Cineworld - the state of it

LuckyLloyd · 16-01-2018 04:07PM #1

I'm an Unlimited card holder and have frequented Cineworld multiple times a month for coming on 15 years now. It struck me on Friday as I queued for over 15 minutes for some popcorn (on account of a mere two checkout points being manned at a time of peak custom) that - leaving aside however bad the place is run in terms of process - it has barely received an upgrade of any services in that time.

The card machines don't facilitate tap payment. The dryers are ancient and under powered. If something breaks, like the escalators did last year, it can take months for it to be fixed.

I could complain about the staff but I won't - I'd imagine many of them fit work in around college, etc and if you have no problems (and the act of going to the cinema may not require interaction with any of the staff beyond them checking your ticket) it's fine. The management, I assume, are running the place like this on instruction from the parent company. And presumably they're making money inspite of the poor state of the building and the fact they can leave their security trying to snake those queuing for popcorn and coke around in such a way not to create a fire hazard at peak time on a Friday due to chronic under staffing of the tills.

/rant

Anyone else feel the same?

nix · 16-01-2018 05:49PM

Yeah my thoughts exactly, so much so i canceled my cineworld card at the end of 2017, after 5 years, not near as long as you but i had been going there years before i picked up the card. I got tired of price hikes, not just the food, but the addition of them making one pay a yearly fee just to avail of the discounted tickets, that arent even discount, they are just what the tickets used to be prior to them adding on this bull**** fee. Being a cineworld member it doesnt effect me directly but if i want a friend to join me they have to pay outrageous prices, and if im bringing the girl i have to pay the obscene amount for her ticket.

Plus as you said, the place is in serious need of a tidying/upgrading, the amount of time it took them to fix the escalators was insane, i dont mind the hike myself but on the grand scheme of things..

Plus on top of that, the 30minute adds, they were only 15mins when i started going there, they get longer each year. And the food can be woeful at times (popcorn), it went from being the nicest popcorn in any cinema all the time to being the saltiest crappiest popcorn most of the time. I guess when they inflate the price its because of all the added salt?

But yeah i wont be going back anytime soon, not unless they clean their **** up.

gmisk · 16-01-2018 06:12PM

I havent been id say in about a year..I used to go early on a Saturday or Sunday..nice and quiet big screens and cheap tickets...prices for tickets have shot up hugely - sticking to lighthouse and savoy at this stage

bullpost · 16-01-2018 06:15PM

nix wrote: »

Yeah my thoughts exactly, so much so i canceled my cineworld card at the end of 2017, after 5 years, not near as long as you but i had been going there years before i picked up the card. I got tired of price hikes, not just the food, but the addition of them making one pay a yearly fee just to avail of the discounted tickets, that arent even discount, they are just what the tickets used to be prior to them adding on this bull**** fee. Being a cineworld member it doesnt effect me directly but if i want a friend to join me they have to pay outrageous prices, and if im bringing the girl i have to pay the obscene amount for her ticket.

Plus as you said, the place is in serious need of a tidying/upgrading, the amount of time it took them to fix the escalators was insane, i dont mind the hike myself but on the grand scheme of things..

Plus on top of that, the 30minute adds, they were only 15mins when i started going there, they get longer each year. And the food can be woeful at times (popcorn), it went from being the nicest popcorn in any cinema all the time to being the saltiest crappiest popcorn most of the time. I guess when they inflate the price its because of all the added salt?

But yeah i wont be going back anytime soon, not unless they clean their **** up.

Have to agree about the ads. I went over Christmas and nearly forgot what film I had come to see by time ads. were over

Goodshape · 16-01-2018 07:03PM

Give up the Unlimited card, it's only stopping you going to better cinemas.

I had one for a few years and in that time it was the pretty much the only cinema I ever went to – sure why would you go anywhere else when you have the card!

