Editor’s note: This letter also was emailed to management of the Isis Theatre.
I’m writing with a complaint. I’ve lived in Aspen for 40-plus years and am a regular moviegoer. Never has our only movie theater been such a hassle. Lines have unreasonably long wait times due to several poor owner/manager decisions:
Ticket sellers now make people choose seats and sell refreshments. Aspen is a town. It is not a big city. You cannot purchase tickets online and so must wait in line. Now there are no separate lines — just one for all. Picture a party of five at the counter purchasing tickets … easy, because they know what they’ve come to see. Now it gets dicey when they are asked to pick their seats and all five of them have a different idea of where they want to sit. This takes some time. OK, they have finally decided on seats and now they are asked what they’d like to eat/drink … five people … wine, beer, food. This really takes time. By now they’ve been at the counter for a ridiculous amount of time and the line has grown exponentially.
What a ridiculous arrangement. One should be able to buy a ticket and go to the film they choose. If you want drinks and food, you get in line for that. Seats are taken as ticketed customers arrive. First come, first served works just fine. You will have happier customers and no one will be forced to wait in a long line.
Recently I went to an early matinee and with just two groups ahead of me, I waited about 10 minutes to get a ticket while food and seats were negotiated. When shown a seating arrangement and asked to pick a seat, I said “just pick one for me” and went in to a theater with only six other people. Obviously, I could sit where I chose, as it should be.
Thanks for your consideration. I ask that you please rethink the ISIS operation and respond to my letter.
Donna Fisher
Aspen