SeaWorld class action alleges users tricked with fake sales and hidden fees

SeaWorld class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: A SeaWorld customer has filed a class action lawsuit against the company.
• Why: The plaintiff claims SeaWorld uses fake sales and hidden fees to trick customers into purchasing overpriced tickets.
• Where: The SeaWorld class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.

A new SeaWorld class action lawsuit accuses SeaWorld of using fake sales and hidden fees to trick customers into purchasing overpriced tickets.

Plaintiff Claire Petrun filed the SeaWorld class action complaint against United Parks & Resorts Inc. on Jan. 7 in a California federal court, alleging violations of California’s Ticket Seller Law and California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA).

Petrun alleges that SeaWorld “overcharges” customers on its website by using “unfair and illegal tactics” to trick and manipulate consumers into purchasing tickets and paying more than they otherwise would.

According to the lawsuit, SeaWorld’s use of fake sales and hidden fees violates California’s Hidden Fees law. The law also prohibits advertising goods or services with the intent not to sell them as advertised.

Class action: SeaWorld uses bait and switch tactics

Petrun alleges that SeaWorld’s website advertised one price for tickets, only to later disclose a higher, different price during the checkout process.

The lawsuit argues that such fees are deceptive and unfair because they interfere with consumers’ ability to price-compare and manipulate them into paying fees that are either hidden entirely or not presented until late in the transaction.

Petrun claims that SeaWorld’s website initially tells consumers that a certain amount will be charged as “Taxes & Fees,” but fails to provide a breakdown of how much is taxes and how much is fees.

After a consumer clicks the “Checkout” button, SeaWorld reveals that no taxes were charged at all, and the entire amount was the company’s service fee, the lawsuit alleges.

“Defendant quotes consumers its fee under the misleading heading ‘Taxes & Fees’ to falsely pin the responsibility for these junk fees on the government,” the SeaWorld class action says. “In reality, taxes are never a part of the equation.”

Petrun is looking to represent anyone in the United States who purchased event tickets from SeaWorld’s website during the applicable statute of limitations period.

She is suing for violations of California’s Ticket Seller Law and the CLRA and seeks certification of the SeaWorld class action, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.

A similar lawsuit was fielded against SeaWorld last year by a Florida resident.

What do you think of the allegations made in this SeaWorld class action lawsuit? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by L. Timothy Fisher and Stefan Bogdanovich of Bursor & Fisher P.A.

The SeaWorld class action lawsuit is Claire Petrun v. United Parks & Resorts Inc., Case No. 3:26-cv-00090, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Class action claims Seal Skin used perpetual ‘50% off’ sales to mislead shoppers
• More than 413K Volvo vehicles recalled over rearview camera image concerns
• Grubhub class action alleges customer and driver PII compromised in 2025 data breach
• WWE accused of deceptive marketing tied to ESPN premium live events