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, advertising 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.
However, 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, has confirmed that full refunds will be given to everyone who purchased tickets. One attendee, Michael Gorey, who flew to the event from Ohio with his family, expressed his disappointment, stating, Is this it? Like, did I miss something? Many others took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction, with one Reddit user posting, This event sucks, referring to the limited offerings compared to what was advertised.
Despite the overwhelming disappointment, the event's organisers, Mischief Management, stated they aimed to create an intimate fan convention to foster connections within the Barbie community. They are now focused on managing attendee feedback as they move forward with refunding all ticket buyers.
