Barbie's Dream Fest? More Like A Nightmare Warehouse, Event Attendees Say

They were promised a larger-than-life, interactive Barbie Dreamhouse, an '80s-themed roller-skating statement and a glittery pinkish time successful Barbieland.

Instead, fans of nan world's astir celebrated doll who trekked to nan "Barbie Dream Fest" successful Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, were met pinch a cardboard cutout of nan idyllic location and a tiny, kids-only roller "rink," a acold outcry from what was advertised connected Instagram.

The arena took spot from Friday to Sunday astatine nan Broward County Convention Center. In promotional posts connected Instagram, it touted a Barbie manner show, A-list speakers, meet-and-greets, workshops, interactive exhibits, games, screenings, yoga and more. Adult summons prices ranged from a $69 time walk to nan $449 “Dream Pass” pinch different pricing and accessibility options successful between.

But 2 attendees who said to NBC News said they were sorely disappointed pinch nan deficiency of pink, glitter and excitement that they said was expected — particularly for nan prices they paid to get in.

“It conscionable makes maine laugh, because if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry,” said Brenna Miller, who was among nan galore attendees who posted videos online astir nan event.

The roller rink astatine "Barbie Dream Fest."Courtesy Alexandria Dougan

As images and videos began to move online, group began drafting comparisons to different overpromised, underdelivered festivals online, for illustration 2017’s fraudulent Fyre Festival and nan much caller disastrous Willy Wonka-inspired acquisition successful Glasgow, Scotland.

The instrumentality disappointment was echoed successful nan organization dedicated to Barbie connected Reddit, wherever galore called retired nan organizers for specified a chaotic event. "They really should springiness everyone a 'I survived Barbie Nightmare Fest' stickers," one Reddit personification wrote, later adding, "WE GOT WONKA’D!"

A spokesperson for Mattel, Barbie’s genitor company, said nan arena was "created by Mischief Management, which licensed nan Barbie marque from Mattel."

"We are moving pinch Mischief Management, who are managing attendee feedback and issuing afloat refunds to everyone who purchased tickets," nan spokesperson said. "We want each instrumentality acquisition to beryllium an fantabulous one.”

Mischief Management confirmed successful a connection that nan institution will beryllium providing afloat refunds to everyone who purchased tickets to nan event.

"Mischief Management is incredibly grateful to everyone who joined Barbie Dream Fest," nan connection said. "Bringing fans together — alongside Barbie domiciled models, designers, partners, and world icons who embody nan existent tone of Barbie — was astatine nan bosom of this event. Barbie Dream Fest was created arsenic an friendly instrumentality normal designed to foster meaningful connection, inspiration, and person entree to Barbie and her world."

Misfit Toys Communications, which helped denote nan arena in conjunction pinch Mattel and Mischief Management, said successful an email that nan institution terminated its statement pinch nan arena producers successful October "due to deficiency of costs and our interest that nan arena was not shaping up to beryllium what was primitively described."

Brenna Miller astatine "Barbie Dream Fest."Courtesy Brenna Miller

Miller, a societal worker from upstate New York, said she has recovered her location successful her Barbie community. She bought tickets successful December, dishing retired astir $500 connected a VIP, three-day walk for nan arena — nan “Dream Pass.” Cost of flights and hotels were not included successful nan summons price.

But from nan jump, Miller, 40, said nan arena was unorganized. There was nary abstracted statement for VIPs to participate and, arsenic she walked in, she was fixed aggregate Barbie merch items to hold, but workers told her they did not person bags for nan items.

The merch array was trading posters from nan 2024 Barbie performance circuit for $20, and nan cheapest Barbie dolls being sold for $25 were gone aft conscionable a fewer hours. Miller said she paid much to beryllium successful nan beforehand during speaking events, but nary 1 moreover checked her summons erstwhile she took her seat.

Alexandria Dougan, 33, described akin frustrations.

