A weekend event billed as the ultimate Barbie fan experience turned into a major disappointment for attendees who say the "Barbie Dream Fest" in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, failed to deliver on nearly every promise made in its advertising.

The three-day event, held at the Broward County Convention Center, drew Barbie fans from across the country, some of whom spent thousands of dollars on tickets, flights, and hotels. Ticket prices ranged from $72 for a single-day pass to $502.50 for premium packages, but many attendees say what they got wasn't worth the price of a clearance bin doll.

Brenna Miller, a 40-year-old superfan from New York, flew in with three friends and spent roughly $2,000 in total on the trip. She bought a "Dream Pass" ticket, marketed as the "ultimate experience" for $453. Miller described the event as "the most Temu Barbie convention we've ever been to," saying everything advertised had been "exaggerated."

Alexandria Dougan, another attendee, told Entertainment Weekly that one of the event's flagship attractions — an interactive Barbie Dreamhouse — turned out to be something far less impressive.

"The interactive Barbie Dream House was a VW bus that you weren't allowed to enter into," Dougan said. "It was a cardboard cutout box of a Barbie house."

Miller, despite her frustration, said she doesn't blame Mattel for what happened. "I know Mattel to be a much more integrity-based company," she told The Sun. "I fully expect they will release a statement — they do care about their collectors."

The event was organized by New York-based company Mischief Management, which licensed the Barbie brand from toy giant Mattel. In a statement provided to Entertainment Weekly, Mattel distanced itself from the event's execution.

"Barbie Dream Fest was created by Mischief Management, which licensed the Barbie brand from Mattel," the company said. "We are working with Mischief Management, who are managing attendee feedback and issuing full refunds to everyone who purchased tickets. We want every fan experience to be an excellent one."

According to the New York Post, Mischief Management issued its own statement, saying it was "incredibly grateful" to attendees and that the event "was created as an intimate fan convention designed to foster meaningful connection, inspiration, and closer access to Barbie and her world." The company confirmed it will issue full refunds to all ticket buyers.

John Mayer

September 5, 2019

American Airlines Center