‘Home is in my heart’: Why Dolly Parton's businesses keep expanding in Pigeon Forge
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She built a career that made her a global icon, but it was Dolly Parton's dream to build something that would make her parents proud and honor all the people she grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains.
And she did exactly that with Dollywood. The theme park in Pigeon Forge she opened in the mid-1980s is now crucial to East Tennessee’s tourism, economy and culture.
“There's that old saying that you can never go home again. Well, whoever said that? I can’t ever get out of home. I mean, home is in my heart. These mountains, I’ve always cared (about them),” Parton told Knox News this weekend.
“I’m the only person that ever left the Smoky Mountains and took them with her,” she joked as only she could. “But seriously, I love these mountains. I'm so proud to be a Tennessee girl, and I'm proud to be a Smoky Mountain girl.”
Because there’s not a Dollywood party without Dolly, she was in Pigeon Forge on Sept. 9 to celebrate the theme park's big wins at the annual awards ceremony considered the Oscars of the amusement industry.
Dollywood is a huge part of her legacy, and it delights her to know that it continues to have a profound impact on East Tennessee, especially contributing to the growth of other businesses in the area.
“I'm just proud to have been part of the people that have provided jobs and watched it grow. And it's a good feeling to have been a part of that,” she said.
The ultimate Dollywood surprise
Dollywood guests jumped to their feet with cheers and excitement on Sept. 9 while attending the 25th Golden Ticket Awards. Not only did Dollywood win the top prize as best park in the world, but the Queen of Country herself made a surprise appearance.
“Don’t you think I should be part of this,” Parton interrupted Dollywood President Eugene Naughton as he was about to accept the final award of the night.
“I’m just happy that we’re the number one park! I mean, that’s saying a lot,” she said to the audience.
It might be apt to call her the queen of amusement parks, too. Dollywood’s best park win ended the eight-year streak held by Europa-Park in Germany. The Pigeon Forge attraction was honored with a record five awards and Parton, along with her business partners Jack and Pete Herschend received the Industry Legends Golden Ticket Award.
“I couldn’t even believe it myself, but I just said, ‘Well, thank you, Lord,’” Parton told Knox News about the wins.
“It's great that people come from all over the world. And I've been all over the world and I encourage them to come to the Smokies, to come to Dollywood, and obviously they have,” she added.
A golden night for a golden lady
It was truly a golden night for the popular theme park, which earned recognition in 10 categories in total. In addition to best park, Dollywood also won top honors in the best guest experience, best kids’ area, best family coaster and best Christmas event categories.
And it earned notable recognition in the most beautiful park, best food, best new coaster, best wooden roller coaster and best new attraction installation categories.
The Golden Ticket Awards were held at the Showstreet Palace Theater in Dollywood. The Pigeon Forge amusement park last hosted the ceremony in 2012.
“Each time I enter the park, I am immersed in a sense of welcome,” Golden Ticket Awards spokesperson Tim Baldwin said in a news release. “The food, the music, the rides, the atmosphere - there is a heart to it.”
“Just as Dolly likes to treat people with kindness and love, Dollywood exudes a sense of happiness. It makes you want to come back,” Baldwin continued. “This is why Dollywood has grown exponentially from a regional destination to a national one — and beyond.”
What are the Oscars of the amusement industry?
The Golden Ticket Awards are presented by Amusement Today, the amusement park industry’s leading trade magazine.
The awards are voted on by hundreds of industry journalists, ride manufacturers and experienced and well-traveled amusement park fans from around the globe. The pool of voters changes every year, according to Amusement Today.
Dollywood’s newest and longest attraction, Big Bear Mountain, was a major factor in the park’s 2023 accolades. It won the inaugural best family coaster category and solidified the park’s best kids’ area win.
It also placed third in the best new coaster category and fifth in the best new attraction installation category.
The $25 million roller coaster opened earlier this year and is the largest investment for a single attraction in Dollywood history. It has a top speed of 48 mph, soars 66 feet to rise above the forest and has nearly 4,000 feet of track.
You won’t see Parton on Big Bear or any of the rides, though. “I might lose my hair,” she joked with Knox News. But she encourages families to enjoy the roller coaster.
“I'm just proud of Big Bear Mountain; that's been one of the bigger things that we put in. And that area for kids, in general, Wildwood Grove, that was one of our better moves.”
The Wildwood Grove section – which won its fourth consecutive Golden Ticket award – opened in 2019 and was a six-acre addition to the property to allow more space for visitors to explore without feeling crowded.
“We have spent a lot of effort the last several years focused on our guest and host experience. We want everyone who comes through our turnstiles to have an experience which provides them with happy memories for years to come,” Naughton said after the awards.
What’s next for Dollywood and Dolly Parton?
Memories can be made at two upcoming festivals at Dollywood. The Harvest Festival is Sept. 20-Oct. 30. It will be followed by Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Nov. 4- Jan. 6, which just won its 15th Golden Ticket award for best Christmas event.
The grand opening for HeartSong Lodge, Dollywood’s second resort, is Nov. 3. The 302-room resort is inspired by Parton’s love for the Great Smoky Mountains and she’s excited for guests to stay at the grand lodge. Reservations are open now.
“It's more of a mountain atmosphere,” Parton explained. “It's set back in the woods and it’s just really like a mansion in the hills.”
The resort is part of Dollywood Parks & Resorts’ half a billion-dollar dream to expand over the next decade into a premiere year-round destination for family vacations.
And that’s not all. Parton’s first rock album, “Rockstar” will be released Nov. 17. It is her 49th studio album and she recorded it in honor of her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Twitter @dturner1208.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Dolly Parton and Dollywood win big at 2023 Golden Ticket Awards
