rave cinema rave movie theater disgusting nasty dirty rude unhealthy west springfield, Massachusetts

I am a former employee of Rave Cinemas and how dare you make these false accusations. By far the nicest, cleanest, largest, most friendliest theater in the area. I enjoyed working there, but disliked dealing with customers like you who complain as soon as they wake up in the morning. What you need to understand is nothing is perfect in this lifetime. So if you encountered a dirty bathroom, or movie theater **** happens get over it. But for you to say there were needles and other bull****, please grow up. I am still friends with many of the people who work there and they are good people who do their best. It is not there fault people who go to public theaters do not know how to clean up after themselves. They aren't slaves, or maids. They are there to do a job.

It's probably better you stay your broke *** home or go to the ghetto theater. After reading your report I can come to the conclusion that is where you belong.

This report raises way too many questions. Firstly, why are you writing a ripoff report on a movie theatre you haven't been to in three years - especially since this one has completely changed ownership and management since then? Why complain about them not working on issues with customer service and cleanliness when you admit you have not been there and thus cannot actually evaluate whether or not these problems have improved? Why do you not mention what any of the apparent problems actually were instead of making broad, general, poorly-spelled accusations that could apply to anything? Why are you bringing up the old, ridiculous rumors of diseased needles? Why mention the bedbug thing, which is rare, old news, and does not apply to this theatre?

If this report amounts to anything, an expression of dissatisfaction with movie theatres in general, yet bizarrely targeted towards a specific one with no details as to why (or details of any sort, really). That might still be somewhat valid if you'd actually been to a theatre recently and experienced poor service, but that is, by your own admission, not the case. If you believe movie theatres are going to die out, that's fine (though note that box office revenue is up this year), but it does not constitute a ripoff report.

To anyone who may be reading this report because of concerns with this particular theatre, allow me to provide an actual evaluation:

If you, like this poster, just do not like movie theatres in general, then Rave West Springfield will not change your mind. But if you like or are ambivalent about movie theatres, it's generally pretty serviceable. There's nothing too fancy here - no IMAX or other premium-screen format, no 7.1 sound, no in-theatre restaurant stuff - but as a general-purpose multiplex it's okay.

Concessions are overpriced just like every theatre (since that is how they make most of their money), but the food itself is generally of decent quality and they also have some non-standard options like pretzels and pizza. Ticket prices are comparable to other multiplexes in the area and cheaper than you'd find in Boston. They also have student and senior discounts, as well as discount Wednesdays.

They do have 3D shows, using the mostly-standard RealD format. Most if not all of their 15 auditoriums support the format, so they can handle multiple simultaneous 3D releases. They are also very good about playing 2D versions for those who do not like 3D or do not want to pay the surcharge. My only complaint about the 3D here is that I experience more "ghosting" - crosstalk resulting in faint double images - than I do in some other theatres, which could be a consequence of their filters or screens. It is noticeable but not usually very distracting, and the 3D effect still works.

The auditoriums themselves are decent. The screens are actually surprisingly large - not an IMAX size, but close to some other theatre chains' "premium" formats. They are generally in fair condition, though some do have noticeable spots or scratches on them (most visible in very bright scenes and often effectively invisible during the movie). During one screening I attended a projector issue caused uneven screen brightness throughout the presentation, but I have never encountered this problem again.

Since the change of management they have gone completely digital - useful, as in 2010 I saw a film presentation there that had some bad alignment issues. They do not have the new state-of-the-art 4K projectors, but these are found almost exclusively in upscale theatres or ones in larger urban areas. The image from their existing 2K projectors is still quite good. They have Dolby Digital surround sound in the standard 5.1 configuration, which is nothing fancy but generally works well. During one screening the left rear channel did not work, however my next visit to that auditorium did not include this problem.

There is ample seating in their auditoriums, most of which hold between 200 and 250 people. The seats are fabric, moderately padded, with reclining backs and swivel-down armrests with built-in cupholders. They are nothing special but not uncomfortable. Leg room is decent, perhaps even slightly above average for a multiplex. Seating is stadium-style, but the angle at which the rear seats are elevated is quite shallow. This allows for more leg room but also means that the rear seats are quite far from the screen (an issue made less problematic by the screen size). The elevation is still high enough that views of the screen will only be obstructed by those wearing tall hats or who are of exceptional height. Additionally, the rear seats are far enough below the projector that patrons walking in the back aisle do not block the projected image and cast giant shadows, as is the case in some other stadium theatres.

I have never had a notable issue with cleanliness here. Nothing gross has been found in my food, the aisles are always clean at the start of a show, and I've certainly never been bitten by bedbugs or stabbed with a needle. The bathroom floors are sometimes disconcertingly sticky in spots, but not nearly as bad as many other public restrooms I've used. They're also quite large, and there are plenty of them.

The staff has never been rude to me, or anyone in my vicinity, while I was there. They are generally courteous and either reasonably happy or good at faking it. They also cover a range of ages all the way up to a handful of seniors, so it is not entirely staffed by inexperienced school-aged kids.

The theatre lobby lists showtimes both at the box office and on a large elevated screen, making it easy to find when your show starts. The main concession stand is located at the center and has multiple points of service, although usually only two or three registers are open at a time. The wait has never been more than a couple of minutes to get concessions, in my experience. Along the edge of the lobby are the other specialty food shops and a small arcade (which I have never been in). They display movie posters and stand-up promotional material throughout the lobby. The layout of the multiplex is simple, as most of the auditoriums are located in one of four halls that branch out from the lobby. A couple of auditoriums are entered directly from the lobby.

The multiplex has a large, dedicated parking lot split into multiple levels, as it is built partially on a hill. The elevated level has a covered, air-conditioned/heated tunnel bridge attached that leads over the lower parking lot and into the theatre, where you ride an escalator down into the main lobby. This is quite convenient, shortening what would otherwise be a long walk and providing relief from the elements on days with less-than-pleasant weather.

The location, too, is convenient; it's located in a bustling commercial section of West Springfield on a major throughfare. Very close by is the Riverdale Shops plaza, which offers many stores and chain restaurants. There are also a few local restaurants nearby, as well as a recently-opened Five Guys and an Outback Steakhouse separate from the plaza but within close proximity. The area also has many motels and hotels for travelers.

Despite the vague, non-specific, and outdated criticism in this report, I'm comfortable recommending this location to anyone in the area who wants to go to the movies.