The VIP Topic (What it includes what it doesn't)

[Orthography Enthusiast]

As far as I can tell, each package comes with one ticket and the merch. So if you want two tickets, you either have to buy two VIP packages or else buy one VIP package and one premium ticket, which wouldn't necessarily put you sitting together. There seems to be some overlap at most venues (VIP is somewhere in the first 3 rows, for example, and premium is somewhere in the first 10... so I'd guess that if the VIP tickets didn't sell out at a given show, they might seat the VIP and the premium ticket together if you explained nicely... or maybe not. This is probably a question that should be asked of Customer Service.

[sternoinferno]

Purchased my VIP package for the New Bedford show. While it says to expect tickets before two weeks prior to the show, is that what people have experienced? Do the tickets (which I realize arrive separately) typically arrive roughly two weeks before the show, or earlier? How early have people gotten their tickets? Also, do I find out my seats before the tickets come in the mail or not until then? Thanks!

[minnick27]

Pretty much never before two weeks. You will have your tickets before the show, thats what matters. Although it does suck not knowing your seat

[TMBJon]

Have people generally been finding that there are ways to get better seats by avoiding VIP? Have Ticketmaster seats generally been worse than the VIP offerings, or are there better seats available?

[minnick27]

It depends on how long you wait. I realized I forgot to order for Allentown, Ticketmaster is offering row 14, the premium ticket can get me anywhere between 1-13 for the same price. Went with the premium. When I did the package in 2008, it got me front row center. When I did it last year for the Keswick it got me second row. The people in front of me were Keswick members. I guess that when PAID assigns you your seat two weeks before those unsold seats go to Ticketmaster. But I think if you are a supporter of a theatre, that is your best bet.

[Alinite27]

Yeah, it's basically just luck. You'll have situations where PAID is a better way to go. Then, you'll have situations where waiting for TicketMaster is better. I've found that for theatre venues, it's usually better to go as much through the venue as possible. If they have their own box office phone number, go straight through them. If not, go through TicketMaster. MOST of the time PAID's VIP works well. As they usually offer the first couple rows. Then, you can end up having situations like Massey Hall. They set away the first four rows for TV Production. The filming company decided to change how they were going to film it on the day of. Those rows were left to be filled, and they ended up giving away free tickets to people on the streets to fill them up, while us that bought the VIP were back a few rows. It's still a more sure bet than through the Premium tickets.

That is from the start of ticket on-sale, like Mike said, if ticket availability is past what Paid is offering, they would be the better outlet. Of course, being a venue member, is always going to be the best thing to do, but sometimes that just isn't a possibility.

[TMBJon]

That is from the start of ticket on-sale, like Mike said, if ticket availability is past what Paid is offering, they would be the better outlet.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this.

[Alinite27]

OK. What I meant was, my description of what outlet is the best to get tickets through was considering nothing have taken place. From the start of the original on-sale of the tickets. Mike had referenced Allentown, where he had forgot to order tickets. What ticketmaster was offering was worse than what Paid was offering. So, in that case you would take Paid.

By the way for you Mike, it would have been better to buy through the Allentown Symphony website that I and Rangerbob had posted in the topic. If anyone else is looking for tickets to this show, I would suggest not buying through TicketMaster or Paid. There are still great seats available on their website. https://allentownsymphony.secure.force. ... 4gVQcMAM_1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TMBJon]

Ah okay, so in other words if your decision was between presale with PAID vs waiting until general onsale for Ticketmaster, you would recommend PAID just because it's a sure bet?

I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to do. Thanks!

[Alinite27]

Yeah, that's sort of what I mean. Paid is usually a sure bet when you get the VIP Package. Premium, especially considering it's a theatre, is definitely chancing it.

I haven't bought a ticket through Paid that wasn't VIP since 2010, as I think that it is better to hold out and I have gotten better results, when going through the venue or ticketmaster. But, yeah, for VIP, Paid is usually a sure bet.