Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, one of the world’s premier theme park events, has been nominated as part of USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for Best Theme Park Holiday Event. The contest, which now is live, runs through Monday, Dec. 2.
Smoky Mountain Christmas already has won the 2019 Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today for Best Theme Park Christmas Event in the world, an award the festival has earned for 12 consecutive years. In fact, Dollywood is the only park in the world to ever win the award.
During Smoky Mountain Christmas, the park boasts an impressive count of more than five million brilliant lights, heartwarming Christmas entertainment, delicious holiday meals and the fun of Dollywood at Christmas. Glacier Ridge presented by Goo Goo Cluster® opened last season, providing guests a completely new way to experience the Smokies at Christmas. Thanks to the opening of Wildwood Grove earlier this year, there is, even more, to explore in this dazzling area.
Fans of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas can vote now through Monday, Dec. 2 by visiting USA Today 10Best. Voters are encouraged to vote each day from each of their devices. Competition is fierce, so Dollywood fans should vote early and often to show their support! Dollywood recently won the USA Today 10Best award for Best Theme Park Halloween Event thanks to the overwhelming votes of park supporters.
From the cheer and joy of Dollywood’s Parade of Many Colors to traditional holiday shows like It’s a Wonderful Life and Christmas in the Smokies, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas fosters family memory making for guests. For those who wander through the spectacular scenery, it is easy to understand why it has become a family tradition for so many. Guests can experience the fun enchantment of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends straight from the children’s holiday classic or sit down together for a fabulous Christmas feast at many of Dollywood’s award-winning dining locations. Most of Dollywood’s signature rides and attractions also operate in this merry environment, with rides racing along just above the millions of twinkling lights.
For more information about Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, please visit Dollywood.com, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or download the Dollywood App.
Photo Credit: Curtis Hilbun
Dollywood hosted a special red carpet event for Dolly Parton and the stars of her new Netflix series, "Heartstrings." Each of the eight episodes is based on one of Dolly’s iconic songs. The series is also stacked with many familiar names and some fresh faces. Dolly is credited in every episode with either an on-camera role or as a narrator.
In Episode 4, fans will see Julianne Hough star as Jolene alongside Dolly who plays Babe (Jolene’s surrogate mother). Joining them will be Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Father of the Bride), Dallas Roberts (3:10 to Yuma) and Wynn Everett (Charlie Wilson’s War).
Julianne Hough and Kimberly Williams-Paisley were among the smiling faces who walked the red carpet at the Dollywood premiere event. Park guests lined the path to snap a photo of their favorites, including Dolly herself, of course!
Episode 1 These Old Bones
Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time) and Katheleen Turner (Romancing the Stone, Peggy Sue Got Married) headline the episode with Kyle Bornheimer also signed on for the episode.
Episode 2 – If I Had Wings
Gerald McRaney (The A-Team, House of Cards), Delta Burke (Designing Women), Ben Lawson (Designated Survivor, No Strings Attached) and Tim Reid (WKRP in Cincinnati) feature in this episode.
Episode 3 – JJ Sneed
Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The TV Series), Colin O’Donoghue (The Rite) are both scheduled to headline this episode.
Episode 4 – Jolene
This episode features a star-studded lineup with Julianne Hough being the main draw but also featuring Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Father of the Bride), Dallas Roberts (3:10 to Yuma) and Wynn Everett (Charlie Wilson’s War).
Episode 5 – Cracker Jack
Sarah Shahi (Bullet to the Head) will play the role of Lucy Jane bu Rochelle Aytes (Trick ‘r Treat) playing Scarlett.
Episode 6 – Sugar Hill
The cast of Episode 6 is perhaps the most unknown and includes Timothy Busfield from The West Wing as Logan Cantrell.
Episode 7 – Down From Dover
Robert Taylor (Longmire) will play the role of Reverend Covern. Bellamy Young (Scandal), Holly Taylor (The Americans), Camryn Manheim (The Practice) and Shane Paul McGhie (After) also feature.
Episode 8 – Two Doors Down
Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Ray McKinnon (Rectify), Catherine Dyer (The Blind Side) and Katie Stevens (Faking It) feature.
Family-friendly fall fun is back at Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana, thanks to the return of Great Pumpkin LumiNights. Now in its third season, Great Pumpkin LumiNights expands again this year by growing the glow to Wildwood Grove.
An overwhelming guest-favorite since it was introduced in 2017, Great Pumpkin LumiNights recently was named the country’s Best Theme Park Halloween Event in the 2019 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards. This year, Great Pumpkin LumiNights includes an expanded footprint into Wildwood Grove, new harvest-themed experiences, food and merchandise; as well as activities that are enjoyable for even the youngest guests.
