Compare price of movies, snacks and parties

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/03/2002 (8961 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ESCAPING the confines of our home one cold Saturday afternoon, we headed off to a matinee showing of the latest Disney family offering. Admission for two kids and one adult totaled $10.25, a figure low enough to leave me a little cash to spring for some popcorn.

But reality hit at the concession stand at the Famous Players theatre in Garden City Shopping Centre.

Declining the $5.30 price-tag times two for a kiddie tray (consisting of a small soft drink, popcorn, and tiny candy bar in an orange cardboard container) plus the price of treats for me, we settled on another combo of two largish drinks and a huge bag of popcorn, with a chocolate bar thrown in for good measure. The final tally, of $13.11 plus the admission, worked out nearly to eight bucks per head for 72 minutes with Peter Pan 2: Return to Neverland.

In the past, I’ve sauntered through theatre turnstiles with a treat or two tucked into a coat pocket to avoid the inflated refreshment prices. But if the temptation of buttery topping on some freshly popped corn outweighs your economical bend, read on. Child’s Play has calculated the real deals out there in movie land, popcorn included.

Cinema City, 1910 Pembina Hwy. and 1399 McPhillips St., has the lowest movie prices in town, if you’re not in a hurry to see a new release. Admission is $2 for every age before 6 p.m., and $2.50 after 6, discounted to $1.50 all day Tuesdays. Check their newspaper ads for two-for-one coupons. Kernel cost: Prices vary slightly between the two theatres, but a kid’s pack of small popcorn, pop and teeny candy bar comes in around $3 with taxes. Party time: Regular admission prices apply for birthday parties, but all party-goers get a tour of the projection booth and a bookmark made from movie film. The birthday kid also receives a movie poster.

Cineplex Odeon, Grant Park Shopping Centre, has one charge — $6.99 for all ages and all shows. Sister theatre Garrick on Garry Street has variable rates of children $4.25, adults $6.50, Tuesday matinees $4.25. Kernel cost: A small drink, small popcorn and licorice combo will set you back $4.89 with tax. Party time: Regular admission and concession fees apply, but the birthday kid gets in free, as well as one other guest in a party of 10.

IMAX, Portage Place, may have the biggest screen in town, but admission of $5.30 for children and adults $7.90 are in the middle of the pack. Kernel cost: Kiddie combo tray with small popcorn, drink and candy bar is $4. Party time: This is the best value of the bunch, since the price tag of $7 per child includes movie admission, soft drink and popcorn, souvenir for each child, present for the birthday kid, and a party area for one hour. The birthday child also has the thrill of having his or her name projected on the five-and-a-half storey screen before the show starts.

Silvercity, Polo Park and St. Vital Centre, recently lowered admission prices to their big-screen, big-sound locations to $7.95 for every age category, with the same price for the Famous Player’s Theatre at Kildonan Place.

Garden City, Famous Player’s fourth Winnipeg location, wins the prize for the cheapest admissions for first-run movies, charging $3.25 for children, adults $6.50, and $3.75 for matinees. Kernel cost: Prices vary slightly between the Silvercity and the other Famous Players locations but expect to pay a whopping $5 plus a quarter or two for a kiddie combo of popcorn, small drink and small package of candy. Party time: Silvercity puts on a big show for birthdays, with the lowest-priced package coming in at $13.05 for admission, kiddie combo for every child, party hats, loot bags, invitations, and reserved theatre seating. For an extra few dollars per person, the theatre provides a party room for an hour, refills the pop, and serves your choice of hot dogs, fries or pizza from their variety of concessions. Kildonan Place parties are $13.30, and a slightly less costly $12.05 at Garden City.

Towne 8, at Notre Dame Avenue and Princess Street, lives up to its billing as family affordable with all-the-time ticket prices of $4 for children 13 and under. Adults are $6, $4 for matinees. Buy a movie passport for $16 and get five children in for the price of four. Kernel cost: Best buy around at $2.99 for a kid’s pack of small popcorn and 12-ounce soft drink. Party time: Birthday kid gets in free and receives a complimentary kid’s pack, all other children pay $4 plus concessions. The party-goers have reserved seating, and theatre staff will sing Happy Birthday.

PHOTO KEN GIGLIOTTI/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

brenda@suderman.com