FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. \u2014 Last weekend\u2019s \u201cBarbie Dream Fest\u201d was touted as multi-day experience that explored the legacy of the Barbie brand. <\/p>\n
Fans from all over descended upon Fort Lauderdale for which was supposed to be an immersive celebration of Barbie fun, but for many, the fun stopped at the door.<\/p>\n
Attendee Cherry Bon Bon, who drove from Orlando, spoke to Local 10 News about her experience. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have actually been thrilled since the beginning of January when I got the first ad,\u201d she said. \u201cI messaged my friend and I said, \u2018I don\u2019t care if you\u2019re available, you\u2019re going to be available. I\u2019m buying these tickets for us.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
She made that purchase with a promise of something out of this world, but what they got was anything but.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were promised a gorgeous, interactive Barbie Dreamhouse,\u201d said Bon Bon. \u201cWe were promised a neon 80\u2019s roller rank, a gorgeous bike course, an all-female symphony playing live music and accompaniment with the Barbie movie. And thankfully, they did have the orchestra and they were incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, walking inside wasn\u2019t exactly the breathtaking experience that Bonbon, and many others were expecting. <\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, we laughed,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have watched for years, events like this happen, and we never thought it would happen to us. But thankfully, we were in a situation, we were like, \u2018All right, we\u2019ll do a charge back.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Now the questions shift to who is to blame and what the money that people spent on tickets was actually used for.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey actually did end up sending an email saying that only 3-day passes were going to get two-thirds of their pass refunded, which was roughly still $70 on our end,\u201d Bon Bon said. \u201cThen last night they sent another email saying we were going to get 100% refunded, but in three-to-four business weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n