Posted by Matt G on May 25, 2001 at 07:27:55:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Disney BLAST!s out posted by Cast Member on May 24, 2001 at 10:43:28:
Now this pisses me off! As a former "cast member" myself, I know that the frre admission doesn't even factor in with these students when you figure all of these kids are buying food and souveniers which is where the WDW buries all of its profit. Most of these technicians that you already speak of are already in the park for other contract entertainment, or don't mind coming to work because if it wasn't for these HS groups they wouldn't have a job at all. Disney continues to dwindle the professional talent at the parks and "replace" it with these school performing groups. The fact is that Disney did this with middle and high school groups before the big cut backs and the kids had an opportunity to SEE professional musicians at the same time they were there enriches the experience. Now it is nothing more than a few small performing groups and taped ambience music. I'm sure that these kids are having fun, but the educational and real world experience that used to be gained from these students seeing the World Band, the Tubafours, the FutureWorld Brass, Future Corps, and many other groups that are now gone is not available. For the $1000 dollars that WDW gives to these kids to perform, they more than likely put at least 50% of this money back into the pot with food and tourist junk. Get real, Disney is making out on this not only monetaily, but PR-wise also.
Matt G