Disneyland Paris denied on Wednesday the accusation of overcharging park customers from foreign countries after the European Commission initiated an investigation. The European Commission began an investigation on Tuesday after it was presented with several protests regarding Disneyland Paris' alleged pricing malpractice, which is an offense against the European Union regulations, the Agency France Presse reported.
Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union, wants to dig deeper into the case since it is a case of price discrimination. For example, prices vary widely for the theme park's premium packages. It starts from €1,346 for French visitors, €1,870 for British visitors and a whopping €2,447 for German visitors, according to the Financial Times.
Certain price variations can be applied under objective causes, like a country's market condition, or irregular changes because of the season or holidays. Disneyland Paris said that its price changes also depend on the booking patterns and another country's holidays, the Financial Times added.
Julien Kauffmann, vice president of Disneyland Paris said that prices vary because, "needs are not fundamentally the same in all countries. In Italy or Spain, we'll more likely offer packages including meals or free transport, while in France -- where people often arrive in their own cars -we will offer the same discount applicable to a hotel room.
"An English (visitor) will reserve a holiday six months to a year in advance while with the French it's four to six months ahead," Kauffman added, according to the Agency France Presse.
But apparently, Disneyland Paris' website shows that prices vary depending on the language chosen. "These practices are discriminatory since, the pricing differences between various countries are not based on objective reason," said a spokesperson for the European Consumer Organization, Johannes Kleis, Vice News added.
"I am interested in answers and explanations," Elzbieta Bienkowska, European Union's commissioner for the single market, told the Financial Times. "On the face of it, I struggle to see what objective justification there could be for these practices."
