SeaWorld San Diego $1.5M Pass Auto-Renewal Settlement

Californians who purchased a SeaWorld San Diego Annual Pass through the park's website or app between Feb. 28, 2019, and Feb. 28, 2025, that was automatically renewed after the initial 12-month commitment may qualify to receive a cash payment from a class action settlement.

SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Inc. and Sea World LLC agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle the class action lawsuit, which alleged SeaWorld did not comply with California’s automatic-renewal laws, specifically those requiring disclosures, affirmative consent and reminders for annual pass renewals.

Who is eligible to receive a SeaWorld payment?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• They had a California home or billing address on file with SeaWorld.
• They purchased one or more annual passes to SeaWorld San Diego using the park's website or mobile application on or after Feb. 28, 2019.
• The annual pass automatically renewed after the initial 12-month commitment ended, and this occurred on or before Feb. 28, 2025.
• They did not receive a refund for the first auto-renewal charge.

How much is the automatic-renewal payout?

Pro Rata Payment: Eligible class members who do not opt out of the settlement will receive a pro rata payment. There are an estimated 141,358 members in the class.

How to receive a SeaWorld San Diego class action rebate

Eligible class members do not need to submit a claim form to receive their payment. SeaWorld’s records will be used to identify eligible class members.

Payout options

The settlement administrator will email eligible class members to select their preferred payment method. They can choose from:

• Venmo
• PayPal
• Direct deposit/ACH
• Paper check to the provided address
• Electronic MasterCard (default option if no payment selection is made)

$1.5 million automatic renewal settlement fund breakdown

The $1.5 million settlement fund covers:

• Settlement administration expenses: To be determined
• Attorneys’ fees: Up to $500,000
• Attorneys’ costs: Up to $20,000
• Service award to named plaintiff: Up to $10,000
• Payments to eligible class members: Remainder of the fund

Important dates

• Exclusion deadline: July 22, 2025
• Fairness Hearing: Aug. 15, 2025

When is the SeaWorld San Diego Annual Pass Settlement payout date?

No later than 60 days after the final settlement date, the settlement administrator will email each class member to select their payment type. Class members will have 30 days to make their choice. Those who select electronic payment will receive it within two to five business days of their election. Those who select paper checks will receive them as soon as possible following the 30-day payment selection deadline.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged SeaWorld San Diego violated California’s automatic renewal laws by failing to provide required disclosures, obtain affirmative consent and send reminders for automatic renewals of annual passes purchased through the park's website or app. SeaWorld denies any wrongdoing, but both sides agreed to the settlement to avoid the risk, cost and time of continued litigation.

Sources

1. Settlement Notice
2. Settlement Website FAQ
3. Settlement Agreement