Dollywood patrons wade through knee-deep water as theme park floods

CNN

By Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN

(CNN) — Dolly Parton’s theme park was a bucket list item for Zoe Ballesteros. So when the California resident started planning a trip to Philadelphia to see Arsenal play this week, she added a stop in Tennessee to check Dollywood off her list.

But instead of soaking up the energy, amusement park food, rides and shows the famous country singer’s theme park and resort has to offer, Ballesteros’ short-lived, two-hour visit ended with her soaked in murky floodwaters from a torrential downpour mother nature instead decided to deliver Sunday evening to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where Dollywood is located.

A flash flood warning had been issued at 5:39 p.m. for central Sevier County in east Tennessee, which includes Pigeon Forge, according to the National Weather Service. At the time of the alert, “Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches” of rain had fallen in the previous hour. When the warning was extended at 9:33 p.m., the weather service said between 4 and 5 inches had fallen in the Pigeon Forge area. A local road at the park’s entrance collapsed as a result of the rain, Pigeon Forge Police said.

Dollywood patrons fled the park as brown floodwaters gushed throughout the walkways and spilled into the parking lot where social media images show patrons helping each other wade through knee-deep water, some carrying small children in an effort to return to their vehicles – which in some cases were also submerged in high waters.

Among those fleeing the park were Sarah Myers and her family of six. Myers, who lives 45 minutes from the park, grew up going to Dollywood as a young child. The family members are season pass holders and have been to the park while it has rained before but Myers said Sunday’s rainstorm “was definitely different” in nature.

“It went from being, oh, this is a funny, ironic situation to this is a scary situation,” Myers recalled as her husband carried their 6-year-old in his arms while she lugged a stroller and her 8-, 12- and 14-year-old slowly walked through the floodwaters to their van.

“At one point, my husband said he felt like we were competing in the Oregon Trail because it was just like ‘who’s gonna make it out alive,’” Myers said.

One minor injury was reported, according to a Dollywood park statement from Sunday night. Dollywood could not confirm specific details of the injury, Wes Ramey, Dollywood’s public relations director, told CNN by email Monday.

“Dollywood is supporting guests whose vehicles were affected by this weather event, and cleanup crews have been deployed,” the statement said.

Despite the park’s effort to keep patrons informed on social media, some guests expressed frustration on X, complaining more wasn’t done to help attendees reach safety.

Ballesteros and two family members bought tickets at 5:18 p.m., she said, while the parking lot was already beginning to flood but she wasn’t aware of the situation inside the park until she got inside.

“Once we got into the actual park, it was only a few hundred yards before we saw the murky water rushing down,” she said. “There were a handful of shops and the Dolly Experience that were open, but no rides or shows.”

“Most employees said they’d never seen anything like it,” Ballesteros said, who plans to return at a later date and is hopeful she’ll be refunded almost $300 she spent on tickets.

Dollywood policy is to offer rain checks and refunds to guests if they request either, Ramey said.

The park plan was scheduled to open at noon Monday, its regularly scheduled time.

CNN’s Caroll Alvarado contributed to this report.

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