The Orlando-based theme park SeaWorld has landed itself in some pretty hot water with the federal justice department over alleged violations of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a lawsuit against SeaWorld’s parent company, United Parks & Resorts, over the company’s recent ban on guests’ use of wheeled walkers with seats. The policy change officially took effect in November 2025. SeaWorld argues on its website that such walkers “can pose a safety concern when not used properly, particularly when someone is seated and the device is pushed by another person.”
The federal justice department, however, believes this policy violates Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), stating in its lawsuit that United Parks & Resorts “may impose legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation, but those requirements must be based on actual risks and not on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with disabilities.”
The DOJ’s lawsuit names United Parks & Resorts and its subsidiaries — including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and Aquatica — as defendants in the suit. It comes after the DOJ first announced it would be investigating the company over the policy change back in November after receiving “numerous” complaints from people over the ban on wheeled walkers (sometimes called rollators).
The suit also alleges that United Parks & Resorts sought to charge guests $40 to $100 for “[a]lternative personal transportation options.” After the DOJ announced its investigation, however, the company changed this language on its parks’ Accessibility pages to offer “complimentary” alternatives (free of charge), according to the suit.
“The ADA requires theme park companies like UPR to provide guests with equal access, regardless of ability,” U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement Thursday. “This complaint reinforces our commitment to holding public accommodations in the Middle District of Florida accountable when they engage in disability discrimination.”
The U.S. justice department is urging the court to declare that UPR violated the ADA, require that UPR change its allegedly discriminatory policy, award monetary damages to individuals “aggrieved” by UPR’s failure to meet ADA requirements, and assess a civil monetary penalty of $118,225.
“If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by United Parks & Resorts Inc., including parks such as SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Discovery Cove Orlando, and Aquatica Orlando, please file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division online at civilrights.justice.gov, or by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (1-833-610-1264 (TTY)),” the DOJ states in its announcement of the lawsuit.
SeaWorld and Discovery Cove are already facing allegations of unfair labor practices by their unionized divers, who voted unanimously to join the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30 last year.
Earlier this month, SeaWorld was also sued by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the Sesame Street brand, over allegations that SeaWorld failed to pay outstanding royalties to the nonprofit and has failed to meet its contractual obligations, NBC News reported.
Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
