Ceonni Dunn v. Six Flags America, LP et al.

District Court, D. Maryland·Decided August 14, 2026·No. 8:25-cv-01959·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND

CEONNI DUNN, *

Plaintiff, * Civil Action No. 8: 25-cv-01959-PX v. *

SIX FLAGS AMERICA, LP et al., *

Defendants. *

*** MEMORANDUM OPINION Pending are Six Flags America, LP (“Six Flags”) and International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, LLC (“IBCCES”) (collectively “the Defendants”)’s motions to compel arbitration or alternatively to dismiss, stay, or transfer this matter based on the first-to- file rule. ECF Nos. 19 & 20. The motions are fully briefed, and the Court needs no hearing. See Loc. R. 105.6. For the following reasons, Defendants’ motions are denied. I. Background Plaintiff Ceonni Dunn (“Dunn”) suffers from severe anxiety disorder, associated compulsions, and debilitating panic attacks. ECF No. 4 ¶ 1. Dunn uses a service dog to warn her of oncoming attacks. Id. ¶ 66. On June 7, 2024, Dunn visited the Six Flags amusement park (“the Park”) in Prince George’s County, Maryland, with her service dog after she purchased a ticket online. Id. ¶ 71. Dunn had been at the Park for several hours when Six Flags’ employees told her she could not have her dog at the Park and could not “request an accommodation onsite.” ECF No. 4 ¶ 81. Rather, Six Flags requires visitors who seek disability accommodations to submit an online application to IBCCES at least 48 hours before visiting the Park. Id. ¶¶ 18–20. IBCCES must next “approve[]” the accommodation and grant a visitor an access card. Id. ¶ 19. Because Dunn had not taken these steps, Six Flags told her she needed to leave without receiving a refund or she had to put the service dog in her car. Id. ¶¶ 81–82. On May 7, 2025, Dunn filed a class action complaint in Prince George’s County Circuit

Court against IBCCES and Six Flags. ECF No. 3. Six Flags is a local corporation “in the business of owning and operating an amusement park” located in Bowie, Maryland. ECF No. 4 ¶ 2. The Park is thus a “place of public accommodation,” subject to pertinent county codes. Id. ¶ 3. The four classes in the current suit are likewise restricted to those who visited or sought to visit solely the Park in Maryland, and are defined as: (1) all persons who applied for an [access card] with respect to Six Flags America between May 7, 2022, and the present, whether they were approved or denied for the [access card]; (2) all persons who were denied a reasonable accommodation at Six Flags America by Guest Services at the park because they had not timely obtained an [access card] prior to arrival; (3) all persons who were denied a reasonable accommodation by Six Flags America’s in-park staff because such persons did not have an [access card]; and (4) all persons who were denied a reasonable accommodation by Six Flags America’s Guest Services or in-park staff because such persons, whether or not they had an [access card], did not appear to in-park staff to have a disability that would entitle such persons to an accommodation.

Id. ¶ 47.

Dunn next amended the complaint to bring three causes of action: disability discrimination in violation of Prince George’s County Code § 2-200 (Count I); negligence (Count II), and unjust enrichment (Count III). ECF No. 4 ¶¶ 90–138. Dunn, more particularly, contends that the IBCCES pre-screening process is “arbitrary and discriminatory” in that it imposes “undue burdens on disabled individuals” and results in “discriminatory denial” of “reasonable accommodations.” Id. at 2. As relief, Dunn pursues compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees for the alleged historical misconduct, and injunctive relief prohibiting further “collection of any private contact, confidential medical, or privileged behavioral health information” as part of the Park’s disability screening protocol. Id. at 34. Defendants noted removal under the Class Action Fairness Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d)(2). ECF No. 1. They now move to compel arbitration or alternatively to dismiss, stay, or transfer the

