FATHER’S DINO SHOW WARNING
A PERTH father has urged people to exercise caution after a controversial touring dinosaur show promoter announced plans to host an event in Toowoomba.
The organiser of the Dinosaur Festival Toowoomba has drawn criticism from parents who left his shows in Brisbane and Perth feeling let down.
They claim the pre-show promotional material promised more than what was delivered. The events have been plagued by cancellations, postponements and poor communication.
Their requests for refunds fell on deaf ears, leading many to take to social media to warn other families.
For the organiser, this has all been part of the learning experience, he claimed.
A PERTH father has criticised a travelling dinosaur exhibition that has plans to visit Toowoomba in May.
Dan Glasgow said he was left feeling disheartened after he paid $75 for his family to attend the Monster Creature World at the Clermont Showgrounds in January.
“It was advertised as a wonderful exhibition that would leave kids amazed, but that was hyperbole,” he said.
“It was just some potted plants with plastic bugs around them that giggled in a gloomy shed.”
He claims the exhibition took about five minutes to view and Mr Glasgow immediately requested a refund from organiser David Huni.
He was meet with stiff opposition and after a bit of research, found other parents had a similar experience.
The organiser held a similar event in Brisbane in 2020 that ended with disgruntled ticket holders venting their frustration on social media after the organiser failed to issue full refunds.
Most complained about cancelled VIP access or prepurchased ride tickets that could not be redeemed.
“The Perth show was a massive oversell,” Mr Glasgow said.
Last week Mr Glasgow secured a refund after his bank agreed to retracted the payment.
The local show, titled Dinosaur Festival Toowoomba, is billed as having 18 animatronic dinosaurs, including those on display at the Brisbane event.
When asked about the outstanding refunds, Mr Huni blamed COVID-19.
“We have taken on board feedback from those who have attended, those who have criticised and reviewed our marketing plans as well as how we communicate our event,” Mr Huni said.
“While there has been some negativity there has also been some really positive feedback from families who have enjoyed our experiences despite any COVID-19 challenges.”
“As far as I know all the Brisbane customers who had requested for refunds have been dealt with in line with our terms and conditions,” he said.