In response to Rob Goodale's remarks pertaining to the Fantasyland
organ at Disney being converted to MIDI operation, advantages to
consider MIDI are the reduced labor expense to maintain and rotate
rolls, books, or whatever, and the ability to load more tunes onto a
machine via MIDI disc, tunes that can be played randomly if desired.

MIDI diskettes have ability to hold three to four times the quantity of
tunes normally on a paper roll or a music book, and the diskette can be
changed in a few seconds.  If amusement and theme parks, carnivals, and
fairgrounds that run mechanical music instruments understood the cost
advantages and were aware of opportunities to convert their machines to
MIDI, there might be more instruments removed from the dust bins where
are stored.

I recognize that there is more involved than just conversion to MIDI
when a machine that has been tucked away for decades is put back into
service.  But the elimination of the ongoing, never ending expense of
roll or book changing is a start for those who might be interested.

Having been deeply involved in amusement businesses for my lifetime, I
can state with reasonable certainty that a majority of those who have
mechanical music instruments stored away, or exhibited but not oper-
ating correctly if at all, are not aware of resources that might be
available to them to convert or restore their investments.  As Rob
Goodale said, restoration of their mechanical music instrument is not
on a park's list of things to do.  On the flip side of this coin, as
Rob states, the bean counters concentrate upon investments that will
increase revenues.  Some of these investments are not necessarily
quality presentations, but they do generate serious income that boosts
the bottom line.  Plus, the younger generation is not fascinated by
mechanical music, when there is such an abundance of high-tech gadgetry
surrounding and smothering them every moment of their lives.

The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions'
Summer Meetings are now in progress, and the MMD postings on "Mech-
anical Music in Amusement Parks" have been passed on to those who can
bring this material to park owners' attention and stimulate their
awareness of their neglected treasures.  Never, never, ever give up!

M. Skip Doyle
Sarasota, Florida