After a long wait, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain is widening the beta testing of its MoviePass-competitor: Season Pass. I found out today (June 19) when I got an email from Alamo inviting me to sign up for its Brooklyn, NY location, which gave me a "limited time offer" pricing: $26.99 per month.
Yes, that's a lot, but it's still cheaper than two separate $17.50 tickets at the Brooklyn Alamo, which total to $35. Alamo is probably hoping to make up that money on food sales, as its theaters serve a full menu with beers, cocktails and more during screenings.
Season Pass vs MoviePass vs AMC Stubs A-List
| Alamo Season Pass | MoviePass | AMC Stubs A-List | |
| Monthly Price | $19.99 to $29.99 (prices are being tested) | $19.99 per month | $23.95 per month |
| Ticket allotment | 7 movies per week | 7 movies per week | See Up to 3 Movies Every Week |
| Fine Print | Alamo theaters only, Tickets available 7 days in advance, Pricing may vary during Beta test period | "MoviePass makes no guarantee on the availability to any particular theater, showtime, or title that is presented in our app." - MoviePass Terms of Use | AMC theaters only; "A-List reservations can be made any time after movie tickets go on sale." - AMC Stubs A-List FAQ |
How to sign up for Season Pass
Right now, you need to sign up for the Season Pass waitlist before you can get invited. Just click here and fill out your contact information to get started.
Since that's notably higher than MoviePass' original $9.99 plan or its current $19.99 per month pricing, you're probably wondering what you get. Alamo will give you unlimited single-seat tickets during the month, with a limit of one ticket per day.
You won't want Season Pass for big blockbuster tickets that are in high demand (i.e. Avengers: Endgame), as you can only buy tickets 7 days before their showtime. Oh, and 3D movie tickets will carry an extra $1.99 fee.
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The two-seat plan Alamo offered me costs an extra $25.99, bumping you up to $52.98 per month. Additional tickets can be purchased alongside ticket reservations made by Season Pass members.
While I signed up for the Downtown Brooklyn location, Alamo noted that memberships will be supported at all theaters participating in this testing. At this time, that testing is limited to:
- Denver, CO
- Littleton, CO
- Kansas City, MO
- Raleigh, NC,
- New York City, NY (i.e. Brooklyn)
- Yonkers, NY,
- Austin, TX,
- New Braunfels, TX
- San Antonio, TX
All of this pricing, though, may vary. The Season Pass FAQ notes that "we'll test different features of the program at different price points. It's possible during the Beta Test that you may subscribe to a slightly different plan than someone else."
"We're not playing favorites," Alamo says, "it's just (data) science." Back in March, Season Pass was reported to cost $19.99 per month "in most regions," so there's a chance that this $26.99 price may be something New Yorkers have to deal with, as most stuff costs more here.
An example of this comes from reader Simon Tam, who tweeted proof that Alamo offered him an even higher price than they showed me: $29.99.
Alamo responded, tweeting "We are indeed testing pricing at a number of different tiers as part of the beta release. Appreciate the feedback!"
Most recently, this subscription service-for-movies market got a little less competitive, as Sinemia shockingly withdrew from the U.S. market.
