Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Sea World Parks & Entertainment's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Sea World Parks & Entertainment

  7007 Sea World Dr Orlando, FL 32821-8097

• 

  Sea World Parks & Entertainment

  6000 Discovery Cove Way Orlando, FL 32821-6000

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/09/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On July 10th, 2022, our Aquatica Orlando Annual Pass, for a family of 3, was automatically renewed for the amount of $575.10. At the time our family was dealing with a lot of things and I was only able to contact Customer Service on the 22nd of July. My wife was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and due to covid, water parks were deemed a health risk. On the call I was told that SeaWorld doesn't issue refunds BUT due to our extenuating circumstances, a supervisor allowed a refund, specially because we hadn't used the park since the pass was renewed. We were told to wait 2-3weeks. I called back on August 22nd, one month later, and was told that, though they had a log of my call, nothing was done. The person I spoke with then was ONEEKA. She confirmed the refund was approved and the money would be credited this time and I should receive it in 1-2 weeks. I called back today, September 9 and was told by supervisor Emanuel J that I would not be receiving a refund, and that both times (July and August) they were denied. Why was I not told this? Why was I deceived by both employees (on July and August) that I would be receiving a refund and to just wait? Why didn't supervisor Emanuel J honor the first supervisor's order to have my refund issued? ( I don't know their name because I never expected to go through this with such an esteemed company like SeaWorld) Had I been told from the beginning I would not receive the refund, I would have been upset but it would be the end of it. But hoping over $500 would be refunded to my credit card only to be deceived TWICE is certainly not the standard of SeaWorld. And why, why no one had the decency to at least send out an email saying my request was denied? I'm requesting my case be reviewed on the basis of all my conversation I had and have Sea World honor their word. ANNUAL PASS #********************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/14) */ Good morning; due to the sensitive nature of the information, we sent you an email to the one listed with the BBB.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/08/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I booked a package to visit Seaward with my family including my 2 year old and my 6 month old infant from 5/27/22 - 5/30/22. The total charge was $1497.41. (confirmation number is - ********. ) The package included a stay at the Staybridge Suites SeaWorld. We checked into the hotel and put the kids to sleep. When it was our turn to go to bed, we discovered there were Bed Bugs. We contacted the hotel manager and he moved us at 1:00 am in the morning to another room. It was such a big hassle moving sleeping kids at 1:00 am in the morning. However, we woke up in the morning to see bed bugs crawling next to us !! To avoid taking bed bugs back with us home, we decided not to go to SeaWorld and do laundry of all our belongings on site at the hotel and pack all our items in big trash bags to avoid taking bedbugs with us back home. We drove back home about 200 miles with two kids and that caused us a lot of emotional distress. We called sea world and they decided to give us full refund. The hotel manager also agreed that we will not be charged for the night we stayed. SeaWorld even called the hotel and verified while I was on the phone with them on the morning of 5/28/22. SeaWrold is now refusing to give us a full refund. They returned all the money except for the one night stay at the Staybridge Suites for the amount of $236.19. I have contacted the Staybridge Suites hotel Manager, Mr. Daniel P*****, who sent me an email saying he is unable to get hold of anyone at SeaWorld to clarify that there is no charge for the night. He even sent me a receipt indicating that I owe nothing. I am attached the invoice and a copy of the email as proof. Sea world is still refusing to credit me for that amount.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/15) */ Sea World Parks & Entertainment takes these complaints very seriously and we are sincerely sorry for the experience this guest had at a third-party hotel. As a courtesy Sea World will provide a full refund due to the circumstances. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/09/15) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/08/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for adventure island membership and thought I'll be able to bring 4 friends for free,however, I've discovered that its annually. If I knew,I wouldn't buy this membership and wouldn't go to this stupid park. Adventure island is a fraud

  Business Response

  Date: 09/14/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/13) */ Hello, We would like to address your concerns accordingly. Please email us directly through our online form located at this link We look forward to hearing from you soon! Thank you, Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/09/13) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I do not need to contact customer service

