Cosm Dallas — Attraction in The Colony

Underwhelming overpriced and uncanny.

I think that the themed experience here is incredibly concepted and thoroughly fumbled. I went to see the matrix and spent $200 on tickets, the themed meal and some chips with guacamole. Sadly, the novelty erodes fast.

First off holy cow the amount of security here is a small army. As soon as the movie ends, if you stay to use the bathroom, you’re shadowed by an entire swarm of security guards and ride started from every single staff member. It feels like when they turn the lights on after a concert and handle a drunk crowd that gets shoved into the streets, only we’re at a movie theater. That experience along ruins any enjoyment that one may have garnered from the movie.

The staff was incredibly curt and clearly given way too much to accomplish in an evening. Our appetizer arrived after our first course and we had to ask for it twice. The guacamole was still frozen and the chicken was soggy in the noodles which made the breading fall off into mush while trying to eat.

The cookie was mealy however the steak medallions were flavorful and the “gruel” underneath was a nice touch.

We sat on the top row seated pretty far forward and, for the first hour and a half, there was blinding sunset light coming through windows to our right illuminating the entire third story. Every time there was a blackout or dark scene, we were lit by the glaring light through the windows. To say this ruined the experience from the get go is being kind.

When we asked if they could move the curtains over to block the light, our server made some excuse about how it wasn’t possible and the irony of a multi million dollar sphere being the thing that was possible with no though for an extra curtain was mind boggling.

The effects around the movie were fun at times and added to the immersion (when the light wasn’t ruining it,) but the screen felt very small and the effects felt firmly in the uncanny valley because they were rendered in high resolution while a remastered but still grainy by comparison movie played in the middle. Distressing and texturing the visuals would have gone a long way to help make everything feel more cohesive.

All told, it feels like a lot of potential but a stutter start to a novel on paper concept that needs to improve the customer experience drastically before it become worth a $200 evening.

Also, the table space and booths are super awkward. You keep bumping or kicking other people or their tables trying to get comfortable and wait staff are in the way of the movie serving people throughout. They couldn’t tier the lanes like we solved in dinner theaters ages ago?

For the money it had to cost to build these complexes, it feels like the team that designed and concepted the user experience completely missed the mark. Buy a quest 3 and watch the matrix at home and you’ll have a similar (if not better) experience for the same price, and be able to enjoy any movie the same way from a much more comfortable seat in...

VISITED: SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

To distract from this historic date, i wanted to try something new and exciting!

PARKING\ONLINE PURCHASE

Parking similar to DFW airport.😅 Ample, but detached from venue.

All staff were warm and friendly!🤩

I got a nose bleed seat, which i couldn't really tell during purchase, and didn't have a choice, or any other options for a single ticket-buy. (works better if you buy 2+ tix.) - perhaps due to last minute (2 days prior) purchase. This was on the 3rd level dome. (this will appear a few times later.)

There were plenty of other seating options available, but just not for a single tik purchase.

EXPERIENCE

It's basically an improved version of IMAX with worse seating, OVERALL. 😂 And the sound wasn't what i was expecting. (Big and loud.) It was MOST ACCURATE, actually, for recreating the experience of seeing it live, but on 12k screens. There is preferred or better viewing seats for purchase, which cost more, and\or require a minimum of 2 tickets, as mentioned earlier.

It reminded me of Studio Movie Grill; staff asks if you want food or adult beverages and brings them to your table. This subtracts from the immersion experience for the 1st 45 minutes to an hour or so. Especially on DOME LEVEL 3! 🤣

I didn't visit the restrooms (Win for Diabetes today! 🥳), but this place is 2 weeks old, and only the 2nd location existing outside of Los Angeles. I'm guessing they're super nice and clean. 😀

“O” by Cirque du Soleil - REVIEW

Since it was dialogue free, i don't really have a synopsis of what was happening, other than a lot of solo and group choreographed ballet. I wasn't a fan of the music, either. For some reason, i didn't like whoever played Drums for the taping. #bandrant

It was akin to a Broadway production, although I've never seen one in person. (But have attended Local Theatre and a season of Opera. Look, i tried, ok? 😁) - Lots of costumes, but with plenty of water splashing and integration. I do believe everything was on-brand for Cirque Du Soleil. (Seen a couple of Vegas shows) Top notch there!

I actually left early, as it's not as immersive if you're in the back, and i got bored. There was a ton of ambient and outside lighting coming in at 730pm. Particularly on DOME LEVEL 3. hehe! Also, a late arriving couple were talking most of the time. I'm a non confrontational dude, so i just moved to another spot. Before the dark thoughts were to begin. (I'm like, look, just don't come if you're going to talk the whole time!😮‍💨) Maybe they were trying to translate what they were seeing into their culture or trying to understand what was happening... Eventually they moved also, settling in a lounge area. On DOME LEVEL 3! My guess is that someone gifted COSM to them and they didn't care to be there. I came for the Arts AND Technology!

A couple of the employed ladies suggested i try the lower levels and front to mid-section seating next...

Cosm is an immersive viewing experience in The Colony.

There are 3 sections, The Hall, The Dome and an outdoor deck. The Hall is 2 levels with general admission to watch multiple events at once, similar to a sports bar. The Dome is 3 levels with reserved booths and tables to watch the main event. You have to pay to get into the place. The prices vary, with Dome seating being the most expensive as you have a guaranteed seat, access to the immersive screen, and a dedicated server.

We came for the US Open since it was one of the cheaper events just to check the place out. Our seats were on level 3, booth 3B for reference.

Pros: The Dome screen is insanely cool. I felt like I was at the US Open. A lady at the event recorded a snippet on her phone and I could see her phone as if I was sitting behind her in NY. There were people taking photos at court level and I questioned if they were at the US Open or if they were at Cosm in The Colony. It was pretty trippy. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Our server was working HARD and maintained such an upbeat spirit the whole time! The place was clean. Our seats on the 3rd level were great. Sound was good with very minor issues. We were able to see the screen without obstruction and were able to take in the full view. The location is unmatched, Grandscape and The Colony have exploded with so much to do.

Cons: EXPENSIVE! The tickets for a dedicated seat in the Dome can vary depending on the event from $22-$250/ticket. The food and alcoholic drinks were also expensive. The food menu was limited. I would like to see more options available. I got a chicken sandwich and fries. It cost $20 and was just okay. For that price I expected better taste and quality. Everything came out quickly, but it taste like it had been sitting out for a while. I would prefer to wait a little longer and have fresh food. Most mixed drinks were $16. My husband sprung for the $26 triple bourbon old fashioned and we were both underwhelmed. The sound was great, however during interviews you could tell there was a small delay. I don't see how or why anyone would want to pay for the Dome GA seats. You do not get the full experience of the screen. The reserved seats on the 1st level seemed questionable depending on the screen view and likely will break your neck to watch. The 2nd level made us feel a little dizzy to stand there and watch the screen, but overall the view on the 2nd level seemed good.

The concept of this place is very cool. We enjoyed our level 3 reserved seats and immersive experience. Best seats look to be reserved level 2 or 3, closer to the screen.

I was hoping to catch the Louisville v Notre Dame game, but the cost of tickets and basic food has turned me off. I don't see us coming back anytime soon, unless something changes...