Warner Bros. Movie World takes major step for 'Wizard of Oz' precinct

Warner Bros. Movie World is facing criticism after advertising for unpaid participants to feature in promotional filming for its Wizard of Oz precinct.

The theme park invited visitors to act as "riders" on two of its newly launched attractions, The Kansas Twister and The Flight of the Wicked Witch, offering only a single-day pass to Movie World as compensation.

According to Daily Mail, filming was scheduled to begin Thursday morning, with families and children over 120 cm in height encouraged to take part.

Moreover, participants were required to stay until the completion of filming to receive their complimentary pass, which is valued at $109 for adults and $95 for children.

Additionally, the Wizard of Oz precinct, a tribute to the iconic 1939 MGM musical, first opened in December 2024.

As per the publication, the Kansas Twister is a family-friendly boomerang racer that reaches speeds of 58 km/h, while The Flight of the Wicked Witch takes riders soaring through a haunted forest at speeds of up to 67 km/h.

Furthermore, the call for volunteers sparked mixed reactions on social media. 

Some expressed excitement about the opportunity, while others were disappointed by the compensation, with one commenter noting, "I miss the days when they offered annual passes for filming," as per the outlet.

Despite the controversy, Warner Bros. Movie World has yet to respond to concerns over offering unpaid participation for commercial filming.