This Las Vegas ‘Bluey’ Meet and Greet Was a Total Disaster

Parents, adults, and really anyone with a Disney+ subscription have experienced the joy of Bluey. That joy did not carry over to a recent Las Vegas event. Maybe they were just trying to teach kids disappointment early in life? That’s the only explanation I have.

Dirt Dog, a hot dog restaurant in Las Vegas, decided to bank on the dog theme and host an unofficial meet and greet with Bluey, the small Australian puppy that has captured hearts across the world. Bluey and her family (which includes sister Bingo and their parents, Bandit and Chilli) have become the most talked characters in children’s programing. Even I am familiar with Bluey, thanks to my three-year-old niece. (I am obsessed with the episode “Cricket,” which broke me.)

The prospect of meeting Bluey and eating a hot dog is appealing, especially for kids. What the kids at this Las Vegas hot dog restaurant ended up getting instead was … a guy in a onesie. The meet and greet reportedly exploded on social media with thousands of RSVPs ahead of the event. But as families waited in long lines to see their favorite dog, they were met with a man standing in a printed onesie wearing a tarp on his head.

So … decidedly not our girl, Bluey. Fox News 5 reported on the event and spoke with one child, who stated “I was mad,” before going on to criticize the fact that this was very obviously a man in pajamas. When asked if this man looked like the cartoon dog, the child said, “He looked unexpected. We could see his beard.”

Many took to the event’s Facebook page to warn families not to go. One person person wrote, “I got there and there were moms already coming out saying how bad it was.”

The restaurant was seemingly very apologetic for lying to the public. “We are truly sorry this event wasn’t the expected experience,” Dirt Dog posted on Facebook. “We hope to repair our relationship with all of you.” Their reputation as a hot dog restaurant is now forever tarnished!

As a small child, I watched as another small child punched Mickey Mouse in the face at Disneyland. None of the children in line behind him—myself included—got to meet Mickey. This experience taught me about disappointment. Unfortunately, the kids hoping to meet Bluey experienced something akin to the Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow. Who wants to see Bluey with a beard? Certainly not me!

The restaurant could have easily reached out to a costume store to try and get a Bluey costume, or maybe feature some other famous dog instead. But having a guy in a onesie as Bluey? Who thought that was a good idea at any point, ever? You could have easily just dressed up like Spider-Man and kids would have loved it.

Dirty Dog Las Vegas will no longer be known for their hot dogs (if they ever were?) but instead for their hot mess of a dog-inspired event.