Here's How To Save Money On Your Next Trip To Cineplex, According To A Former Employee

You don't have to buy water

If you're not feeling like sucking back some pop, you can always opt for water instead. But, before you buy a water bottle, Nick has a tip for you.

"You can always get a cup of water," he said. "Oh my God, do no get a bottle of water and pay $5.50 for it. That's insane!"

"Just ask for a cup of water and generally they'll give you just the regular concession cup."

And that's free of charge! So if you're thirsty but don't want to shell out money, you could always try this Cineplex hack instead.

Refunds are possible

Sometimes you'll buy a movie ticket, there will be a change of plans and you can't make the movie.

While you might think you're out of luck, according to Nick, there's a glimmer of hope for you.

"You can get a refund, it's not hard," he explained.

"You just have to email their guest services," he said, adding that the only parameter is that you can only get a refund up to 30 minutes after the movie's started.

"I had a friend who had lost out on so much money because she assumed that you can't get refunds," he added.

That being said, this might not be the case for all locations, and is likely up to the discretion of the individual theatre and management.

But, hey, it doesn't hurt to ask, right?

 AVX isn't always worth it

With all of the add-ons and plus-ups that Cineplex theatres sell, it's hard to tell what is actually worth the extra money.

Take their AVX movie experience, for example. This upgrade boasts a bigger screen, better sound quality and more comfortable seating. But, Nick says that spending the extra money isn't always worth it.

"AVX Atmos is worth it because Dolby Atmos is an entirely different sound quality," he explained.

"But if it's just regular AVX, then it's not really worth it. It could be a bigger screen but, oftentimes, there's very little difference."

Granted he did mention that some AVX screenings can still be good if the projection and screen have been recently upgraded, like at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto.

IMAX is only worth it sometimes

Another popular option at Cineplex is the IMAX experience.

Online, Cineplex boasts about IMAX's "immersive, heart-pounding audio" and "crystal clear images on the largest screens."

But, according to Nick, it's not always worth the fuss.

"IMAX is worth it only if [the movie] was shot on IMAX cameras," said Nick, adding that this is something that can easily be researched online.

"If it's not shot on IMAX cameras [...] it's essentially just an expanded image," he explained.

While, of course, the screen and sound are bigger when you go to an IMAX screening no matter how it was shot, when you do see a movie shot in IMAX vs one that wasn't and was blown up to be IMAX size, "you're going to physically notice that difference."