ORLANDO, Fla. — The Department of Justice on Thursday sued the parent company of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks, claiming that a ban on wheeled walkers with seats at its parks violates civil rights law by discriminating against people with disabilities.
The department’s civil rights division asked for a jury trial in Orlando to determine if United Parks & Resorts violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The complaint stated that the company needs to change the parks’ policies regarding the rollators and also seeks an award of damages for visitors who have been denied access since the ban was implemented last November in at least three parks in Orlando and Tampa.
In response, United Parks & Resorts disputed the DOJ's claims, asserting that the policy was established to address safety incidents involving rollators and aims to enhance guest safety while providing accessible options for all.
The policy at issue restricts several visitors with mobility disabilities, including veterans, who were stopped at security and prevented from bringing their wheeled walkers into the park.
