Austin's Christmas bar "Miracle on 5th Street" addresses issues after ticket backlash

Guests are sharing the issues they experiences over the weekend and now the popular holiday-themed bar said it's addressing the issues.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Miracle on 5th Street is a hot ticket for Christmas cheer in Austin, but not everyone could get inside to experience it.

Guests are sharing the issues they experiences over the weekend and now the popular holiday-themed bar said it's addressing the issues.

A Reddit user created a post warning people to carefully read the fine print when purchasing a ticket to the Christmas-themed pop-up bar in downtown Austin. The user claims people couldn't make their way inside after waiting hours in long lines.

"Last night it was made clear they sold probably around 10X the amount of "9PM" tickets as there is space in the bar," said the post's creator.

Justin Lavenue, owner and operator for Miracle on 5th Street, was aware of the issues guests experienced during the first weekend of December and said he's working to improve the experience and "make things right" for customers.

"This has been the busiest year so far, and with that comes some challenges," said Lavenue. "It breaks our heart that people planned their night around Miracle and they were not able to get inside."

He said the bar is using high attendance in previous years to meet ticket demand for this year, while capping ticket sales. Around 1,650 people cycled through the bar on a single night in 2019. This weekend, about 1,300 people cycled through one night.

There's a few reasons that could be, Lavenue said.

There are more ticket options this year than in previous years. Another reason is people are staying inside longer or people are arriving at peak times in the night, he said.

The event's ticket website does state: "If you purchase a Tis the Season or Twas the Night Dasher Pass, note that we cannot predict if there will be a general admission line outside on the date & time you wish to join us."

Miracle on 5th Street said it's now working to make changes starting with an update to its refund policy terms. People wishing to get a refund can submit a request through the ticket website, Eventbrite. Refunds will be granted for those with an unused ticket.

There will also be a decrease made to the number of available tickets on the website, easing customer flow on busy nights, said the bar's owner.