In a new video shared on Facebook, Chris and Hannah Martin, owners of “Sparkling Dreamers”, have disclosed more information about their ban from Disney Parks amidst an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Walt Disney Company.
While operating as “The Secret Dis Group, LLC” and later “Sparkling Dreamers,” the couple sold everything from face masks with the official branding of Disney’s signature castles and images of Disneyland Park’s iconic entrance to Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary fanny packs. The couple also cashed in on unauthorized merchandise featuring a wide range of characters from Disney’s intellectual property catalog, spanning from “Star Wars” and “The Little Mermaid” to “Winnie the Pooh.”
Chris Martin was unceremoniously removed from Walt Disney World property and asked never to return on Friday. In a video posted on social media, the couple has now disclosed that the ongoing litigation has led to a lifetime ban for Hannah, as well, including any potential trips the couple may have planned for Disneyland Resort. The couple contends that the reason for their ban lies in breaching their Walt Disney World Annual Passholder agreement, but a court filing made by the Walt Disney Company may give a fuller picture.
The Walt Disney Company alleges that the couple has infringed on intellectual property rights by reselling unauthorized merchandise featuring popular Disney characters and park icons. In a court filing from December, the Walt Disney Company alleges the couple unlawfully sold unauthorized products online. When they were issued cease and desist notices, the Martins made promises to halt their unsanctioned operations, but only made minimal changes to avoid any further action.
While there are plenty of unauthorized merchandise creators, particularly through sites like Etsy, Chris and Hannah Martin have seemingly taken things one step further, using Disney branding for their own logos and websites and even listing the Walt Disney World Resort as their official company address on their website and online platforms. According to the legal filings, the couple went so far as to file claims with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that included the intellectual property of the Walt Disney Company.
Chris and Hannah Martin still oversee “THE SECRET THEME PARK GROUP” on Facebook, boasting nearly 275,000 members. It appears that the couple has now removed posts from the group that featured their merchandise and links to their online store. At the time of posting, the Sparkling Dreamers website is still live and accepting sales.
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Too bad. It’s called copyright for a reason, and trying to tackle Disney over it like you’re going to win is asinine. It’s people like this that make everything so difficult, they’re obviously wrong, but they think the rules don’t apply.