Advance Notice By Matt Slovick Special to The Washington Post Friday, May 21, 1999

This summer there's a good chance you won't have to wait in line, only to have "Wild Wild West" sell out just as you reach the ticket window.

The landscape for advance ticket buying in the Washington area has changed greatly in just the past year. The Cineplex Odeon-Loews merger, the opening of new state-of-the-art theaters and the expansion of MovieFone in this market and on the Web have increased a filmgoer's chance of getting a ticket without standing in line.

Okay, you got only busy signals at 3 p.m. on May 12 when the "Star Wars" tickets went on sale. The anticipation for "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" was a once-in-a-millennium occurrence. That type of rush for advance tickets probably won't happen again for years – three to be exact – when "Episode II" is slated for release.

With "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," "Wild Wild West" and "Eyes Wide Shut" among this summer's releases, you might want to consider using the phone to ensure an opening-night ticket.

Last summer, 14 theaters offered advance tickets by phone. That number has risen to 26 this year – just in time for the arrival of Jar Jar Binks and Darth Maul. Ten area theaters have also gone online to sell tickets at www.moviefone.com, and that number is sure to grow.

Why order in advance and pay an extra 75 cents to $1.25 for a ticket that has reached $7.75 to $8.25 in this region? Well, it can guarantee the specific movie you want at the time you prefer. When you arrive, the lines are generally shorter at will-call windows or automated ticket machines. And you won't end up standing in line for an hour, only to discover the movie has sold out by the time you reach the box office.

All the theaters that supply this service are basically the same except Sterling's Regal Countryside Cinemas, which has its employees take orders without an extra fee. At the other theaters, you are usually connected to an automated menu and use the phone's keypad to select theater, movie, day, time and the number of adult, child or senior tickets. You must also supply a credit card number and expiration date. Don't forget to bring that credit card. You'll need it to pick up the tickets at the theater.

When you call, the phone keypad limits you to nine tickets per transaction, but you could order nine adult, nine child and nine senior tickets at once. Although sales are final and tickets are non-refundable or non-exchangeable, theaters will likely work with a customer if an emergency keeps a person from attending the film.

Tickets are generally available on the Wednesday before a Friday opening. Once the movie has opened, you can buy tickets up to a week in advance.

The theaters below offer advance-ticket purchase by phone. You can also buy advance tickets in person, with no service charge.

By Phone

American Multi-Cinema – These theaters use TeleTicket, a 24-hour automated system with tickets three to seven days in advance with a Visa or MasterCard. Service charge is 75 cents per ticket. Tickets are picked up at a will-call window. All eight locations use the same phone number: 703/998-4262: Union Station 9 (Washington), Academy 8 and Academy West 6 (Greenbelt), City Place 10 (Silver Spring), Rivertowne 12 (Oxon Hill); Courthouse 8 (Arlington), Potomac Mills 15 (Woodbridge), Skyline 12 (Falls Church).

Hoyts Cinemas – Hoyts has opened four theaters in the past year that have a 24-hour automated system with tickets three to seven days in advance with a Visa or MasterCard. Service charge is $1 per ticket. No will-call window; advance tickets can be picked up at the box office or at the ATM machine in the lobby. The theaters are Potomac Yard Cinema 16 (Alexandria), 703/739-4040; Cinemas in Manassas, 703/257-9850; Bowie Cinema 14, 301/262-7433; and West Nursery Cinema 14 (Linthicum), 410/850-8999.

Loews Cineplex Entertainment – Two Cineplex Odeon and three Loews theaters now offer a 24-hour automated system through MovieFone, which accepts all major credit cards. Service charge is $1.25 per ticket. All locations use the same phone number – 202/333-3456 – but some theaters have a specific express code. Most theaters have a courtesy desk to pick up advance orders. The theaters are Cineplex Odeon Uptown (Washington), #799; Cineplex Odeon Rio 14 (Gaithersburg), #780; Loews Centerpark 8 (Calverton); Loews Germantown 6; and Loews Wheaton Plaza 11.

United Artists – UA also offers a 24-hour automated system through MovieFone in four of its theaters. All major credit cards are accepted. Service charge is $1.25 per ticket. The locations use one of two phone numbers, but some theaters have a specific express code. Most theaters have a courtesy desk to pick up advance orders. The theaters are Bethesda, 202/333-3456, #753; Fairfax Towne Center 10, 202/333-3456, #830; Snowden Square 14 (Columbia) 410/444-3456, #781; and Marley Station (Glen Burnie) 410/444-3456, #779.

Regal Countryside Cinema 14 – An employee takes advance-ticket orders at this Sterling theater, so you must call when it's open (usually about noon to midnight daily). Regal accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express. No service charge. An advance-purchase ticket window is open on Friday and Saturday nights. 703/404-8603.

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