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/07/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  after months in critical care I received medical clearance for my son to go to Florida. My son selected seaworld as his trip. On 9-1-22 my 27 year old on a mechanical heart pump in a wheelchair entered Seaworld at about 1 35 PM before heading to the airport. Prior to going to seaworld we were informed that they have accessible wheelchairs to rent right outside. To our dismay the team made my son wait in the boiling heat while I, a single mom had to go through numerous desks to rent the wheelchair. Upon renting the wheelchair I asked if they had storage for his walker and they said they will store it in the office and did not give me any receipt. I trusted them. The below optimum customer service, lack of compassion and care from the entire team including the management was appalling. To top all this off at about 5 15 Pm it started pouring. I asked the team if we can take the wheelchair to the car and return it as my son could not walk but could not be stuck int the rain as he was living on a heart pump. The team including managers stated there was no way it can leave the exit to their parking lot based on policies. I said to every rule there was an exception and explained to the team that my son is on an LVAd mechanical heart pump and he could die if it goes off for a second with the the thunder and lightening. I was than harrassed by the front manager and berated me for taking pictures. I did not take one picture and was busy trying to make sure my son stayed alive. After taking him in a second portable wheelchair I asked them for our walker back to which they replied we dont have it . It is nowhere to be found.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/03/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello. Our group of 4 attended Seaworld today 9/03/2022. Unfortunately it appeared Seaworld was far over capacity. Despite having purchased quick Q, having a membership, etc... the quickque lines were unusually long. In addition to this, we attempted to speak with an ambassador at the pass holder desk (to find out what to do) and that line was also huge. We had an elderly grandmother in our group and a disabled guest. I purchased quickque (74.54 extra) to avoid any issues with long lines and evidently the park was not being managed properly. I called the customer service number 3 times. I was given miss-information the first time, disconnected the second time & Put on hold for almost 30 min. third time (waiting for a supervisor). This was a BIG deal for Customers like us - who work very hard, just in order to save up for a special day together. But this was a nightmare of a day. We have been to Seaworld before and did not have this issue. It's wrong and definitely poor business ethic to do this to people. After having spent hundreds of dollars on tickets, upgrades & reservations- We had to leave disappointed because no one was able or willing to help. They were certainly overwhelmed with being over capacity.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/09/11) */ Good afternoon, Ms. *****. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your visit. Please email [email protected] with a copy of the barcode side of your park admissions and other purchased items for our review. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/25/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We have been season ticket holders at sea world for probably 10 years. We cancelled our memberships on May 8. Plans were set to restart on May 9th so we were understanding when SeaWorld pulled the money since we waited so late to cancel. Called around May 9th/10th to ask about refund. Said it would take up to 2 weeks. Called may 23rd for update. Told to wait 2 months that it could take 2 cycles. Called July 14th-Told wait 2 more weeks. Called July 25th and was told they resubmitted for refund. Give another 3 weeks. Called again August 25th, guess what, told to wait another 2 weeks. Seems you don't get a refund until you file a report with BBB, so here I am, filing my complaint to see if I can get my $300+ back.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/30) */ We are sorry about the delay in processing a refund for you, it seems there has been a hiatus. The issue has been found and resolved; therefore, $259.78 has been credited back to your card on file. Please allow your bank a few days to post this refund. We apologize about this situation and appreciate your understanding.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/18/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On July 22nd I lost my phone at Aquatica Orlando. While at the park I reported it lost and talked to many different personnel regarding the issue and I was told they would contact me if the item was found. The following morning, July 23, the emergency contact I have listed in my phone received a call from the park (from my phone) saying the phone was found and that they could send it to me. During that call Aquatica took down my information including all of the shipping information and said that they would contact me with the shipping information and tracking number. After two weeks I still had not heard from them and had tried emailing them in the meantime, but it still took two weeks for them to even email me back. At that point they confirmed the phone was still there, asked if I could pick it up, which was impossible because I had left the state, and had me fill out a form to pair my information to the phone and claim the item. This was the only response I received, and I filled out the form they requested on August 5th. After a week of not hearing from them I had tried calling them directly. After MULTIPLE attempts I was able to speak with a supervisor who was then able to tell me that the form was received and paired with the phone and I was given a link to pay to ship the phone back to me. On August 10th my credit card was charged $36 for shipping and I was told that I would receive a tracking number within 48 hours. It is now August 18th and I still have not received a tracking number. I spoke with another supervisor on August 16th who again called the park directly and confirmed that the item was ready to be shipped, but it has already been another 48 hours. I have been without my phone for a month now and Aquatica has had the phone in their possession for the entirety of that time and have taken additional money from me to ship it and have not done so.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/09/05) */ Please accept our apologies for the delay in sending your phone. Our records show that the delivery was successful on August 24th, tracking number ***********. Thank you,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/17/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased season passes in 2019 my family went for four days we expected to be able to use the passes awhile into 2020. My son ended up in the ICU off and on until January 2020. Then Covid happened and the park shut down which is fine and understandable. However it is now 2022 and I looked on my credit card statement and Seaworld is still charging me a monthly pass fee. Let me remind you I only went four days in 2019. When I called and spoke to the associate she told me that my pass is being auto renewed and when I told her that I didn't approve it. She informed me that it was in the contract I originally signed in 2019 however if you log into my account it does not say that it is automatically going to be renewed so I have paid $1300 for passes that I have used for four times in 2019. This is ridiculous, And especially after passes being extended due to Covid an email should've been sent out that said due to our parks being shutdown this is how long your pass is good for and you're automatically going to be charged for a renewal if you don't cancel or a letter in the mail and nothing ever came. I want the funds refunded from when the original passes canceled out and I was auto renewed without my approval. You can't see that total online because they don't have that information on the website and when you call the associate Ashley is not very helpful, nor is her supervisor Shakela. They only offered to give me a months reimbursement which would've been $38 or extend my pass which is unacceptable. There are two resolutions I will accept a refund for the time I was charged a renewal without my approval and for the time I was unable to use the park in 2020. Or my passes extended to cover the years I paid to have passes. Also I can't cancel Ezpay cause it won't let me online. So now I have to watch my credit card every month and dispute charges.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/24) */ Guest was refunded for out of commitment payments for a total of 189.25. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/08/25) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I want to see a statement, for how much I agreed to pay originally for passes in 2019. Then I want a break down of how much I was charged after the original passes we're paid in full. It is not on the members portion of the website and before I agree to the resolution I want to make sure I am being refunded the correct amount. It's also not fair I'm being charged for passes I was unable to use due to your park being closed. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/08/30) */ Please see the email sent to you today containing the information you requested. Thank you,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/15/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I bought annual passes for myself and my daughter on July 29, 2022. The first time we visited the park was on August 14, 2022. After visiting and only staying for 2 hours, we decided we would not be back. The park was filthy, including, the water. There were socks, trash, hair accessories, and bandages in a lot of the pools we went in. The water in the park was hot and in some areas was cloudy making me really worried about getting us sick. There are signs all over the park stating it's a family attraction and no one should be revealing swim wear, but yet all I saw for 2 hours was butt cracks. There was only 1 employee that we encountered that was smiling, everyone else had a scowl on their face and looked like they wished they were somewhere else. There were no dolphins and the fish tank lazy river was an overcrowded fish tank that lasted about 2 seconds. Preferred parking is a joke. I called and wanted to cancel our passes and offered to pay for the tickets for the day we visited instead but was told that I would have to pay the remainder of our passes to be let out of my contract. We visited 1 time for 2 hours and did not enjoy ourselves, why not just let me pay for the day instead of making the situation worse by making me continue with our passes?

