Barbazon Is A Preditory Scam…read more
The Truth About Barbizon's Passport to Discovery - Hidden Costs, Misleading Promises, and Cost.
As a mother, I want to be fully transparent about our experience with Barbizon's Passport to Discovery Competition in Orlando. What they present as a prestigious opportunity for kids to break into the modeling or entertainment industry is really just a cleverly marketed, extremely expensive competition with very little real industry value. My daughter is also a dancer and when JAMI from Barbizon offered my daughter the opportunity to be seen by talent professionals we jumped at the chance. The gimmick is that she contacts the dance studios to get the dancers contact information, which I'm sure they get a kick back on.
Child's participation cost: $4,225
Parent cost to attend with minor child: $2,225
Travel expenses: $800-$1,200 (not included in the program price)
Additional competitions: $175 each
Meal costs at Disney: Buffet meals are $30 per person, drinks are $5--multiply that by 2 people, 3 times a day, for 5 days = $1,050 in food costs alone
So before your child even competes, you're already looking at a $7,000 investment.
What makes it worse? You're told the parent fee is your share of the room and event access, yet they place another minor--who also paid over $4,000--into your hotel room. This child is completely unchaperoned. You're told you're not responsible for them, but Disney requires a credit card from every adult for room incidentals--so if that child damages anything, you're financially liable.
And if you don't want to be put in that situation? You can "upgrade" to a private suite for an extra $1,700.
If life throws you a curveball and your child can't attend, you won't get a refund. Instead, Barbizon will charge you an extra $400 "rollover fee" to push your registration to the following year--with no real explanation other than "Disney requires it." Lie
And while they say they help kids get jobs, they don't. The only real "opportunities" offered are expensive competitions, not actual industry placements.
Worse yet, every person you speak to is essentially a salesperson, making money by upselling you. Every interaction is designed to push another payment deadline, another "upgrade," another added fee.
Bottom line: This is not a career launchpad. It's a high-pressure, overpriced competition that preys on kids' dreams and parents' hopes. There was NO one there to sign any dancers and very few "so called" agents. BUYER BEWARE everyone is excepted to go.
This competition left our family feeling misled, disappointed, and financially drained. Now she was "invited" to audition for another competition called BCOMP. They hold one in Atlanta, Dallas and Baltimore. This is a predatory SCAM!!!