Any Luck with Physical Tickets Post-Reopening? — Page 2

Phantom4ever said: "I asked to have my tickets printed at the Majestic on Friday night, Oct. 22 and the box office worker glared at me, let out a dramatic sigh, and then looked around as if she didn't know what to do next."

I had a similar experience with a woman (probably the same one) on Friday afternoon at the Majestic. Prior to visiting the box office, I wrote my two Telecharge order numbers (Oct 22 and 23) on a piece of paper to avoid presenting my phone and opening the "You have the electronic ticket in your phone" can of worms. I slid the piece of paper and my ID under the glass and very politely asked for my printed tickets. She looked at me like I had grown a second head and replied, "What are you saying, you want a receipt?" I said no, that I wanted my tickets. She huffed and puffed and rolled her eyes all over the place like she had no idea what to do. Fortunately, a very nice gentleman in a suit who seemed as though he might be a manger stepped up and told her, "When this happens, just locate the order and enter a note saying the customer requested printed tickets, and then print them out." He promptly handed me the tickets for Friday night. I then asked about the one for Saturday night and he explained that they can only print same-day due to the abundance of easily reproduced electronic versions, which are susceptible to fraud. I thanked him for his help, all the while thinking how ironic it was that the customer is forced to accept fraud-prone electronic tickets and then meets with resistance when requesting the admittedly safer box office printouts.

I returned on Saturday evening to pick up my ticket about 20 minutes before show time and encountered no pushback.

For the record, I contacted Roundabout weeks ago, shortly after purchasing tickets for Caroline, or Change, to request that my tickets be printed and held at will call. I received an email confirmation of this from them and had no issues at the Studio 54 box office on show day. Similarly, and despite the fact that I purchased through Telecharge, the box office at Jagged Little Pill quickly complied with my request for printed tickets with no questions.

Updated On: 10/28/21 at 11:29 AM

I have no problem if we go the way of default digital tickets, unless otherwise specified, with an option for physical tickets. My local touring house subscription just launched an app where once you sign in, they will have digital tickets. However, when they sent this email to subscribers, you had the option to request physical tickets.

I will say I accept digital tickets more than if they did a digital Playbill. Like, I will die on the hill for physical Playbills.

I am seeing Phantom next week and received digital tickets. Would it be best just to go to the box office a few hours before the show that day and ask for the tickets to be printed? I am pretty shy so I am trying to figure out the best way to request this because it sounds like from past experiences on here the staff at Majestic can't be bothered.

I would think if people collect them or frame their playbill with an actual ticket, it looks nicer than a digital ticket. I don't care about it either way, but if I am paying extra to hold my ticket at will call, I should be able to get a physical ticket, if I asked. Out of a 100 customers, maybe 2 ask. Not a big deal. My touring house still does actual tickets and that includes lottery wins. Everybody receives a physical ticket.

With waiting on the Covid line, the metal detectors, the coming cold weather, the dozens of people with e-tickets on their phones that don't know how to or can't access them and need to get reprinted, the people that actually want to buy last minute tickets, it's not hard to understand that the box office might look askance at people that just clog the line so that they get a physical ticket for their scrapbook. It makes no sense and is just childish. Love them or hate them, and there are reasons for both, etix are now the coin of the realm. Get used to it and get over it. Put on your big boy and big girl pants and get the hell into the theater and stop holding up the line.

LizzieCurry said: "Robbie2 said: "What's the reason or need to have a physical tickets these days...It's 2021 the age of digital tickets. I don't get it?"

What's the reason to do anything without screens? Because screens can lose power. You don't have to turn on a piece of paper."

Having both lost my phone in NYC and had my phone die another time, I always print my tickets for theatre or Amtrak if I can. Can I buy another Amtrak ticket? Sure, but often times my train is sold out and I’d be stuck in the city overnight. So having the paper tickets for anything is my preference.

Am at Carnegie Hall right now. They issued hard tickets.

Hairspray0901 said: "senorvoce2 said: "With waiting on the Covid line, the metal detectors, the coming cold weather, the dozens of people with e-tickets on their phones that don't know how to or can't access them and need to get reprinted, the people that actually want to buy last minute tickets, it's not hard to understand that the box office might look askance at people that just clog the line so that they get a physical ticket for their scrapbook. It makes no sense and is just childish. Love them or hate them, and there are reasons for both, etix are now the coin of the realm. Get used to it and get over it. Put on your big boy and big girl pants and get the hell into the theater and stop holding up the line."

Actually, when I’ve asked for a printed ticket it wasn’t while waiting in line… it was prior to the line even starting up. It doesn’t have to make sense to you; I’m not sure why you feel the need to call mine, or anyone else’s, memorabilia collection “childish”."

LOL,ok but it is childish - just saying.

Hey all, I'm wondering if the whole asking-for-paper-ticket at the box office thing has gotten easier? I haven't seen a show since October and most of the theaters gave me a hard time and let me know how annoying it was to print out a ticket. Are they saying yes or no these days? Thanks.

They're saying yes. I had a digital ticket to a show last week, but the internet connection in the lobby was so weak. Stupid of me, I should've added it to my Apple Wallet or taken a screenshot. But when I opened the link the page wouldn't load or come up. I ended up going to the box office and explaining. They asked for my name and confirmation number and I had printed tickets within a minute. Just ask!