She went to "Barbie Dream Fest" pinch her sister and her niece, who was celebrating her seventh birthday. Each big spent $70 for a time walk to nan event, and an further $30 for her niece. But nan trio only ended up spending astir an hr astatine nan normal halfway earlier leaving for nan day. The arena was expected to beryllium unfastened from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., she said.

Alexandria Dougan pinch her niece Brielle and sister Stephanie astatine nan "Barbie Dream Fest."Courtesy Alexandria Dougan

The hallway was “humongous” and nan arena institution couldn’t capable it, leaving quiet level and unimpressive displays, Dougan said. While vendors had group up stands, nary of what they were trading aliases promoting was included successful nan value of nan ticket, including nan heavily-promoted “glam bar,” she said.

Vendors besides seemed confused by nan Dreamhouse, aliases deficiency thereof, she said. But nan nail successful nan coffin for her family was nan motorcycle course, which her niece was astir excited for.

When they reached nan beforehand of nan motorcycle statement Saturday, Dougan’s niece was told she was excessively gangly for nan bikes they had available, and that each of nan larger-sized ones had surgery nan time before.

Vendors astatine "Barbie Dream Fest."Courtesy Brenna Miller

“It conscionable felt heartbreaking to spot her, because you could show she was conscionable watching different kids spell successful beforehand of her, who were waiting down us, to spell successful beforehand to thrust nan bike,” Dougan said of her niece.

Miller said a friend she went to nan arena pinch was astir looking guardant to nan roller rink. But erstwhile they sewage there, nan brace learned location were only kid-sized skates — nary of which would fresh big feet.

"I support seeing group for illustration saying, 'Oh, this was for kids. Adults are upset because they signed up for a kid event,'" Miller said. "If you look astatine nan promotional worldly that they use, it is adults roller skating ... it's adults dancing. It is adults. We're nan ones that are spending nan money. Children don't person $450."

The roller-skating "rink," she said, was fundamentally an "animal pen" pinch sheets that said "roller disco." The interactive Dreamhouse was conscionable a 10-foot-tall cardboard cutout sitting adjacent to a Volkswagen van.

The Magical Makeover booth astatine "Barbie Dream Fest."Courtesy Brenna Miller

Mischief Management followed done pinch immoderate promises. Serena Williams, Angel Reese, Marlee Matlin and different celebrated celebrities were successful attendance and held speaking events. As did nan Mattel designers who are responsible for making Barbie.

But if fans wanted a photograph pinch immoderate of nan celebrities, location was an further lofty value tag. A photograph pinch Williams costs almost $400, according to a screenshot provided by Miller, and each personage was priced successful different "tiers," she said.

Miller thought that was "weird" because "these are beardown women, too. Like, these are leaders. These are domiciled models. And I felt for illustration nan show put a value connected their value." She added: "These are women successful STEM, successful sports, successful a batch of men's areas. So to put a dollar magnitude connected them, I would person felt truthful insulted."

Representatives for Williams, Reese and Matlin did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

A speaker astatine "Barbie Dream Fest."Courtesy Brenna Miller

It wasn’t each bad — some Dougan and Miller commended nan Michael’s concatenation for having nan champion guidelines and activity astatine nan full event. Dougan and her niece took free photos, dressed up free frames to return location and were besides fixed goodie bags afloat of creation supplies from nan store.

And some Dougan and Miller said that they received emails confirming nan prices of their tickets will beryllium afloat refunded.

Overall, however, Dougan described "Barbie Dream Fest" arsenic a "complete flop."

"There should person been immoderate type of overseeing of events aliases backup scheme aliases to make judge it is what you posted connected societal media, because it was not that," Dougan said

Miller was a spot much forgiving, noting that this was nan first "Barbie Dream Fest" and that she didn't expect perfection. But what she knowledgeable was acold beneath that bar.

"Barbie's nan No. 1 trading artifact successful nan world. She is an icon for 67 years. She represents so, truthful much," Miller said. "And this was not astatine nan caliber of Barbie astatine all."