Scots ‘charged more than French’ at Disneyland Paris

Brits are being charged more to visit Disneyland Paris than their French counterparts. Picture: PA

EC sources said complaints against the theme park are just the tip of the iceberg, with claims of discrimination on the basis of nationality also being made against Spanish hotels, Austrian ski lift firms and the city of Venice.

Disneyland Paris is facing a pricing investigation after it was found that Britons can be charged up to 15 per cent more than French nationals. EU rules allow for price differences between member countries but state all citizens, regardless of nationality, should have the opportunity to buy the cheaper tickets.

An EC spokeswoman said consumers were “often prevented from getting the best price” and confirmed the Commission was “scrutinising a number of complaints, including several against Disneyland Paris”.

She added: “Discrimination can take place in several ways. Sometimes service providers automatically re-direct consumers to their country-specific website, often with less attractive prices and offers. Sometimes they simply refuse delivery to the consumer’s country of residence.”

According to the theme park’s UK website, a family of two adults and two children would pay £232 for a one-day park ticket, whereas a family of the same size booking on the French version are offered the same ticket for the equivalent of £199.

Christophe Murphy, vice-president of Disneyland Paris, said offers should be able to be purchased from a different country via the reservations office, as it has been protocol for “many years”. He added: “It has always been the case that our offers from every country are available through the call centre.”

Though Disney would not comment on the investigation, Mr Murphy said the way promotions were handled is “something we will have to look at”.

The complaints made to the EC were submitted through the European Consumer Centre for Services, a body assisting consumers across the EU.