SeaWorld class action alleges theme park chain uses ‘bait-and-switch’ tactics

SeaWorld class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Plaintiff Matthew Beeman filed a class action lawsuit against United Parks & Resorts Inc., doing business as SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Inc.
• Why: Beeman claims SeaWorld uses “bait-and-switch” tactics to mislead consumers about the true price of tickets to its theme parks.
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Florida federal court.

A new class action lawsuit accuses SeaWorld of using “bait-and-switch” tactics to mislead consumers about the true price of tickets to its theme parks.

Plaintiff Matthew Beeman claims SeaWorld lures consumers into paying higher prices for tickets by advertising a deceptively low initial price and only revealing an undisclosed and unavoidable “service fee” at the final checkout screen.

“Consumers cannot complete a ticket purchase without paying this hidden fee,” the SeaWorld class action lawsuit says.

Beeman argues SeaWorld unlawfully advertises and displays ticket prices on its websites without including all mandatory fees or charges that customers must ultimately pay.

SeaWorld’s alleged “bait-and-switch” tactics violate Virginia’s All-In Pricing Law and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, Beeman claims.

Class action: SeaWorld’s alleged ‘bait-and-switch’ tactics designed to increase consumer commitment

Beeman argues SeaWorld conceals its mandatory fees until after consumers have invested substantial time selecting tickets and have committed to purchasing based on the incomplete, deceptively low advertised price.

“Each stage of Defendant’s multi-step checkout process is designed to increase consumer commitment so that, by the time the hidden fees are revealed, consumers—having already expended time and effort—are more likely to complete the transaction,” the SeaWorld class action lawsuit says.

Beeman claims SeaWorld’s alleged “bait-and-switch” tactics force consumers to pay upward of 20 percent more than when the actual price is disclosed upfront.

Beeman is seeking to represent a class of consumers who purchased tickets to Busch Gardens Williamsburg or Water Country USA on a ticketing website operated by SeaWorld where all mandatory fees were not included in the initially displayed or advertised price of the ticket.

He demands a jury trial and requests declaratory relief and an award of statutory damages of $500 per violation, or $1,000 per willful violation, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

Another theme park recently faced a similar class action lawsuit when a Lake Compounce guest sued Festival Fun Parks for failing to disclose its service fees until the final stages of the ticket purchase process.

Have you ever purchased a SeaWorld ticket? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Arun G. Ravindran of Ravindran Law Firm PLLC.

The SeaWorld class action lawsuit is Beeman v. United Parks & Resorts Inc., Case No. 6:25-cv-01931, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

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