this?
As far as walking up without tickets - forget it on weekends except AMC Blue Ridge, The Cary, Rialto, Carolina Theater, the Chelsea and MAYBE the Silverspot for their indie showings.
Crossroads with the recliners and reserved seats is worth the premium for ordering online for newer shows. We usually show up for the afternoon matinee when the one we want has run a month or so. Check online for availability first.
It's our first choice.
Another tip for everyone ... if you set up a free account with Fandango and order your movie tickets on their app, you can exchange or get a refund for your ticket (minus the service fee) up until the movie time. This has come in handy a few times.
Yeah, the theaters are pretty small. I do like the assigned seating A LOT but it is a pain if you just decide you want to go to the movies on the spur of the moment. I honestly wish all theaters would go to this model. It amazes me that people will show up to movie as the trailers are starting and expect people to "move down"...uh, no I got my arse here early so we could have the end of the row, not my problem you can't find "x" number of seats together 10 minutes after the listed start time of the movie. And it is invariably people who show up with a whole herd of people at the very last minute.
This strikes me as now unfamiliar having lived overseas and not having been to the cinema much since returning to the US. Over there you buy your tix online which shows the floor map of the entire theatre and which seats are still available, you choose your location by just clicking on the seats like boxes on a form. It's trained me to not like taking my chances with free seating. Super easy and convenient.
Having said that, moviegoing experiences there were mostly awful, with loud talking, texters, uncomfortably freezing aircon, and disgusting eaters like Lord Helmet described. It got to where we found ourselves going less and less.
I haven't read the entire thread, but since we go to the movies 2-3X per week, I'll chime in with my thoughts. I'm assuming you've already got the list of theaters with the lounger.
Cinemark on Grove Barton - bad sound system. You'll hear everything from the theaters next door if it's a loud movie. And they have the worst loyalty program in the business. And if you're seeing a film that has any subtitles at all, you have to lean forward in your lounger to read them because the wall it built too high.
Brier Creek - great sound system, and Regal has a good loyalty program.
Carolina Theater in Durham - it's not about the seats. It's about the indie and foreign films. Great loyalty program, and the seats are terrible.
Rialto and the Chelsea and The Cary Theater - the seats are terrible, there's no loyalty program at all, but they show the indie films. (PS the chelsea is scheduled to close this month unless they can find somebody to take it over.)
Stone at Park West - incredibly clean, great seats, nice people. I wish more people went to this theater - they are also the ones who do special showings for folks that have sensory sensitivity issues.
CineBistro - never been. Refuse to pay the inflated prices. And I don't get the meal and a movie concept.
North Regal and Regal Crossroads - nice, good sound system.
AMC North Pointe - ugh.
AMC Blue Ridge - the worse seats and it kinda smells. OTOH, tickets are only $2 every day, all the time. I can deal with it to see some of the crap movies that are being produced that I won't pay $8 to see. We were there yesterday to see "Roman Israel Esq." Don't bother - and how did the get Denzel Washington to make this?
As far as walking up without tickets - forget it on weekends except AMC Blue Ridge, The Cary, Rialto, Carolina Theater, the Chelsea and MAYBE the Silverspot for their indie showings.
You can prepurchased assigned seating online for virtually all the branded theaters. You will pay an extra $1.50 per ticket. Prepurchase tickets at the box office incurs no additional charges.
Theaters without online booking (afaik, since I'm too much of a cheapskate to pay the service charges): Rialto, Chelsea, Carolina theater, Stone Park West.
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