[Nate Smith]

Originally posted by nuggetsyl
I would have to say also that this 75.00 fee is a huge load of crap why do you pay a 4,000 dollar entry fee for nationals if you are going to be hit up with this kind of stuff.

The $4000 event registration fee goes to FIRST, partially to cover the expenses that FIRST has to pay to Disney, but also to help cover the cost of the kit and FIRST's operating expenses for the year. Keep in mind that FIRST is a non-profit organization.

Ex: i am willing to bet you that the concessions at the event alone more that pays for the event.

If you look at the prices at the Disney concession at the event site compared to the rest of the parks, the prices are comparable. Disney is actually doing a service to us by not forcing us to travel into the parks for meals, but rather bringing a meal option to us.

Also you are not going to use disney transportation because you not staying in a dinsey hotel and if they are using the transportation system it is because they are going to buy something, because again disney does nothing for FREE. If you have no ticket to parks or hotel there is no reason for using the busses.

The reference to transportation being part of the $75 event fee is for those teams who book outside of the FIRST/Disney package, but stay at a hotel where a package is offered. Keep in mind that not all FIRST/Disney package hotels are on Disney property. Therefore, there is a special FIRST bus running to the event site, and there is no way to distinguish between a team who bought inside the package and one who bought outside of it, therefore Disney is forced to assume(sometimes incorrectly, I'll admit) that these teams are using the transportation.

Joe i have to disagree with you disney makes a fortune off of first

Joe's main point, which I happen to agree with him on, is not saying that Disney does not make money off of FIRST. Rather, he is saying that when compared to an average tourist visiting Disney, they do not make as much off of FIRST participants. As he mentions, due to our time spent in the event village, we have little, if any time to visit the parks, which means we are not feeding money into the gift shops and other additional expenses that we would otherwise spend on if all of our time was spent in the parks. Also, Disney has to put more money into our visit than they do for their average visitor. The event site(the figure they always give about the carpeting being enough to carpet X homes sticks in my head as one example., and after the abuse I've seen it take, I imagine large parts of it, if not all of it, have to be replaced every year), the extra busses to the hotels directly to the event site, the displaced Disney employees helping out at the event site rather than their usual position, the fireworks and other pyrotechnics at closing ceremonies, the DJ, food, and staff to manage the wrap party,... I could go on for quite a while, but I think the point is made. Does Disney make some money off of us? Definitely...is it nearly as much as they would make if we were all going there for vacation? I think not.