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Disney issued a statement in response to the lawsuit.
Park pass reservation system
Since the Disney World reopened in July 2020, Guests need to make reservations to enter the theme parks. This was met with a lot of controversy as it meant people could not freely come and go. This is especially true if the park you would like visit is already “sold out” for that day.
There are three different categories of park passes: reservations for theme park ticket holders, reservations for Guests staying onsite, and Annual Passholders. Annual Passholder park passes are usually among the first to sell out. This makes Disney’s most frequent visitors feel as if they are not valued.
Magic Key holders sued Disneyland last year over park passes. Now, Annual Passholders are doing the same at Disney World.
Lawsuit
According to Florida Politics, a pair of Florida residents are suing Disney, claiming the company is unfairly treating its annual passholders who cannot get reservations into the park.
Annual passholders must make advance reservations, even if their passes have no blockout dates. But the lawsuit filed anonymously by an Orange County resident “M.P.” and Palm Beach County resident “E.K.” says on some days, reservation slots are full for passholders while Disney continues to sell single-day tickets to welcome in other guests.
“Disney’s conduct is a predatory business practice, aimed at exploiting the customers who support it the most, its annual pass holders.”
“Disney’s conduct is a predatory business practice, aimed at exploiting the customers who support it the most, its annual pass holders. Disney abused a global pandemic to take advantage of its own loyal customers and increase its revenue,” said the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court’s Orlando division.
Disney’s response
In response to the lawsuit, Disney released this statement:
“Annual Passholders continue to be some of our biggest fans and most loyal guests,” a Disney representative said. “We’ve been upfront with Passholders about the updates we’ve made, and we offered them the flexibility to opt-in or opt-out of the program early in the pandemic, including refunds if they desired. This lawsuit mischaracterizes the program and its history, and we will respond further in court.”
The park pass reservation is one of the few closure-related changes still implemented in the parks. Along with park passes, Guests still cannot park hop until 2:00 pm every day.
“This lawsuit mischaracterizes the program and its history, and we will respond further in court.”
Are you a Disney World Annual Passholder? How do you feel about this lawsuit? Please let us know in the comments below and on Facebook.
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JN
Thursday 20th of October 2022
I am not any sort of AP because of all the issues. Very interested to see how this case progresses.
Jennifer
Wednesday 19th of October 2022
Yikes! Didn't Disney respond to the Disneyland AP lawsuit by eliminating/completely restructuring all APs? I'm an out of state Incredipass holder so I do feel the burn by how APs in general have been treated, but I read the fine print, every time I have renewed (post COVID) & was made aware that I was not guaranteed admission. I'm not sure if this is a lawsuit that can be won...
Dis Fan
Wednesday 19th of October 2022
This may be one of the reasons why they are not selling new Annual passes. Hope they don’t get rid of them all together.
CRT
Wednesday 19th of October 2022
We are DW IncrediPass holders, and I whole heartedly support this lawsuit. We pay an arm and a leg for our passes. I understand not having reservations available if a park is at capacity, but to block out passholders so that they can sell individual tickets to those that don't go often is simply wrong. Theoretically, Disney could take our thousands of dollars for our passes and never let us in the parks. Disney had no problem accommodating its passholders prior to COVID. Disney can accommodate us now. A consumer has every right to know what they are purchasing, and no blockout days means no blockout days unless the parks are at capacity for everyone.
JW
Wednesday 19th of October 2022
Hope the annual passholders are successful in their lawsuit! A Disney vacation has always taken a lot of planning, but since they reopened from covid it's like management has put a bunch of unnecessary obstacles in the way of planning. Disney spent YEARS building their reputation...amazing that Chapek is taking a very short amount of time to destroy it. And for the board of directors to extend his contract shows they have no clue either and don't realize how long it will take to rebuild their reputation...if they are ever able to!