FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
The following is a list of Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Do I have to pay for parking at Patriot Center events?
A. No, parking is included in the admission ticket for all Patriot
Center events. If an event does not require a ticket for admission
to the facility, parking is free.
Q. At what age is a child required to have a ticket to attend an
event?
A. Once a child has reached his/her second birthday, a ticket is
required for admission even if the child sits on the lap of a parent
or guardian. We strongly recommend having a seat for a child old
enough to occupy a seat to ensure that patrons sitting next to you
and in front of you are able to enjoy the event without disruption.
Some touring shows have different admission policies on the age
a child needs a ticket. For example, Sesame Street Live requires
a child who has reached their first birthday to have a ticket. Please
check call (703) 993-3000 and check with us about the admission
policy for a particular presentation.
Q. What different kinds of payment are accepted at the Patriot
Center box office when purchasing tickets?
A. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express
for tickets to Patriot Center events. The Patriot Center box office
also serves as a Ticketmaster outlet selling tickets to events all
over the region. For events NOT taking place at the Patriot Center,
we also accept cash, Visa, MasterCard only. For some large events,
we will take cash only on the first day of sale. Checks are NOT
accepted at the box office.
Q. Can I take the Metro rail system to get to the Patriot Center?
A. The closest Metro station to the Patriot Center is the Vienna
station, the last stop on the Orange line in Virginia. Metro bus
and the Fairfax CUE bus system both will take you to the George
Mason University campus. However, we encourage you to check with
Metro and CUE bus for their schedules as many events end past the
time these transportation systems run buses.
Q. How do I find out about events being held at the Patriot Center?
A. In addition to bookmarking this website and checking it regularly,
Patriot center events are advertised in the Washington Post Friday
weekend section and Sunday Arts section, on the local television
stations and the appropriately formatted radio station for each
event (check the rock 'n roll stations for rock concerts, etc).
Q. If I am driving my child and her friends to a concert, but do
not wish to attend the concert myself, is there a place where I
can wait for her?
A. Yes, the Patriot Center has a "Quiet Room" where parents
can wait and relax while their children and friends are enjoying
an event. The "Quiet Room" is located at the administrative
offices down below the East entry.
Q. How do I get backstage passes for a concert?
A. Unfortunately, backstage passes are not something for which
you can make a request. Backstage passes are issued by the representatives
of the performers just like any invitations to any private function.
Don't worry... nothing really happens backstage anyway.
Q. For George Mason basketball games, where is the Pass Gate located?
A. The Pass Gate is located just inside the South entry adjacent
to the South box office.
Q. What are your standard policies for general admission concerts?
Opening the arena:
For general admission concerts we normally open the doors one and
a half hours (90 minutes) prior to the start of the show. There
are three entrances used for every event: South, West and North,
so it is to your benefit to choose the least crowded one (typically
the North) in order to enter the building expeditiously and get
to the seating area of your choice. Entry of patrons is controlled
and there is no running to seats or crowding at the doors.
Seating:
There are no chairs on the floor for general admission events; the
floor is standing room only. For a concert where the floor is general
admission, the permanent seats in the arena are RESERVED seats.
On each general admission ticket there are numbers printed for "seat"
and "row," but these numbers are for ticketing inventory
purposes only, and do not correspond to a location inside the building.
Search and prohibited items:
For the safety of patrons and performers, everyone must pass through
a security checkpoint before entering the arena. You may be subject
to a physical search prior to entry, as there are a variety of items
which are not allowed into the Patriot Center. Prohibited items
include, but are not limited to: backpacks, luggage, bags larger
than a women’s purse, still cameras, video cameras, laser
pointers, food and drink, and hard containers of any kind. If you
have any questions about bringing an item into the building, please
call or email us in advance. We do not have a “coat check”
area to hold items during the show. All prohibited items must be
returned to your vehicle or left outside. Patriot Center cannot
be responsible for items left outside the arena.
Quiet Room / Parents Waiting Area:
Patriot Center normally has a "Quiet Room" available for
most general admission shows. However, this can vary depending upon
the event, so it is recommended that you contact us prior to a specific
show to find out what arrangements have been made. This also helps
us to plan for a larger or smaller number of Quiet Room attendees.
If you can think of other questions we can add to our FAQ section,
please email them to bgeisler@patriotcenter.com |
