Park earns six USA Today 10Best travel awards nominations
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Tuesday, July 14, 2020) — With nearly a month of learnings from operating in the current environment, Dollywood officials have made operational adjustments designed to make trip planning simpler. Based on strong guest satisfaction scores and stellar guest reviews about the park’s operating environment, Dollywood no longer requires guests to make reservations prior to their visit.
“With the favorable feedback from our guests and the confidence our management team has in being able to continue to provide a satisfying experience for our guests, we are going to make it simpler and easier to visit the park without prior planning by removing the current reservation requirement,” explained Craig Ross, The Dollywood Company President. “Guests are sharing their praise for the extensive efforts we are making during this pandemic. They are telling us they enjoy the shorter wait times, and that they find it easy to spend their day with us.”
Additionally, one-day tickets and multi-day tickets are now valid for a five-day window following the original selected date. This means that if a visitor’s plans must change at the last minute—or if the weather doesn’t cooperate—they may visit at another time during the ticket window. A paid ticket guarantees access to Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country.
To maintain social distancing, passholder reservations are still required at Dollywood’s Splash Country.
More information and a video detailing the operational changes at the park are available for review at www.Dollywood.com/playsafe and on the Dollywood mobile app.
Additionally, after a number of impressive national awards received in 2019, Dollywood again has been nominated for a number of categories in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards. The contests, which are now live, run through Monday, July 20 at 11:59 p.m.
Fans of Dollywood are encouraged to vote every day from each of their devices. Voting takes place at 10best.com/awards/travel. A page with links to each voting page can be found at www.dollywood.com/vote. Competition is fierce, so Dollywood fans should vote early and often to show their support! The Dollywood Company properties and attractions featured in the voting include:
- Best Amusement Park- Dollywood (currently ranked sixth)
- Best Outdoor Water Park- Dollywood’s Splash Country (currently ranked fourth)
- Best Amusement Park Hotel- Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa (currently ranked third)
- Best Roller Coaster- Lightning Rod (currently ranked seventh)
- Best Amusement Park Entertainment- Dreamland Drive-In (currently ranked fourth)
- Best Amusement Park Restaurant- Aunt Granny’s Restaurant (currently ranked second)
Dollywood opened June 15 for its 35th anniversary season. Guests can currently experience the breathtakingly beautiful Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health. During this spectacular event, guests can explore larger-than-life plant sculptures adorned in half-a-million colorful flower blooms. These colossal displays reach heights up to 14 feet and create breathtaking displays celebrating the spirit of the Smoky Mountains. Floral carpet beds envelope walkways, embellish buildings and fill flowerbeds throughout the park.
Dollywood also remains open until 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings through August 1, with a fireworks show to put an exclamation point on the evening. The park closes at 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.
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About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 160-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of more than 40 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 27 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and has been named a top-three US theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides and attractions, shows, and crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and TripAdvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks operates from mid-May to Labor Day. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa provides guests spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Director, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]
Ellen Liston: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]
Amber Davis: Digital Publicist, (865) 428-9601, (865) 591-1002 or [email protected]
Jennifer Webb: Publicist, (865) 428-9602, (865) 323-7584 or [email protected]
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room