Bosses at Disneyland Paris have been left red-faced and apologising, after refusing to accept a toddler for their ‘Princess for a Day’ package – because he is a boy.
Hayley-McLean Glass, who blogs at Sparkles and Stretch Marks, said she was left ‘very sad and disappointed’ after her request was turned down.
In a blog post, Hayley revealed that her son Noah is ‘the biggest Elsa fan in the world’. As well as spending ‘a small fortune’ on Disney gear for the tot, the family has visited the world-famous theme park twice in the past 12 months.
Noah adores dressing up as a princess, so when Hayley came across the ‘Princess for a Day’ package – which includes a makeover and photo shoot – she decided to book immediately.
You can imagine Hayley’s disappointment when she received the following reply from Disneyland:
“At this time it is not possible to book Princess for a Day for a boy. However, we would be happy to arrange a tailored gift pack with some Princess-themed items such as a cuddly toy, playset, etc. for a total price of 300 euros.”
Hayley couldn’t quite believe what she was reading, and called Disneyland bosses out for their discrimination.
“So, let me get this straight....My son, who fell in love with the concept of Disney Princesses at Disneyland, is not allowed to have the same experiences as the little girls who visit you simply because ‘he's a boy?’” she wrote.
“I can't help but wonder if the same rule would apply should you introduce an activity at your parks that is only for boys....I say introduce, because of course there isn't anything that is just for ‘boys’, as this would never be allowed.
“If a little girl wants to be a super hero, she can be. If she wants to be a Jedi, she can be. She can be whatever she wants...just like Walt Disney himself said, ‘If you can dream it, you can do it!’”
She also drew their attention to the theme park’s tagline for Pride Day, set to fall on October 20, which claims it ‘celebrates diversity at Disneyland’.
“So, does that statement apply only on October 20? If we visit you on that day, will you allow my son to be himself and have the princess experience?!
“Is October 20 the ONLY day that diversity is permitted in your parks? Must we all keep our true selves hidden every other day of the year at Disneyland Paris?!”
Hayley’s post garnered plenty of criticism online, to the point where, when contacted by The Guardian, a spokesperson issued an apology.
“This experience is available to all children aged three to 12, and we’ve reached out to the family to apologise for them being provided with inaccurate information,” a statement read.
We’re glad to hear it!