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/09/04) */ Good afternoon. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your visit to Aquatica Orlando. Although EZpay passes cannot be canceled while in the one year contract period, we did exceptionally cancel the 2 passes for you. You will no longer be charged.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/13/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I made a request to cancel my SeaWorld membership online on 7/08/22 as my pass membership was set to renew on 7/09/22. On 7/09/22, I was still charged. I called today to dispute the claim, and was greeted unprofessionally and was told that SeaWorld doesn't typically issue refunds. In my case, since I made a note in the comment section of my cancellation, I was told that a refund would be issued. Regardless, my own note shouldn't be the reason why I'm getting a refund. Fact of the matter is I followed the rules and cancelled my season pass prior to the annual renewals and shouldn't even be having to go through this refund process in the first place. Given the track record already where other customers waited an inconceivable amount of time for refunds, I am extremely concerned and lack the confidence in SeaWorld's staff of being able to provide a refund in a timely manner.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/06/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/15) */ Please accept our apologies for the situation you encountered. It appears the EZpay system did not properly process your request when you turned off the auto-renewal. A refund of $303.08 is in queue to be credited back to your card on file. Pease allow time for this procedure to be completed. Your bank will post the refund a few days after reception of the funds. Thank you kindly for your understanding and patience! Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/08/25) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Sea World has issued the my refund.