Families who paid to see a festive drone spectacular in West Sussex are demanding their money back after the event was marred by serious technical failures.
Promised spectacle ends in disappointment
The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Drone Show, held at the South of England Showground over the weekend of 30 November - 1 December 2024, promised a display of 600 drones lighting up the sky. However, attendees reported a chaotic and underwhelming experience, with many drones failing to take off and formations being impossible to discern.
Ticket prices started from £15.99, with some families investing hundreds of pounds for the anticipated Christmas treat. One parent who purchased VIP tickets for themselves and their two daughters described a scene of growing frustration. "The event was delayed by 20 minutes and when it did eventually start half the drones were missing and to the naked eye you couldn't make out anything," they posted on social media, adding that the crowd was "booing" by the conclusion.
Technical failures and a dark finale
Reports from the ground detail a show that lasted a mere 12 minutes and was plagued by problems from the start. The sound and narration reportedly cut out intermittently, and a significant portion of the drone fleet remained grounded.
The grand finale, intended to be the highlight, allegedly failed completely. Spectators claim that no drones managed to ascend, leaving the sky dark and the audience in disbelief. One attendee, who travelled for an hour and a half with a family group of five adults and one child, expressed their dismay. "You couldn't make the pictures or characters out and it was so short... it just stopped," they wrote, noting the abrupt end to a story about a snow monster lacked a festive resolution.
Organiser's response and growing backlash
The event organiser, Lumina Drones, has issued a public apology, citing unforeseen "technical difficulties". A spokesperson stated: "We spent months creating a spectacular Christmas show and were excited for all our guests to experience it. We are incredibly disappointed that we were unable to deliver the entire show to the high standards we adhere to."
The company revealed its team is in communication with its drone manufacturers in France to investigate the root cause of the failure. Lumina Drones has pledged to contact all ticket holders via email with an update.
However, patience is wearing thin among customers. More than 1,000 people have already joined a Facebook group titled "Full Refunds - Rudolph - Lumina Sky Theatre" to coordinate their response. Additional complaints have surfaced regarding the high cost of food and drink and issues with car parking at the venue, though Lumina noted these services were operated by third parties.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with technology-driven events and has left many families out of pocket and without the magical Christmas experience they were promised.
