A family Halloween festival in Cardiff has been branded “depressing” by visitors, with some drawing comparisons to last year’s viral Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow that left children in tears. The Cardiff Halloween Festival, held in Cardiff Bay until 31 October, cost some families £53.50 for a ticket plus a £6 booking fee, but attendees complained of sparse decorations and additional charges for most attractions.
Facebook reviews for the event included descriptions such as “paying a visit to Chernobyl”. One ticketholder wrote: “After paying a high entry fee, we were shocked to find that almost everything inside cost extra.” Another added: “Tents not open, no Halloween atmosphere, very few props. We left after 15 minutes.”
Brych Rees, 35, who attended the event for the first time this year after previous experiences elsewhere, said he found it “really disappointing”. His group paid £60 entry and encountered “really sparse” decorations with “a total lack of atmosphere”. He was offered a 30% refund after complaining that the attractions included a “very depressing tent maze” and rides that “themselves seemed depressed”.
Kirstie Bevan, from Neath, also likened the festival to the infamous Willy Wonka Experience. “It just reminded me of the Willy Wonka Experience in Scotland,” she said. “It was just so underwhelming.” The event’s website lists daytime tickets at £14.50 for adults and £13.50 for children, plus a £1.50 booking fee, rising by £1 for twilight slots.
In a statement on Instagram, festival organisers apologised, saying they were “truly sorry” that expectations had not been met. They cited “severe weather in the 24 hours before opening” as a reason some zones were not ready or had to be relocated without clear signage. They added that improvements had been made since the opening weekend and that the majority of later visitors had a positive experience.
