See why Barbie Dream Fest organizers are offering refunds
Organizers of Barbie Dream Fest have offered full refunds after attendees expressed disappointment with the event.
Barbie is a great icon that many children grow up with, but Barbie Dream Fest was nothing short of awesome or dreamy, according to attendees, and backlash against the event quickly spread.
Barbie Dreamfest, billed as the “ultimate Barbie fan event,” was held in Fort Lauderdale, about 30 miles north of Miami, from Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29, according to the event’s official Instagram account.
However, attendees flooded the IG account’s posts and left comments expressing dissatisfaction with the bland decorations, confusing program, and overall “lackluster event.”
“I need a refund!” Megan Vargas commented on one of the event’s Instagram posts. “This was the most lackluster tournament. We flew all the way from (Alabama) to come to this event and it was very disappointing.”
Vargas, who paid $250 for two adult tickets and one child ticket, told USA TODAY that she attended the event with her mother, her 5-year-old daughter and her 17-month-old daughter, whose admission was free.
“It was very disappointing,” Vargas said. “It’s not what I expect from Mattel or Barbie.”
Here are some notes about the event and whether refunds will be given:
Barbie Dream Fest customers can receive a refund
Mischief Management, which organized the Barbie Dream Fest, will be offering full refunds to everyone who purchased tickets after receiving complaints from many people about the event, according to a statement from a Mischief Management spokesperson emailed to USA TODAY.
The event was organized by Mischief Management, which licenses the Barbie doll from Mattel, a Mattel spokesperson said.
All guests will automatically receive a refund for tickets issued to their original payment method. According to the event website, customers with questions can contact help@barbiedreamfest.com.
Guests will receive their refunds within three to four weeks, according to an email to guests obtained by USA TODAY.
What’s causing the Barbie Dreamfest backlash?
While the event featured celebrity guests including tennis player Serena Williams, WNBA player Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky and actress Marley Marlin, many attendees complained about the lack of decorations and the limited nature of the event, with many on social media calling the event a scam.
“You all should be ashamed of yourself for committing such fraud,” one person commented on an Instagram post from the event.
“Honestly, it was so humiliating that I paid almost $80 to arrive and was so disappointed with no effort put into the decorations and nothing fun for anyone,” another person commented. “It’s just a scam.”
Some of the features advertised at the event included an “interactive Barbie house,” but Vargas told USA TODAY it was more of a backdrop with an artificial lawn on the floor in front of it.
The event was like an “upscale birthday party,” Vargas said.
Other advertised events included a roller rink and bike track, but Vargas said there were limited skate and bike size options for children.
There was also an unmanned booth with a sign advertising gift bags for children, and Vargas’ daughter and several other children began making gift bags. But before they could finish, an employee stopped them.
“This woman comes in, she’s running and she’s yelling at the kids,” Vargas said.
The woman then told the children that the station belonged to another group of girls and demanded that everything be put back together.
“There was really no place to even buy a Barbie doll,” Vargas said.
Julia Gomez is USA TODAY’s trends reporter, covering popular toys, scientific research, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamariegz or email jgomez@gannett.com..
