Disney agrees to $9.5M settlement in Magic Key class action

Disney Magic Key class action settlement overview: 

• Who: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts agreed to a class action settlement to resolve claims brought by Jenale Nielsen. 
• Why: Nielsen accused Disney of falsely advertising that consumers who purchased its Disney Dream Key tier of its Magic Key passes could use them to make reservations to enter either its Disneyland or California Adventure theme parks any day of the year with no “blockout dates.”
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court. 

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts agreed to a $9.5 million settlement to end claims it misled consumers who purchased its Disney Dream Key tier of Magic Key passes into thinking they could be used to gain access to its parks every day of the year. 

Eligible class members who submit a request for exclusion will each receive around $67.41 in total compensation and will not have to file a valid claim form, according to a support of motion for preliminary approval. 

The settlement resolves claims that, despite marketing to the contrary, the Disney Dream Key passholders were subjected to “blockout dates” when making reservations for admission to Disneyland and California Adventures theme parks. 

“Plaintiff (Jenale Nielsen) purchased a Dream Key pass, believing that her Dream Key pass entitled her to access the parks every day of the year so long as the parks were not at capacity and park reservations were available,” the support for the agreement states.

Disney settlement estimated to benefit 100,000+ Dream Key passholders 

The settlement will benefit an estimated class of 103,435 individuals who purchased a Disney Dream Key pass between Aug. 15 and Oct. 25, 2021. 

Disney sold the Dream Key passes for $1,399, according to the Disney class action.  

It was previously announced in July that a settlement agreement had been made to resolve the allegations against Disney; however, there was no specific information at that time, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Female Disney employees filed a separate class action lawsuit against the company in July, claiming it underpays women who work in middle management for the company. 

Have you purchased a Disney Magic Key pass? Let us know in the comments. 

The plaintiffs are represented by Daniel J. Muller and Anthony F. Ventura of Ventura Hersey & Muller LLP and Nickolas J. Hagman of Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP. 

The Disneyland Magic Key class action lawsuit is Nielsen, et al. v. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S. Inc., et al., Case No. 8:21-cv-02055, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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