Dollywood's 20th-anniversary season introduced a new National Music and Harvest Celebration. The celebration featured 38 days of free concerts. Award-winning country, bluegrass, Americana and Southern gospel artists were showcased on stages throughout the park. Dolly said,
“I’m a fan of every kind of music, but I wanted our music festival to reflect the music that has been a part of my life growing up here in East Tennessee. Every artist on our lineup knows how to bring a crowd to its feet, and I hope everybody’s looking forward to that kind of entertainment—I know I am!”
Considered the Academy Awards of the amusement industry, the Golden Ticket Awards are presented to the "best of the best" in 22 categories based on the results of an international poll conducted by Amusement Today magazine.
The Thunderhead roller coaster was also named Coaster of the Year and Best New Wood Coaster at the 2005 Coasters' Choice Awards. It was the first wooden coaster to take the top honor in the awards' five-year history.
Dollywood hopes to hear guests shouting a mighty "tim-berrrr!" in 2006 as Dolly's theme park unveiled its new $6.5 million Timber Tower, the first and only ride of its kind in North America. Construction began in the park’s Timber Canyon area where Timber Tower will stand 65 feet in diameter. Situated in the middle of a 5,100-square-foot pond, Timber Tower takes passengers high into the air above Timber Canyon. The ride vehicle rotates nine times per minute as it makes its way to the top of the tower. Once there, the tower begins a side-to-side swinging motion, allowing the ride vehicle to topple multiple times in various directions at a 60-degree angle. Once completed Timber Tower will increase Thunderhead Gap from its existing five acres to six.
Dollywood's KidsFest welcomed a brand-new lineup of superstar children’s characters to headline its seven-week summer festival during Dolly’s park’s 20th anniversary. Dolly said,
“I’m just a big kid at heart, and I believe that having fun is the best way to spark a child’s imagination, and I hope we can ignite that spark in each and every guest at KidsFest.”
This year’s festival featured Clifford the Big Red Dog™, Mad Science® Movie Magic—the Science Behind the Movies and some of Nickelodeon’s® most popular characters like SpongeBob SquarePants™. In addition to these favorite children’s characters, KidsFest also included Dolly’s Imagination Playhouse featuring the Penguin Players.
Dollywood and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library opened the park’s Imagination Playhouse with a little help from Dolly herself. This interactive children’s show brought classic children's stories to life and showcased Dolly’s lifelong love for reading. Dolly said,
“I’ve always loved to read and I believe reading has the power to let your imagination soar.”
The 20-minute musicals, featuring original music by Dolly get kids involved in their favorite stories, by utilizing six cast members, custom-made puppets and character costumes against lively, colorful scenery.
