NEWS: Visitors Stranded at Dollywood After Sudden Flash Flood

Despite all your planning, severe weather can change your trip at the drop of a hat.

We often talk about how important it is to be prepared for rain in Central Florida where Disney World and Universal Orlando are located, but another theme park was recently hit with storms and flash flooding. Here’s what we know.

Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park was recently pummeled with heavy rain during a thunderstorm that caused flash flooding in the park on Sunday, July 28th. Visitors were escorted to safety with the help of the Pigeon Forge Fire and Police Departments, according to a post on the theme park’s social media.

Please see this park update for Sunday, July 28, and Monday, July 29. pic.twitter.com/NnK442kKuq

— Dollywood Parks & Resorts (@Dollywood) July 29, 2024

The update indicated that “Dollywood is supporting guests whose vehicles were affected by this weather event” and that cleanup crews have already been deployed. The park was scheduled to reopen late on Monday, July 29th, at noon.

Park officials are continuing to assess conditions — make sure you keep an eye on Dollywood’s social media pages for the most updated information.

Several parkgoers also took to social media to share what they were experiencing, including Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee on X), who posted several videos and photos.

Well…I was at Dollywood today. And yes, it was like the Old Testament. This video was only the start. Props to the Dollywood FD for leading us to our cars like The Batman. pic.twitter.com/FkQscTF4XQ

— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) July 29, 2024

Flooding like this is incredibly rare in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where Dollywood is located. According to a report from Deadline, one minor injury was reported, and local authorities are still warning of “storms and significant rainfall over the next 48 hours.”

WEATHER ALERT: Our area is expected to receive storms and significant rainfall over the next 48 hours. Flash flooding is possible. pic.twitter.com/xvRzbymCNk

— Knoxville Police TN (@Knoxville_PD) July 29, 2024

In situations like this, it’s important to keep an eye out for potential dangers and listen to employee or official instructions, since they’re likely trained on keeping you safe!

If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to AllEars for the latest theme park news you don’t want to miss!