Wednesday, January 03, 2007

How To Jump Queue At The Cinema Ticketing Lines Without Being Cursed At

Just proceed to the (normally) underutilized ticket reservation counter, of course! Didn’t book a ticket? Just pretend you did la! Here’s how it work:

You: Hi! I’ve got a booking for ABC movie. My booking number is ...

(Now, cook up an imaginary 6-digit booking number in your mind, and say it out loud slowly, number by number. For added convincing power, you may consider shutting your eyes intermittently as though concentrating hard to fish the number out from the deepest fold of your cerebral cortex. Alternatively, you may save this number onto your mobile phone before hand and flash it to the staff instead.)

Staff: (Keys in your booking number into the ticketing system that should promptly return no results, as expected) Cannot find la!

(If the imaginary booking number miraculously returns a valid booking, forget your movie and run to the nearest TOTO outlet to buy a lottery ticket. You’re next-in-line for the multi-million ringgit jackpot.)

You: Cannot be! I just booked yesterday only. Can you check again? This is like the fifth time already that you couldn’t find my booking!

(For extra dramatic effects, the above line should be delivered while going through a colourful emotional journey that starts with shock, then painful recollection, and finally anger. Gifted drama queens will find this as natural as ordering a Starbucks frappo.)

Staff: What to do. I think the system was down yesterday. That’s why.

(The staff shall remain unapologetic, as expected. However, you should show no signs of giving up. Insist that your booking number be checked and rechecked to confirm.)

You: Can you check again ah please? I purrrrrposely wrote down this number yesterday in case I forget you know. How can cannot find? Check again laaaaaaaa.


(After the third try, he/she would have given up and switch over to the regular instant ticket purchasing screen instead. You will now be entitled to select any of the seats available to the long lines of customers with no bookings. Minus all the waiting, of course.)

(Now go practise.)


16 comments:

Maia said...

Ah hahaha, I believe I have done this before, just last November when I went out with a friend of mine.

You can just imagine the cute hunky ticket counter guy, looking really confused =P he even gave us 1 free ticket for our "inconvenience" XP

Anonymous said...

Oh...pooleezzz. I have done this eons ago. Even before you guys ever heard of the word blog. Anyway this is too much work and way too much stress. You can now book thru the net with your credit card and even choose the seats you want in the comfort of your home. Then go collect the tickets from a machine at the theatre. No queue or drama needed. Anything else new?

BravingKL said...

well anonymous, i guess it truly was eons ago when you did it, i thought only my departed grandparents would go to 'theatres' for movies. you wanna post something about senior citizen discounts instead?

Anonymous said...

hahaha Good come back, braving. Wishing you a Happy New Year and many hunky uncles to enjoy!

can

Perry Neeham said...

Excellent . . . can't wait to try it

Pluboy2 said...

okay so it doesnt work in kl.. it sucks here..

Anonymous said...

you are wicked braving!!! :)

livelife

savante said...

Interesting plan! Must try it out someday.

M|key^^ said...

must be clever if wanna use this trick.... coz each cinema got their booking number starts with fixed reservation number....

example: MV GSC 1XXXXX or 1U GSC 5XXXXX

If u simply start with a number & the staff is alert & clever enough (some r just stupid coz they dunno) then he/she will know u r trying to buy tickets avoids the long queue ... :)

Anonymous said...

Stupid? So are some blogger that comes out with such stupid plan.

yw[2k] said...

Hehe... I started to use this trick a couple of years ago when I noticed that they started cancelling your reserved tickets 30 mins before the show starts. Just pop at the Reservation Counter, spit out your phone number and of course they can't trace the booking anymore. Then tell them what movie you booked (or wanted to watch) and voila.. :P

I did the same trick during the first day opening of a major movie and got nice seats without queuing!

Anonymous said...

hahahaha... luv tis. i shud try once!! (",)

regards,
kash

Anonymous said...

If we lived in a world without tears
How would bruises find
The face to lie upon
How would scars find skin
To etch themselves into
How would broken find the bones

If we lived in a world without tears
How would heartbeats
Know when to stop
How owuld blood know
Which body to flow outside of
How would bullets find the guns

If we lived in a wold without tears
How would misery know
Which back door to walk through
How would trouble know
Which mind to live inside of
How would sorrow find a home
How could a movie
found its trial and tribulations


~ Lucinda Williams
(except the last 2 line)
from the song World Without Tears

Fadzli Jay said...

hey Braving,

just want to wish you a Happy Chinese New Year!!! :)

Hugs

BravingKL said...

hey all, thanks for the messages. been rather busy, guilty for joining the league of out-dated blogs out there. hope to post again soon.

Anonymous said...

hey braving, i have been recommending other people to read your blog. that should give you some pressure :)