The Scene+ has been rapidly changing over the last month, with Sobeys rolling out the program in stages across the country.
But while all this has been going on, Cineplex has quietly changed the way you redeem points for free movies.
Will these changes end up being a net benefit? Or will you have to pay more to catch that free flick? Read on for all the spicy details.
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Redeem 100 Scene points to save $1 on Cineplex movie tickets
The old system of earning and redeeming points at Cineplex Theatres for movies is now completely gone.
In the past, after purchasing 10 movie tickets you could get a free ticket.
In 2021, Cineplex changed this equation. Instead of getting a lump sum of points when getting a movie ticket, you started earning 5 points per $1 spent at the theatre.
However, you still needed a lump sum of points to redeem for a free movie ticket – anywhere from 1,250 to 2,000, depending on the ticket type.
That part of the equation is now officially done. Instead, you can now redeem 100 points to save $1 on your ticket.
The end result? Well, your points are less valuable than before. We used to have an average value of 1.05 cents when redeeming for free movies. But the value varied wildly depending on the ticket. Here were our previous values for each type of ticket:
| Type of movie | Value of 1 point |
|---|---|
| General Admission | 1.02 cents |
| 3D Movies | 1.27 cents |
| UltraAVX 3D | 0.89 cents |
| DBOX | 1.2 cents |
| IMAX | 1 cent |
| VIP Cinema | 0.8 cents |
Now it’s a nice, consistent 1 cent per point.
Is it better than before? Well, it depends on the type of movie ticket you redeemed for. If you stick to using them for DBOX and 3D movies, you’re certainly losing value (I only used to redeem them for 3D movies).
For general admission, you’re at about the same value, and for the others, you’re getting a much improved value.
So really, it’s up to you if it’s better or worse. Seeing how your points are worth less, we would say it’s not a great look for Cineplex. Even if you’re smart about using your points, you’ve lost some value.
Purchase the Costco vouchers for better savings
For me personally, it’s not the end of the world. I now have a Costco membership and I simply buy the Cineplex vouchers there because it’s a much better deal. They have to be purchased in a warehouse – they can’t be bought online, which is a small price to pay, but should be fine if you’re getting groceries there anyway.
And because I purchase these vouchers now, I can no longer redeem points for free movie tickets.
There are 2 you can buy:
The last time I purchased them, I paid (with 15% sales tax added on) $34.49 for the Great Escape voucher and $13.79 for the Child Adventure.
The actual cost at my local Cineplex for these?
For the Great Escape, here’s the full price. Unfortunately, Cineplex doesn’t list their concession prices online, and I can’t recall what they are, but movietheaterprices.com will give us an idea – we’ll use the middle price for each item.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 2 General Admission Tickets | $26.45 |
| Regular Popcorn | $7.19 |
| 2 Regular Soft Drinks | $10.93 |
| Total | $44.57 |
Please note these prices are from P.E.I. where I live, and may be different depending on where in the country you live.
That’s a savings of around $10. And yes, you can still earn Scene+ points on your visit – I got 143 points last time.
As for the Child Adventure, here’s what it costs:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 Child Admission | $8.63 |
| Kid’s Combo | $9.78 |
| Total | $18.41 |
That’s a savings of around $5.
For either pack, it only covers general admission tickets. They can be used for other movie tickets like 3D and UltraAVX, you just have to pay a little extra. With this new change, you can actually now use your points to offset any extra cost.
With this said, these vouchers are not for everyone. If you prefer different movie snacks, or don’t get them at all, these aren’t for you.
But they are an easy way to save on the movies.
Earn Scene+ points everywhere
Loving the new and improved Scene+ program? Scotiabank issues a variety of Scene+ credit cards.
Here are the cards you can take a look at.
×1 Award winner 
GC: $100
1x Award winner
GC: $100
GC: $50
$100 GeniusCash + Up to 50,000 bonus points + No foreign exchange fees.*
Your turn
It’s unfortunate that Cineplex has quietly devalued redeeming for free movies. But this devaluation also depends on the type of movies you go to see.
What are your thoughts on Cineplex ticket redemption changes?
Let us know in the comments below.
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