GatorDeb

I tell them "It was a prepaid card that doesn't take refunds." That's why I can't use AMC or Regal for exchanges, only Century/CineMark. My worry is that MoviePass is going to wonder why the card is getting refunds, because there's not supposed to be exchanges. So I work it within the limits. I use Fandango to see how much the most expensive 2D ticket is, sign in for that, and buy a ticket that's cheaper (i.e. 3D Early Bird) or pay cash first (i.e. a dollar for Cirque du Soleil 3D that's only being shown at Regal and early bird 3D is $12 and night 2D is $11) then pay the rest with the card. If you look at my records on my MoviePass card you will only show charges for the same or less than what was put on in the card. This way everyone is happy

If they can't make exchanges/upgrades without the card, then don't use them for exchanges/upgrades. Do what I do, find out the most expensive 2D and the cheapest of what you want to see and pay the difference (sign in for 2D and pay for what you want to see before you use the card, whatever the difference is). 3D will come out being a wash. IMAX and IMAX 3D will cost you ($6.50 IMAX and $9 IMAX 3D out of pocket for me).

nickdawgy

My wife wanted to get a ticket for Monsters Inc 3D and bought one for Rise of the Guardians at the kiosk. She then took it to the window to exchange and pay the extra amount (this is Cinemark, btw) and they said they don't allow exchanges.

Obi-Wanma

She shoud've just made her original purchase at the counter and paid the extra amount in cash there.

nickdawgy

Well I asked her and she said she spoke to the manager and he told her they don't allow exchanges just a refund to the original card used.

tonyc3742

Been following the details loosely.
If it just puts XX.XX on the card, can't you check in for something, buy a ticket for that or another show, then pay any overage out of pocket?

Obi-Wanma

Yes, which is what I was suggesting. MoviePass doesn't have any way of knowing what movie you purchased with the ticket, only that you spent the correct amount at the theater.

iNCREDiPiNOY

They put credit of the movie you check-in. For AMC, go to kiosk to purchase any movie you want it must be equal or lesser value. For Cinemark, go to the window to pay in cash first + moviepass.

GatorDeb

She hands over her card and the MoviePass card, says I want Overage in HerCard and rest on MoviePass card. I do this all the time. Just paid a dollar for a 3D movie. I check in for the most expensive 2D showing I can find and use Fandango so that I know beforehand how much is in the card. Then I pay the overage with my checkcard and the rest with the MP card.

BUT are you sure she's maximizing it? Check in for night 2D and go to first showing 3D, for instance, and most of the time you won't pay anything at all. Give me the city and state and I'll show you.

GatorDeb

The franchise doesn't matter, you can go to the window at AMC and pay the overage also.

A-aron

My Cinemark (Arundel Mills, MD) is demanding the card used to make the original purchase in order to do an exchange.

Since I want to upgrade to 3d - for example Monsters Inc tomorrow. Should I just but the 2D, then take the ticket in, give them the MP card and pay cash for the difference?

GatorDeb

No. Sign in for the 2D and use Fandango to see how much the ticket price is for that time. Sign in for the last 2D showing of the day. Then buy the 3D ticket straight off. Most of the time you won't even pay out of pocket if you sign in for the last 2D showing of the day and buy the first 3D showing of the day.

If the last 2D showing of the day shows in Fandango to be $11 and the 3D is $12, then just pay $1 with another card or cash first then use the MP for the rest.

A-aron

For example - when I go in this morning, I check in for the last 2D show so it releases the full amount to the card, but I buy the early bird 3D - since it is less the purchase will still go through. But, if the 3D was more, then I would figure the difference and pay that in cash/card at the counter and then use the release funds from MP on the card to pay the rest? I think I finally got it

GatorDeb

Yep Fandango is your friend!! Works for IMAX also. The Hobbit IMAX HFR 3D for $6.50 out of pocket!! ($17.50-$11).

A-aron

Well damn... I go to purchase a late showing of Monsters Inc 2D and it won't let me check into any of them. Everything is greyed out. So I call MP and get a recording. That doesn't help at all. I ended up paying for the 3D showing.

GatorDeb

How late did you go? You can only watch one movie a day so you have to go before the last 2D showing starts. That's probably why they were closed also, if nothing is starting/showing, they can't check you in. Why didn't you wait for the next day? You can check in for a 10p 2D showing at 7a.

