Dollywood Closes For The Season
The theme park bid a heartfelt farewell to guests after closing for the season.
Photo Courtesy Dollywood via Instagram
It’s official – Dollywood has closed for the season.
The award-winning theme park owned by country music icon Dolly Parton closed its doors for the winter following a busy holiday season, which included the beloved Smoky Mountain Christmas festival.
The theme park bid farewell to fans on social media, writing, “Dollywood is officially closed for the season. See you soon for more Big Bear searches, cinnamon bread snacks, and the Dolly Parton Experience.” The post included snapshots from various events that took place throughout the past year, including the 50th anniversary celebration of Parton’s iconic hit, “I Will Always Love You,” Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival, the Harvest Festival, and more.
Why Does Dollywood Close In The Winter?
Dollywood closes during the winter months, including most of January, all of February, and the first week of March, due to the winter weather conditions. According to SmokyMountains.com, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where Dollywood is located, has an average temperature of just 43 to 48 in January and February. The area also averages between 2.1 and 3.35 inches of snow during these months.
When Will Dollywood Reopen In 2024?
Dollywood will reopen for the 2024 season on March 8 for the season pass holder preview day. Non-season pass holders will be able to visit Dollywood beginning March 9. When it reopens, the park will host the I Will Always Love You Music Festival, which will take place from March 9 to April 14.
According to a recent social media post, Dollywood will be open for a total of 280 operating days in 2024, which is 23 more days than before. This marks the “most EVER” at Dollywood.
A Top-Rated Theme Park
Dollywood is one of America’s top theme parks and is known for its rides, attractions, and shows.
In 2010, Dollywood received the Applause Award, which is the theme park industry’s highest accolade. The park is a winner of 53 Golden Ticket Awards and a recipient of 28 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment. Named the No.1 theme park in 2022 by Tripadvisor (based on actual guest reviews) and the Top 3 U.S. theme park by USA Today, Dollywood is a can’t-miss attraction.
Most recently, the park was included on Forbes’ Best Customer Service 2024 list. Dollywood landed in the top 1% (No. 27) on the customer service-oriented list. The rankings were established following an extensive year-long online survey involving over 200,000 participants in the United States. These respondents contributed 4.2 million ratings for over 3,000 brands spanning various industry sectors. The listed companies encompass a diverse range, including retail stores, automotive companies, hospitality businesses, insurance carriers, and credit card companies. Only two theme parks made the Top 300 list: Dollywood and Legoland parks (No.179).
“Customer service and the guest experience is at the heart of every decision we make,” explained Dollywood Parks & Resorts President Eugene Naughton. “In fact, we don’t call those who visit our park ‘customers’ or ‘visitors.’ We call them ‘guests,’ because we want to treat them with the same level of respect and care as if they were visiting us in our own homes. Additionally, we call our employees ‘hosts’ for the same reason. It is the job of every single person on our team to host our guests in a warm and welcoming way. Our ultimate goal is for guests to leave us feeling like a valued part of the Dollywood family.”
For more information about visiting Dollywood, including what’s coming this Spring, click HERE to visit the official Dollywood website.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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