TripAdvisor has made it official: Dollywood stands at the pinnacle of theme park excellence in the United States. This gem nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee has outshone even the brightest stars of the amusement park universe, including the perennial favorite, Disney. The 2024 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards placed Dollywood as the number one park in the U.S., leaving Disney’s Magic Kingdom to settle for the second spot. According to Knox News, Disney’s Hollywood Studios managed to snag a respectable, yet comparatively distant, sixth position.
In the grander scheme of things, Dollywood wasn't just making waves nationally. The park has secured a spot in the top ten theme parks worldwide, according to Tripadvisor. As WVLT notes, it's the only North American park to be featured in the world's top ten list, where it claimed the tenth position. These rankings are not just plucked from thin air; they reflect a full year’s worth of visitor reviews and ratings, spanning from April 1, 2023, through March 31.
The accolades are not just a feather in Dollywood's cap but an embodiment of the vision of its founder, the country music legend and icon Dolly Parton herself. "I’m so thrilled about what our guests say about what we’re doing at Dollywood," Parton expressed in a statement exemplifying her trademark enthusiasm. The park, according to Parton in a statement obtained by WVLT, is designed to be a bastion of hospitality amidst the natural splendor of Tennessee, intended as "a place where people know they can come have a good time and enjoy making memories with their families."
While the spotlight rightly shines on Dollywood, the influence of positive guest experiences can't be overstated. Parton's ambition for the park as a haven for family fun, saturated with Southern charm and encircled by nature's majesty, is evidently reflected in the customer satisfaction that has catapulted Dollywood to the apex of these rankings. As tourists continue to seek out destinations that offer more than just rides, it seems that genuine heart and soul, like that imbued in Dollywood, is becoming an increasingly essential factor for theme park success.
