Dollywood flash flooding chaos leaves one person injured as theme park hit by extreme weather forcing guests to flee

OUTRAGEOUS storming on Sunday evening caused a massive flood in Dolly Parton’s theme park, Dollywood.

One person was injured at the park following flash flood s around the Dollywood and Pigeon Forge area.

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X/notlemnitsua

X/notlemnitsua

Weather radars indicate that four inches of rain have fell near the park .

“This afternoon…a strong thunderstorm caused flash flooding at Dollywood,” the park wrote in a statement Sunday night.

“With the assistance of Pigeon Forge Police and Fire Departments, park personnel directed guests to safety during the storm.

“At this time, one minor injury has been reported.”

In the statement, the park said it will be supporting guests whose vehicles were affected by the event.

The park will be re-open on July 29 at noon.

Following the flooding, the East Tennessee Weather Network informed guests to seek an “alternative route” after parts of the park’s roads collapsed.

“Parts of the road has collapsed near the Dollywood Entrance due to ongoing flash flooding,” the network posted on X.

“Those in the area should seek an alternative route.”

Park attendees immediately began posting videos and pictures of the out-of-control flooding.

ABC affiliate WATE posted a video on X of cars almost completely underwater due to the rain.

Other Dollywood guests shared photos of flooded stores.

“All of Dollywood really,” one witness posted on X, with two pictures of flooded areas in the theme park.

One park guest posted about being stranded in the Dollywood parking lot.

“We got flooded and now have been stuck trying to get out of the @Dollywood parking lot for over an hour,” the frustrated X user wrote.

“No explanation why the exit drive is blocked off but we are soaking wet and just want to be home.”

After an hour of waiting, the guest finally left the parking lot.

“We just made it out of the parking lot,” the guest told The U.S. Sun via X.

“They cut the fencing at the front to make a shortcut.

“Luckily we had parked in lot B away from the low side, so we made it out but there were several cars that were submerged about 3/4 up.

“The first responders are doing everything they can!”

Several other park guests also shared videos of the torrential downpour.

“Didn’t have being stranded in the @Dollywood parking lot due to major flooding on my 2024 bingo card,” one woman shared .

Attached to her post is a video of several people battling their way through the heavy rain.

Cars can be seen partially covered in water as they carefully drive through the cut fencing.

Another guest posted a YouTube Short of what he called “Disaster Dollywood Part Two.”

In the short clip, emergency vehicles can be seen lining the parking lot which is flooded with brown mucky water.

“Wow,” the man filming said in the background of the video.

“We can’t leave the parking lot.”

Earlier Sunday morning, Dollywood posted on both Facebook and Instagram celebrating National Water Park Day.

“Happy National Water Park Day,” the park posted on Facebook.

Followers were quick to point out the irony of the post.

“This is interesting considering the circumstances,” one follower commented.

“Get us out of this park,” another frustrated guest wrote.