The internet sensation has his own Glasgow Willy Wonka-like moment.

By

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman

Enterprise Editor

Neal joined Mashable’s Social Good team in 2024, editing and writing stories about digital culture and its effects on the environment and marginalized communities. He is the former editorial director of The Advocate and Out magazines, has contributed to the Los Angeles Times, Curbed, and Los Angeles magazine, and is a recipient of the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for LGBTQ Journalist of the Year Award from the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association (NLGJA). He lives in Los Angeles with his family.

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 on April 16, 2025

MrBeast was not in the flesh at his Las Vegas “experience.” Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Fans of MrBeast expressed anger and disappointment at a three-night immersive event themed after the YouTube star.

MrBeast, the stage name of James Donaldson, did not appear at the gathering at Las Vegas’ Resorts World casino, which officially wrapped on Tuesday. While a flyer promoting the “MrBeast Experience at Resorts World” didn’t promise the star’s appearance, what really had attendees steaming was the dearth of “activations” at the casino’s restaurants and pool, and an underwhelming “mystery bag” delivered to participants’ rooms. Guests reportedly paid $1,000 to attend the “experience.”

“There should have been like mini-games, and meet and greets, and photo ops, special food and drink things,” attendee Theresa Metta told the Las Vegas CBS news affiliate. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get any of that.”

Metta said she was told to wait in her room for her advertised mystery package. When the bag finally arrived, it only contained branded chocolates and kids’ clothes. Metta said the gifts were not the “exclusive merchandise” attendees were promised, but actually several items listed for clearance on the MrBeast website.

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A group of disgruntled attendees gathered to demand refunds from Resorts World executives and air their grievances to the casino’s CEO, Alex Dixon.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Instead of refunds, Resorts World officials offered each guest two $50 food and beverage vouchers, according to attendee Desiree Pineda. “This experience has been nothing short of horrible,” Pineda told CBS.

It appears Resorts World may have shifted course, however. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported it issued full refunds Tuesday evening.

MrBeast didn’t release a formal apology, but did respond to an attendee’s complaint on X, saying this “definitely isn’t the experience we hoped they’d deliver” and promised all disappointed guests an invite to his studio (in North Carolina).

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. With 385 million subscribers, MrBeast’s YouTube channel is the most subscribed on the video streaming site.

Neal joined Mashable’s Social Good team in 2024, editing and writing stories about digital culture and its effects on the environment and marginalized communities. He is the former editorial director of The Advocate and Out magazines, has contributed to the Los Angeles Times, Curbed, and Los Angeles magazine, and is a recipient of the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for LGBTQ Journalist of the Year Award from the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association (NLGJA). He lives in Los Angeles with his family.

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