I tracked the "best" seat in each auditorium of my local cinema
Have you ever noticed how the center-most seat on the map you select from when purchasing tickets often isn't actually the central seat in the auditorium? Or how wildly different the actual central seat can be from one auditorium to the next? I have, and it drove me nuts.
So, over a period of a few months, I figured out the center-most seat in each auditorium I visited, along with the second-closest seat (as no single seat is ever perfectly dead center) and kept a log. I made these determinations by counting the ceiling tiles directly above me.
As for which row is best, that's subjective, but my preference is the first row of the rear section, which is what the letter portions below represent. If you prefer to sit further back, the numbers transfer to other letters and remain central. (But if for some reason you like to sit in the front section, they don't transfer there. Those numbers are distinct.)
The log is now complete:
- Auditorium 1: G11, G10
- Auditorium 2: F9, F8
- Auditorium 3: F7, F8
- Auditorium 4: F10, F11
- Auditorium 5: F9, F8
- Auditorium 6: H10, H9
- Auditorium 7: I10, I11
- Auditorium 8: I13, I14
- Auditorium 9: H10, H9
- Auditorium 10: G9, G10
- Auditorium 11: F9, F8
- Auditorium 12: F7, F8
- Auditorium 13: F11, F10
- Auditorium 14: F9, F8
- Auditorium 15: G8, G9
- Auditorium 16: G10, G9
Now whenever I reserve a ticket, I just reference my cheat sheet and get the perfect seat every time with no guessing!
Obviously this particular mapping will only work if you're at my local Regal Cinema, which is the one in Bellingham, WA. If so, feel free to make use of it yourself! If not, feel free to take inspiration and start tracking your own local cinema.