Attendees of the Sydney Royal Easter Show have expressed dissatisfaction, citing issues such as high costs, overcrowding, and technical difficulties that marred their visit.
Despite the popular event only commencing at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday, complaints from visitors have already begun to surface.
Many attendees have voiced their concerns about the overwhelming crowds, suggesting that the sheer number of people hindered their enjoyment and should have been better controlled.
One visitor shared on Reddit, “It’s so overcrowded. It took all the fun out of the venues, and everything was overpriced—items like strawberries and chocolate were ridiculously expensive.”
Another guest lamented, “The show bags were gone by the second day, and the games required too many credits for just one play. They really need to manage the crowd size more effectively. It’s very disappointing.”
Reflecting on past experiences, another attendee remarked, “It’s nothing like it was back in the ’90s and early 2000s when we were kids. It’s such a shame.”
Visitors complained about the prices, saying they were too expensive, with some families revealing how they had spent more than $500 in one day.
‘I don’t understand why people go every year when every year it’s overpriced and underwhelming,’ one person wrote.
Stevielea Abberton took to TikTok to describe the a disappointing Easter Show visit where ride systems were down all day, long lines barely moved, and their family couldn’t use the $600 they had preloaded for rides
High prices, overcrowding, and technical glitches have left families frustrated and disappointed
A technical failure at the Easter Show on the very first day sparked outrage, leaving families unable to go on one of the many rides.
The Fun Pass app, which allows visitors to pay for ride credits, malfunctioned.
Stevielea Abberton described her experience as ‘disappointing’, saying her family could not use the $600 they had preloaded for the rides.
She said they left early frustrated, feeling the event was overcrowded and poorly managed, with no clear refund solution offered.
‘We could not go on any of the rides,’ she said.
‘It was just, it was not happening. It was ridiculous.’
‘We ended up leaving… completely disappointed.’ she added.
Another mother slammed organisers for suggesting visitors would have to wait weeks for a refund.
Another mother slammed organisers for suggesting visitors would have to wait weeks for a refund
‘We arrived here at 8:30am. It is now 1pm and we have not been on one ride,’ she said.
‘You’re paying forty-five dollars per person additionally on top of what you’ve already paid.’
‘If you can’t keep up with technology, go back to the old ticketing system and do better.’
An Easter Show spokesperson acknowledged the technical issues on Thursday afternoon.
‘The Royal Agricultural Society, organiser of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, is aware of an issue with the Carnival Fun Pass and its associated app that’s preventing showgoers from using it to get on some rides in the carnival area,’ the spokesperson said.
‘We are working to fix the issue as quickly as possible and apologise to our valued patrons for the inconvenience caused. We will update the situation as soon as we can.’
More than 850,000 people are expected to attend the Easter Show, which runs from Thursday, April 2 until Monday, April 13.
The combination of high prices, overcrowding, and technical issues has sparked debate among Aussies about whether the event has lost its charm.
‘I don’t understand why they can’t make it more enjoyable instead of just making it a money grab,’ one Reddit user wrote. Another added, ‘It’s not like it was when we were kids. Everything is about spending more, not having fun.’
Daily Mail contacted the Sydney Easter Show for comment.
