DOJ sues SeaWorld's parent company over ban on wheeled walkers at their parks

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — 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 said the company needs to change the parks' policies for the wheeled walkers, known as rollators, and also sought an award of damages for visitors who haven't been allowed to use them since the ban was implemented last November in at least three parks in Orlando and Tampa.

United Parks & Resorts on Thursday disputed the Department of Justice's claims and said it would respond through the legal process.

“The policy at issue was implemented to address repeated safety incidents involving misuse of rollators with seats and was designed to enhance guest safety while continuing to provide accessible options for all guests,” the company said in an emailed statement.

The company said that its parks offered alternatives to the wheeled walkers at no cost to visitors.

The DOJ complaint said that several visitors with wheeled walkers, including two veterans with mobility disabilities, were stopped at security and prevented from bringing them inside the park.

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