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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Sitting in front of people in a cinema

60 replies

agedknees · 18/07/2012 19:24

So had a day off today and so did dd. We decided to go and see Prometheus (sp) because it's orange Wednesday.

Not many people in the cinema. We made our way to a row and sat, making sure we had not sat in front of anyone (cinema was nearly empty, so that was not difficult).

Two large men walked in, took the row in front of us and sat down directly in front of us.

Now fine if the cinema is full, but this one was practically empty.

To me that seems rude, or AIBU? dd and I moved a few seats to the left (making sure we where not obstructing anyones view).

Just to add we are both under 5ft and the two men who sat in front of us looked over 6ft.

OP posts:

forevergreek · 19/07/2012 07:08

How does it even work to not have seats allocated?

If there are 100 seats and everyone sets willy nilly then when those who come in after there are bound to be odd seats, not close together etc as that's all left. At least when you book you can choose front/ middle/ back and to sit next to your child or partner

Would you all really be happy to walk in and find you had to sit in one row and say your 4 year old had to sit 10 rows back alone sandwiched in between strangers?

nooka · 19/07/2012 07:21

Our local cinema doesn't allocate seats and that is the sort of thing that can happen if you don't arrive early for a popular film. It is quite irritating.

dexter73 · 19/07/2012 07:34

My dh and I were the only people in the cinema and a man came in and sat next to my dh! It was so funny! I had tears rolling down my face and dh was doing his wtf face. We all sat very cosily watching the film together!

Silverstar2 · 19/07/2012 07:37

Don't think I have ever been to a cinema where seats are allocated, unless you pay extra for so called 'premuim' seats........

Forevergreek - you are right - you just have to get there early or on time, as you WILL have to take what is left if you are late, regardless if you have small children. I find this really annoying, as it is dark, the people can't see which 3 seats are left, and then there is a big kerfuffle of people getting to the bloody seats, which disrupts everyone else.... then loud noises about how they are not sitting together, can someone move so their pfb can sit next to them etc - JUST GET THERE ON TIME THEN!

and breeeeathe.................

SurprisinglyCurvaceousPirate · 19/07/2012 07:50

Forevergreek, not being allocated seats is a total pita and I really don't understand why cinemas don't do it in this computer age.

Our local cinema is a bunfight for seats so u have to get there ridiculously early to make sure u get a good seat. Drives me mad .

MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic · 19/07/2012 08:04

I went to see Magic Mike with my sister at our local Odeon (unallocated seating) and sat a good few rows in front of the people who were already there - everyone had done the same thing, cinema was pretty empty so lots of room to indulge personal space etc. Group mainly comprised of men came in and sat directly in front of us. We did do a bit of but by the time the place filled up a bit it wasn't quite so noticeably odd (although it was still empty enough they could have comfortably have been one row further forward, or over to one side by two seats)

On the other hand, I went to see Spiderman by myself yesterday at a Vue cinema (allocated seating that they let you pick off the screen) - made sure I booked an aisle seat so I didn't end up cramped and in pain (stupid defective long legs) and even though it was really quiet (11am on a weekday!) we all ended up sitting dotted about on the last 5 rows There were only about 30 of us in various groupings and we'd clumped ourselves together at the back...

confusedpixie · 19/07/2012 08:52

Forever: surely if you knew that they didn't allocate seats you'd her there early? My local cinema as a kid never did (still doesn't!) we'd just go early. We never had problems getting seats and my mum would frequently take me, my two sisters and her three childminded children.

If you don't get there on time it's your own fault really. I'd it's a busy film you just get there early.

looking4something · 19/07/2012 08:59

I've never had a problem with not allocating seats. We had a lady and her daughter the other day who had two seats on the aisle side of them and one the other, we politely asked and she said "No! This is where I always sit!" she took us back by how rude she was. Of course when one of us tried to get past to sit the other side she quickly moved up.

trikken · 19/07/2012 09:13

Seats not allocated in ours. No problems either.just the noisy eaters. We always make sure we are there early anyway as its not a massive cinema and if you don't you might not get in if its new out.

valiumredhead · 19/07/2012 09:40

McHappy so do we!

forevergreek · 19/07/2012 13:10

Didn't affect me, like I say Iv never been to a cinema that doesn't sob the thought of not being able to book would never occur to me

Il stick to my cinemas anyway ( London based so maybe that's why all can be allocated) as then I can turn up as the adverts finish ( like the rest of the cinema did last night)

Do people still turn up on time these days? Our film time was 7.40, we arrived at 8ish to miss most the the same adverts and there were only about 15 people there. After we sat down another 40 odd people joined in the next 10 mins to also miss adverts. Seems we would all be hopeless elsewhere

mynewpassion · 19/07/2012 14:03

If you were sitting in prime viewing, then expect people to sit near you. You could cough all you want, I could care less because I want to sit where I can have the best view of the movie.

avivabeaver · 19/07/2012 14:36

people are nuts is the only explanation

i have a very tall DP (am pretty short myself). If we go to things with allocated seating as a family, we juggle about into the best combination to avoid him blocking someones view.

