Disappointed Barbie Dream Fest guests to receive refunds

Barbie is a fabulous icon many children grow up with, but the Barbie Dream Fest was anything but fabulous or dreamy, according to attendees, whose backlash about the event went viral.

Marketed as the "Ultimate Barbie Fan Event," the Barbie Dream Fest took place in Fort Lauderdale, around 30 miles north of Miami, from Friday, March 27, to Sunday, March 29, according to the event's official Instagram account.

However, attendees flocked to the IG account's posts to leave comments expressing their frustrations about the dull decorations, confusing programs, and an overall "lackluster event".

"We need refunds!" Meghan Vargas commented on one of the event's Instagram posts. "This was the most lackluster event. We flew from [Alabama] to come to this and were so disappointed."

Vargas, who paid $250 for 2 adult tickets and one child's ticket, told USA TODAY she attended the event with her mom, her 5-year-old daughter and her 17-month-old daughter, who was given free entry.

"It was just very disappointing," Vargas said. "Not what I would expect from Mattel and Barbie."

Here's what to know about the event and if refunds will be issued.

Customers will receive refunds for Barbie Dream Fest

After many people complained about the event, Mischief Management, which organized Barbie Dream Fest, will provide full refunds to everyone who purchased tickets, according to a statement from a Mischief Management spokesperson emailed to USA TODAY.

The event was created by Mischief Management, which licensed Barbie from Mattel, a Mattel spokesperson said.

All guests will automatically receive a refund for their tickets, issued to their original form of payment. Customers with questions can reach out to [email protected], according to the event's website.

Guests can expect to see their refunds in three to four weeks, according to an email sent to guests that was obtained by USA TODAY.

What caused the Barbie Dream Fest backlash?

While famous guests, like tennis star Serena Williams, Chicago Sky WNBA player Angel Reese and actress Marlee Marlin, held events, many attendees complained about sparse decorations and limited events, and many on social media are calling the event a scam.

"Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves for scamming people like this," one person commented on one of the event's Instagram posts.

"This was honestly so insulting to arrive after paying almost $80 for it to be soooo underwhelming with the lack of effort in decorations and nothing entertaining to do for anyone," another person commented. "Truly a scam."

Some of the features advertised at the event included an "interactive Barbie house," but Vargas told USA TODAY that it was more of a backdrop with fake turf grass placed on the floor in front of it.

The event looked like "an upscale birthday party," said Vargas.

Other advertised events included a roller rink and a bicycle track, but Vargas said they had limited skate sizes for kids and a limited selection of bike sizes.

There was also an unmanned booth with a sign advertising gift bags for children, where Vargas' daughter and a few other kids began creating a gift bag. But before they were done, an employee stopped them.

"This woman comes in, she's running in, and she's yelling at these kids," Vargas stated.

The woman then told the kids that the station was for a different group of girls and demanded they put everything back.

"There wasn't even really anywhere to even buy a Barbie doll," said Vargas.

Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers popular toys, scientific studies, natural disasters, holidays, and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected].