If you’re visiting Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, at any point in the next few months, you can strike Dollywood off your to-do list.
Jointly owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and the iconic country singer that inspired its name, Dollywood has been a Pigeon Forge staple since 1986.
While it had operated under several other names since the 1960s, it was in 1986 that Parton took the park under its wing. Since joining the park (for which she technically serves as its “Dreamer in Chief”), multiple attractions have taken inspiration from the icon’s career and history, such as the Dolly Parton Experience – a brand-new Dolly Parton museum that debuted in 2024 – and Dolly’s Tennessee Mountain Home, a replica of her two-room childhood home.
Today, visitors from across the U.S. and around the globe gather to immerse themselves in Dollywood’s Appalachian charm. While it boasts a handful of roller coasters, such as Lightning Rod and Wild Eagle, to satisfy thrill-seekers, it’s also home to more cultural experiences, such as Southern Gospel music and professional craftsmen during its annual Harvest Festival.
During the holiday season, Dollywood also hosts Smoky Mountain Christmas, which includes musical performances, festive treats, and more than 6 million Christmas lights dotted around the park.
Dollywood Closes To All Guests
Fresh off its Smoky Mountain Christmas, however, Dollywood closes to all guests.
The most recent Smoky Mountain Christmas wrapped up on January 5. That means the park is now closed to all guests for the winter season.
Fortunately, the park typically only closes for a handful of months before reopening for the spring. This year, Dollywood is scheduled to reopen on March 15, 2025, with a Passholder Preview Day on March 14.
Its water park, Dollywood’s Splash Country, will reopen two months later on May 10, 2025, when temperatures will have increased further.
Dollywood’s Rough 2024 Season
This hasn’t been the most positive season for Dollywood.
While the park continues to be well-received by parkgoers – having beaten out the likes of Disney and Universal for the title of the No. 1 theme park in the United States in Tripadvisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards – it also faced multiple unexpected closures last year.
In the summer, the park was forced to close abruptly due to a water mains leak. Weeks later, it closed yet again after flash-flooding hit the park, leaving one guest injured and multiple guests wading through water to try and access their submerged cars.
Hurricane Helene interfered with Dollywood’s operations in September, and the park also shuttered in December due to freezing temperatures.
On the last day of the park’s operations for the 2024 season – January 5 – it also adjusted its operating hours from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. due to “impending inclement weather.” Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort remained open as usual.
Did you get a chance to visit Dollywood in 2024?
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