Did Disney Steal Tech For Disney Genie? Lawsuit Claims They Did

On October 19, 2021, Disney launched its controversial new experience reservation system — Disney Genie+ — at Walt Disney World Resort. A few months later, Genie+ launched at Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ replaced the free FastPass system that had been an integral a part of Disney holidays for years. The transfer to eliminate FastPass was not a well-liked one, as many individuals didn’t like Disney Parks getting costlier after which losing perks that made the cost worth it.

Disney Genie+ is a paid system, however it’s a part of the larger Disney Genie service, which permits Friends to entry complimentary options, to allow them to plan their day. Friends can put of their experience and attraction preferences, and Disney Genie tells them when it might be greatest to go to the attraction to reduce their wait.

Now, Disney is being accused of stealing the expertise used for its theme park Disney Genie system.

In line with a report from the Orlando Business Journal, the tech firm Agile Journeys claimed that they created the Disney Genie system again in 2002 and referred to as it “Technique and Equipment for Offering Guests with a Customized Itinerary and Managed Entry to Points of interest.” The corporate filed a patent for the tech and claims that Disney is infringing on its patent with the Disney Genie system. The corporate additionally says that Disney was conscious of the expertise Agile Journeys had created.

Agile Journeys filed a lawsuit in opposition to Disney, which reads in part:

“Disney has infringed and continues to infringe (actually and/or below the doctrine of equivalents), straight, not directly, and/or by subsidiaries, brokers, representatives or intermediaries, a number of claims of the [patent] by making, utilizing, testing, supplying, inflicting to be equipped, promoting and/or providing on the market in the US the Disney Genie system, together with the Disney Genie App…

However Disney’s information of [Agile’s patent], Disney has knowingly or with reckless disregard willfully infringed the [patent]. Disney has acted regardless of an objectively excessive probability that its actions constituted infringement of the [patent]. The target danger that Disney infringed the [patent] was recognized or so apparent that it ought to have been recognized to Disney.”

Agile Journeys additionally states that one of many creators of the system — William Gibbens Redmann — was involved with Disney about the opportunity of The Walt Disney Firm buying the system to make use of within the theme parks. Nevertheless, as a substitute of buying the strategy created by Redmann and Michael Anthony Eaton, Disney tried to create and patent an analogous system. The lawsuit states that Disney’s makes an attempt at securing its personal patent had been rejected, and the tech created by Redmann and Eaton was regularly cited.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and for a jury to award Agile Journeys for Disney’s infringement on “a number of claims of the patent”, a judgment in favor of Agile Journey for “enhanced damages” for the infringement, and for Disney to pay Agile Journeys royalties to proceed to have the ability to use the expertise.

Disney has not responded to the lawsuit.