Disneyland Paris apologises after banning boy from princess experience

Disneyland Paris has apologised for refusing to let a three-year-old boy take part in its "princess for a day" experience because he was not a girl.

Hayley McLean-Glass, from Devon, told ITV News that her son Noah was "buzzing with excitement" when he found out that the theme park offered the chance to dress up as princesses, including his favourite character from the Frozen film, Elsa.

But when she tried to book via email she received the response: "At this time it is not possible to book princess for a day for a boy."

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McLean-Glass told ITV News: "I just think that it's unfair, I mean if there was an activity such as a pirate dress up or a Spiderman event, little girls would be allowed to do it".

"If anyone told a little girl that she couldn't do that there would be absolute uproar, but I just don't understand why it's different for a boy."

After having been denied permission, she wrote an open letter to the company, demanding to know what "terrible awful fate may befall" her son if he was allowed to wear a dress.

McLean-Glass said in a post on her blog: "We have spent a small fortune in Disney items for [Noah], he wears his beloved Elsa dress all day every day... he even refuses to take it off at bedtime. He knows every single word to Let It Go and all of the other Frozen songs, he'd be able to stand on your stage in the Frozen show and give your Elsa a run for her money I'm sure!"

"If there's such a thing as a Frozen superfan, Noah is it!"

Responding to the furore a Disneyland Paris spokesperson said that a mistake had been made: "This experience is available to all children ages three-to-12 and we've reached out to the family to apologise for them being provided with inaccurate information."

"We are taking this situation very seriously and sincerely apologise to Hayley and Noah for the distress caused."

"[This is] an isolated incident. The cast member's response is not reflective of any policy or belief held here at Disneyland Paris. We are going to ensure this does not happen again."