Have barely set foot in the place since I gave that up, and I regret nothing. Some lovely cinemas around Dublin (Light House and IFI, for example) and plenty of cheaper multiplexes too.

ballyargus · 16-01-2018 07:10PM

It was a great Cinema back in the ugc/early cineworld says. I haven't been there in a long time. Sad to hear that it's gone downhill

Ohmeha · 16-01-2018 07:56PM

I reckon the cinema hasn't received any upgrade (or even a lick of paint) since about 2004/2005 when it transitioned from UGC to Cineworld, am I right?

I think it suffers that it is the only Cineworld here in Ireland and the UK management obviously don't give a toss once they see the place is still packed out at evenings & weekends profiting on €13+ tickets and €5+ for watered down cups of coke. Any Cineworld I've gone into in London appear to be proper run, clean, modern cinemas that maybe somewhat justify the premium prices they charge.

My unlimited card is due to expire next month and with the annual increasing prices, the cinema (literally) falling apart, endless supply of scrotes you have to share the cinema with and other home viewing 'alternatives' I was planning on cancelling it until I discovered I can get the unlimited card discounted through my employer so I'll reluctantly give it another year

Mad Benny · 16-01-2018 07:57PM

It's really dirty inside. I was there in December. I won't be going back.

want to disappear · 16-01-2018 08:13PM

Was in screen 2 a couple of days ago, and what struck me was the seats were caked in dirt and a number of seats were out of service. The cinema really looks uncared for compared to the Lighthouse and Odeon.

ixoy · 16-01-2018 11:00PM

I tend to go for showings around 18:00 when it's generally not too busy - rarely have any disruption, which I loathe.

The cinema though itself is looking shabby and in fact a couple of the screens have small tears in them, which can be distracting once you notice them. Seats aren't comfortable either and it could do with a good power hose.

It does however suit me a lot location wise and the unlimited card means it's better value. The convenience and cost means I'm continuing to go, despite places like The Lighthouse being far nicer (but too far away for me).

16-01-2018 11:35PM

Too far? Aren't they, like a kilometre apart? I'd have thought it was only about a 10 minute walk

ixoy · 17-01-2018 12:12AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Too far? Aren't they, like a kilometre apart? I'd have thought it was only about a 10 minute walk

A kilometre in the wrong direction - so that's 2km. Adds up when you're walking quickly for a DART or rain/etc.
It's also far closer to work for me so I can time leaving the office to the film's "start" time (I plan to leave the office at 6 tomorrow to see a film that's advertised to begin at 6...).

johnny_ultimate · 17-01-2018 12:25AM

It has long been a mediocre to poor cinema IMO - crazy expensive compared to the competition (I guess this is eliminated when you have an Unlimited card, but it's never been handy for me to have one), non-masked screens (this drives me nuts and is basically a dealbreaker), mediocre screen & image quality generally, and just a general soullessness to the place compared to other cinemas around.

The only benefit it has is its number of screens means that it will often offer more convenient times compared to other nearby cinemas (especially when it comes early morning screenings). But while I sometimes end up there for that reason, I try to avoid it as often as I can as I really feel like I'm supporting a business I don't remotely like when I pay their inflated ticket prices.

homerun_homer · 17-01-2018 11:51AM

Had been booked in to a sold out midnight screening of The Last Jedi for three seats. We got in and there was no third seat. Not only was it broken but it was completely removed. How do they not update their system to show this?

The queues for food/drink and the bar are painfully slow, particularly now that they serve beer from a bottle that has to be poured into a plastic cup. On my last visit me and a friend both got a beer, same brand, ordered from same server at the same time, and he had considerably more beer than me. How does that even happen?

The standard is very poor but I still get great use out of the card. I only live 2 streets over from the cinema so it's handy to just decide at any point in an evening to go see something. at the same time, I'm equidistant to the Light House, which I'd much prefer to be going to more regularly.