Also, it doesn't have to be Monsters, Inc. You can use Jack Reacher to get your Monsters, Inc 3D ticket, for instance.

A-aron

That must be it ... I picked up a Twlight ticket the day before .. Thinking about it, it may have been a 12:05 show. I'll check the app to see if it allows me to select any of the shows today.

tonyc3742

OK had something interesting happen last night.
I checked in to a late showing of a movie that I probably won't see.

I bought 2 tickets to a late showing of a 3d film.

I gave the clerk a Groupon for one of them (which I knew would cost me an upgrade out of pocket.)
He scanned the moviepass for the rest of the charge and it went through - 18. 50. I was expecting it to scan for the max price of one movie and pay the rest out of pocket, like I had done before. I'm not sure if he did something to cause that, or if what was put on the card was more than I thought.

I feel a little guilty because technically I paid for more than one ticket with MP, but not too guilty because I've also used MP for movies at the 2.00 theatre. I'm also realizing that there there don't seem to be 30 movies in a month to see, even if my schedule permitted it.

I want to maximize the MP but I don't want to abuse or cheat it. Should I call them and be honest? Not sure what they'd do. Or just lesson learned and going forward say "charge (max regular ticket) on this card"? (What I don't want is for MP to contact me and say "you cheated, not only are we cancelling your sub but you owe us for the overage on the movies you saw.")

Obi-Wanma

It will never just scan for max price automatically. If you want him to put max price on it you have to tell him that. If if you don't tell him that, he will charge the card for the full price and it will either go thru, like it did, or the card will get declined.

Not sure what to tell you to do. I would think that the amount of the charge will likley be noticed even if you don't call them.

GatorDeb

Public service announcement: Century/CineMark may change the time of movies. I have bought like 20 tickets from them and have never been told this. Had a double feature and when I went looking for The Hobbit 3D they had changed it to 90 minutes later instead of 15 minutes later so I just went to Jack Reacher which started at the same time as the previously scheduled Hobbit time. I'll probably still buy advance tickets there as I can always just in to another movie, but I'll be doing it less and going to another chain if possible. I didn't know you could change times of movies that people already had tickets to.

bluetoast

Yeah sometimes changing can be weird. On Christmas the theater I went to canceled Monsters Inc in favor of another showing of Django. Didn't affect me except I moved to that less crowded theater though.

I still haven't joined yet, and now it went back up to $35. Yikes!

I'm still tempted to sign up, as I watch a lot and have tons of theaters around me, Regal and AMC (plus I have the rewards...need to resign for AMC). Even the AFI Silver is included.

iNCREDiPiNOY

Take $15 off your first month.

Code: newyear

Expires 1/1/13

bluetoast

Nice. BTW what's to stop me from say signing up from a cheaper district but using it in my own area?

GatorDeb

The theaters and movies that you can check in will be for the district that you sign up for and you have to be within so many feet of the theater to check in and activate the card each time, so as long as you can get to it for every single movie, you're fine

bluetoast

But they claim it's "nationwide" for each location, so if I go to San Fran I can use it there too. So can I potentially sign up for it in like Alaska, and get it mailed to me here, and pay the Alaska price? Or do they bill me based on my CC's zip code?

Also GatorDeb, I read what you did with getting tickets on different days and then having 3 for one day, sharing with family. Have you tried to do this with friends, and then have them "pay you back" for the tickets? That would really bring the cash in.

Another thing I'm thinking...can you theoretically buy concessions totaling the amount of a ticket? I guess those would be listed as separate smaller charges that add up to the $11/12.xx though, instead of just one charge, so maybe not.

GatorDeb

Can you show me how they claim you can use the card nationwide? Like if I travel to California use it there? I don't think that's what they mean, I think they mean it's that it's a Nationwide program so wherever you are you can sign up for it.

I don't like to get ANY benefit out of the card other than reward points and movie tickets. I would feel I'm taking advantage of a great program. I would never get cash back from the use of the card. So as much as I work the system, the only thing I get in return are movie tickets for me or people who are with me to use.

I'm sure it would work for concessions, I don't know why the concession stand would charge you each item individually? Although I would wonder the description of the charge, i.e. just AMC or AMC concession? If it shows a different description they can shut your card down.

Push it within the limits