Marcus Palace Cinema

Been here a number of times with the family. Prices are higher, but you can’t beat reserved seating in loungers. Good sound and digital screens. Good clean restrooms for the young kids that always seem to need a potty break. Very satisfied with the movie viewing experience here.

First of all this theater needs new and better management! I have visited them a few times and the first time I ever visited them was with my kids back in November to see Goosebumps. My kids loved it but i did not. We went to a 7 o clock showing and there teenagers behind us that decided to use inappropriate language and were screaming in the theater. Second of all, the theater was disgusting there was popcorn all over the floor and chairs and was just downright gross. Since this was our first time here, i signed up for the magical rewards thinking i would come back more since it is the closest theater to us. Got a survey in my email, gave them the exact same thing i am writing now about my experience and got an email from Tom Richest, the General manager apologizing and stating that we would send us 4 free passes. Now this was Nov. 17^th, 2015. I hadn’t seen them then emailed him back on the 21^st of Dec. 2015, he then stated for the management to make sure they get sent out, still didn’t see them and emailed him back on Jan. 27^th, 2016 stating i still hadn’t received them and now i haven’t got any emails back. This truly shows managements lack of communication skills and not being able to do tasks that are asked. I guess this is why they allow people to scream in there theaters during a movie and leave there theaters gross. Now, My wife and I decided to take our kids to Deadpool in there big screen bistro. Let me tell you, avoid this place at all costs. My wife ordered a Sangria which they brought our drinks after we got our food, which is odd, but almost gave it to my son because they didn’t know which one it was. Now he’s 10 years old and almost serving it to a minor is totally wrong in my book. Second of all my food came out cold. Mentioned it to the waiter and she stated that the kitchen was now closed. Got my survey, rated them accordingly and got another email from the kitchen manager or some what and this is what they said,
Hello,
First of all, thank you for choosing The Palace Cinema for your past movie adventure. I sincerely apologize that we did not meet your expectations on your last visit. We will be using this information for a coaching moment with our staff, because our guest experience is always a first priority here at The Palace. Thank you again for choosing The Palace and please let me know if there is anything else I can do to ensure you enjoy yourself on your next visit.
Thank you,
Micah Gaines
Wow is that all you can do, Marcus theaters has lost my business completely and will definitely share with the world these horrible experiences i have had.

I have been to this theatre a handful of times and it is never quite as enjoyable as I want it to be. The bistro theatres are frustrating because servers are constantly walking in from of you and everyone gets their ticket with about 20 minutes so everyone is turning on the lights in the bill holder which is overly attractive.
The last time I went was Valentine’s day, I gave my seat to a woman who was not able to get seats with her friend. I proceeded to see the server spill a fill soda in my chair. This would not have been a big deal but the movie was starting, I had missed the previews because it soared the concession stand were under staffed. I spent the first ten minutes sitting on the stairs as my seat got cleaned. It took three different trips for it to get cleaned. I understand accidents hair but they should be able to quickly clean this kind of stuff up. When I finally got to sit there was still soda in the arm and it got all over my coat, which now has to be dry cleaned. While eating my popcorn I found a hair in it.
I immediately left following the movie because I was frustrated. I wrote through the Marcus theatre website the next day so I could be level headed, a week later I still had not heard from anyone. I will be going elsewhere from now on.

Watched Deadpool for Valentine’s day here.
Being able to choose your seats is awesome, and the seats are large, comfey, and they recline. Plenty of legroom between rows to recline.
Also, they give a military discount, so if you have that, make sure to use it!

$ 5 Tuesdays is definitely a good reason to catch a movie here. Reserved seating is always a good option. The recliners are pretty comfortable and spacious. The bistro menu is a little pricey, but again, it’s not as bad if you come on a Tuesday.
The only downfall of our experience was the lady who was scanning my wife’s phone for our tickets. There were some issues with the scanning and printing, so she was practically shouting things like «oh come on!» or «why isn’t it working?!» Didn’t seem very professional. Someone else came up and helped us sort through it.