Dollywood’s Harvest Festival runs Sept. 27- Nov. 2 (closed Tuesday, Oct. 22 & Tuesday, Oct. 29) with park operating hours each day from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., providing guests more time to enjoy harvest time in the Smokies. Popular pumpkin displays from past events return—like the pumpkin spider, pumpkin dance party and Dolly-inspired displays— while Wildwood Grove joins the fun for the first time with a harvest experience at The Wildwood Tree.
The Plaza at Wilderness Pass again serves as a centerpiece for the event with an area for character interaction, additional displays—and the focal point—a 40 ft. tall pumpkin tree featuring larger-than-life carved pumpkins. Families bask in the glow of thousands of intricately-carved pumpkins as they wander through displays in Dollywood’s Timber Canyon, Wilderness Pass, Wildwood Grove and upper Craftsman’s Valley areas. Beyond the impressive displays, guests can find a number of exciting activities to create thrilling memories together.
“I’m so glad to hear families are just lovin’ Great Pumpkin LumiNights,” Dolly Parton said. “When I was a kid, we’d love to get pumpkins, scoop out all those guts from the inside and carve these beautiful masterpieces—at least us kids thought they were masterpieces! But, it makes me just feel good to know families are able to spend time together exploring during what really is the most beautiful time of year in the Smokies.”
While Great Pumpkin LumiNights lights up Dollywood each evening, the biggest names in Southern gospel music lift their voices each day as part of the Southern Gospel Jubilee. Guests can experience more than 600 individual Southern gospel performances on stages throughout the park during the run of the festival. It’s the largest Southern gospel event in America, fitting for the music icon who got her start singing in churches around the Smokies.
“God truly does turn the Smokies into His own personal coloring book during the fall,” Parton added. “And nothing fits so well with those colorful fall mountains than the uplifting Southern gospel songs that fill the air with powerful praise for Him. I’m proud we’re able to have some of the best Southern gospel singers here during the Harvest Festival.”
Headlining acts include The Martins (Sept. 27-28), The McKameys (Oct. 4-5), Ernie Haase and Signature Sound (Oct. 12-13), The Isaacs (Oct. 18-19), Karen Peck and New River (Oct. 20-21), Gold City (Oct. 27-28) and many more. A complete schedule of artists, show times and stage locations is available at Dollywood.com.
Dollywood celebrates Smoky Mountain crafts all year with the park’s well-known master craftsmen. During the Harvest Festival, however, more than two dozen visiting artisans from across the country provide in-depth demonstrations including woodworking, chainsaw carvings, fiddle-making and more. Guests can find inspirational jewelry, historic handmade games, pottery, hand-painted Christmas ornaments, and even Windsor chairs available for purchase.
Autumn in the Smokies also provides a bountiful harvest of crops that allows Dollywood’s culinary team an opportunity to showcase their skills with a menu full of fall favorites. Guests can find traditional items like cabbage rolls, pierogies, sausage sandwiches, skillet potatoes, apple cider and fried apple pies. A number of new tasty treats also are on the menu, including chicken Applewood pasta, Reuben wontons, candy corn cider and chocolate chip cookie pizza.
For more information about Dollywood’s Harvest Festival featuring Southern Gospel Jubilee and Great Pumpkin LumiNights, please visit Dollywood.com, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD, or download the Dollywood App.
Dollywood certainly has earned a number of major accolades in recent years, and the Smoky Mountain theme park won three more on Saturday night during Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards ceremony held at Silverwood theme park in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Dollywood earned finalist placement in seven total categories and won more awards than any other park. Dolly Parton said,
“I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish here since we opened Dollywood in 1986. First, we’ve been able to provide so many jobs to the great people who live here in the Smokies. Second, I wanted the world to know how beautiful this area truly is. I’ve been able to travel the world and see so many great things, but in the end, the Smokies are where my heart sings. I wanted to give folks the world over a reason to come here and see it for themselves.”
Dolly continued,
“We don’t do what we do to win awards. They are nice, but we do it because we want to provide families an escape to a beautiful place where they can forget about all the things going on in their daily lives and truly enjoy each other.”
The Golden Ticket Awards are the most sought-after awards in the business of amusements and attractions. The awards have become the subject of much discussion by park aficionados the world over and garnered mentions in such notable media outlets as USA Today and the Chicago Tribune, and by the late radio newsman Paul Harvey. The awards also were the topic of a one-hour Travel Channel documentary.
“The Golden Ticket for Best Kids’ Area reinforces what guests have been telling us since it opened; Wildwood Grove is a place where families can laugh, play and make memories together,” said Craig Ross, President of The Dollywood Company. “Dolly wanted Wildwood Grove to truly reflect the experiences she had as a little girl growing up here in the Great Smoky Mountains. As we started to develop the area and she began telling stories—some we had heard and some we hadn’t—we knew kids were going to love exploring the wilderness of Wildwood Grove she had dreamed up.”