Kiith · 17-01-2018 12:23PM

I don't think it's too bad, but i don't really go to other cinema's that often to compare. Screen quality is fine for a layman like me, and the seats are ok, with screen 17 having nice new ones. Prices for food/drink are crazy, but that's the same in any cinema. Never buy a drink there anyway, and just get popcorn. I do love overly salty popcorn though, so i'm right at home there :P

The Unlimited card makes any potential issue a non-issue though. 1 film a month pretty much covers the cost, and if you are a regular, it's a no brainer. When i worked shift i'd regularly go to see 10 movies a month. It'd cost a fortune anywhere else. More cinema's need to have an offer like that.

Goodshape · 17-01-2018 12:58PM

Kiith wrote: »

The Unlimited card makes any potential issue a non-issue though. 1 film a month pretty much covers the cost, and if you are a regular, it's a no brainer.

Tbh, anything less than 3 films a month, every month, and you're pretty much losing money with the Unlimited Card.

The card is around €23? Omniplex and Light House are around €8 before 6pm and €10 afterwards. Both have cheaper food/drink than Cineworld.

So if you're going to Cineworld twice a month with the card, you're still throwing money away. Even three times and you're potentially just about breaking even.

Plus Cineworld charge you more for any 3D viewing – and a lot more for the LieMAX – whether you have the card or not.

Sleepy · 17-01-2018 01:12PM

The Odeon Limitless card is surely starting to catch up with them?

ixoy · 17-01-2018 01:21PM

Goodshape wrote: »

Plus Cineworld charge you more for any 3D viewing – and a lot more for the LieMAX – whether you have the card or not.

No they don't : there's only a surcharge for IMAX.

Goodshape · 17-01-2018 01:37PM

They must have changed that recently then?

Don't mean to **** all over their business... just a bit bitter myself after having had the card for so long, thinking I was saving, then finally getting rid of it and realising there are so many better options. Hate to see other people handing over €23/month, whether they go or not, to what is a pretty sub-par cinema at this stage.

homerun_homer · 17-01-2018 02:28PM

Goodshape wrote: »

Plus Cineworld charge you more for any 3D viewing – and a lot more for the LieMAX – whether you have the card or not.

They may charge a little extra in first year for 3D, but 2nd year onwards there is no additional charge. Only IMAX requires a charge. I use my card on average once a week. Some months more, some months less depending on what is out, so I do still get great value from it, regardless of the issues.

Ohmeha · 17-01-2018 09:22PM

I think you need to use that Unlimited card close to an average once a week to get proper value out of it with

I've gone to about 65 films on the card in the past year and aside from the cinema's issues I don't think it's worth the current €268.80 annual price considering you are effectively ringfencing your cinema spend exclusively to one cinema and half the movies you probably wouldn't have gone to see anyway if it wasn't for having the card (though sometimes you will end up seeing movies that you unexpectly really like)

Someone I know who used to work in Cineworld said they make a profit off it because a good percentage barely use the card enough to cover the cost they paid and the people who use it a large amount of the time are just filling space in screens that weren't going to be filled anyway with some then buying more rip-off drinks/snacks

AMKC · 17-01-2018 11:35PM

I don't know as I have not been there in a couple of years. A pity as I used to love going there but there prices have gone up and are no longer good value. Even there bargain day is no longer a bargain anymore.

Sad Professor · 18-01-2018 12:10PM

As multiplexes go Cineworld is not that bad. Better presentation, times and selection of films than say Vue and most other suburban (and beyond) cinemas. People who live in Dublin city or close by are spoiled for choice.

wakka12 · 18-01-2018 12:31PM

I wish there was a big south side cinema. Its funny how that worked out that Savoy, lighthouse and cineworld and odeon are all north side when the south side is where all the bars and restaurants and major social gathering areas are
A cinema in stephens green area would do amazing

gmisk · 18-01-2018 12:34PM

wakka12 wrote: »

I wish there was a big south side cinema. Its funny how that worked out that Savoy, lighthouse and cineworld and odeon are all north side when the south side is where all the bars and restaurants and major social gathering areas are
A cinema in stephens green area would do amazing

There was going to be one in stephens green centre...but planning turned down zzz
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/rooftop-cinema-for-stephen-s-green-centre-blocked-1.3104218

gmisk · 18-01-2018 02:51PM

sugarman wrote: »

Thats for a temporary outdoor cinema on the roof during the summer!

