DOJ lawsuit: SeaWorld walker policy violates Americans with Disabilities Act

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against United Parks & Resorts, the parent company of SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, alleging that its ban on certain wheeled walkers and rollator walkers violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). "The ADA requires equal access for people with disabilities, and theme parks such as SeaWorld are no exception," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a statement. FOX 35 Orlando has been reporting on SeaWorld's policy change since November 2025. Two weeks after FOX 35's reporting, the DOJ announced that it would open an investigation into potential ADA violations after receiving numerous complaints regarding the policy.