Two categories Dollywood has dominated for a number of years—Best Shows and Friendliest Park—have been retired and replaced with new categories. Best Guest Experience combines the previous Friendliest Park award with the Cleanest Park award into one prestigious new category. Pete Owens, Dollywood's Vice-President of Marketing and Public Relations said,
“Winning the Golden Ticket for Best Guest Experience further solidifies what we’ve known for so long. The Dollywood experience provides guests a genuinely friendly, clean and warm environment to create memories they will be able to share forever. From our welcoming hosts and picturesque natural surroundings to our unique attractions, entertainment and food, Dollywood offers an experience that is hard to find elsewhere.”
Calculated from an international poll conducted by Amusement Today, the industry’s leading trade publication, the Golden Ticket Awards are the results of a detailed survey sent to a database of experienced and well-traveled amusement park fans around the world in balanced geographical regions. Voters are asked to rate the “best” in a number of categories such as best parks, roller coasters, water rides, kids’ area, food and more.
“It has been fascinating to observe the results over the past two decades,” said Amusement Today’s Tim Baldwin, Golden Ticket Awards Communications Coordinator. “I have watched Dollywood ascend from a great regional theme park to a world-famous destination. That continual climb has been the result of offering an outstanding product at all levels — food, shows, innovative rides and a fantastic atmosphere. Dollywood is just the complete package! It has been inspiring to watch the park trying to continue to better itself — and it is succeeding in a huge way. The fact that they are recognized in numerous categories is testimony to that.”
There are still a number of great opportunities for guests to enjoy what has arguably become the biggest season in Dollywood’s history. Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana features the return of an even larger Great Pumpkin LumiNights*, which includes new experiences in Wildwood Grove! Additionally, more than 600 Southern gospel concerts take place throughout the festival.
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, now the 12-time winner for Best Christmas Event, features the second year of Glacier Ridge, as well as the first year of Christmas in Wildwood Grove. Now boasting five million spectacular lights, Smoky Mountain Christmas puts guests in the holiday spirit with stunning lights displays, tantalizing food options, traditional shows and fun experiences like the Parade of Many Colors and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends.
For more information about Dollywood, visit Dollywood.com, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or download the Dollywood App.
*Dollywood was also crowned winner of another notable award by USA TODAY this past Friday. Dollywood's Great Pumpkin LumiNights won the 2019 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Award for Best Theme Park Halloween Event!
Hallmark Channel announces Danica McKellar, is set as the lead of the World Premiere Original Movie, "Christmas At Dollywood," premiering in December as part of the network’s 10th Anniversary salute to its #1-rated COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS program event. Making a special appearance in the film is Dollywood’s beloved namesake, country music legend and American treasure, Dolly Parton. The film commences principal photography at the theme park in November.
In "Christmas At Dollywood," Rachel Lewis (McKellar) is a single mom and award-winning Broadway producer who learns investors have mismanaged her latest theatrical – a holiday extravaganza – into bankruptcy, forcing the show to close before it opens. Rachel is dismayed, but not for long, as her friend calls from Tennessee to let her know there is an opportunity for a seasoned pro to produce a show for the 20th anniversary of the award-winning Smoky Mountain Christmas festival at Dollywood. One caveat, Rachel learns this is a co-production with Luke Hakman, entertainment director for Dollywood.
Luke is a long-time Dollywood employee who sees the holiday show as key to him becoming the park’s next GM. With nine-year-old daughter Amy in tow, Rachel leaves New York City to return to her Appalachian mountain roots. Every night as Rachel tucks Amy into bed, she tells the child a new ADVENTURES OF AMY story, a collection of personal mother-daughter bedtime stories Rachel hopes to author someday. One night, Rachel tells Amy about a little girl following Santa Claus on his route. Using the stars as her guide, fantasy Amy travels with Santa to the Northern Lights. Rachel tells her child the lights are so magical and beautiful that Amy can always look to the night sky to find her way home. Is this an idea for the new Dollywood show? Rachel thinks so, though she will have to convince a skeptical Luke who has his own vision of success. As the pair meets in the middle to please the boss, little do Rachel and Luke realize love lurks in all the unexpected places because this isn’t the Great White Way. Or Hollywood. This is Dollywood!
“Dolly Parton is a bright light who is rich in spirit, kindness, and love. ‘Christmas At Dollywood’ features Danica McKellar in a story about finding love and new beginnings in the most familiar place -- home. A holiday movie set in a winter wonderland like Dollywood exemplifies the quality of the talent, storytelling, and filmmaking that has made COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS the #1 program event on television for ten years,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming & Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks.
Danica McKellar and Dolly Parton share a special connection to children’s literacy: both are successful authors and two of Danica’s books can be found in Dolly’s world-renowned Imagination Library.
"Christmas At Dollywood" is written by Nina Weinman. Executive Producers are Alan Ett and Bruce Hendricks.
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