Are those Disney auditions real?
It’s now 2020 and this still happens. While radio stations have been pressured to stop the Disney auditions advertisements from airing on public networks, it still comes up and there are plenty of people that are still confused by misleading advertisements that are still on the air and now on social media.
I wrote this article years ago, in 2013. While a good amount of progress has been made by individual states and media outlets that work within those states, the issue is still there and the sales pitch is still the same.
So while this was written years back…. the information is still relevant. The companies that do this have not gone away, they simply re-branded.
I have been asked the same question, over, and over again, “What about the upcoming Disney auditions I heard about on the radio?”. “Is it Real, legit or a scam?”
So let me answer that question here
Disney does NOT advertise for auditions in random towns across America. Disney only holds one annual open casting call a year and that’s it. They do not drive across the country looking for talent and they do not buy radio advertisements for the one official open casting call. Disney has made numerous statements about how they are in no way connected to any of these companies that claim to offer auditions for Disney.
So if it’s not really Disney, then what is it?
A sales pitch! The companies that advertise for what sounds like Disney and Nick auditions are actually trying to sell their services such as classes, photos, portfolios, convention events and website memberships. I say sounds like because if you listen to the ads carefully you will notice that they never actually tell you the audition is for a Disney show or project.
They use carefully worded ads that mention Disney and Nickelodeon. The ads say something like “Does your child want to be a star on Disney Channel?” …. “Auditions for new child talent are this weekend, call us now to reserve your audition slot”, or something along that line. The ad is worded in a way to mislead you into thinking that these really are auditions for Disney.
So what is the audition actually for?
Nothing, there are no REAL auditions. The sales pitch is meant to mislead parents into thinking their children are trying out for something. At the meeting, they will have your child read a few lines and they then tell you they will call you if you are selected.
Inside Edition did a piece on this same issue and interviewed the companies employee. Here is what she said the auditions were for. “It’s a sad joke,” says Connie Greene, who worked for (removed) in 2009. She says they decide who gets a callback based on the parent’s ability to pay.
“We looked at jewelry, we looked at the shoes you wore, we looked at your clothing. It had nothing to do with talent, it had to do with, could they pay for the school.” She also added “This is a child’s dream you’re playing with. He’s getting rich and fat over it. Do the right thing, which is tell the truth, announce it the way it really is. Don’t put it as Disney because Disney has nothing to do with it.”
So basically the entire audition has nothing to do with the child or the lines the kid is reading. They are more interested in what the parents are wearing and ability to pay.
Here comes the callback
You get the call back and they love your kid and would like to work with you. At this point they want to make you feel like your child was one of very few selected for this wonderful opportunity. At some point they will tell you that your child is great but needs to take some classes, attend a convention or whatever it is that they are selling. The fees they want are in the thousands and they hope that they got you and your family so excited about your child becoming a star that you lose your common sense and reason, reach for your credit card and sign on the dotted line.
What about the claim that they will have people there that work with Disney?
That claim is meaningless. Disney is a huge entertainment company that owns many other companies. 100’000 of people have worked with Disney in some way. Just because someone has worked for Disney or previously even acted on a Disney show does not mean they have any power to cast anyone. The companies that sell these services actually pay people to attend their sales meetings and they pay for endorsements. Unfortunately, many of these people just show up for the paycheck and never do any research into who they are endorsing. For more on that, you can read the Inside Edition article.
So is this a scam?
No, not really. It is deceptive but not illegal. This is just a hard sales pitch kinda like what they do at timeshare sales seminars. Many sales pitches use bait and switch tactics, this is one of them. They name drop Disney and Nick to get you in the door, after you’re there, you probably will never hear the Disney name used again.
These companies get away with it because they know ALL parents think their children are talented and most children would love to be Disney stars. They play on those those emotions and use them to sell things most people never wanted or needed. Would you have gone down to meet with them if the ad said “Come on down and enroll your kid in our mediocre classes for the very low price of $7000 a week”?… probably not.
However, they do mislead parents and because they are misleading, some parents have been able to get their money back. In some states, the State Attorney got involved and some parents have filed lawsuits and won. You can read the warning from Portland Attorney General.
More about child acting scams and How to Spot a Modeling / Acting Scam
Hey I really want to audition, that is my dream come true.
Hey! 16 years old and a female. I will love to audition for Disney… Like it will be my dream come true to become I am a singer. I am a huge fan of Charlie Puth. Please let me know of any auditions.
I would love to be on Disney auditions – like all my dreams would come true. I am from India, 16 years old, female and I want to become a singer. Am a huge Charlie Puth fan. Please it’s my grave request to you to please let me know of any auditions. I would love to be a part of Disney.
