Disney Segway lawsuit dismissed

Leah Zanolla | Posted: Oct 8, 2009 | Updated: Oct 19, 2014 - 9:25:27 AM

Disney finally has an answer in the Segway lawsuit that they've been dealing with since late 2007. In November 2007, Disney was sued by three people after they were banned from used their Segways at Walt Disney World. The guests were using the Segways instead of wheelchairs or motorized scooters, claiming it was easier for them to stand up.

The lawsuit had been temporarily settled in December when Disney agreed to provide 15 electric stand-up vehicles for use in their parks. These vehicles would have let users stand, but would be the same dimensions as a wheelchair.

It turns out they're not needed anymore. U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell decided this week to dismiss the lawsuit and the proposed settlement. Presnell said that the plaintiffs did not prove the Segways were necessary to visit the theme parks. In his ruling, he also said, “Although some individuals may, with good reason, not want to use those devices and instead prefer to use a Segway, that preference -- standing alone -- is not essential to accessing Disney’s parks.”