Halloween festival compared to viral 'Willy Wonka Experience' as visitors 'disappointed'

A family Halloween festival in Cardiff has been slammed as "depressing" by visitors, some of whom compared it to the viral Willy Wonka Experience, which made children cry and prompted police reports last year. The Cardiff Halloween Festival wasn't as universally condemned as its Glasgow equivalent, but detractors didn't hold back in criticising the event, on which some had shelled out £53.50 for a family ticket plus a £6 booking fee.

Facebook reviews for the seasonal celebration, which runs until October 31 in Cardiff Bay, included reflections that it had been like "paying a visit to Chernobyl". "After paying a high entry fee, we were shocked to find that almost everything inside cost extra," one ticketholder fumed. "Tents not open, no Halloween atmosphere, very few props," another added. "We left after 15 minutes." Brych Rees, 35, said he had attended the same event in various locations over recent years, but found this year's iteration "really disappointing".

He told the BBC his group had paid £60 entry and found "really sparse" decorations with "a total lack of atmosphere".

The 35-year-old added that he had been offered a 30% refund after complaining that the event's attractions included a "very depressing tent maze" and a handful of rides that "themselves seemed depressed".

"If organisers want any kind of continued patronage then severe and immediate improvements are necessary to Cardiff's answer to the Willy Wonka Experience," he said.

Kirstie Bevan also suggested the festival amounted to a Willy Wonka Experience 2.0, the less-than-magical immersive event that went viral for its half-hearted decor and catering and bizarre characters.

"It just reminded me of the Willy Wonka Experience in Scotland," the Neath native said, describing her overall experience as "just so underwhelming".

According to the event's website, daytime tickets cost £14.50 for adults and £13.50 for children, plus a £1.50 booking fee, rising by a further £1 for the popular twilight slot.

In a statement released on its Instagram, the festival organisers said they were "truly sorry" that expectations hadn't been met.

"Our team has spent months preparing this event with passion, long hours and creativity, so knowing that some families didn't feel the magic they were expecting has been very upsetting for all of us," a spokesperson said.

"Severe weather in the 24 hours before opening meant that some of our zones were not quite ready as they should have been, or had been relocated without the correct messaging to inform their new location. While many of our included activities and live shows were open, some areas were not and we fully understand the frustration this caused for families who arrived expecting the full adventure.

"Since then, we've been working tirelessly both on site and behind the scenes to enhance the experience. We've completed those areas, strengthened the atmosphere across the island, and reviewed our operations so that the rest of the week delivers the fun, family-friendly Halloween event people look forward to."

The organisers were "listening carefully to all feedback", a spokesperson also told the BBC, and were "encouraged by the many families who have contacted us directly to share how much they enjoyed their visit and the improvements they have experienced since Saturday".

"The majority of visitors since then have had a positive experience and we're delighted to see children and parents creating magical Halloween memories together across the island," they said.