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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2016 11:26:17 GMT
No, that'll happen much later in the year, if indeed they don't decide to leave it until 2017.
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Post by n1david on Jun 9, 2016 18:33:36 GMT
Try again tomorrow
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Post by showgirl on Jun 10, 2016 3:53:03 GMT
I'm sorry to hear of the difficulty members experienced and am grateful that for once there was nothing I wished to book yet.
On a general note, however, I find the limited notice, random days of week and time (8.30 am) when online booking goes live really unhelpful, and said this in a recent NT survey - does anyone else agree?
The short notice means that it's usually too late for me to plan to be available on the day; the day of the week seems to vary, which may be deliberate to help those who can never "do" particular days, but it currently comes across as lack of organisation on the NT's part and as for the time, 8.30 am is when many people are either at work or travelling there (not in my case but I am still usually out way before that.)
On my wish-list would be longer notice, a system of fixing the day, or, preferably, announcing an organised rotation in day of the week, and either starting booking much earlier (some sites use midnight) or later in the day.
Any thoughts?
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Post by n1david on Jun 10, 2016 7:08:16 GMT
Why does anyone really other with National membership is beyond me, I don't hold membership and still manage to see everything. My main reason for membership was for Cottesloe (sic) shows, which could sell out to members if they were particularly starry or a new play by an interesting playwright. Having said that, with Rufus's programming, Friday Rush and ticket 'leakage', it seems to be much easier to get tickets after the initial sale period these days - I and many others got 'The Flick' after it was announced as being sold out weeks ago. Maybe I won't bother this time around (although I really want good seats for Angels in America)... |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 7:35:19 GMT
OMG over an HOUR to wait in the queue - I refuse to believe that many people are booking! But I still won't be ringing up the membership office to shout at people though...
Am really veering towards the conclusion that the NT no longer deserves my direct debit.
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Post by n1david on Jun 10, 2016 7:38:26 GMT
Oops - not really working as planned. I too got "over an hour" - queue position no. 1073. Out of interest, I signed in on my tablet.. got straight in, got the tickets I wanted without any queue.
Needs more work NT...
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Post by Steve on Jun 10, 2016 7:40:28 GMT
Sorry to hear that Abby.  I had a bit more luck. I basketed tickets for three productions immediately, but then got told I'd have to wait an hour to book the platform I wanted. However, if I waited the hour for the platform, the other tickets would time out, so I did a runner, checked out and paid for the three productions, and I'll return tonight for the platform. Good luck everyone!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 8:12:16 GMT
On my wish-list would be longer notice, a system of fixing the day, or, preferably, announcing an organised rotation in day of the week, and either starting booking much earlier (some sites use midnight) or later in the day. Any thoughts? Yes, I think the Wigmore do a midnight start for booking. Perhaps there's more of a chance it'd only be the real die-hards who'd bother waiting up that late/early to book, but I guess for popular productions it will be busy whenever they open booking. Plus providing out-of-hours support (eg if the site crashes, payment process screws up) could get pretty costly, I imagine. I don't see why they couldn't announce the on-sale dates earlier, though. (I haven't been a member for a few years, so I don't know how late they tend to leave this now.) But I tend to agree with others that getting tickets to the National really isn't that much of a struggle these days, so why pay extra for membership at all? Might be worthwhile for popular platforms and shows in the Dorfman, or if you're absolutely rabid about having particular seats in the Olivier/Lyttleton. I can generally find £15 seats when public booking opens and if I can't, they generally either come back on sale later or I book on the second round. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 8:14:22 GMT
So now I'm at the front of the queue and logged in but it won't let me buy anything!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 8:23:48 GMT
The thing about opening booking at midnight is if you end up in a terrible queue or everything goes pear-shaped, you could be waiting until 2am or later. The dates appear to be a little random (though I don't see how we don't have enough notice, they put the various dates on the website weeks in advance, unlike say the Royal Court or Young Vic who tend go for the "here's our season, friends booking opens NOW" method), but 8:30am is a sensible enough time. Sure, I have to arrive early at work to be ready, but it's less disruptive than stopping tasks all together or rescheduling meetings like I've had to do for everyone who puts their stuff on sale at 10:30am.  |
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Post by addictedtotheatre on Jun 10, 2016 8:29:09 GMT
When I logged in at 8am it put me into position 957 at 8:30 with a estimated of over an hour. Let me in at 9am, got everything I wanted, but MyNT is still showing the message:
'Today's Priority member booking has been suspended
We are experiencing technical difficulties with online booking. We have taken the decision to suspend Priority booking for the new season this morning: we will contact all members by email to let them know the new date and time when Priority Booking will re-open. Please accept our sincere apologies for the frustration and inconvenience. We are working to resolve the problems as quickly as possible.'
They really need to employ someone just look at their website for this sort of error.
But anyway, hopefully yesterday's fiasco won't happen again.
On a separate point went into the 'Green Room' bar and diner thing yesterday - completely chaotic, no one seemed to know where you could sit and order what, waiters were wandering around offering food to the wrong tables and they lost my bill! Just goes to show, running a theatre is one thing, running a website and a restaurant is quite another....
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Post by quine on Jun 10, 2016 8:36:51 GMT
So now I'm at the front of the queue and logged in but it won't let me buy anything! I had the same problem as under the show picture when I clicked on show name wouldn't allow me to buy but if I clicked on theatre name or date it would. Strange glitch. I had dropped the Box Office an email about this and they called me within 15mins which I thought was good service. |
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Post by Latecomer on Jun 10, 2016 8:42:15 GMT
Website really is rubbish. They have a message under "my membership" trait tries to explain why dates don't turn bookable.....and it suggests picking the date you want. But on tablets that select date button does not work (and I have told them so!) Plonked around for a bit and then it seemed to let me book no problem...I don't know what I did to change things! ARRRRG!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 8:51:29 GMT
I feel so sorry for the box office staff - they are probably dealing with a million irate people blaming them for something that is completely beyond their control...
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Post by charliec on Jun 10, 2016 9:00:27 GMT
I logged on at 9:30, sat in the queue for a minute, got straight in and booked everything I wanted. Obviously their queuing system isn't the best!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 9:03:34 GMT
I think they have one of these queuing systems where everyone on the website is arbitrarily assigned a position in the queue at the appointed time based on complete randomisation and not on how long anyone's actually been waiting. On the one hand, fair because then you can't get an upper hand by logging in two days in advance then stepping away from your PC, on the other hand, completely NOT fair because that is NOT how queuing works.
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Post by n1david on Jun 10, 2016 9:21:38 GMT
I think they have one of these queuing systems where everyone on the website is arbitrarily assigned a position in the queue at the appointed time based on complete randomisation and not on how long anyone's actually been waiting. On the one hand, fair because then you can't get an upper hand by logging in two days in advance then stepping away from your PC, on the other hand, completely NOT fair because that is NOT how queuing works. and not fair when someone logging in while the queue exists can get straight through avoiding the queue altogether! |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 10, 2016 11:22:49 GMT
Why the hysteria? Has something exciting gone on sale?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 11:25:08 GMT
Should be fun when Friday Rush booking opens at 1
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Post by kathryn on Jun 15, 2016 13:59:46 GMT
I think they have one of these queuing systems where everyone on the website is arbitrarily assigned a position in the queue at the appointed time based on complete randomisation and not on how long anyone's actually been waiting. On the one hand, fair because then you can't get an upper hand by logging in two days in advance then stepping away from your PC, on the other hand, completely NOT fair because that is NOT how queuing works. and not fair when someone logging in while the queue exists can get straight through avoiding the queue altogether! It must be the same software as the Old Vic uses! |
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