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. 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, claimed that the experiences were mostly restricted to young children, saying they were disappointed given the event's promotions. They noted that they found empty halls, limited vendors, and events missing for their demographic.

Mischief Management, the company behind the event, issued a statement promising to work on attendee feedback and provide full refunds. They recognized the passion of the Barbie community, stating that the event aimed to foster meaningful connections and deeper engagement with the Barbie brand.

Despite the high ticket prices, the event has drawn comparisons to other poorly executed themed experiences, highlighting the gap between expectations set by marketing and the reality faced by fans at the venue.}