SeaWorld guests seek answers after rain floods parking lot, damages vehicles

ORLANDO, Fla. — Some SeaWorld Orlando visitors are claiming their vehicles sustained damage after heavy rains hit the area and flooded the theme park's parking lot on Sunday.

Pictures and video showed that the water near some cars was knee deep or higher.

"At one point, I was up to my waist in the water, pushing people's cars out," said James Reitmeier.

Channel 9 reported Sunday that between three and four inches of rain fell in the area within an hour and twenty minutes.

While some parkgoers understand SeaWorld can't control the rain, they'd like to know who is going to foot the bill for some of the damages the rain caused to their vehicles.

"I've called Risk Management 17 times," said Judith Lavalliere. "Emailed them probably 14 times, called back and it says that you would be on hold for 90 minutes so I hung up. I gave up."

Lavalliere, who had to scoop out water out of her car, said her car back seat carpet sustained severe damage.

"I have to have the airbags looked at, the wiring, the whole carpet ripped out and replaced," Lavalliere said.

A SeaWorld representative told Channel 9 in an email that only a small portion of the theme park's parking lot was affected by flooding and that they're working to contact every guest who called with damage claims.