Dollywood named best theme park in the US by Tripadvisor

Favorite tourist destination ranked #1 in the US and #8 in the world

Dollywood opens for 2021 season

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. – It’s official. Dollywood is now the best theme park in the US, according to Tripadvisor.

The park was named the best theme park in the country during the 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards and was even ranked eighth in the world.

Recommended Videos



Dollywood beat out some of the most popular tourist destinations in the US, like Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park and Universal Studios Florida.

The Tripadvisor award was based on reviews from travelers on the site in the past year.

Dolly Parton, founder of Dollywood, was excited to hear the news.

“I’m so proud of the work my people do to make Dollywood such a great place for families,” Parton 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.”

Future park-goers are in luck. Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company, is determined to keep the good times rolling.

“We’re working every single day to ensure our guests have the best possible time while they are with us,” Naughton said.

Not only that, but Naughton explained that the reviews are from real guests of Dollywood and are completely transparent.

“This award is a little bit different because there is no voting factored into these rankings,” Naughton said. “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.”

The Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best website states, “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.”


About the Author:

Alli Graham came aboard the digital team as an evening digital content producer in June 2022.