First time I experienced this cinema. Thats for a very good reason. I an extremely busy person with work and find it difficult to plan things more than a few days out. Im also very spontaneous. When you have to book 1 – 10 days in advance with some movies and then you struggle to get any good times with decent seats. After several attempts to get some good seats I finally gave up and just booked the worst seats money can buy. The seats were comfortable, service at the ticket counter quick, food was quick service. Parking was horrible, so bad In fact I had to park out the back where the employees park.

Now that I have experienced fully reclining theater seats, there’s no reason to watch movies anywhere else!
I was very impressed with the customer service we received at the front counter. We rarely see movies, except for Wisconsin Film Fest, so it was a real treat to visit this theater. The cashier took a lot of time to explain how everything works and set us up with a frequent visitor card.
The concessions include the Pepsi machines with flavors that can be added, so I can drink a gigantic Diet Cherry Pepsi during the movie.
The sound in the theater was great without being too loud. I was afraid our seats might be too close to the screen, but the seat angle in relation to the screen was not an issue at all.
Overall great experience, even with parking, and we will make this our top choice for watching movies!

I like this theater, I usually see movies early in the morning, so it’s $ 5 and the place is pretty empty, love the reclining seats, and leg room. My only complaint is the parking can be a pain at times if it is busy and it is always pretty cold in there, dress warm :) PS — buy your tickets online ahead of time and pick out where you wanna sit and and if you have the Magical Movie Rewards Card you don’t have to pay the convenience fee to buy online.

Bought tickets with my app and then picked up my tickets at the ticket counter — swift. We were watching a movie that was playing at the Big Screen Bistro for the second time. I’m not sure yet what to make of it.
As far as the movie-​it was awesome. We give it an 8/8.5 out of 10 (The Revenant). The woman hacking next to me was a little disturbing since I was eating food. I brought a blanket with me because I recall it being cool in there before and I am glad I did.
I ordered a salad and then noticed that everyone around me who ordered after me were getting their food. About 5 minutes after the movie started my salad showed up. Then I had to ask for silverware. The server reached by my seat to retrieve my silverware and stated that there wasn’t any there and left to go get some. TIP: the seats are set up so that the call button to order, silverware and condiments are to the right of the two seat seating section. I was sitting on the left so the silverware my server was reaching for was gone because the party of to sitting in that section rightfully used theirs for their own meal. My husband told me later that he had silverware next to him and didn’t realize I was looking for some. Since the movie had started it wasn’t something you wanted to make a big deal out of but it would have been a mess if I had tried to eat a chopped salad with my fingers. My salad advertised a balsamic vinegar but if there was any dressing already on the salad It was hard to tell. Next time I think I’ll order the dressing on the side. Otherwise the chopped salad with chicken breast was tasty.
I was paying using a gift card and they had no way of scanning my phone right there and said something about me writing a number on my bill. I said I would need a pen but a pen did not arrive with my bill. So, when the movie was finished I proceeded to pay my bill outside the door where all the servers were standing around apparently waiting for others who hadn’t paid their bill yet.
My gift card said it had $ 25 on it but when my server took my iPhone to scan it she said the balance was only $ 15, which was fine because that is what I was going to pay with the tip anyway. The gift cards seem to take a few days to adjust after you have made a purchase.
The server I had was was somewhat snippy and took off somewhere without a word after handing me my payment to sign which seemed a little unusual for a gift card. I left my husband standing there to wait for her to get back as I was dying to use the restroom. My husband said she was not very friendly but liked to think that she was engaged but customer service was not strong and I guess I can agree with that.
Bottom line, I would eat there again and watch a movie.

