Harry Potter fans who paid up to $200 for a magical Hogwarts-themed feast and expected an extravaganza ‘like in the movies’ have said they were left with a ‘poorly organised’ and ‘cringe-worthy’ imitation.
The anticipated event, advertised under the Harry Potter name but later changed to ‘Wizard’s Brunch’, was held over the weekend at Sydney University’s opulent MacLaurin Hall.
The event promised to treat guests to a feast fit for Hogwarts, combining dining on themed foods with ‘immersive entertainment’.
Harry Potter fans who paid up to $200 for a Hogwarts-themed feast expected an extravaganza ‘like in the movies’ but said they were left with a ‘poorly organised’ and ‘cringe-worthy’ event
The event promised to treat guests to a feast fit for Hogwarts, combining dining on themed foods with ‘immersive entertainment’ (Pictured: A scene from the Harry Potter film series)
However, two disappointed attendees from the May events said they expected ‘a lot of food’ for the $160 price tag, but instead were served tiny share plates between tables of ten.
‘From the get-go we were really excited that it was going to be a Harry Potter brunch like in the movies, with an abundance of food,’ the 38-year-old woman told news.com.au.
The woman told the publication that the food was bite-sized and some tables missed out on dishes.
As for the entertainment, the woman described a series of ‘very confusing’ performances and poor acting.
The anticipated event, advertised under the Harry Potter name but later changed to ‘Wizard’s Brunch’, was held over the weekend at Sydney University’s opulent MacLaurin Hall (pictured)
However, two disappointed attendees from the May events said they expected ‘a lot of food’ for the $160 price tag, but instead were served tiny share plates between tables of ten
‘I think a school performance would do a better job,’ she said.
Another attendee said they were disappointed that the event had been advertised as Harry Potter themed, but a couple of weeks before changed to a more generic Wizard’s Brunch.
‘It’s not even the money, it’s just they are cheating a lot of people. I personally think they tricked people with the Harry Potter brand,’ she said.
The woman said she had been looking for a platform to review the event but had been unable to find one.
Another attendee said they were disappointed that the event had been advertised as Harry Potter themed, but a couple of weeks before changed to a more generic Wizard’s Brunch
But the organiser, Immersive Events, said nine out of ten guests who attended last weekend said they would recommend it to friends and reviews of the July events were overwhelmingly positive.
A spokesman for Immersive Events said they were surprised to hear of any complaints.
‘We’ve had some amazing reviews from customers including a 93 per cent recommendation from a survey we sent out to guests post event,’ an Immersive Events spokesman told news.com.au.
The spokesman also noted the overwhelmingly positive feedback from event attendees on social media.
‘Most magical night of my life,’ one attendee wrote over Instagram.
‘Can I just live here for the rest of my life? It’s absolutely incredible,’ another said.
‘A night of magic … Best wizards dinner ever!’ one satisfied event-goer replied.
The spokesman said staff from the event worked tirelessly during rehearsals and the complaints referred to only a few people during a May event but was not reflective of the thousands of other guests who enjoyed themselves.
The spokesman said the complaints referred to only a few people during a May event but was not reflective of the thousands of other guests who enjoyed themselves
A spokesman for Immersive Events said they were surprised to hear of any complaints