case pursuant to the first-to-file rule. ECF Nos. 19 & 20. Dunn opposes arbitration principally because the parties never formed a validly binding agreement to arbitrate. ECF No. 32. Because Dunn’s argument turns on several provisions within the relevant Agreement, the Court details the terms below. The Agreement is a 13-page document divided into several sections; each separated with prominent, bolded titles. ECF No. 19-2 at 7–21. The first section, entitled, “Six Flags Admissions Product Terms & Conditions,” sets out the basics of the contractual relationship. ECF No. 19-2 at 7. It plainly states: “the following terms and conditions apply to all Six Flags admissions products, including . . . [Passes] and single day tickets.” Id. The Agreement distinguishes between “Pass holders” and “Single Day Ticket” purchasers. See ECF No. 19-2. “A Pass is valid from the

time it is purchased until the end of the stated period for such Pass.” Id. at 8. By comparison, “Six Flags single day tickets are only valid for admission on the date printed on the front of the Ticket, unless [the customer has] purchased an any day ticket, which entitles [the customer] to admission one-time on any public operating day in the operating season in which the Ticket is purchased.” Id. at 8. Regardless of the “product” purchased—Pass or ticket—once the purchase is completed, the customer has accepted the Agreement terms. Id. at 7. Next, the section titled “DISPUTE RESOLUTION BY BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER” sets forth the relevant arbitration terms. ECF No. 19-2 at 14 (emphasis in original) (“Arbitration Provision”). It begins: “PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT. THERE IS NO JUDGE OR JURY IN ARBITRATION, AND DISCOVERY PROCEDURES AND APPELLATE RIGHTS ARE MORE LIMITED THAN IN COURT.” Id. at 14 (emphasis in original). The Arbitration Provision states,

Except as expressly noted below, any dispute between you or any other admissions product holders for whom your [sic] purchased an admissions product and Six Flags or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates arising under, out of, in connection with these terms and conditions, this site, content, or Six Flags’ or its subsidiaries’ or affiliates’ applications, products or services must be submitted to binding arbitration under the authority of the Federal Arbitration Act.

Id. at 14–15 (citation modified). The Arbitration Provision also discusses how the provision terms may be modified. The “Future Terms Changes” subsection reads: Although Six Flags may revise the Terms in its discretion, Six Flags does not have the right to alter the Terms to arbitrate or the rules specified herein with respect to any Dispute once that Dispute arises if such change would make arbitration procedures less favorable to the claimant. Whether charged procedures are less favorable to the claimant is an issue to be decided by the arbitrator, and if multiple claimants are proceeding in Coordinated Cases, the applicability of revised terms to the Coordinated Cases will be decided by the arbitration provider as a process matter.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Ceonni Dunn v. Six Flags America, LP et al., (D. Md. 2026).

Ceonni Dunn v. Six Flags America, LP et al. (Ceonni Dunn v. Six Flags America, LP et al.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Remington Products Corp. v. American Aerovap, Inc.
192 F.2d 872 (Second Circuit, 1951)
Madalynn Carey v. Bayerische Hypo-Und Vereinsbank Ag
370 F.3d 234 (Second Circuit, 2004)
Karren Y. Hill v. Peoplesoft Usa, Incorporated
412 F.3d 540 (Fourth Circuit, 2005)
Cross v. Fleet Reserve Ass'n Pension Plan
383 F. Supp. 2d 852 (D. Maryland, 2005)
Cheek v. United Healthcare of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc.
835 A.2d 656 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2003)
Holloman v. Circuit City Stores, Inc.
894 A.2d 547 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 2006)
Shaffer v. ACS Government Services, Inc.
321 F. Supp. 2d 682 (D. Maryland, 2004)
Cronos Containers, Ltd. v. Amazon Lines, Ltd.
121 F. Supp. 2d 461 (D. Maryland, 2000)
Dow v. Jones
232 F. Supp. 2d 491 (D. Maryland, 2002)
Michael Coady v. Nationwide Motor Sales Corp.
32 F.4th 288 (Fourth Circuit, 2022)
LWRC International, LLC v. Mindlab Media, LLC
838 F. Supp. 2d 330 (D. Maryland, 2011)
Kontoulas v. A.H. Robins Co.
745 F.2d 312 (Fourth Circuit, 1984)
Whiteside v. Teltech Corp.
940 F.2d 99 (Fourth Circuit, 1991)
Tiffany Johnson v. Continental Finance Company, LLC
131 F.4th 169 (Fourth Circuit, 2025)