Dollywood theme park is on the brink of a major breakthrough - Chron

Nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and backboned by one of the most pronounced celebrity forces of our time, Dollywood is an anomaly of a theme park. Dolly Parton's namesake oasis seamlessly blends mountain heritage—including a heavy dose of mythologizing the musical icon herself—with industry-forward experiences, like record-breaking attractions and luxury accommodations.

Since its humble start in 1986, the East Tennessee property has swelled to include a theme park, water park, four-star resort and spa, and dinner shows. Located just 6 miles from Parton's childhood home, it's been a driving force for unprecedented growth in the area, drawing in about 3 million visitors annually and serving as the largest employer in Sevier County (population: roughly 100,000). Undoubtedly no longer a regional park, Dollywood has positioned itself to become a premier theme park destination that can comfortably be held in the same regard as Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

At its heart, this family-friendly park offers what the majors do: high levels of hospitality in an all-encompassing environment of fun. There are nearly 50 attractions, constant live entertainment, an array of food options, accommodations, transportation, and you can even bring your dogs to the resort's Doggywood kennels—meaning you never have to leave its immersive bubble.

A Dollywood park shuttle passes the DreamMore Resort & Spa in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Photo courtesy of Dollywood

Its recent aggressive expansion—to the tune of $500 million in investments over an anticipated 10-year period—means all eyes are now on Tennessee's tourism jewel. Which begs the question: Is Dollywood the next Disneyland?

"We are following that model," says Pete Owens, vice president of marketing and public relations for The Dollywood Company.

Dollywood's plan to become a major tourism player was put in motion in 2012, according to Owens. "We really looked at that 2012 to 2022 time period as an opportunity for us to make that first step into a destination. We had been a super regional park but had not really transitioned into a destination park," he says.

Dollywood's $300-million plan included the opening of its first on-site resort, Dollywood's DreamMore Resort & Spa, in 2015, and was followed by the 2019 opening of the park's Wildwood Grove, the most expensive investment the property had ever made in itself at the point. Of course, that sum seems quaint compared to what the company is pouring into its property in the coming decade.

This artist's rendering shows what the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster will look like at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Photo courtesy of Dollywood

Where are they putting all the money? New rides, rooms and more

As part of the next investment phase—an expansion plan estimated to cost $500 million—Dollywood is preparing to celebrate its first of two major project completions this year. The Big Bear Mountain story-driven roller coaster, billed at roughly $25 million, what the park calls the most significant investment into a single attraction it has ever made. Joining its already impressive collection of globally recognized coasters, Big Bear Mountain will become the park's longest such ride and will showcase technological features new to Dollywood when it opens in May.

"A lot of firsts for us in this particular coaster," says Owens. "It's the first ride we'll have with on-board audio and the first triple-launch for us."

The 3,990-foot-long addition will join Wildwood Grove, which has been recognized as the best kids' area at a theme park by the industry's Golden Ticket Awards. Further land expansions are also planned for later in the investment period, which the company has dubbed the "Dolly Decade."

This fall, Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge & Resort will welcome its first guests, becoming Dollywood's second resort, and part of a larger plan for up to five new resorts on the property. Situated just minutes from Dollywood, HeartSong will have 302 rooms and is expected to feature luxe amenities and explore the story of Parton's Smoky Mountain roots in its decor.

"With this level of investment, it tells the consumer that we are serious about what we are doing," Owens says. "But it also provides us the opportunity to raise the level of experience."

In 2024, the park will see the opening of a new immersive bit of storytelling called The Dolly Parton Experience, which aims to tell the singer's story to a new generation of visitors in the location of the former Chasing Rainbows Museum.

The Tennessee Tornado roller coaster is seen at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Steven Bridges/Dollywood

Dollywood's guests are coming from farther than ever 

Dollywood's evolution in recent years has apparently been noticed by prospective visitors. Owens says the park is three years ahead of the attendance projections laid out in its 10-year plan and that guests are coming from farther away than ever. Where the Tennessee park used to rely mostly on visitors from neighboring areas, it has begun seeing an uptick in visitors from cities like Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Washington D.C.—which Owens says may have come from a 2018 shift in marketing that saw Dollywood promote itself more in larger metro areas.

While the typical local Dollywood visitor may regularly go for a quick getaway in the Smoky Mountains, Owens says the tendency of first-time guests from these major urban centers is to spend more time—and money—in the area.

In an effort to alleviate the potential growing pains that can come with expansion, Dollywood added its first on-site housing for employees in 2022, a 700-bed dormitory. Owens says this is a major sign that the company's recruiters are now looking beyond the local areas into colleges and the international sector, similar to the recruitment practices of Disney Parks. Dollywood also now provides full tuition coverage at 30 participating universities for its employees via the program Grow U.

One major way Dollywood differs from the Disney Parks is its operating calendar, which is a key reason its attendance figures are still far below those at any of Mickey's houses. The park is essentially only open from April through December, with limited, 10-hour days coming in the final two months of the calendar. However, Owens says Dollywood's calendar has been slowly expanding and the potential for year-round operations may arrive, depending on demand.

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In terms of single-day ticket prices, there's actually not a huge difference between Dollywood and Disneyland—single-day passes start roughly $15 higher at the latter—but when you get into multi-day tickets, the savings are considerable. Dollywood offers two-day adult tickets for $109 and three-day passes for $119, taking the price down to around $40 a day.

One thing that won't change: It's Dolly's house

Despite all the changes Dollywood has seen in the past decade, the resort continues to lean hard into the two pillars that have long defined its identity: the cozy culture of the Smoky Mountains and a certain iconic country star.

"You are guests in Dolly's home when you come to visit us—and we take that very, very seriously," Owens says. "We understand a theme park is an artificial environment but we're in the middle of the most beautiful area in the U.S. We try to provide an authentic experience that is reflective of the Smokies."

Dollywood theme park is on the brink of a major breakthrough - Chron