Free Movie Admission!

other Canadian disability discounts

Disability discounts in Toronto

We all need a break from time to time, right? So it's nice to know that this free movie admission program has been developed to provide a disability discount for people like us - the helpers. The program is called Access 2 Entertainment, and you need to apply first, but it's worth it. Keep reading for details...

Here's how it works. The person with the disability pays full price for the movie ticket. However, the support person that accompanies them can usually get free movie admission! In some cases, the benefit won't be a free movie, but at least the program will still offer a discount. You shouldn't have to pay more than three dollars.

Of course, like everything else, you need to apply, and be prepared for a long wait before approval - generally between four to six weeks.

But, once you receive your Access 2 Entertainment card, you'll be able to get free movie admission at most movie theatres right across the country. And, the card is good for 5 years - finally something you don't need to renew every year!

The usual conditions apply for application. The person with the disability (or their guardian) must apply. And the application has to be signed by a "registered health care professional or recognized service provider" seeing the person with special needs.

Don't be surprised if the doctor charges you a fee to complete the form.

UPDATE: The Access to Entertainment card now has a fee of $ 20., so it's not quite free anymore. However, $ 20 for 5 years of entertainment is still a pretty good deal, I'd say. Ready to apply for your free movie admission? You can download the free movie admission application here

To get full instructions on how to download the disability discount application, click here. To get more information and a fuller listing of the movie theatres that participate in this disability discount program, click here.

We've used this program and found it to be a useful money saver - after all movies can get expensive, as you well know. A word of warning though....

Although the program is quite broadly available, we found that awareness of it among staff was pretty hit and miss. Actually, it seemed most people at the main ticket area were not aware of the program.

This is a bit surprising, since the program was actually developed by and has been developed by the Motion Picture Theatre Associations of Canada. (Easter Seals Canada actually runs the program on their behalf.)
I recommend that you call ahead to confirm that the movie theatre staff are aware of the program. Then, when you go in, go straight to the Guest Services area - don't waste your time standing in line with everyone else. Give yourself some extra time to get the details sorted out - especially the first few times.

Also, check to see what other accomodations your theatre may offer. In our case for instance, the wheelchair seating area is somewhat separate from everyone else. But, since we have a young child, we didn't want to leave him there by himself. So, we ended up parking the wheelchair in the designated spot, but then carried him up to the regular seating area so that he could sit with the rest of the family. There is no 'regular' seating right next to the 'official' wheelchair area, so this was our only choice.

(Movie theatre owners, are you listening?)

To do a quick search on disability information for your local theatre, you can search here. For a particular movie (or theatre) try using this search term structure....

+"theater" +"your location" +"movie name"

e.g. +"Famous Players" +"St John" +"Over the Hedge"

And be sure to check out other Canadian disability discount programs available too! Just click on the link below for more information.

Enjoy the movie!