A Barbie-themed fan event called Barbie Dream Fest, operated by a company called Mischief Management, has drawn backlash from attendees who say the event failed to deliver on its heavily promoted promises.
Tickets ranged from $66 for a basic adult day pass all the way up to $450 for the premium “Dream Pass,” leaving many customers feeling scammed after the event took place.
The Barbie Dreamfest website advertised the event as “the ultimate Barbie fan event,” promising attractions such as a larger-than-life Barbie Dreamhouse photo op, an 80s disco roller rink complete with neon lights, a fashion show, a glam bar with glitter and colorful extensions, and a “Beyond the Stars” exhibit described as “a cosmic celebration of astronaut Barbie’s impact on science, technology, and exploration.”
What attendees actually found was a far cry from those descriptions. The Dreamhouse photo op turned out to be a cardboard cutout of a pink house with fake grass.
The roller rink was a small fenced-off area on the floor with no lighting. The “Beyond the Stars” exhibit was reportedly a single standee box with a picture of a planet on it.
The glam bar, advertised as offering glitter, crimps, and hair extensions, was described by attendee Kia’s Dolls as “some girls dressed like fairies who will put hair gems on your face, which is from a third party company. They do like princess parties. There’s a ponytail that they’ll put in your hair. That’s it.”
Attendee Alexandria Dougen shared her experience online, saying: “I’m not one to complain, and usually I just suck it up. But at this Barbie Dreamfest, it said it opened at 9:00. We weren’t let in till 9:45 and vendors were still arriving and setting up shop. Once we finally got in, it was very underwhelming. The space was huge and it was just so much emptiness.”
Those who purchased the most expensive Dream Pass reported receiving little additional benefit for their money. One attendee, Ilse Cruz, said: “I got there, the receptionist was rude. There was no bag. They just gave you a sanitizer and a brush. And not only that, but everything was so unorganized. The Dream Pass was basically treated like a general admission. So if you’re going to buy the Dream Pass, just don’t. It’s a waste of money.”
Following the backlash, Mischief Management emailed customers stating: “We’ve heard your feedback and appreciate all that you’ve shared with us. If you purchased a 3-day pass, you will automatically receive a refund of 2/3 of your ticket cost.”
Whether day pass holders received any form of refund remains unclear at the time of reporting. Additionally, Barbie Dream Fest was not affiliated with or operated by Mattel, the company that owns the Barbie brand.
