Pigeon Forge, TN (WOKI) – Eugene Naughton and the team at Dollywood are celebrating another banner year after the Pigeon Forge attraction captured four prestigious Golden Ticket Awards during Saturday’s annual awards ceremony in Austin, Texas.
Presented by Amusement Today, the Golden Ticket Awards are considered the highest honors in the amusement park industry. This year’s ceremony was held at COTALand, located at the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 complex.
Dollywood earned top honors in four categories:
- Best Guest Experience
- Most Beautiful Park
- Best Kids’ Area
- Best Family Coaster (Big Bear Mountain)
The theme park also finished second in the Best Park category worldwide and placed sixth for Best Wooden Roller Coaster with Thunderhead.
According to Dollywood officials, the park’s victory in the Best Guest Experience category marks its seventh consecutive win. The award recognizes friendliness, cleanliness, operations and overall value. Since the category was introduced in 2019, Dollywood has been the only park ever to receive the honor.
Dollywood also reclaimed the Most Beautiful Park award, thanks in part to its location in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Industry officials noted the ongoing competition between Dollywood and Busch Gardens Williamsburg for the category in recent years.
Wildwood Grove continued its dominance by earning a seventh straight Best Kids’ Area award. The family-focused area features attractions such as Dragonflier, Big Bear Mountain, and the recently opened NightFlight Expedition.
Big Bear Mountain, one of the park’s newest signature attractions, received its fourth consecutive Best Family Coaster award. Since opening in 2023, the coaster has become a guest favorite thanks to its multiple launches, onboard audio, and family-friendly thrills.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts President Eugene Naughton said the awards reflect the work of the park’s employees and its mission to create memorable family experiences.
“We don’t set out to win awards,” Naughton said. “We set out to create experiences that bring families together and give our guests memories they will carry with them long after they leave the Great Smoky Mountains.”
The honors come as Dollywood launches its annual Harvest Festival, which runs through October 31 and features Great Pumpkin LumiNights and live entertainment throughout the park. The season will conclude with Smoky Mountain Christmas, an event so successful that Amusement Today retired its Best Christmas Event category after Dollywood won it 15 consecutive years and designated the festival as a legendary attraction.
