Purchasing Tickets

[ArghZombies]

Appalling experience yet again this year. Difficulties with booking on-line. Guy on the phone absolutely useless - computer says no because my credit card is associated with a German address and his software requires a U.K. Postcode. In the end I managed to buy day passes for each day on-line but it means I will be seat hopping and it cost me an extra £76.80. that's almost 50% more than the full pass and I guess I won't get a goody bag either! Not really the 'good value' bragged about in their e-mail.

Sorry you had a hard time, but to be honest I'm glad that purchases of such a high amount get flagged by the credit card companies if they're used in a totally different country to the one the card is registered in. I would hate to have my credit card company just OK a payment for £320 for a festival in Spain / France / Germany etc no questions asked.

I know it's not something you want to hear, but I don't see any blame for either FrightFest or the cinema in this case, it's just the credit card company being sensibly vigilant.

I'm sure you'll be able to get a goody bag too, IIRC there were plenty last year. just talk to one of the guys running the festival, they're pretty friendly chaps and I'm sure they'll try to help you out.

[Wiltaim]

Appalling experience yet again this year. Difficulties with booking on-line. Guy on the phone absolutely useless - computer says no because my credit card is associated with a German address and his software requires a U.K. Postcode. In the end I managed to buy day passes for each day on-line but it means I will be seat hopping and it cost me an extra £76.80. that's almost 50% more than the full pass and I guess I won't get a goody bag either! Not really the 'good value' bragged about in their e-mail.

Yes, the phone option is a bit of nightmare ..especially overseas( Belgium). Last year got some else to book it for ( trying both phone & internet) , she final book a random seat with my card, then I had panic based on the confirm I got back. It said something about the ticket could be collected by presenting that credit card - I realized it expired before FF started
Well, I took about 3 week to final get a confirmation e-mail someone at Empire that it would be ok ( there is Customer service e-mail or telephone number for Empire- only booking lines)

This time online I didn't any have of the 'choosing & losing' seats issues of previous years , only surprise of the '3d' card verification -had to use my online banking card reader to "sign' for payment , normally my Visa card Password was use.
I have no issue with card company / bank use extra security ....it just be nice to know before you NEED TO BUY SOMETHING !

[sandwoman]

It's clear there's demand for aisle seats from other people, not only me. Understandable if you're paying to spend five days in the same seat - a bit of leg room would be nice.

Just saw the message on twitter that they're not releasing any more festival passes, so they've definitely lost money from me this year, as I won't spend £160 in single tickets. But I guess there are plenty of others who will, so it probably won't be any great loss to them. Hey ho.

[bpbpbp]

I had a complete nightmare using the website too!

Aside from the usual terror-horror of the seats being snapped up mid-purchase, Lloyds-TSB decided to yank my card, suddenly deciding to 'fraud check' it!

Fuming.

Thing is, Fright Fest is a massive deal to me; we go as a family, and my daughter turned down a holiday in Ibiza in preference to FrightFest. We've been saving for months, etc: and Lloyds-TSB, on a whim, decide that I can't have access to this money when I need it the most! And then kept me on the phone for a half hour waiting for the card to be 'defrauded'.

It is interesting to hear that other people had similar troubles. Gutting.

(Luckily, I managed to get the final three weekend passes using a pal's card; not ideal, as they are in neck cricking Row B, but I am eternally grateful to the gods of horror cinema that I got them at all. Big up to Babs!).

[Atari]

I had a complete nightmare using the website too!

Aside from the usual terror-horror of the seats being snapped up mid-purchase, Lloyds-TSB decided to yank my card, suddenly deciding to 'fraud check' it!

Fuming.

Thing is, Fright Fest is a massive deal to me; we go as a family, and my daughter turned down a holiday in Ibiza in preference to FrightFest. We've been saving for months, etc: and Lloyds-TSB, on a whim, decide that I can't have access to this money when I need it the most! And then kept me on the phone for a half hour waiting for the card to be 'defrauded'.

It is interesting to hear that other people had similar troubles. Gutting.

(Luckily, I managed to get the final three weekend passes using a pal's card; not ideal, as they are in neck cricking Row B, but I am eternally grateful to the gods of horror cinema that I got them at all. Big up to Babs!).

Same thing happened to me. Managed to get it sorted through the automated service and then had no problems. Ended up not getting the seats I wanted but on the plus got almost the same seats as last year and they were good enough so can't complain.

[nagelfar]

What's up with all the card problems? We tried to book from Austria and ran into the same kind of troubles, first my card (just a normal Mastercard INSISTED I had to use Master Card Secure Code which I never use so I don't know it, there was ALWAYS the option to just use the card as is) then we tried to use my brothers card which also asked for Master Card Secure Card validation and was immediately locked afterwards which sucks a lot and also means we couldn't get any of the seat options we wanted, let alone aisle seats (he is over 190cm, I'm 188cm our legs will just fall off ). Finally a Visa card (3 cards in total...) helped to secure our seats but they are almost all the way to the right and quite in the back, oh well...

I don't really understand why local sales have to be 90min(!) before online sales...some of us are travelling from far (and for a lot of money) to get our fix, sucks we get punished for that by shitty seats

[bpbpbp]

Well, Nagelfar, the bank told me that it was due to 'suspicious activity' on the website itself.... Which is a bit annoying; as FrightFest people are genuine and open and the least shifty bunch you could imagine, so why should we suffer?

Anyway mate, I am glad you got tickets; all seats are not bad in the Empire, and anyway, with a bit of luck, there may be some spare seats in certain showings where you can relocate. The girls and I were in different seats last year, but we mananged to move about a few times to watch films together.

I feel really bad for the people who did fall properly foul of this though.

[Atari]

Spoke with my bank about it and they said it had been blocked because it was such a large sum for a cinema. I guess they expect most purchases from a cinema will be regular ticket price amounts not festival passes, especially if you're buying more than one ticket.

[bpbpbp]

I wonder why it didn't happen last time? Ah well. I am pleased that I got my tickets, but I can't help feel really bad for the people who didn't. Seems grossly unfair.

[Wulfster]

I used to work in IT for a high street bank.
Their security has been seriously messed up during the last year due to some major changes, cut-backs and suchlike.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's a new level of fraud security that's been installed that's caused this for some people.
It didn't happen last year ...

As usual, it's the decent customers that suffer ...
B*****ds!!

[bpbpbp]

You're telling me Wulfster!

I hope Frightfest do the right thing and find a few weekend passes for people who were a victim of this, and who make their case!

Jeez Louise. My name would have been mud at chez bpbpbp if I didn't get the passes. Mrs bpbpbp and bpbpbp jnr would not have been pleased!

[TheDukeAbides]

At least there is none that I can see for sale on ebay.

Not into the touting levels yet - though I will admit the idea of touting cinema tickets seems one step too far, but obviously some are willing to pay serious money to go.

Also I was happy with all the seats in Screen 1 as I was sad enough to try a few on all the different rows on a few of the more empty late night showings. The Discovery screen (forget the number) does have some awkward seats in it though.

[seanface]

Yeah, had my card declined too. Got a phonecall from Bank of Scotland straight away saying it was flagged as fraud! Luckily it went through on another card - phew! I was row J last year and now F this year. A little bit closer to the action!

[hughzi]

When do single tickets go on sale?

[BigWillyStephenson]

When do single tickets go on sale?

I believe it's July 28th for single tickets.

William