Disney hit with $5M lawsuit over facial recognition scans at Disneyland
A visitor to Disneyland is suing the theme park for $5 million for failing to properly inform him of the use of facial recognition technology.
Disney character Pluto entertains a little visitor at Toontown. Irfan Khan /Los Angeles Times/Getty.
A visitor to Disneyland is suing the theme park for $5 million for failing to properly inform him of the use of facial recognition technology.
The American visitor claims that the park has not made it clear that it collects sensitive data from guests through facial recognition technology.
“Disney does not adequately disclose the use of their biometric collection, so consumers, who almost always include children, have no idea that Disney is collecting this highly sensitive data. Guests should be able to expressly opt in to this type of sensitive facial recognition technology with written consent, the onus of privacy rights should not be on the victim,” the plaintiff states in the lawsuit, according to the LA Times.
The lawsuit was filed on May 15th in the US District Court in New York, a few days after the litigant visited Disneyland and sister park California Adventure.
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Only a few weeks ago, at the end of April 2026, the Walt Disney Company announced it was equipping the entrances to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park with facial recognition technology.
“This technology facilitates ease of reentry into our parks and helps prevent fraud,” the amusement park explained in a press release.
How does this work? Cameras at Disneyland scan a visitor’s face. Thanks to biometric technology, this image is converted into a unique numerical value. This value is then compared with ticket data to find a match. If a match is found, the person is allowed to enter the park.
All data that’s stored will be deleted within 30 days, the Walt Disney Company promises, except when someone is being accused of fraud.
Disney’s privacy policy says that participation is optional. People who don’t want their faces to be scanned can use the entrance lanes that aren’t equipped with facial recognition technology. A sign saying “Use of this technology is optional” is posted at the security checkpoint entrances.
The Walt Disney Company hasn’t responded to a request for comment.
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