CAMP, A Family Experience Store — Attraction in Burlington

We attended the Bluey event last week and it was a nightmare experience with both the staff and the physical space/event logistics.

I'll start with the end: multiple staff members over a period of 30 minutes refused to allow us to exit. My child was d-o-n-e and we attempted to leave together through the open event exit path. A staff member body blocked my child in the door, walking him backwards until he was in the door frame, explaining that our wristbands were the wrong color for that time. She then smashed the door repeatedly on my 4 year old child while I tried to get him to step back. She knew my son was there because she body blocked him backwards. While repeatedly closing the door, she again looked down, saw what was preventing the door from closing, and continued slamming the door on my child several times before I could pull him to safety. I will forever regret my inability to physically and mentally protect my child and not calling 911.

Instead we waited at the door for the next group to leave, which was also not our color, so we were again told we could not exit. At that point, we got the attention of the manager, informed her of the door smashing incident, and were walked through a backstage area to exit. Because apparently there truly is no way for you to leave without permission? There was no apology or refund offer or promise to investigate, but I sincerely hope there were security camera recordings for her to review.

Let's talk about why he was ready to go. During the event, there was a lot of background noise from other rooms and it was not possible to hear and understand event staff. This made the guided activities confusing and awkward and not fun for our child.

The story room was too small to accommodate our wristband group, and when we informed the staff member that there wasn't enough room for us (or even for our child to enter without us while we waited outside), they did not provide assistance making room or alternative directions. It truly did not appear that there was enough room even if children or adults scootched in, so we did not shout our way in. We found a quiet place to play independently, which is how we first got separated from our wristband color.

At one point, we again attempted to attend the story room event. It was still too crowded for all three of us, so I told my child to go sit with the other kids without us while we stood in the next room. My child did not see room to sit so he reacted by walking out the door on the opposite side of the room. I was unable to get to him with all the people in the way or get the attention of anyone in the room, so I asked a staff member in the next room for help getting to my son. She stated there were no other entrances or exits to room on the opposite side and did not provide further assistance.

I guess it really is a crowded maze with dead end rooms and no backup plan? NO idea what they would do in the event of a fire or life threatening emergency. Do not go to this place if you are claustrophobic or struggle with crowds.

We had to wait for the activity to end for the room to clear out to find our child. Luckily there was a slide in the dead end room. My son enjoyed sliding down the two slides in the event. In retrospect, I wish we had gone to a free playground instead.

He did not have any cuts or bruises from being smashed in the door, probably because it was his whole body in the door frame. But even if it doesn't leave physical marks, it's not pleasant being body blocked and slammed with a door by an adult. Four year olds remember. I was the adult. I should have screamed. I should have called 911. Now every time I see Bluey merch or hear that music, I am reminded of how I froze instead of protecting my child.

...Protected my child from being physically assaulted by an adult employee of the Camp store. In a room we were trapped in and physically prevented from leaving. At an event we paid for....

There are no doors in and out of this place. You are trapped inside for 1 hour. You enter through a revolving bookcase, you exit through a fake linen closet. Once inside, it looks like Bluey's house got burglarized and ransacked, Bluey and family possibly got abducted, and the burglars also managed to steal Bluey's signature rugs. It feels like some sort of Bluey Twilight Zone. Cramped spaces. Crying kids. No real activity. Confused parents. Kids wander around for 45 mins looking for bluey and bingo who are nowhere to be found.

Finally, as you exit, you find what appear to be Bluey and Bingo imposters, quietly smirking at you in a dimly lit area next to another souvenir shop befire you exit. The feeling that you have been scammed starts to set in. What in the hell just happened? What did you just pay for? What happend to the real Bluey and family, those Australian accents and everything that was good about them??? Kids are confused and disappointed. I ask my wife how much we paid for this.

Don't bother trying to take a photo of your kids with the Bluey and Bingo imposters at the end. The lighting is terrible.

There are souvenir shops at the entrance and exit with overpriced plastic junk. The kids now demand something to make up for the disappointing experience, you are a captive audience in the Bluey Twilight Zone, trapped inside, no way to escape.

Turns out we spent over $150 just on admission for two small kids, me and my wife, plus another $60 on the way out? Feels like a shakedown by the smirking Bluey and Bingo imposters, but even they seem confused and unhappy. Clearly they are pawns in the scheme. Where does all the money go? Who owns this place?

Do the math. 40 sessions per day * $34-$44 per child or adult * maybe 10 people per group... 40$3910 per day... estimated revenue at least $15,000 per day, maybe $5,000,000 per year. You'd think they could afford to replace some of Bluey's signature rugs, or at least a door through which we could escape.

Imagine the bonuses the managers make here. Bonuses muat be amazing for anyone to suffer through this Bluey Twilight Zone even 30 hrs per week, thousands of confused children, hundreds of meltdowns, thousands of disappointed families every month. Children are no match for capitalism. The worst part is the Bluey show itself is good. But this place is just terrible and scammy. It's a ticking meltdown how it is designed.

Did I mention you are trapped inside? There are no doors to escape, except the secret fake linen closet. Guess it is no longer a secret. Let this be my public service...

They tell you arrive early... to an area where they sell merchandise. Kids going crazy crying for toys before they even enter the "Camp".

When you're finally called in, they gather you for a story while still in the store area & kids are still crying, parents hushing kids - they should not do this in the general store it's chaotic.

Next you get inside a blue room for more stories and a little video. Still hectic. You finally get inside and they're still trying to tell you stories - great for older kids or kids who can pay attention or listen. All the kids burst out in every direction into a maze of rooms you don't know where to go and get lost in a sea of kids running and screaming and parents looking for them. Parents congregate into rooms and kids slip by but now you have to wait a few more moments before you can chase your child.

Props were FILTHY - one even looked like it was burned and had orange stains on it, maybe even melted wax on it, I didn't touch it (a roll pillow near the plant section at the bottom of 1 of 2 slides).

Too many people in one area, and with kids with autism and behavior issues like my son it was overwhelming and very chaotic.

There should be 1 group at a time inside but they had like 3 by the time our group was ending. Only 1 filthy restroom and you often have to wait in line. People spilling drinks but no staff with proper cleaning tools to help the parents wipe it up.

They take you out of the maze of rooms into another room full of merchandise and you get to meet bluey and bingo (?) but kids are scrambling everywhere touching toys and no cohesion and flow to the line for your photo opportunity.

My son had a melt down for over an hour after.

There should be an option for time slots for autistic children and have a smaller group so the experience is not so overwhelming. Where they can play in a safer environment, not getting lost in the shuffle. The stories before entering were pointless because kids don't pay attention- I seen 2 older kids maybe 8yrs paying attention.

No strollers allowed inside Camp either and there is a stroller section in the mall hallway for them.

While it was fun overall with the theme, there could be some refining to it.

We came on a Thursday night for a 530pm time slot. I couldn't imagine coming on a weekend or busier time of day.

One child wet their pants inside and I thought imagine if they used the props (ride on toys) went down slides, or sat on the furniture? Kids are using these every minute and one kids urine on a prop without proper cleaning...