I know it might be late for this, but I’m a natural actress. Contact me if Disney people liked to hear more of me!
It has always been my dream to even feel how it is to be in an act. To get out of me and become a different person. It has always been my dream and I hope writing this will open your heart and give me a chance to be in Disney.
Is this free?
I would like to audition for Disney or anything. I just want to really want to and it would be my dream to be in a movie or show.
I love to sing and rap and this will be good for me to get my stuff out there to let everyone know the real me.
Hi,I wanna be on disney.
It’s my dream, I sing & act as I grew up that’s all I ever wanted.
I love to sing. I sung for my church once and everyone fell in love with my voice. I usually sing on the Smule Sing app @ girlgone gorgeous. I want you get back to me because its been my dream and I’m ready to be discovered. Please give me a chance.
I’ve always dreamed of being a great singer and could not find a way to become one. I just though I’d show you one of my songs. Do I love you I’ve never thought hard about it. Do I have to love you sooo I don’t really know I know ya why do you treat me like a toy is it cause I am pretty oooooh ya . . .
Please I would love to do this.
Do you do this for fame and fortune or because you are following your heart and your dreams?
Please, I really want to be on any available Disney channel shows and audition, thank you.
I was reading an article and listening to the radio and it said Come to Louisville and audition for one of your favorite shows on Disney. I thought wow that would be amazing, but I realized it didn’t say where to go. After that my grandma and I decided to do some research. This site was very very helpful and we soon realized it was all fake and they didn’t have any thing to do with Disney. It was all a prank and it is not illegal at all. All it does is suck money out of your bank account. It gets your hopes up and then when you read the truth it disappoints you so so much. So next time you hear this on the radio don’t get your hopes up. They don’t care about your talent they want to look at your dress and shoes because if you look good they suppose you can pay big money to get your career going. As I said they suck money out of your bank account and trick you and your parents. I hope you don’t get your hopes up like me because it is all fake. Keep up your dreams and maybe one day you can have a REAL audition for a REAL show.
Thank you to all who wrote these things to help people!
You sound like you did some research and are able to see those people for who they are… fakes! You are obviously a very bright youngster. So many kids believe the sales pitches, get their dreams crushed and then blame their parents for not paying the money. Don’t ever give up on your dreams. Like any career, it takes experience and training to get anywhere. Kids who realize that there is no “fast track” for a price, are already ahead and on their way to doing the things that will actually get them noticed such as performing in non-famous productions, small film projects, community theater and any other non-paying gig, just to get experience under their belts. With experience and some training you may be able to land a REAL agent in the future.
Thank you for such a refreshing point of view which hopefully other kids will read.
Hi I am Jessica Allen since I was little I have loved to sing and I sing every where, at school, at home, at the store, in public. It has always been my dream to sing on N.B.T. I never am able to wait to see when the next auditions will be, please, please, please, let me be radio Disneys N.B.T
Since I was 2, I have been watching Disney Channel, I love to sing and I am a very good dancer. My mom says I could act if there wasn’t so many scams. I would love to have a call that says that I made it and because my birthday is coming up in December so it would me the coolest birthday present.
I really want to be a Singer, Dancer, Actress, and Model. I tried out for a disney show one time but I absolutely failed in Memphis, Tennessee. I really want to do it again.
Hi, It’s been My dream to be a singer and an actress. I will be so happy if my life had changed forever. BY THE WHY, radio Disney NBT
Hi its been my only dream to become a singer. I want to get an audition so bad please get back to me. I will send video of my voice. I want to hear back as soon as possible. I am 11 years old, female and love acting and singing.
I love to talk?
I would like to be on Disney channel because it’s always was my dream to become a singer and dancer, so if there any auditions I would love to audition.
I really would like to be on one of the Disney channel shows.
Its true, I’ve been to one of these and I did get a call back and they even told me I did really good. When I got there I was ready and super excited. I waited outside in the hall for a while and then I went in. I knew it was different because there was many, many kids and normally at auditions there are a lot but they aren’t in the room at the same time. Its normally a private room, so I basically knew it wasn’t real, but I wanted so bad I kept trying to convince my self it was a real audition and the fact that it was on the radio where anyone can hear it!! Come on now they know what they’re doing, they’re just trying to get money and my step-dad even noticed how they were “observing” because when we got in the car he mentioned it. I absolutely love love love to act and sing and I hope one day that I can achieve my dream to become one, but its going to take more than an announcement on The “radio” to attract me now ! And one more thing.. Even if you do actually get something you practice.. You have to at least be a little experienced. I hope all of you get to achieve the dream you want. If you really believe and want to use words of confidence like Know, when, and will.
please listen to the song