Walt Disney World faces patent infringement lawsuit over Genie, Genie Plus

A California company has filed a lawsuit in Florida against The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Parks and Resort alleging patent infringement over Disney's Genie and Genie+ services, which helps create a personalized itinerary for guests visiting its theme parks.

The lawsuit was filed on Dec. 2, 2022, in US. District Court, Middle District of Florida's Fort Myers Division, on behalf of Agile Journeys, LLC, and alleges Disney's Genie+ service infringes on one of its patents – '983 Patent, known as "Method and Apparatus for Providing Visitors with a Personalized Itinerary and Managed Access to Attractions."

According to the lawsuit, the patent's inventors – William Gibbens Redmann and Michael Anthony Eaton, who both reportedly worked for Disney – sought to build "a system and method for creating a personalized itinerary for visitors to a facility, such as a zoo, theme park, historic area, or shopping district." 

You can read a copy of the lawsuit, as filed, below.

The lawsuit claims that Disney knew of the patent, infringed on it, and included some of the invention in its Genie and Genie+ services, which has allegedly damaged Agile Journeys, LLC. They believe they're owed damages from Disney.

The lawsuit does not specific a specific damages amount, but seeks a judgment that Disney infringed on the '983 patent, that Disney pay for "past and future damages," that Disney pay for enhanced damages, royalties, and attorney fees.

It is the latest lawsuit that has been filed against The Walt Disney Company

A lawsuit was filed in California against Disneyland Resort on behalf of some annual pass holders alleging its COVID-19-era reservation system limited their ability to visit the theme parks, despite their passes not having lockout dates. A similar lawsuit was filed against Walt Disney World Resort.