If you are choosing Hoi An Memories tickets mainly so your parents can sit under a roof, do not buy HIGH on the assumption that it is a covered section. The operator's current English and Vietnamese guides, dated 1 November 2026, describe HIGH as uncovered and VIP as fully under cover. Older articles on the same official site describe partial cover in HIGH. That difference matters more than an attractive seat-class name.
Our pick: compare VIP when a roof is important, but confirm the actual route to the seats before paying. A covered seat does not mean a covered journey from the entrance, and a higher section is not automatically the easier section to reach.
What the current seating guide says
- ECO: closest to the stage. Choose it for the closer position and budget, not for a promised roof.
- HIGH: higher than ECO, with a wider viewing angle. The 1 November guide explicitly says these seats are not covered.
- VIP: at the highest level, with spacious seats described as fully under cover. This is the class to ask about if shelter is your main requirement.
These are the operator's descriptions, not our inspection of the grandstand. We have not confirmed the exact steps, lift or ramp route, wheelchair position, companion seating or exposure to wind-driven rain. Ask the venue to confirm what your parent actually needs.
Why an older HIGH recommendation can mislead
Two official articles dated 3 December 2024 say part of HIGH is covered. The newer English and Vietnamese guides both say HIGH is not covered. We would not turn that older partial-cover statement into a current booking promise.
If a seller offers you a “covered HIGH seat”, ask them to confirm the particular seat or area and the arrangement in writing before paying. An answer that merely repeats “HIGH” does not settle the roof question. If staying sheltered is essential and the answer stays vague, do not buy that product on the strength of the old article.
VIP's roof also does not guarantee an entirely dry evening. Ask how far you must walk outdoors, whether the route has steps, and where you can wait if the weather turns. Do not assume every older traveller will prefer the highest seating section.
The main show is not the early-evening park programme
The operator's November 2026 guide lists the main performance from 8 pm to 9 pm, except Tuesdays. It describes earlier park minishows between 5 pm and 7 pm. Those are different parts of the evening, not an early showing of the main performance.
For parents who want only the main show, ask the venue for the required arrival and admission time for your ticket. You do not have to build the family plan around seeing every minishow. Eat at a time that suits everyone, leave room to reach the seats, and keep the earlier park programme optional.
The Vietnamese guide says the schedule may change with weather and programme plans. Recheck the selected date rather than treating the usual weekly pattern as a guarantee that your performance will operate.
Rain does not establish a refund right
The official booking calendar currently warns that the date of use cannot be changed after booking. That is a reason to settle your Hoi An night and transport plan before buying, not a promise of what happens if the operator cancels a show.
We have not established a current rain-cancellation refund policy from the pages checked. Before payment, ask the actual seller what happens if the performance operates in rain, if you choose not to attend, and if the operator cancels it. Those are different situations. Do not assume a reseller's cancellation option applies to an official-site ticket or another seller's product.
Compare the actual product, not a headline price
The current operator guide mixes show information with meal, workshop and resort offers. A package headline is not a verified price for your family's show-only seats. Check the date, class, age or height category, total payable and included extras on the product you are buying. We are not quoting a current checkout total or confirming availability here.
For a gentler daytime plan, see our three-day Hoi An itinerary with parents. Keep this evening separate from a long sightseeing day. For help fitting it into a wider trip, use our Vietnam trip planning page and ask specifically whether the chosen show class, meal and transfers are included.
Questions families ask
Is HIGH a covered ticket?
The operator's 1 November 2026 English and Vietnamese guides say HIGH is uncovered. Older official articles say partial cover. Do not rely on the older statement without a current, specific confirmation.
Does VIP mean step-free access?
No such guarantee was established. The operator places VIP at the highest level and describes covered seats; ask separately about the route and your parent's support needs.
Does arriving at 5 pm mean the main show starts then?
No. The published early programme is separate; the usual main show is 8 pm to 9 pm except Tuesdays. Confirm your exact date and required arrival time.
Can we change the date if rain is forecast?
The booking calendar says the date of use cannot be changed after booking. Ask your actual seller for the applicable terms before paying; a rain refund has not been confirmed here.
Sources and last check
Checked 8 November 2026. No ticket bought and no seat availability, access arrangement or refund confirmed.
- Official English guide, 1 November 2026: seating and main-show/minishow times.
- Official Vietnamese guide, 1 November 2026: matching seating description and schedule-change warning.
- Official preparation article, 3 December 2024 and official seating article of the same date: older partial-HIGH-cover descriptions, not used as a current promise.
- Official booking calendar: date-of-use warning.
A Miranda House graduate and lawyer who traded courtrooms for slow travel. Cheshta travels with the batches we host ourselves, with a soft spot for travelling alongside elders.
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