My whirlwind began on Friday. Friday was put on my calendar over a year ago and it was just as fun as I had hoped it would be. I went with 3 friends to iPic (formally Gold Class Cinemas) to see Breaking Dawn: Part 1. I won’t go into details about the movie, that’s not my thing, but I wanted to talk about the theater a little bit. They make little effort to branch out to their disabled customers.
When you first go in, there is one tall desk. That’s it. It’s not a big deal but little did I know it was going to set the tone for the rest of their accommodations. We realized our fantastic EXPENSIVE seats were not accessible and the only accessible seats were the “cheap” ones that were CLOSER to the screen. Who wants to be close to the screen? REally. I pick theaters based on rear entry so I don’t have to keep my neck back. My friends very much did not want closer seats either so it was not just me. We decided someone would carry me up but they still wanted the manager to talk to us. We were told we could go sit in the bar and order food while we waited for him.
We went in the direction they directed us. There were over a dozen higher than bar height tables. Nice. No low tables at all. A random employee said she’d see what see could do. Wait. Wait. 5 minutes pass. Another employee said that there were low tables “over there”. WE head to the OTHER side, no where near the bar and there are low tables. Coffee tables. So I transfer to the couch, which is FINE for me but not everyone in a chair can do that. The table is still really low and I have to hold my food in my lap. Not ideal but it was a GNO so I’m in a good mood.
Oh, the manager. He finally shows up about 5 minutes before the movie starts (30 minutes after we were initially told he’d come) and he trys to convince us we want the “accessible” seats…making no mention of the refund he will owe us. We insist we want good seats and he asks in a snooty way if we’ve ever seen the inside of his theater and that he’s certain the seats will be just fine. He drops it when we say we want to be higher up.
There is no employee in sight when it’s time to carry me up but a random woman insists her husband carry me. No biggie.
No one EVER checks our tickets.
Random guy 2 asks if he can escort me back to my chair after the movie. THat was very funny.
Overall impression? I LOVED the cushy seats and free popcorn and think it will be AWESOME for date night when Charlie can carry me to my seat with NO issue. I think they can do a lot to change my feelings if they provide ONE table that is normal.
I WILL NOT sit in the accessible seat on top of the screen, but at least they have a spot. Unless it’s free. Then I’ll be willing to TRY it.
GNO
How frustrating, every theater I have ever been to the accessible seating is usually in a prime viewing area so I am surprised a high end theater would not have the same accommodations! Glad you had a good time in spite of all that nonsense. I still need to go see the movie, I was going to take K but she is going with a friend now…. and well who wants to go with mom when you can go with a friend! LOL
Glad I went to Gold Class when it was still Gold Class … and when I still lived in Austin. The iPic reviews don’t sound as good now. Very disappointing. Why do they always have to ruin a good thing?
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so sorry, my friend. i do know the feeling. m can’t transfer, i can’t pick her up, nor can i bump her up stairs by myself. she was never a big movie-goer, but man does it suck for her now. this is why we all have to keep talking, keep being visible, keep going out and insisting on accessible areas each and every time. xo
Sorry that the place was not ideal. I know exactly what you mean… it is very frustrating! The one movie theater we go to has handicapped seating kind of in the middle. My husband and kids can sit in the seats and then there are missing seats that I can just role my chair into. The frustrating part…. we need to get their early because “non” handicapped people take up those seats. This drives me NUTS!!!! The theater has great handicapped bathrooms that are seperate so dh can come in with me. Really like the theater but can’t stand the people that grab those seats that don’t need them!!!
Same goes for the handicapped seating in our high school. It is the same set up as the movie theater but it is the non-handicapped people that take up those seats that should not be there! Grrrr. I wish the teachers would make people choose other seats if they are not handicapped.
Hotels are the same way…….
Theaters can be such a pain in the backside. I once had an employee tell me I couldn’t go in because my cane was considered a weapon. A weapon??? Ya you can imagine that conversation that was had. 🙂
I’m glad that you were able to see the movie though. I had to ask people what this movie was. I had no clue. 🙂