Not sure if this is the right place for this question, so here goes: I’d like to buy cinema tickets online here in Taipei, but it appears they’re a lot more expensive to buy online than in person. A typical example is a ticket costing 200 and bought from the cinema on the night of a performance can cost 300 if instead bought online from the cinema’s web page. I’m not sure if I’ve got this right because my Chinese is minimal to nonexistent, but can anyone confirm if this is indeed the case?
It might depend on the theater chain. Some chains have a processing fee if you reserve/buy it online.
Coming from the US, movie ticket prices and concession food are cheap as heck!
Plus you need to register and there is the whole ID thing… They If you get a VIP card, say from Ambassador, the tickets will only be 200 ntd. Vieshow offers practically no discount but more packages.
I do not think it is more expensive, it is just that you do not get the discounts say by credit card sometimes, or they sell you a package. Anyway, movie tickets here are very expensive.
I tried to register at Ambassador and could not because of the ID number issue. I did write them an email. I’ll try the other theaters.
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Not hard to get an ID:
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They have online cinemas?
In my case, the lady at the counter took the time to make up an ID. I guess if you do it online they cannot give you that «extra assistance». I know, I know, it shouldn’t be an issue, it is a technicality, or rather, a software issue, but meipanfa. Until they solve it, it is our mafan. BTW, I have forgotten when I got their card. It is almost white, evolved from a purple one.
The advantages of course are that you get guaranteed sitting and you can choose your favorite spot. You also get discounts for drinks and snacks and exclusive window for paying.
For example, today for Avengers 4 the line to buy tickets on site was 3 blocks down. Those of us who purchased our tickets on line took 2 minutes: show our card, pay cash if so desired, take printed ticket and leave. I also noticed some people had the ticket on their phone up and just showed at the entrance directly.
You also need to arrive 40-50 minutes before the movie starts which I think is stupid.
I managed to book advance tickets at Vieshow a couple of weeks ago, and I picked them up at the counter when I arrived - that particular counter had a short line-up, although there was no English signage at all; I think I went for the sign that had a 訂 in it.
But: do any theater chains have an app that I can use? Buy the ticket ahead of time, get a QR-code on my phone, and then just walk into the theater and show them the QR-code? It’d be nice to avoid getting in line at all, especially because sometimes even those advance-purchase lines get pretty long. From what Icon wrote above, it looks like that’s possible, but does anyone know how / which chains?
Yes, the Vieshow app lets you purchase tickets by credit card and then enter the theater by showing the attendant your phone. No having to arrive early to pick up tickets.
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Thanks! Will have to give that a shot. I suppose it’s not English-friendly at all? I manage to navigate their website, but with a fair bit of copying things into a Google Translate window.
No idea. I’ve only used the Chinese UI.
Most big chains have apps. Ambassador is the one I have and use. Vieshow also has an app, but I never use it. Miramar. yep, Google translate is your friend.
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I hate Vieshow. Toilets are skanky as fuck and you have to exit the cinema to get to them.
Well, that’s the problem with using apps on my phone - Google translate is a lot less useful from a phone app than it is with a webpage on my computer.
Vieshow: honest question, are other cinemas better? I almost always go there simply because it’s on the red line and there are tons of nearby restaurants. One of these days I guess I’d better try the Miramar (?) that’s recently opened in Danshui.
It’s the only one I know of that lets you avoid paper tickets, so it’s the one that gets my money.
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I like Ambassador because of the wide screen in Ximenting and the art house movies in Changchuan. Both are really close to MRT.
Miramar has the IMAX.
Vieshow is too crowded, too small screen for me. For convenience I go to QSquare.
I like going to Showtime 欣欣秀泰影城 in Linsen because it is close to work, it does not get very crowded, it has the food court downstairs, and MRT sort of nearby.
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