How to Get a Refund from Disneyland Disaster
Getting a refund from Disneyland may not be the happiest task on earth, especially if you’ve been evacuated from the park halfway through your first day.
Mickey fans and Goofy lovers alike were in this predicament after a blast caused by a dry ice explosion caused the park to be shut down for two hours on Tuesday, reports The Associated Press.
Two hours may not seem like an eternity, but when tickets run up to $100 per day, some families may be looking for a refund.
Disney's Refund Policy
Whether it's a flaming Royal Caribbean cruise or the happiest place on earth, companies like Disneyland have refund policies, which are sometimes included on your ticket.
Disney's eTicket terms and conditions state that "tickets are nonrefundable" despite any of the following reasons for parts or all of the park closing:
- Refurbishing
- Full to capacity
- Inclement weather
- Special events
- Circumstances beyond Disney's control
The explosion on Tuesday may not qualify as a circumstance beyond Disney's control if the dry ice bomb was planted by an employee, leaving Disney open to suits for recovery under the theory that they were negligent in hiring or training the suspected bomber.
State Consumer Protections
If a ticket buyer sues Disney for the actions of their employee, or any other reason, Disney's ticket policy also states that the ticket buyer must litigate her claims in California. So let's take a look at California's consumer protection laws.
California consumers can file a claim for a refund for losses of $50 or more, if they purchased their Disneyland vacation package through a registered seller of travel (i.e. travel agent).
However, this claim only entitles a consumer to a refund if the travel seller had materially failed to provide the services that were purchased, like failing to provide valid park entry tickets.
An unexpected explosion would not be a valid reason for a claim.
Guest Relations May Provide Something
In the event of a completely unexpected disaster at the park, you may be able to squeeze an extra ticket or at least a discounted ticket out of Disneyland Guest Relations.
They may not be legally obligated to provide you with a refund, but a polite word can go a long way toward getting you some sort of compensation.
Related Resources:
- No injuries in apparent dry-ice Disneyland blast (CBS News)
- NFL Announces Refund Plan in Case of Cancelled Games (FindLaw's Tarnished Twenty)
- Return Policies and Refunds (FindLaw)
- Two Contracts. Two Hurricanes. Different Results? (FindLaw's Fifth Circuit Blog)