Facebook Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

 

GENERAL:

What is Book The Cinema?

Book The Cinema is an Independent Booking Service and we offer private, VIP cinema events on behalf of the partnering cinemas listed on our website.

We are currently official partners with REEL, The Arc Cinema, JamJar, University College Dublin Cinema, WTW Cinema and several other chain and Independent cinemas. We have over 120 locations across all our cinema partners and we are going to be expanding further, so there will be a cinema near you very soon.

Click here to see the full list of cinemas on our website.

Pick a cinema, select a movie of your choice and personalise the experience to meet your needs. You can rent the whole cinema screen to yourself. We want you to have complete control over how you would like to organise your private cinema event. Our mission is to deliver an unforgettable movie-watching experience for you and your loved ones.

How do I book a private party/event? 

You can book your event on our website https://www.bookthecinema.com/

 

How much time in advance should I book an event?

Our partnering cinemas have different availability. At some cinemas, you can only request slots and at others, you can make a direct booking from the available slots listed on our platform. You can request/make your booking up to 6 months from now at selected cinemas. 

The earliest slots listed are 10 days from the booking day. We recommend planning your event at least 2 weeks in advance. 

 

What kind of movies can I choose?

You can choose either the latest cinema releases or your favourite classics from our extensive movie database. We will be increasing our selection of classic movies all the time, so check back regularly. You can also request a movie here and we will contact you should that title be available in the future.

 

Do you offer films with subtitles?

Yes, we do. If you search 'Subtitles' in the movie search field you will be shown all the available options. 

 
Can carers attend for free?

Most of our cinemas allow carers to attend for free with a CEA card. There is no need to add them to the total number of guests when booking. Make sure that this does not exceed the screen capacity at your chosen cinema by clicking on the 'Cinema Details' tab when searching for your cinema and location.

 
Can I change my selected movie if I want to watch something else? 

No, the movie and event information will be sent to the cinema once you have made your booking. You will have to cancel your booking and create a new one if you want to watch a different movie. 

 

How many guests can I bring? 

It's up to you! If you want a romantic event for just you and your partner you can select just 2 guests. If you want to book a big party for 20, 30, 40 or 50 guests then it will depend on your selected cinema and the size of the screen. But in most cases, a cinema screen can accommodate at least 20 guests. The system will tell you the limits per location as you go through the booking process. You can also check our screen capacity under ‘Cinema Details’ before selecting your cinema site. 

 

Can I choose any cinema that I want?

You can choose any cinema from our cinema list. There are over 120 locations for you to pick from across the UK and Ireland, and we will be adding more all the time.

 

EVENT:

How do I give tickets to my guests?

Once your event is confirmed, you can access your e-tickets within “My bookings” on our website and from there you can share them with your guests.

 

Will I have time to socialise with my guests before my event starts? 

You can arrive at your selected cinema up to 30 minutes before the event starts. You will be able to socialize with your guests at your assigned screen around 15 minutes before your allocated ticket time, depending on when the last screening has finished.

 

How to move my booking to a different date?

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate booking date amends so you will need to cancel your original booking and then create a new booking. 

 

How early should I arrive for my event

You should try to arrive at least 15 minutes before your event begins. This allows you to collect any food and drinks that you have ordered or if you have booked a Gaming event, time for a member of staff to connect your console to the screen.

 

Is there anything I will need to bring before the event?

The guest making the booking will need to bring their booking confirmation email with the correct number of guests attending. You can buy food and drinks from your selected cinema menu in advance through our website, and the cinema will arrange everything for your event.

For a Gaming Event, please make sure that the console you bring with you has an HDMI port to connect to the screen.

 

Can I bring my own food?

You cannot bring your own food, however, you can buy food and drinks in advance from your selected cinema menu using the Book The Cinema website. The menu will become available after your booking is confirmed and paid for.

To see what is available at each site, click on the 'Cinema Details' tab when searching for your chosen location.

You can bring food to enjoy before or after the event, but only food bought on our website or at the concession stand can be brought into the screen.

UCD do allow guests to bring in their own snacks and drinks, but they do not allow the following to be brought in from outside the cinema: Heated food, pungent food and alcoholic drinks. If you’re unsure, please ask a member of the cinema team, who will be happy to advise you.

Curzon Cinema: Please note when ordering the pizza options at these sites you will be required to book the '1 Hour Bar Hire' Option. Pizzas are a staggered service. Hot food is not available at Curzon Wimbledon, Curzon Mayfair or Curzon Richmond but you are still welcome to hire the bar to cut a cake after your screening at these sites.

 
Do I have to order food and drinks beforehand?

You can purchase food and drinks at selected cinemas after you have completed your booking on the Book The Cinema website. Where applicable you can add food and drinks to your booking up to 4 days before your event day.

If you want additional food and drinks on the day, you can purchase them at the concession stand.

 

How will I get my food and drink on the day of the event? 

The pre-ordered concessions will be prepared and you will have to collect the items at the concession stand.

 

Can I bring decorations?

