PHOTO BY BENJAMIN BRUNNER VIA UNSPLASH.COM
SeaWorld Orlando says it has clarified its policy banning rollator walkers with seats after the U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into whether the rule violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced on November 25 that it would investigate SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica Orlando following public complaints about a policy change that prohibited certain wheeled walkers and rollators with seats.
SeaWorld has since updated the wording of its policy online to more explicitly describe the reason for the ban and what alternatives will be provided at the gate. The website states that rollators with seats can be a safety concern when someone is seated, and another person pushes the device. The company says it continued to see misuse and safety-related incidents even after earlier steps, including requiring signed waivers. Under the policy, “rollator” also includes wheeled walkers with seats.
SeaWorld says guests who arrive with a non-permitted walker will have the device stored in a secure area and will be offered a complimentary rollator without a seat or a complimentary wheelchair. Guests are still allowed to bring their own wheelchairs, electric scooters, or rollators as long as they do not have a seat.
The policy change sparked criticism from guests who rely on seated rollators for mobility and rest.
There is no timeline for when the DOJ investigation will conclude or what actions could result.
