November sees a host of blockbuster movies hitting the screens in Beijing (see our pick of this month’s family-friendly flicks). But are you deterred by the hassle of buying a ticket, or worried your chosen screening will be sold out when you get to the cinema? Check out our guide to buying tickets on the all-encompassing WeChat app, and enjoy your popcorn stress-free.
- Go to WeChat Wallet under “Me” and select “Movie Tickets”, confirm to link to your account ID to the in-app program.
- By default, the program shows a list of all ongoing and upcoming movies, with red and blue buttons beside them respectively. Select the second icon at the bottom of the screen 影院 (yǐng yuàn, “Cinema”) if you want to check the list of movie theaters around the city instead.
- Click on the movie you’d like to see. All the listed movies come with basic information including a synopsis, trailer, and reviews to help you to make the right choice.
- After picking a movie, choose a specific cinema. The program provides the list of theaters in order of distance from your current location. If you have an preferred cinema in mind, scroll down to find it on the list.
- Once you’ve decided on a cinema, you’re ready to reserve your tickets by clicking on the red button 购票 (gòu piào “Buy ticket”), selecting the screening time you prefer.
- Choose your seats. Seats marked in red are already booked, while blank means they’re available.
- Pay for your order after double checking the ticket information, and tapping the orange button 确认支付(què rèn zhī fù “Confirm to pay”) to finish purchase through WeChat Wallet. Please note that movie tickets can’t be returned or exchanged.
When you get to the movie theater, you can either pick up your tickets at the customer service counter, or print them out from the dedicated machine by showing the message or the QR code.
Photo: rottentomatoes.com
