Dollywood Visitors Navigate Floodwaters During Torrential Downpour

Patrons at Dollywood, the theme park owned by Dolly Parton, found themselves wading through knee-deep water after a sudden and severe rainstorm caused flooding in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Among them was Zoe Ballesteros, who had traveled from California and was caught off guard by the extreme weather conditions. A flash flood warning had been issued earlier that evening, but the park continued to operate, leading to chaos as the floodwaters surged through the park.

As the storm intensified, the park’s pathways and parking lot were quickly submerged, forcing visitors to navigate through murky waters to reach safety. Social media images showed patrons helping each other, with some carrying small children. One of the evacuees, Sarah Myers, recounted the harrowing experience as she and her family struggled to escape the rising waters. Despite the park’s efforts to inform guests via social media, some expressed frustration, feeling that more could have been done to assist them.

The park announced that it would support guests whose vehicles were affected by the flood and deployed cleanup crews to address the damage. Dollywood also stated that rain checks and refunds would be offered to those affected by the unexpected weather event. Despite the challenges, the park planned to open as scheduled the following day.