Permission was granted for a 12 screen Ominplex in 2010, see here

Then in 2014 there was a propsal to scale it back to 9 screens, see here

Havent heard or seen any update since. Was only wondering about it recently myself.

Oh I didnt know about the omniplex plans it would seem ideal location for a cinema.

wakka12 · 18-01-2018 03:14PM

gmisk wrote: »

Oh I didnt know about the omniplex plans it would seem ideal location for a cinema.

It'd be great but I wonder if it would really hurt the business of the other 4 big cinemas on the northside. Stephens green is the point of entry into city centre for a huge number of people from southside who go to city centre so it'd pretty much immediately become more popular than the other 4

Sabre0001 · 18-01-2018 03:20PM

Have had the Unlimited card for well over a year now and I find it great. Yes, you need to use it ~3 times a month for it to pay off, but that's not insurmountable. And it's very handy for things like Oscar season where you might go every couple of days. Plus, I like the Unlimited Screenings.

I tend not to buy food or drinks (sometimes pop into the bar for a pre-film drink, but I can stomach <€4 for a beer).

I did notice a screen tear the other night, but didn't impact my viewing. As for quality in general, I'd prob need two screens side-by-side to notice a difference...time to go to Specsavers!

AMKC · 18-01-2018 08:55PM

wakka12 wrote: »

I wish there was a big south side cinema. Its funny how that worked out that Savoy, lighthouse and cineworld and odeon are all north side when the south side is where all the bars and restaurants and major social gathering areas are
A cinema in stephens green area would do amazing

Well there was a small one on D'lear st wasn't there. Only ever went to it once.

gmisk wrote: »

There was going to be one in stephens green centre...but planning turned down zzz
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/rooftop-cinema-for-stephen-s-green-centre-blocked-1.3104218

sugarman wrote: »

Thats for a temporary outdoor cinema on the roof during the summer!

Permission was granted for a 12 screen Ominplex in 2010, see here

Then in 2014 there was a propsal to scale it back to 9 screens, see here

Havent heard or seen any update since. Was only wondering about it recently myself.

It should have been built and opened by now. Talk about not seeing the long term picture. It would have been doing quite well there now but at the rate they are going it might never happen or be to late when it does.

gmisk wrote: »

Oh I didnt know about the omniplex plans it would seem ideal location for a cinema.

It would if it ever happens.

wakka12 wrote: »

It'd be great but I wonder if it would really hurt the business of the other 4 big cinemas on the northside. Stephens green is the point of entry into city centre for a huge number of people from southside who go to city centre so it'd pretty much immediately become more popular than the other 4

Maybe maybe not.

Depends how well its run I would say as well as the frequency and times of the screenings as well.

Hector Savage · 19-01-2018 10:48AM

Its a shame to hear, I haven't been there since 2005 when I last lived in Ireland, but loved it.
I had that yearly pass - went to so many films.

LuckyLloyd · 19-01-2018 02:20PM

Sad Professor wrote: »

As multiplexes go Cineworld is not that bad. Better presentation, times and selection of films than say Vue and most other suburban (and beyond) cinemas. People who live in Dublin city or close by are spoiled for choice.

Cineworld's selection of films is better than Vue (but obviously not as good as say the Lighthouse or IFI), but not sure on the rest? Vue is cleaner; has better toilets; accepts tap payment from cards; isn't just generally as run down. And yes, as a major city, Dublin has plenty of choice on offer. That doesn't detract from complaints.

Cineworld - the state of it

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