5 Queuing & Crowd Management Tips to Satisfy Holiday Moviegoers

Enjoying togetherness at home with family and friends during the holidays is great, but the time will come when people will need to get out and enjoy some old-fashioned entertainment with a trip to the movies. Besides showing the latest releases and the best popcorn, there are a few other things your theater can do to ensure that patrons are distracted and happy: maintain good queuing practices and crowd management techniques. Here are five ways to keep holiday moviegoers in good spirits, before, during, and after the feature:

1. Start outside.

The movie-going experience begins in the parking lot. It can be daunting to head to the nearest cinema at holiday time. People know it’s going to be crowded. Creating clearly marked pathways from entrance to exit will help avoid confusion, traffic jams, or fender benders in the parking lots. Sidewalks leading up to the theater may have to handle overflow from indoor lines. Have signage available to let patrons know where to stand and where to go. Extra-long belted stanchions and transporters in parking areas will help manage flow. 

2. Mind the entrances and exits.

Holiday theater crowds often consist of out-of-town folks who aren’t familiar with the layout of your establishment. But whether they know your theater or not, beef up the signage to let people know where ticketing kiosks and counters are located, as well as refreshments and restrooms. Managing crowd flow going out is just as important as managing incoming crowds. There will be ebbs and flows of foot traffic before movies begin, but you already have the upper hand when it comes to maintaining order after movies let out. You know just when each film is wrapping up and when there will be mass exits of people. Stanchions, signage, and staff can be stationed at individual theaters to guide moviegoers to the fastest and least-crowded exits that lead directly to the parking lots.

3. Make the lines clear.

Because there will be a great many lines, you don’t want to create disgruntled moviegoers who accidentally end up in the wrong line. Signage is paramount – instead of “Enter Here” this is the time to be specific: “Prepaid Ticket Holders Enter Here.” Retractable belts will allow you to adjust the design and length of lines at a moment’s notice to accommodate heavier or lighter flows of traffic.

4. Keep them entertained.

Above all, moviegoers want to be distracted, taken away, and entertained. Contribute to this wish before they even settle in to watch their chosen film. Station digital signage anywhere and everywhere to play digital shorts or trailers of upcoming movies as well as films that are currently playing. Take advantage of your captive audience as they move from queue to queue (ticketing to refreshments to the line to get in the individual theater showing their film) and advertise theater promotions, movie times, snack bar deals, and more.

5. Be prepared for temporary closures.

It’s inevitable – you will have temporary closures at busy movie theaters during the holidays, whether it’s a restroom issue, a sick kid who ate too much popcorn, or a fainting patron who got overheated. Be prepared to cordon off queues, hallways, and aisles at a moment’s notice so quick clean-up can be arranged. Depending on the size and style of your theater, rope stanchions or retractable belts may be your weapon of choice. Directional or promotional signage systems can certainly work to your advantage in this environment of sensory overload. Electronic queue management systems will help keep all operations in check and notify managers before any queue or crowd management issues get out of control.