In cinemas we always get there early (first come, first served) but I will always move if someone too tall, talky or smelly sits near me. dont care what they might think!

CasperGutman · 19/07/2012 15:22

Cinemas without allocated seats are fine when half the seats are empty, but at busy cinemas that regularly fill up allocated seats are a must.

I once went to a film in a group of about 6 friends and there were allocated seats, but someone was sitting in hours. We pointed this out very politely and they refused to move. The place was full so we wouldn't have been able to sit together. So, reluctantly, we went and asked a member of staff. We assumed they'd make the se cheeky characters move out of the way, but they spoke to them and told us they had refused to move, so we'd have to sit separately. They didn't seem to see this as a problem . All's well that ends well, though - we kept on moaning and they upgraded us to the posh seats to shut us up.

As to whether it's unreasonable to sit in front of someone, I think it's a little unreasonable if the cinema's almost empty. The degree of unreasonable-ness depends on how steeply raked the seating is, though. If it's decent sloping stadium-style seating, and the seats have high backs, you hardly even know there's someone in front of you.

SurprisinglyCurvaceousPirate · 19/07/2012 17:05

Forever, but you could only turn up just as the film was about to start if you have allocated seating! As others have said if the seating is not booked you have to turn up ridiculously early to make sure you get a seat.

It was alright pre-kids, but now we're relying on babysitters and having to get the kids to bed, etc, it's a bloody pain.

As I said above I still don't understand how, in this day and age, seating can't be allocated in all cinemas!

Ephiny · 19/07/2012 17:10

It sounds thoughtless of them (I think tall people sometimes don't think about these things as it's never been an issue for them!), but surely it was easy for you to just move, not worth dwelling on it IMO.

whathasthecatdonenow · 19/07/2012 17:29

I've never been to a cinema without allocated seating. At the box office they ask 'front, middle or back' and if you want anything more specific e.g. aisle seat, you request it then. If you use the machines you just click on the actual seat you want.

iknowwho · 19/07/2012 17:40

The three independent cinemas that I use on a regular basis dont have allocated seats and that suits me fine.

I think in the 20+ years I have been going to them there has only been two occasions when the cinema was completly full and we couldn't sit together.
It's hardly a big deal if two adults don't sit together.

Last year at the Inbetweeners film it was packed and we booked an aisle seat in the top row for Dh + the next one in.
The seat next to me was free and then people were in the ones after that. A couple came in late and asked us to move up one but we refused. The girl sat in the spare seat and the guy on the aisle steps.
We got filthy looks and glared at for that but quite frankly I didn't give a shit.

iknowwho · 19/07/2012 17:41

All those who have only been to cinemas with allocated seating - Are they the main stream cinemas like the Vue and Apollo?

SurprisinglyCurvaceousPirate · 19/07/2012 18:20

iknowwho, our local cinema is a Vue with unallocated seating.

It isn't so much about not being able to sit together as being sat in half decent seats - if you're late at ours and have to sit in the front couple of rows you end up with neck ache watching the film .

iknowwho · 19/07/2012 18:34

One of the best cinema set up I have been to was watching a film in a gallery on a 3 piece Chesterfield. I snuggled up to DH with a glass of wine. There was a big comfy leather armchair that a young woman came and sat on and a few bean bags scattered around that no one sat on.

Best of all there was no set admission price - you just gave a contibution on your way out!

Doomfinger · 22/07/2012 13:59

It's been about 10 years since I've been to a cinema with allocated seating and I can't remember it ever being a problem, even when it's been a fairly new film and packed out.

maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavour · 22/07/2012 14:14

I go to the cinema in the next town over so we can choose seats, I hate having to get there really early or trying to find seats

Since I became disabled things have been a bit trickier but it's usually fine, we went to watch a film once and I was in the disabled seating bit (which I'd pre-booked) some random man came up to me and said that he and his gf wanted to sit there as it was 'more private' I said that sorry but no as I needed the seat and had booked it, he started to get arsey at which point my DH arrived and with a smile told him he could have the seat as long as DH could break his legs so he was disabled too as it was only fair. He declined and scuttled out of the cinema altogether

3duracellbunnies · 22/07/2012 14:27

Next time you can take ds with you. Last time he went with dh he would unexpectedly get up and say raaahhh in the ear of the woman infront at slightly scary moments in the film, when he wasn't demanding his travel potty. Fortunately it was the kids club, up until this time he loved going and sat through tinkerbell enthralled before shouting 'again, again' at the end. He hasn't been since, but I am happy to hire him out for a very reasonable price!

Itsgottabebags · 22/07/2012 20:48

One of the things that I love about allocated cinema seats is:

1.Telling people that the seats people are sitting in are the ones that are booked for me and a friend.

Watching and listening to someone else kicking someone out of the seats as they had allocated them and hearing the chavvy woman in the seat asking whay they couldn't sit somewhere else.

Of course I have been kicked out of my seat when I have sat in a seat that I have not been allocated.

OP- I agree with you.

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