Barbie Dream Fest in Florida to issue refunds after fan complaints

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Yasmin Rufoand

Max Matza

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Associated Press

The organisers of the Barbie Dream Fest weekend in Florida are issuing refunds to attendees after customers complained of a lacklustre event.

The creators of the event promised “unforgettable experiences”, and advertised a roller rink and disco with a caption that read: “Join us for three days of glam, nostalgia, and dream-big energy made for Barbie fans of every generation.”

But ticketholders, who paid up to $450 (£340), say it was far from that. Photos of the event show a grey convention centre space with pink cardboard cut-out Barbie signs.

Mattel, which owns the Barbie brand, said that full refunds would be given to everyone who purchased tickets.

TikTok @hellhotelshow

One attendee, Michael Gorey, who flew to the event from Ohio for a spring break trip with his daughters and wife, told the Times that upon entering the concrete event space, he thought: “Is this it? Like, did I miss something?”

Others took to social media to air their complaints.

“This event sucks,” one user wrote on Reddit. “The ‘life size Barbie dream house’ is a cheap backdrop with a picnic table on some fake turf/grass.”

Hell Hotel, a burlesque group who attended the event, told the BBC that they were “expecting much more based on what was advertised to us through their social media channels”.

They say that young women in their 20s and 30s were advertising the event on social media, but in reality many of the experiences at the convention were height restricted and “for children up to eight years old”.

“There were empty halls, maybe 14 vendors, lack of things to do for all ages and especially a lack of events for our demographic,” the group said.

“Barbie Dream Fest was created by Mischief Management, which licensed the Barbie brand from Mattel,” the company said.

“We are working with Mischief Management, who are managing attendee feedback and issuing full refunds to everyone who purchased tickets. We want every fan experience to be an excellent one.”

Mischief Management, meanwhile, said in a statement to the BBC that it appreciated “the passion and engagement from the Barbie community”.

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“Barbie Dream Fest was created as an intimate fan convention designed to foster meaningful connection, inspiration, and closer access to Barbie and her world. We will be providing full refunds to everyone who purchased tickets.”

A day pass to the event cost $72 for adults and $33 for children - and as much as $250 for a three-day pass with a “swag bag” comprised of a plastic pouch with Barbie hand sanitiser.

Some attendees said it was reminiscent of the Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow - the in-person event that went viral after customers were promised a glimpse into the world of the fictional chocolatier.

Eager fans who turned up at the event, located in an industrial area of the Scottish city, described it as “little more than an abandoned, empty warehouse”.

How did the viral Willy Wonka experience go so wrong?

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