The not-so-VIP Experience

Photo by Lloyd Dirks on Unsplash. Additional graphic by me.

 

How to define VIP? The acronym stands for Very Important Person and usually the VIP experience implies more privileges than the general experience.

I went to watch Justice League, and chose the VIP experience as opposed to a bigger cinema with more people, longer wait lines, etc. I wanted to be comfortable while I took in a movie I’ve been waiting on for a long time.

Problem number 1: Children.

Why a parent would pay $100 for a child to see a movie they are not going to pay attention to is beyond my childless comprehension but I believe VIP should be child-free. They are already very important people to their parents. That should be enough for the first 12 years of their lives.

Problem number 2: Seating.

I got to choose my seats in advance, the chairs were very comfortable, roomy, came with a somewhat scratchy blanket but to view the screen from a seat behind another seat, you need to be a certain height. Why? In the general experience, I can see the screen just fine no matter where I sit, why is that privilege being taken away from me in VIP? On the plus side, I had impeccable posture while viewing the film.

Problem number 3: Being told “can’t”.

My mother wanted wedges. I wanted wedges. The VIP experience does not have wedges. If I am a very important person, and we are in the same building as the wedges, part of the same company, shouldn’t I be able to order wedges? Apparently not. I accepted, I said ok, I will just go purchase them myself. “Outside food is not allowed in VIP.” But it’s the same place! Call me petty, spoiled, or whatever, but if I am paying for VIP, I expect perfection, or at least people aspiring to that level.

Don’t promise me my food will be delivered to my seat and then pass it along disturbing other patrons who now have to touch my food before I do. Make sure your fries are better than the “outside food” with condiments galore! Don’t serve food in the noisiest packaging known to man for a movie! Here’s a tip, paper products are more silent and bonus, better for the environment.

All in all, I will not be returning to the VIP experience, and won’t recommend it to anyone. But maybe if I bought some overpriced alcohol, I may have had a different experience.

End of rant.