The Palace seems to have gotten into its groove. I went shortly after they opened and it was a bit of a mess — a log jam at the entrance due to kiosk placement, nowhere to park, and general confusion by staff on how to handle things like looking up tickets by credit card when the kiosks wouldn’t load.
Now that they’ve been open awhile they’ve made some smart changes (like lining the ticket kiosks up along the wall instead of staggered between the door and the ticket counter/​entrance area). The parking lot hasn’t changed, but it didn’t seem to be as packed even though we were there on a Friday night for the opening of Star Wars.
We bypassed the kiosks and claimed our tickets from the counter. I had a free soda for my birthday but was unable to get the app to open and load to show them my rewards account. I decided to give it a go anyway, and got in line. Most of the concession lanes had «This Lane Closed» signs, but a man behind the counter kept pointing for people to go to them anyway. I did and was helped quickly. The kid working the register was able to look me up by phone number and wished me a happy birthday.
The shows were run very close together so we weren’t able to enter the theater until a few minutes before the show, but the upside of assigned seating is that you don’t have to worry about getting situated — just find your spot an sit and you’re good to go — no need to hunt for a place your party will all fit or to ask people to scoot down.
The show went off without a hitch, there’s enough room between rows that people can come and go even when seats are reclined, and the sound was set at an appropriate level — I’ve noticed the last few times I’ve gone to see a movie it’s seat-​shakingly loud.
A fringe benefit of the Palace being built is that the other theaters in town have had to up their game, making for a better all-​around moviegoing experience in Madison.

Love this place! Went to go see Star Wars on a Tuesday when they had $ 5 movies. Also got a free popcorn with my rewards card. The place is very clean and brand new. They reclining seats are awesome, but be careful because you might fall asleep!

I went on a 5 $ Tuesday so I really didn’t expect much, but I was wrong. They also give free popcorn on Tuesdays for Magical Movie Rewards, which I signed up for on the spot.
What I Like:
Reserved seating is always a plus!
What I Didn’t Like:
Feels a little more like a restaurant than a movie theater. There are theater associates running in and out during the movie serving and collecting food. It kind of takes away from the movie going experience and turns into a distraction.
3 Stars for comfy seats and a great location.

2 stars for cool seats. The management is invisible when there is an issue.
Showing started and lights were still on completely through previews into first 5 minutes of film. 14 $ per ticket you should have that dimmed and ready .
When I complained after they hunted down a manager which took 15 min.
Manager was snotty and said call this number to get a voucher 608−825−9004
This number just rings and rings no matter what time you call. No email either.
Lights to serve food. No this was all entry lights and lights over the screen. Ruined the 3d experience.

Comfy reclining seats, food and beverage options, and an entirely new theater in Sun Prairie — Palace Cinema is a great place to see a flick.
It’s great that Madison has a nice theater like Palace Cinema, as I’ve been to similar theaters in other cities that had these amenities. The best part of the experience is you can choose what amenities you take advantage of.
Want a drink or food during the show? Not a problem. You can order it. On a budget and looking to just enjoy the show? Not a problem. You don’t have to order it. Worried that you’ll show up with your party late to a popular show and won’t be able to find seats all together? Not a problem. You can order your tickets in advance and seats are assigned. :) Problem solved.
As Palace Cinema is still pretty new, it can become busy as its the go to theater over here on the east side. Take advantage of online ordering and make sure you join the rewards club! Also, Tuesdays are the nights to go for budget friendly movies. $ 5 for any movie plus you get a free popcorn. Score!

I really like the IDEA of this theater, with its decadent lounge chairs and staff who wait on you hand and foot during the show. The REALITY is slightly more annoying. The lights are never completely dimmed and there’s a seemingly never-​ending stream of people walking back and forth in front of the screen. Not to mention that I fell asleep during the movie – more than once! It’s still a pretty cool way to watch a movie, so I’ll be back someday.

