EPCOT Entertainment cuts

WDWFigment

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
wm49rs said:
I don't see any benefit in removing Off Kilter, the WS Players, or the fife and drum corps. Not would I say this "Celtic" band is a replacement for the first and the others....well, there is no replacement for the other two really. But I respect your view....
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Fife & Drum Corps is the one that really gets me. No replacement and the current act is on-theme. No rationale to get rid of them...
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
WDWFigment said:
I'd be curious to have someone reconcile complaints about Frozen potentially replacing Maelstrom with complaints about more authentic acts replacing Mo'Rockin and Off Kilter.
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I think at this point it's more about the replacing of something that people liked in Off Kilter. I certainly appreciate that they're going for culturally significant replacements, but this also very much seems to be financially motivated. It just seems silly that the savings of what can't be that much money is substantial. Of course, this is a company that cut printed napkins. From the sound of it, this doesn't seem to be a PUSH situation. It seems like this was just an outright decision to continue entertainment budget cuts.

I remember the good old days of 2 months ago when entertainment changes were a zero sum game, now it's a negative sum game (is that a thing)?
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
WDWFigment said:
Fife & Drum Corps is the one that really gets me. No replacement and the current act is on-theme. No rationale to get rid of them...
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They're not on theme, they're wearing revolutionary era outfits while the rest of the pavilion is dressed like flight attendants. You might as well bring over Minnie's Fly Girls from DCA.
 
flyerjab

flyerjab

Well-Known Member
I_heart_Tigger said:
Westernized...Canada? You know where Canada is, right? Do you mean modern?
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Haha! I didn't even think about that. I guess westernized alluded more to Mo Rockin'. Maybe modernized for Off Kilter? I don't know exactly what the right word would be. If the acts that routinely perform in their respective pavilions are to be representative of the associated people/culture, Off Kilter never did it for me I guess. Now that you got me thinking more about this, of all of the countries represented in World Showcase, I would struggle to find some type of entertainment that would truly represent Canada. I guess its because parts of Canada (Toronto) remind me so much of America. Maybe they could put ex-mayor Rob Ford in a cage and occasionally slip him some illegal substances. I always found him quite entertaining and I guarantee he would draw a crowd.

Maybe a ride would be a better alternative for Canada. So much of Canada is vast, beautiful woodland that maybe a log flume water ride through scenic forests populated by animal AAs would work better.
 
I_heart_Tigger

I_heart_Tigger

Well-Known Member
flyerjab said:
Haha! I didn't even think about that. I guess westernized alluded more to Mo Rockin'. Maybe modernized for Off Kilter? I don't know exactly what the right word would be. If the acts that routinely perform in their respective pavilions are to be representative of the associated people/culture, Off Kilter never did it for me I guess. Now that you got me thinking more about this, of all of the countries represented in World Showcase, I would struggle to find some type of entertainment that would truly represent Canada. I guess its because parts of Canada (Toronto) remind me so much of America. Maybe they could put ex-mayor Rob Ford in a cage and occasionally slip him some illegal substances. I always found him quite entertaining and I guarantee he would draw a crowd.

Maybe a ride would be a better alternative for Canada. So much of Canada is vast, beautiful woodland that maybe a log flume water ride through scenic forests populated by animal AAs would work better.
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I think Off Kilter works because they took a cultural part of Canada that wasn't like the US. I'm from Nova Scotia. There are guys who wear kilts to any dressy event. We do mingle Gaelic into our English, we sing these songs in bars then proudly toast to our health yelling Slainte Mhath.

I liked them because they are a modern representation of how we celebrate our roots here.

It was nice to have something for my province represented.
 
wannabeBelle

wannabeBelle

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I think the discussion here has at least three points that I can see:
1) Cast Members being replaced with very little warning and with no options to move within the company that I am aware of.
2) Entertainment acts being cut for strictly financial reasons and nothing else.
3) Many people do like Off Kilter, myself included so I would like to see them stay.
Numbers one and two cannot be disputed and are fact or as close as we can get to it. Number three is a personal thing and cant be debated as different people have different tastes.
Realize folks that while this was done under the idea of refreshing/ replacing the entertainment, how many other jobs have been outsourced to third party providers? If it can be done to them, it can be done to you. Also was it an improvement? This can be discussed as I'd like to hear opinions on this one.
The financial statement is confirmed but some of our more trusted members. If anyone has any info backing a different position, I'd be interested to hear that too. Marie
 
Tigger1988

Tigger1988

Well-Known Member
I'm curious what positions you think some of these CMs could be moved into. Since that point keeps being brought up.

Can't see the Mo'rockin belly dancer really fitting in elsewhere in WDW.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
wannabeBelle said:
ealize folks that while this was done under the idea of refreshing/ replacing the entertainment, how many other jobs have been outsourced to third party providers?
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In the case of entertainment, outsourcing pretty much just means that the groups already existed and can continue to exist without Disney. There are savings in not having to create the new entertainment, but that's about it when it comes to hiring existing acts. I find hard to believe that Equity has never thought up the idea of hiring existing acts, and therefore the pay should be comparable to any new hires in Entertainment.
 
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flyerjab

flyerjab

Well-Known Member
I_heart_Tigger said:
I think Off Kilter works because they took a cultural part of Canada that wasn't like the US. I'm from Nova Scotia. There are guys who wear kilts to any dressy event. We do mingle Gaelic into our English, we sing these songs in bars then proudly toast to our health yelling Slainte Mhath.

I liked them because they are a modern representation of how we celebrate our roots here.

It was nice to have something for my province represented.
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Just out of curiosity, why does Nova Scotia have such a strong Gaelic culture? I don't want to derail this thread but you really have peaked my curiosity about this.
 
CDavid

CDavid

Well-Known Member
Tigger1988 said:
I'm curious what positions you think some of these CMs could be moved into. Since that point keeps being brought up.

Can't see the Mo'rockin belly dancer really fitting in elsewhere in WDW.
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There may well not be a position (and pay scale) within Walt Disney World for which these performers would be interested, but the WDW resort has an abundance of CM positions to staff and if the belly dancer or anyone else needs a job, even temporarily, then certainly something can and should be offered to them.

Of course, especially for those who remain with Disney in other jobs, they should have the first opportunity to audition for future Equity roles for which they may be suitable.
 

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