FAQs - Take Me Out Trips

Frequently Asked Questions

BOOKING

How do I book places on a trip?

The quickest way to book a trip is by selecting your chosen trip through our What’s On? calendar of events (trips).

You can scroll through the available trips in monthly calendar or list view. The trips calendar can also be filtered in the left hand column by category (e.g. route, show genre) or by key word tags (e.g. ‘Shopping’, ‘Christmas’, ‘Good for Kids’). Or you can enter the name of the show you would like to see in the search box at the top.

Once you find a trip you like the sound of, you can click on it to find more information on the show/venue including content warnings, age limits and trailers where available. From here you can select the number of places you would like to book and add it to your basket.

When you checkout, you will received confirmation of your payment and trip details.

1-2 weeks before your trip we will send you a “Get Ready” email that confirms the final pick up timetable for your trip and gives you any other information you might need to prepare for the trip.

Can I book a place on your coach without booking a show/venue ticket?

We often offer excellent value “coach only” travel options if we have spare seats on one of our existing trips, so that you can take advantage of the opportunity to travel safely and conveniently but spend your time at the destination at your leisure.

Many of our drop off locations are less than 15 minutes’ walk from popular shopping locations, parks and outdoor areas and sightseeing attractions like Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Regent’s Park, St James’ Park, Covent Garden, Camden Lock & Market, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square to name but a few.

If we have spare seats on a coach for any given trip date and time we call this “Your Night Your Way” or “Your Day Your Way”. Where these are available they will be shown on the calendar and are bookable in the same way as any other trip. You can also find these by filtering the trip calendar for “coach only”.

When and how do I pay for my trip?

One of the many advantages of booking with us is that you don’t have to pay straight away, as you would if booking show tickets direct, and there are no booking fees.

A 50% deposit is required to secure your trip places, payable at the time of booking. The balance of the trip price is due 8 weeks after your deposit is paid or 2 weeks before the trip, whichever is first.

You are able to pay online using a debit card or credit card. We do not accept cash or Paypal.

What kind of seats will I get?

The seats we offer are usually Band A or Band B in a theatre’s pricing scheme. These are in the top end of the pricing structure. They are not “the cheap seats” and do not have restricted views.

Included in the detailed description for each trip in the calendar are the general location of the seats we have for that trip eg. Stalls Row K, Dress Circle Row E. We do not allocate specific seats to specific people until a week or two before the trip, this allows us the greatest flexibility for seating together those that book together.

Can I request a specific seat eg an aisle seat?

We believe it is fair to allocate the best seats to the earliest bookers so we don’t take requests for specific seats except in the case of medical need. We are more than happy to discuss this with you during the booking process and support requests based on medical need wherever we are able to.

How do you allocate the seats to Trippers?

Our aim is to allocate the best seats we have (which we define as those closest to the stage and to the centre of the theatre) to the first bookers but also to seat people together when they book together. Occasionally we have Trippers with specific needs that could influence seat allocation eg a disability. If you or one of your group have a specific need please let us know when booking. We finalise our seat allocations a week or two before the trip and your specific seats will be notified to you on the coach.

When will I get my tickets?

Your tickets will be given to you on the coach if you have booked a trip including coach travel.

If you have purchased “tickets only” your tickets will be emailed to you after full payment has been made.

Cancellations and Refunds

What happens if I have booked a trip but can no longer go?

If you have to cancel for any reason please contact us as soon as possible. Bookings are non-refundable if cancelled by you, the customer. However, we will make every effort to assist you to re-sell your place. The important part is that you contact us as soon as you think you may need to cancel your trip.

What happens if TMOT cancels my trip?

We hope this will not be necessary but sometimes it is unavoidable (for example the run period for a show may be closed earlier than anticipated by the theatre). In these cases you will be offered the option of a full refund, a place for the same show on an alternative date or the ability to see an alternative show, whichever you prefer.

What happens if the venue cancels my show?

Should the venue cancel the show prior to our departure you will be offered a booking transfer to another date/trip, or trip credit to the value of your booking for use against a future trip, or a refund, whichever is your preference.

Should the venue cancel the show once we are in transit for the trip, TMOT will retain £25 per person coach fare and the balance will be offered to you as a booking transfer to another date/trip, or trip credit to the value of your booking for use against a future trip, or a refund, whichever is your preference.

What happens if the venue won’t let me in to the show, or asks me to leave?

Any person refused entry to, or ejected from, a venue will be bound by the venue’s terms and conditions and TMOT will not take any responsibility for the venue’s decision, nor will TMOT offer a refund for any part of your booking.

This includes being late to the show, in which case most venues reserve the right to refuse or delay entry until a time of their choosing.

Travel

What are the pick up and drop off options?

We have two standard routes, the Dengie Route and the Maldon Route. The specific stops for these routes can be viewed on our Home page.

We mostly use existing public transport bus stops for pick up and drop off and the name of the stop is on the bus stop sign itself eg we pick up form the Marsh Road bus stop in Burnham on Crouch – if you are at the right bus stop it will say Marsh Road on the bus stop sign.

If you need to change your requested pick up location before your trip date, just contact us to let us know.

Is there somewhere to park my car near the pick up point?

We do not make parking recommendations and you will be responsible for ensuring that you do not contravene any parking restrictions. However, you may want to ask other Trippers what choices they made on trips they went on. You can do this in our Facebook Group ‘Take Me Out Trippers’. However, the pick up/drop off point in North Fambridge is at The Ferry Boat Inn who have given consent to our Trippers leaving their cars in the car park of the pub, this includes overnight if helpful.

Can people in my group be picked up at different places?

Yes. We just need to know the names of the people in your group that will be boarding at each location. Please let us know when you make your booking, by adding a note in the freeform text box titled “Leave a note for TMOT” when making your online booking.

Can I be picked up in one place and dropped off in another?

Yes. The important part is that we know where you will be boarding the coach. On the return journey you can get off the coach at any stop you wish.

Do the coaches have toilets?

Yes, the coaches we use are executive level, which allow our Trippers to travel in comfort and they have a toilet on board.

A member of my party is disabled and uses a wheelchair or mobility scooter, can these be taken onto the coach?

Yes, if the equipment is collapsible. These types of wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be stowed in the luggage compartment during the journey.

Do the coaches have wifi?

The coaches do not have on-board wifi but most have USB charging points under the seats. We will let you know if this is the case when you board the coach.

Will we be able to sit together on the coach?

Our aim is to seat people together when they book together, even if members of a group get on to the coach at different pick up points.

Can I request a seat at the front of the coach?

We cannot guarantee this (there are only 3 available seats at the front of the coach) but if you have a medical need for this please discuss it with us at the time of booking and we will do what we can to support you.

I am travelling with my child/children will they have their own seat?

Yes, your child will have their own seat. If they are under 3 years old it is permissible for them to sit on your lap if you wish. There is no requirement for child car seats to be utilised on coaches and coach seats often cannot accommodate child car seats eg they have no isofixings and there can be size / space restrictions. However, booster seats that form only the bottom part of the seat and use the seat belt to secure the child can be used if you wish.

Where does the coach drop us off?

On each trip there will usually be only one drop off point and this will depend on which shows/venues are part of the trip. The stop will not always be directly outside the place you are going to, but we try to ensure that there is no more than a 10 minute walk from the coach drop off point to the venue. You will be given an information pack on the coach that will give directions from the coach stop to the venue.

Where do we go after the show for the return journey?

For the return journey, you board the coach in the same place that you left it.