Disneyland: Mother booted out for looking like princess

MOTHER Natasha Narula thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke when staff at Disneyland kicked her out for looking like a princess.

Natasha Narula in the Oxfam dress before she was turned away from Disneyland Paris Natasha Narula in the Oxfam dress before she was turned away from Disneyland Paris

Natasha was in a second-hand ­wedding dress when she visited the Paris theme park on April 1. She and her eight-year-old daughter Drew, who was also in fancy dress, were there to celebrate her 35th birthday.

But Natasha, who works as a dispensing assistant at Superdrug, was stunned when a security guard ordered her to get changed – or get out.

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She was told that her dress might confuse children who could mistake her for a Disney princess.

She was forced to go back to her hotel and change into the clothes she had worn the day before. Drew was allowed to remain in costume.

Natasha, from Coventry in the West Midlands, said yesterday: “The security guards bustled us out of the queue and one of them said: ‘I’m sorry miss, your dress is too pretty’. At first I thought someone was playing a joke on me because it was my birthday and it was April Fool’s Day.

“When I spoke to a manager, she said I looked too much like a member of staff in character and it could cause confusion for the children.

“They said they were concerned ­children would think I worked there and would want to have their picture taken with me.

“I didn’t look anything like the characters in the park, it wasn’t like I was wearing a big Mickey Mouse outfit.

“How can they say I looked too much like a princess? I was wearing a hideous wedding dress I bought from Oxfam for £20.”

Disney has a tradition of having princesses in its films, including Snow White, Beauty And The Beast and recently, The Princess And The Frog.

The theme parks use princess characters for shows and to meet and greet young visitors.

Natasha said: “I even rang up the park before we arrived and told them I wanted to come dressed as a princess. The woman I spoke to said it was a great idea and wished us a great time.

“We saw loads of children on the way and not one asked if I was one of the princesses from the park.”

The day ticket to Disneyland cost £80, and overall Natasha spent £1,000 for the three-day break.

She said: “My daughter loves Disney so we thought: ‘Let’s dress up for my birthday’. It was just a bit of fun but we were treated like criminals.”

Disneyland yesterday confirmed it has a global policy banning adults from wearing fancy dress in theme parks.

A spokesman said: “No one over the age of nine is allowed to enter our theme parks in fancy dress. It prevents confusion.”

Natasha has written to Disneyland demanding an apology.

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