This event was SO BAD...PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO RIOT!
It was…read moreopen ONLY 12-5:00, but the LINES WERE 2 HOURS LONG.
The staff was stressed & hostile to the attendees in line,
and the people leaving said booths RAN OUT OF FOOD by 2:00.
I never even got in & emailed for a refund...we shall see...
We showed up around 1:30, and the line was all the way around the corner of the "mall" inside the Westin hotel. We joined the end, assuming people were backed up getting their tickets checked on the way in. Then, I look up and see and guy in a suit with a name tag, about half way up the line, talking to ticket holders. I sent my friend up to see what he was saying, and was informed he told that group they wouldn't be letting them, or anyone in line after them, into the event for 2 HOURS!
I walked up to talk to the man, but rushed away, telling people to "go to Neiman Marcus with all questions." What on Earth does that mean? Where in NM do we go? I went to the front of the line, where I saw a girl in a jacket with a name tag, and asked her if the 2 HOUR WAIT was true, since this event only ran until 5PM, and it was already past 1:30. She was obviously already angry and was EXTREMELY HOSTILE & RUDE. She tried to simply ignore my questions, but I repeated them politely, and added "I purchased tickets in advance." "EVERYBODY PURCHASED TICKETS IN ADVANCED!" she spat back at me. "We didn't overbook the event, ANTHEM did, so call them for your refund," she added in exasperation. I asked the obvious next, "who is ANTHEM & how do I contact them...Is the number on my ticket?" She rolled her eyes and sighed out "I don't know...you can look it up on the internet."
At this point the line was antsy and agitated, and I didn't want to surround myself in that negative energy for 2 hours. Then, the group in front of us got let in...after we were told noone would be. I look up and see droves of attendees leaving early. Listening into their conversations, I heard several offer the advice "don't bother" and "1/2 the tables are out of food already," and it was ONLY 2:00. None of this was enticing me to wait in line any longer. A man in a jacket made another announcement. Now he claimed we'd be let into the event in ONE HOUR, at 3:00...or we could apply for a FULL REFUND.
Again, I approached the snarky girl in the jacket, as I saw she was giving refund instructions to another group. I saw she had ANTHEM and a number written down, and simply asked to copy it. She snapped at me, "fine...but it would be quicker for you to just Google it!" In what world is it quicker to look a number up on Google than copy one down in person. I realize she was stressed, and possibly underpaid too, but...MANNERS ARE FREE.