Disneyland Paris was fined 400,000 euros for deceptive commercial practices, due to “quotas” restricting access to holders of “annual passes” supposed to be able to enter all year round, announces the Fraud Repression (DGCCRF) this Monday.
An investigation by the population protection department (DDPP) of Seine-et-Marne, where the famous amusement park is located, “highlighted inappropriate communication”, contrary to “the provisions of the Consumer Code relating to to misleading commercial practices,” specifies the DGCCRF.
The “quota” method
Concretely, “quotas” restricted access to the park for “annual pass holders”, although they were supposed to allow access to the attractions every day of the year, indicates Fraud Repression.
“As part of a criminal settlement, Disney will have to pay a fine of 400,000 euros,” indicates the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention on its website.
“Yellow Ears”
At the end of 2022, several dozen subscribers had expressed their dissatisfaction in front of the park at the call of an internet page named “les Oreilles jaunes”, in reference to the Yellow Vests, Le Parisien then reported. The media 60 million consumers immediately explained that the Infinity, Magic Plus and Magic Flex passes, which theoretically allowed access to the park respectively 365, 350 and 300 days per year for prices ranging from 499 to 319 euros per year, actually contained restrictive conditions.
In particular, they required “compulsory pre-reservation for each chosen visit date”. Some users therefore testified to the impossibility of going to the park on the desired dates. Since then, Disneyland Paris has redesigned its range of passes, notably eliminating daily quotas.
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On Friday, the Fraud Repression had already indicated that it had imposed a fine of 1.3 million euros on Disneyland Paris, this time for non-compliance with the rules regarding payment of suppliers.
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