Absolutely LIVID at the BBC

[ChilledMK]

I took the kids to the BBC Earth Experience in London yesterday. Traveled all the way from Milton Keynes. It looked the perfect day out for the kids. It was billed as an ‘interactive experience’ and a ‘transformative audio visible experience’.

I feel like I have been robbed. £100+ to walk around a big room with disjointed images showing random vignettes of animals and rainforests on cinema screens. No seating. No narrative. No touching. And most importantly no interaction. Looking at the website I can tell they have done some very clever camera trickery to make it more than it is.

I have never felt so angry leaving an ‘event’. I can’t believe they think it is acceptable to charge £32 to walk around a big room with a montage of their documentaries available on Netflix. No bad word to say about the staff or security, but the people at the BBC who planned this event are taking the absolute piss. Then to make it worse as we walk into a tat filled gift shop this almost half the space of the event, there is a projection of the earth saying it is my responsibility to make sure all the animals don’t die of climate change…

Would I be unreasonable to request a full refund? The kids were bored out of their mind and we didn’t stay the full hour.

I had been imagining it would be like one of those immersive art experiences where the art is projected onto the walls, but with more than one room.
I'm going on Saturday, so I'll adjust my expectations.

It sounds like a rip off but I think you will be very lucky to get a refund. It’s totally subjective and some people may have loved it.

£30 a ticket is pretty standard for all the immersive experiences in London. It’s the same for the Hockney/ Van Gogh immersive exhibitions.

See I’ve been to the Van Gogh immersive and it was absolutely brilliant. This BBC one was so flat. You can tell no effort or creative energy went into it.

Ironoaks I really would make sure you have something fun booked after. I felt so flat and the kids were just off the walls with boredom. Don’t be fooled, the kids are not allowed to touch the screens and the one interactive button didn’t even work.

I was actually going to buy tickets so thank you for this PSA

Almost makes it worth it! Just looked at google reviews and I clearly am not the only one. Definitely don’t waste your money.

I've seen a few people complain about this now. What an awful waste of your time and money. And then to remind you to save the world while they sell overpriced tat to your kids, rude.

I would ask for a refund, they can only say no, Go to the natural history museum instead, if you are still in London and near enough - last entry is 5.30

I've just had a look on TripAdvisor and it seems the majority agree with you, OP. Most saying a rip off and disappointing. I have to say, it looks pretty crap even from its website.

It’s just so wrong of them. They clearly are just in it for the cash grab from families and that is what makes me so bloody angry

It does clearly say it last about an hour on the website, it also states you need to speak to a steward if you need a seat. I've been to a couple of immersive events and they have been underwhelming to be honest seems this is no different. By the way it says there's 2 breakout zones too.

Ah bugger, we're booked to go to that tomorrow.

And it looks like it's actually a live nation production not bbc, the bbc obviously did license their name but it's live nation you need to complain to

You can ask, though I would not expect one.

Eeek not good

The more I think about it the more I know I deserve a refund. It’s absolutely false advertising, even all the promotional images are CGI rendered. It’s not okay, it’s literally a huge company defrauding working families of their money.

Im going to email now and request that refund. My blood pressure can’t take it

there is a projection of the earth saying it is my responsibility to make sure all the animals don’t die of climate change…

It sounds like a rip off but why are you upset by this? Presumably you like animals and nature, hence why you visited?

Having read the TripAdvisor reviews, I think I'm going to bring a cushion.

It does sound rubbish though. We all trust the BBC so you imagine it'll be a good or at least satisfactory experience.

From their site:
'When you enter the space, be prepared to be dazzled by the epic scale of the screens.'

WTF. so the main attraction is how large the projection is? Yeah, I'd be complaining around.

It being the BBC, I would be looking at how much money they claim to have spent on it.

Small piece of advice, if anything seems irregular make sure your complaint cannot be handled internally by the BBC - they're good at concluding they haven't done anything wrong.

billed as an ‘interactive experience’ and a ‘transformative audio visible experience’.

There is no mention of "interactive". You misread.

Its billed as an IMMERSIVE experience in massive audiovisual screen projections.

https://bbcearthexperience.com/faqs

"what can visitors expect from the BBC earth experience?

"In the main area, visitors can take a majestic 360-degree audio visual journey into all seven continents in just under one hour. The main screens will feature highlights and extended scenes from the Seven Worlds, One planet BBC television series, bringing the environments to life. From fireflies putting on a spectacular light show in North America, to snub nosed monkeys huddling together to stay warm in Asia, and hungry hamsters fighting to keep their food in Europe, visitors will get to experience our seven continents in all their glory, like never before. You can also explore and discover our other smaller zones which include diving into a Water World, marvelling at the sweeping landscapes on the Vista mezzanine stage, and testing your bravery to get up close to creepy crawlies in our Micro Life zone (all on screens!).
The experience will include:

• Dark spaces, loud noises and bright light emitted from screens
• Footage from the BBC television series Seven Worlds, One Planet – including animals hunting, fighting and mating
• Creepy crawlies on screen – including spiders and insects"

It's not run by the BBC.

And it's not interactive.

Thanks. I was thinking about going this week. I was a bit unsure and it was going to be hit or miss with the Dcs anyway (one of whom has SEN and would need alot to keep him engaged). I will not botther now and thank you for a lucky escape. :)

Mario brothers movie and bowling instead I think.

It's a company called Live Nation, who are using the BBC footage from the Natural History Unit.