You can bring decorations such as standing decorations or costumes for your guests. Please note decorations cannot be fastened/stuck to walls or seats. Any helium balloons brought by guests must be weighted down. 

 

Is there a way to add a personalised message on the cinema screen before the movie? 

Yes, you can create a 1-minute video with a personalised message to be shown before the movie. The 1-minute video can contain your favourite photos or video with personalised messages. Book The Cinema cannot upload content for personalised videos on behalf of customers, this must be done in our video creation system in your account. The video has to be submitted through our website up to 4 days before the event. Please be aware that our Book The Cinema team must approve this content before it is made available on the big screen.

For gaming events, you will not be able to create a personalised message, unfortunately.

Note: At this time, we have set background/theme music that will automatically be added to your video. We are unable to change or remove it, as it protects all copyrighted music from being added to the videos. We hope to be able to change this in the future. 

 

Will there be a delay with the approval of my personalised message video? 

Our team is notified every time a new video message is submitted for review. The average review time is 24 hours and there should be no further delays subject to your personalised message video not violating our terms & conditions. You will be notified via email whether your video has been approved or rejected.

 

Can I change the number of guests I booked for? 

Yes, you can amend the number of guests up to 4 days before the event date. This can be done via the Book The Cinema website. You can add or remove guests, however, as this is a private booking there is a minimum fee for the event and reducing the number of guests may not reduce the cost of the booking. You will receive a reimbursement for the cancelled seats as long as the total seats booked are above the minimum required to hold the event.

 

Can I cancel my event?

You can cancel your event up to 7 days before your event date. Please see our terms & conditions for more details.

 

How do I cancel my event? 

To cancel your booking, log in to your account on the website, and click 'My Account' --> 'My Bookings'. On the 'Your Booking Details' page, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the link to cancel. This link will not be available once the event date is less than 7 days away. 

 

I have paid for my event but haven’t received an email confirmation. What should I do?

Please check your Spam folder. If you don’t find the email there, please contact us through the following link: https://www.bookthecinema.com/contact/

 

How long do I need to wait for my event to be confirmed after payment is made?

You should receive an email immediately confirming payment has been processed and that you have successfully completed your booking. Please check your Spam folder. If you don’t find the email there, please contact us through the following link: https://www.bookthecinema.com/contact/

 

How long should I wait for the cinema to provide me with available dates and times when they are not immediately available for choosing? 

Please note the earliest event you can book is 10 full days after the day you are creating your booking. Some cinemas will have request slots only. You can request anytime, morning, afternoon, or evening time slots. Once you have requested these, the cinema will review your request and send back the suggested next step. You will receive an email notification once the cinema answers your request and then you will have 24 hours to confirm your times.

 

GAMING:

What do I need to bring for a Gaming Event?

For a Gaming Event, you will bring your own console and games. Your console must have an HDMI port so a member of the cinema team can connect it to the screen for you. Please make sure you arrive on time so that it doesn't cut into your session. Big Screen Gaming does not support cloud-based gaming, due to no Wi-Fi connection within the screen so please ensure that all games do not require an internet connection and that you download any games before your visit. 

One console per hire can be used. Console controllers must be wireless.

 

What will the resolution be like for Gaming on the Big Screen?

Screens will be 2K resolution unless it is stated that laser projection is available. 

 

PRICING:

How much does it cost?

Prices vary per cinema but the minimum cost for a private cinema event is £160. This will increase should you book a party with more than 20 guests.

Book the Cinema does not set the prices at each cinema so we cannot offer any discount.

The minimum cost for gaming events is £150.

 

How do I pay for the event?

You can pay for the event through our website using either your credit or debit card. You can also pay using your smartphone with Google Pay and ApplePay.  We also offer the option to choose to pay in instalments or use the 'Pay Later' option with Klarna. At this time, we do not offer invoice payments.

 

How do I receive a reimbursement for my cancelled event?

You can cancel your event at any time but to receive a full refund, you must cancel at least 1 week before the date the event is due. The refund will be made to the original debit card where possible. Please see our terms and conditions for more information.

 

Where can I confirm that I have paid for my event?

You will receive an email notification with the relevant details and your invoice attached.

 

Will I need to pay anything additional upon arrival?

You will not need to pay anything additional upon arrival unless you choose to purchase extra concessions items at the stand.

We always follow national rules about film ratings, and if you’re lucky enough to be looking younger than the film’s rating, the cinema would have to ask to see some ID, even though this is a private event. 

 

Our partner cinemas accept all the following forms of ID:
  • Passport
  • Photo driving licence
  • Student/school pass or International Student Identity Card (ISIC) (this must show your photo and date of birth)
  • Citizen Card
  • PASS-Scheme card
  • Prove-it Portman Card
  • Connexions Card
  • ValidateUK card

If you get asked to present your ID and do not have a valid form ID with you, you will not be able to attend the event. This is due to the licensing which is set by the British Board of Film Classification.

 

What should I do if I have any further questions about Book The Cinema?

Contact us HERE and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible! 

Official partners of Book The Cinema

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