Know your parents’ tastes and policies beforehand. If you already know that the movie contains more sex, violence, or other material that they’ll object to you seeing, don’t bother asking, since this will tip them off that you intend to see it.
If the two of you have a strong relationship, play to their sympathies, since they too were probably in your position not so long ago. If the two of you don’t get along most of the time, barter with them. Offer to do their chores or even provide an alibi or some other form of support the next time they want to sneak something behind your parent’s back.
If the ticket window is located outside, stay out of view of theater staff, but stay in view of everyone else when approaching strangers. Don’t barter with anything more than a little extra money, if even that. Regardless of how young they may seem, don’t agree to do any other favor for a strange adult, even if it sounds innocent. Don’t be afraid to ask. Unlike buying alcohol for minors, no one’s going to get arrested or fined for buying you a movie ticket (unless it’s to an NC-17 rated film). [4] X Research source The worst that may happen is a simple “No. ”
To avoid suspicion, don’t buy the gift card from the theater the same day you try to see the movie.
Scope out the staff ahead of time. See if they make a point of inspecting ticket stubs when people reenter, or if they just let people in when a ticket stub is shown at all. If they let people breeze by, you could possibly try using an old stub that you’ve saved from a previous movie. [8] X Research source Use this trick at a multiplex with multiple ticket collectors. Avoid theaters that only assign one staff member for this job, since they may have a good memory for faces and thus know who has and hasn’t presented a ticket already. [9] X Research source Wait for the line to back up, since staff will be more likely to wave stub-holders through while dealing with tickets that still need to be torn.
If your multiplex has ticket collectors at the door to the theater that you want to sneak into, go watch the movie that you just bought a ticket for. Wait for the movie that you want to see to start playing. Leave the first theater and, if the ticket collectors are gone, sneak into the second. If they’re still there, go the restroom or concession stand as if that’s all you meant to do, and then try again in a little bit later. If your multiplex collects tickets at the front of the house and then lets you find your own way, just say thanks and sail right into the theater you want to go to once you find it. [10] X Research source Use this trick at multiplexes rather than small, two-screen theaters, since you’re more likely to attract attention at the latter due to the lack of space.
Get your timing right. Avoid loitering outside the doors, since there may be security cameras. Search online ahead of time to find out what movies in which theaters are letting out when. This way you’ll know exactly when to be in place. Don’t go in as a group. Be believable; one kid running back inside to find something he’s lost is plausible, but a bunch of kids doing the same looks like a bunch of kids sneaking into a theater. If you’re going as a group, have only one person go inside while the others wait for him to come back, which adds credibility to your cover. Once the crowd disperses, have the inside man come back and reopen the door for the rest of the group. Be aware that this is technically theft. [12] X Research source If you’re caught, you may be in more serious trouble than you would be if you tried to buy a ticket for a movie that’s not meant for you.
Know the layout. Keep an eye out for security cameras that may catch you loitering outside or opening the door from the inside. Be careful not to use a fire exit that triggers an alarm when opened. Remember, this is technically theft, so you may get in trouble for this.
