Tripadvisor officials named Dollywood the #1 theme park in the United States and the #8 theme park in the world during the 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards. It’s an honor that won’t come as much of a surprise to Dollywood’s park-goers who frequently compliment Dollywood on its exemplary guest experience.
The 160-acre destination earned top honors with Tripadvisor users. Dollywood ranked #1 in the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Amusement Parks in the United States and #8 on the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Worldwide Amusement Parks list. The awards were calculated based on reviews and ratings from travelers on Tripadvisor during the 12-month period from May 1, 2021 through April 31, 2022.
“I’m so proud of the work my people do to make Dollywood such a great place for families,” Dolly said. “When I started dreaming up Dollywood all those years ago, I hoped it would be somewhere folks were excited to come visit and enjoy time together. To hear that they are leaving so many positive comments about their time here really shows what we’re doing is working. In the current world, I want Dollywood to be a place where the light shines every day.”
Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company, echoes the thoughts of the park’s Dreamer-in-Chief.
“We’re working every single day to ensure our guests have the best possible time while they are with us,” explained Naughton. “This award is a little bit different because there is no voting factored into these rankings. The Tripadvisor rankings come from actual reviews left by guests about their time here with us at Dollywood. It is extremely gratifying to see this recognition for the effort our hosts give to ensure our guests have an unforgettable time while they are here.
“We are humbled by the results of this ranking, as well as the recent USA Today 10Best #1 finish for Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa. These awards continue to show what we’ve been saying for so long—the Dollywood Parks & Resorts experience truly is world-class.”
According to the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best website, “The Best of the Best Things to Do Awards are calculated based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings for experiences, tours, activities and attractions on Tripadvisor.”
“Congratulations to the 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Winners,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “The Travelers’ Choice Awards recognize the best in tourism and hospitality, according to those who matter most: actual guests. Ranking among the Best of the Best is always tough — but never more so than this year as we emerge from the pandemic. Whether it's using new technology, implementing safety measures, or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps taken to meet travelers' new demands."
With Dollywood ranking at #8 and Universal’s Islands of Adventure ranking at #9, American parks hold only two of the 10 spots on the worldwide theme park list. To see the full rankings, visit the Tripadvisor website.
Dollywood celebrates a year full of exceptional experiences, with each season unlike the next. Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration opens Saturday, June 18, and provides guests with extended hours and fun family festivities that will leave everyone with a smile on their face. Thousands of pumpkins glow to life this fall as part of the Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 23-Oct. 29), and the season concludes with the most popular theme park Christmas event in the world, Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, happening November 5 - January 1.
For more information about Dollywood, please visit dollywood.com or download the Dollywood App.
As Dollywood has continued to earn strong guest satisfaction scores and stellar guest reviews based on the quality experience visitors enjoy while at the park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Tripadvisor recently included it in the top-10 of its “Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards” for worldwide theme parks.
The park, located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, ranked number eight in the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Amusement Parks in the world list and placed number six on the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 United States Amusement Parks. The 160-acre destination scored highly with Tripadvisor users, with many reviews recognizing the friendliness of employees, unique and thrilling rides and attractions, high-caliber entertainment, and Southern-focused cuisine. Dollywood also is “traveler ranked” as the number one thing to do while in Pigeon Forge. According to Tripadvisor, traveler ranking illustrates the “highest rated places of interest or tour operators based on traveler reviews.”
“We are working every day to ensure each member of the family has a world-class experience where they can spend time together making memories they’ll cherish forever,” said Craig Ross, The Dollywood Company President. “Feedback from our guests is critical to maintaining the environment we want to provide. This ranking from Tripadvisor reviewers is a testament to the extensive efforts we make to ensure the quality of the product we offer our guests."
“To be included in the top-10 with the most iconic parks in the industry illustrates our strong commitment to delivering the absolute best guest experience. On behalf of Dolly and all of our hosts, we are thankful to be named in the company of these amazing parks. This truly is a great honor.” --Craig Ross, The Dollywood Company President.
According to the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best website, “Every year, we pull together all the reviews, ratings, and saves that travelers share from across the globe—and use that info to spotlight the very best. The Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best awards celebrate them all.”
On the list for top worldwide parks, Dollywood is the first American park on the list that is not part of the Disney or Universal families. American parks hold 12 of the 25 spots on the worldwide list.
Additionally, Travel & Leisure recently included Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa on its “World’s Best Awards” survey as one of the “Top-15 Resort Hotels in the South.” According to Travel & Leisure, “Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T&L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe…Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value.”
Dollywood officials recently made operational adjustments to the park’s current visit protocol by removing the reservation requirement for guests. The move is in response to favorable feedback from guests, and the confidence of the park’s management team in being able to continue providing a satisfying experience for guests.
There are still plenty of great memories to be made during Dollywood’s 35th anniversary season. Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana takes place Sept. 25-Oct. 31 and features the winner of USA Today’s 10Best Best Theme Park Halloween event in 2019, Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health. Dollywood’s season concludes with the 12-time Golden Ticket winner for Best Theme Park Christmas Event, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, Nov. 14, 2020-Jan. 2, 2021.
For more information about Dollywood’s 2020 season, please visit Dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
The popular travel review site TripAdvisor recently named Dollywood one of the best theme parks in the world, continuing the Pigeon Forge park’s string of impressive accolades and awards.
Based on reviews and ratings for all theme parks worldwide, TripAdvisor compiled the list of the Top 25 theme parks around the globe. Dollywood placed 19th on the list, which included parks like Universal’s Islands of Adventure (#1), Magic Kingdom (#3), Universal Studios Florida (#6), Germany’s Europa-Park (#7), Disneyland (#8), Denmark’s Tivoli Gardens (#12), Epcot (#16), Six Flags Magic Mountain (#22), Silver Dollar City (#24) and Walt Disney Studios Park in France (#25).
One recent review on TripAdvisor, titled "One of the Best in the World," noted,
"This world-class attraction gets better every year…Great rides including seven roller coasters and some of the best shows and food in any park in the world can be found among the arsenal of activities."
The award-winning park certainly has endeared itself to its many guests, having recently been named #3 Best Theme Park in the country and #6 Best Musical Attraction by USA Today’s 10Best. In 2015, the park also earned Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards for Best Christmas Event, Best Shows and Friendliest Park. Dollywood earned the 2010 Applause Award, the theme park industry’s highest honor.
Dollywood is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary. This year also marked the grand opening of Dollywood's DreamMore Resort. The park's newest attraction, Lightning Rod - the world’s fastest wood coaster, is set to open in March 2016.
