I am deeply disappointed by my experience at World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta on January 1, 2025. My family and I traveled from another state with high hopes of enjoying the attraction, only to be met with hostility and disrespect from an employee.
During a movie presentation, my service dog, who was sitting quietly and still, was wrongly accused of barking. A tall male employee approached us aggressively, threatening to remove us if my dog barked again. I attempted to explain that the barking came from another dog across the room, but the employee interrupted me repeatedly, stating, “Ma’am, I am not talking to you.” His tone and demeanor were hostile, and at one point, he physically pushed my shoulder to silence me, leaving me shaken and in tears.
Another employee confirmed that the barking came from another dog, yet the aggressive behavior continued. When I spoke with two managers to report the situation, they apologized and refunded our tickets but then told us it would “probably be better” if we left, given how uncomfortable I was. We were then escorted out the back way, despite having done nothing wrong. This ruined our trip, which included the cost of hotel stays and parking.
As a service dog handler, I expect to be treated with respect and understanding, not targeted and berated. The lack of proper training in ADA compliance and customer service is unacceptable for a venue of this stature.
I hope World of Coca-Cola takes immediate action to train its staff and ensure no one else endures this kind of mistreatment. Until then, I cannot recommend this attraction.