There’s no denying this theater has good bones, but it ends there. The dream loungers are a treat, and basically the only reason to choose this theater over other options, but even they can’t make up for the problems the Palace seems to have in executing a great movie experience.
Over my last four visits:
1. The movie wasn’t downloaded when we arrived, resulting in a 30 minute delay to the start-​time.
2. The theater has double sold seats (there seems to be a communication problem between the online booking system and the theater’s box office).
3. Although you can purchase tickets through their app, you can’t use the app to enter the theater, you must print tickets from the kiosks or box office.
4. After purchasing a ticket at the box office I realized they printed tickets for the wrong seat and had to exit the theater and go back to the box office to have it fixed.
5. The $ 9 cocktail I ordered was so small the cup it was in literally disappeared in the cup holder.
6. One movie crashed 10 minutes to the end. We had to wait for the projector to be rebooted and for staff to fast forward back to our place in the film. Staff say this happens frequently.
There are some good deals to be had if you buy tickets at the right time, but I’d much rather enjoy my films somewhere else.

This place is beautiful, inside and out.
I love the fact they have several kiosks so you don’t have to wait in line. I went to two early showings on Sunday’s, before 11am and was surprised the first time when the ticket only cost $ 5! So any show before 11am is $ 5!
Such a great deal and not too crowded unless you are watching a kid friendly movie on Sunday. Tons of families and kids early Sunday.
I’ve sat in the Big Bistro both times that I went and didn’t order anything to eat or drink. Other people did and service seemed fine.
The seats recline and I love how you can bring up the partition… only for the seats that are connected. You should check when you purchase your tickets.
I just moved here and am originally from a big city in TX and this reminds me of home. This is my go to place for movies.

This pretty much – no, scratch that, this DOES blow away any conception of movie theaters that I’ve had. So many have tried, some are just ok, some have failed miserably, while others have come pretty close to being awesome (Arclight), but this one… OMG.
I can never sit still for more than two hours. No wait, I can never sit still for more than half an hour. I usually dislike going to the movies for this sole reason. At least at home, I can lounge vertically on the couch while watching the movie. Well guess what, I can do that here too! They won me over with the Dreamliner Lounge seats, where you can sit or lay down or stretch and no one will bat an eye. There’s also an entire table’s worth of space between you and the person next to you, so no need to worry about interference.
And, you can get food and beverages (alcoholic or non) delivered right to your seat, for the same price as if you’d ordered it at the bar in the front of the theater. They’re maybe 10−20% higher than other establishments around town, but not bad at all.
To top it all of: $ 5. For. All. Tickets. On. Tuesdays.

Yay! I’m still a fan. I really enjoy that every theater has the red reclining chairs. It is super comfortable. Also, if you are aware of when you are going, you can get $ 5 dollar tickets. I try to go early morning before I head over to my parents for the afternoon or on Tuesday for discount night.
Like all movie theaters, the food and drinks are expensive but there are always a bit of discount on some things if you have the loyalty card. Also, there are not just your plain movie theater fare so you can feel like you are eating a real meal verse junk.
At my last visit, there was some technical difficulty, and they tried to get it fixed as soon as they could. There was a pass for a free movie at the end, which helps forgive the wait in the dark. I will be back.

Unfortunately the farthest we’ve gotten with this place is the lobby. Yup, we’ve stupidly driven all the way over here twice only to find out whatever movie we’ve come to see is already sold out… and, wouldn’t you know it, the next showing is sold out too.
SIGH.
They deal in reserved seating and on-​line tickets so the lesson learned (twice, if you’re counting) is that it’s best to buy ahead of time, especially for prime-​time shows or new popular movies. Given that they know what’s going to be sold out waaayyy ahead of time, you’d think they’d accommodate the demand by adding an extra screening or two to add more shows of whatever film is super popular that day. I’m either way ahead of my time with my fancy ideas for accommodating demand with extra screenings or way behind my time by not just buying my stooopid tickets ahead of time on-​line. I just don’t want to have to pay a convenience fee on top of everything else, alright?! Guess we’re headed back to the AMC in Fitchburg instead…