How to see Disney’s Jungle Cruise for free by going to Applebee's. The summer season of movies is underway, with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt’s star-powered vehicle sailing into theaters and arriving on Disney+ via Premier Access (which is an additional charge). However, moviegoers also have the option of seeing the film for free through another channel.
Jungle Cruise is being lauded as a fun, exciting adventure film by critics. Johnson and Blunt star as Frank Wolff and Dr. Lily Houghton, respectively, who are on a journey to find the legendary Tree of Life, the petals of which have healing properties. The film is based on Disneyland’s theme park ride and is finally arriving in theaters after a year-long delay due to the global pandemic. Disney and Warner Bros. have provided viewers with a streaming option to watch their films, but Jungle Cruise is getting an additional push from an unexpected place.
Applebee's, the restaurant franchise company has partnered up with Disney and Fandango to offer audiences free tickets to see Jungle Cruise, either in theaters or by way of streaming. Here's the deal: For every $25 spent on Applebee's food and alcohol (excluding California), the customer gets one movie ticket, with the option to redeem a maximum of four tickets for every additional $25 paid for menu items. Meals don’t have to be eaten in-person since many are still not comfortable being in enclosed spaces with others due to the pandemic. In lieu of dining in, customers can opt to pick up their food or have it delivered (eating out is also an option).
To score Jungle Cruise tickets, those who paid for $25 or more worth of food must then visit the activation site to upload the Applebee's receipt. It’s only after that’s completed that viewers can retrieve their movie tickets. Those who are interested in getting free Jungle Cruise tickets should note that they’re worth no more than $15, which means seeing the film in IMAX or Dolby in certain locations is probably out of the question since the cost would be more. The only downside is that it could take two to five days for the Applebee’s receipt to be validated. The offer expires on August 15, 2021 and, so long as receipts are uploaded by August 20, viewers can redeem their movie tickets online through the Fandango website. The promo’s full directions and exclusions are available on the Applebee’s website.
It’s also important to note the offer is only available to moviegoers in the U.S. despite the restaurant’s global franchises. For those who tend to order from or eat out at Applebee’s, this deal is pretty good considering the movie ticket is essentially like a bonus for eating at the restaurant. For others who might not frequent the restaurant often or at all, the offer may not be as good, but it all really depends on the individual. The promotion has been in place since July 19, though it’s unclear how or if this will affect Jungle Cruise’s box office and streaming numbers. Whatever the case, Disney is clearly pulling out all the promotional stops to encourage people to watch the film and partnering with Applebee’s will likely do the trick.