A Willy Wonka Immersive Experience Is Getting Slammed By Attendees, Compared To A 'Meth Lab'

The world of Wonka is one of pure imagination, with sweet treats around every corner, a song in everyone’s heart, and a hint of underlying darkness. Even with those expectations, a recent Willy Wonka-themed immersive experience in Glasgow tried to recreate the world of what’s regarded as one of the best Roald Dahl movies. Those attempts backfired spectacularly, and there’s evidence that the attraction that’s been compared to a meth lab was a pretty sour surprise. 

In all fairness, it has to be stressed that the event known as “Willy's Chocolate Experience” isn’t a function that’s affiliated with Warner Bros. or the actual Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie. Rather, as reported by The Guardian, a company known as House of Illuminati are the folks behind this off-brand function.

As you’re about to see through various social media/news sources, the results of Willy’s Chocolate Experience are closer to the infamous Fyre Fest than anything else. Charging roughly £35 a ticket might not sound too bad, especially when compared to recent Walt Disney World ticket hikes. However, when you’re getting the result pictured below, it’s practically highway robbery:

Now the description said a “meth lab,” and friends, you’re about to get it. Digging further into the emerging social media rabbit hole surrounding this Willy Wonka knockoff unearths some stuff that borders on seriously disturbing and disappointingly funny. With that in mind, here’s what Willy’s Chocolate Experience tried to pass off as an Oompa Loompa: 

Looking further into the report from The Guardian, this whole experience was apparently such a mix of low-budget jank and mildly horrific imagery that kids were actually crying. This wasn’t helped by the fact that if you go to the website for Willy’s Chocolate Adventure, there’s a lot of A.I. art that invokes the world of Gene Wilder’s 1971 incarnation. 

But I know you’re still thinking about whether or not this could get any worse. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yes, it totally did. Here are some more photos to prove just how thrown together this “attraction” actually was:

Perhaps the most damning evidence of this scam at work is an interview conducted with the man who was supposed to play the titular role in Willy’s Chocolate Experience, comedian Paul Connell. Showing a lot of the same material you saw in photo form above, this STV report doubles down on the disappointment, with Connell’s heartbreak only being outpaced by the weird refreshments handed out to guests: 

I know Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory didn't make sense sometimes, and it ran on pure imagination, encouraging audiences looking for paradise to “simply look around and view it.” But even with all of the Fizzy Lifting Drinks in the world, this drab warehouse con job is something that looks dubious at best, and possibly illegal at worst. Even the actual Willy Wonka would be concerned, and he’s someone who let kids get sucked up into the machinery of his factory!

Those of you looking for a way to wash this bitterness out of your hearts needn't worry. With the Timothée Chalamet starring prequel Wonka now on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD, you’ll be able to rent or buy the Willy Wonka prequel to your heart's content. And if you don’t mind waiting another week or so, it’ll be streaming for those of you with a Max subscription, where you can also find the OG Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.