ORLANDO, Fla. — A former SeaWorld Orlando annual pass-holder has filed a class-action lawsuit against the theme park's parent company, claiming his pass was automatically renewed without his permission.
Jason Herman said he is seeking at least $5 million on behalf of the class in his lawsuit filed last week in federal court in Tampa.
Herman claims SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment continued to charge his credit card a monthly $35 fee beyond the one year for which he had purchased the pass.
Herman said he was charged for 19 months after he thought his passes had expired.
He said when he called a SeaWorld customer service representative to complain, the agent told him the pass would automatically be renewed. But Herman said he could find no such language on his receipt or pass warning him about that.
SeaWorld said it cannot comment on the pending litigation.
Automatic renewals are common, not just in theme parks but in many businesses from gym memberships to television and Internet services.
The SeaWorld incident differs on the grounds of whether is misled pass-holders.
In the suit, Herman points to SeaWorld's language, saying, "Except for passes paid in less than 12 months, this contract will automatically renew."
Herman said he paid his off in 11 months.
While SeaWorld and its sister park, Busch Gardens, are named in the suit, other parks employ the same practice.
Universal, for example, uses an automatic renewal. Disney, which offers four levels of passes, does not.
The far reaching impact of the suit is in its class action status, opening it to all those who paid their bills in less than 12 months, but still had their contracts renewed against their wishes.
WFTV
