Move Over, Disneyland — Dollywood Wins Popularity Contest for Better Amusement Park
Is Dolly Parton more entertaining than Mickey Mouse? Some travelers think so. Tripadvisor polled its users to decide the best amusement parks, and Parton's Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., bested California's Disneyland on a global list, landing at No. 8 and No. 11, respectively, on the site's Traveler's Choice: Best of the Best amusement parks list for 2020.
The travel website notes their users' love for Dollywood's "proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, its friendly employees, thrilling rides, world-class entertainment and, of course, country cooking" as reasons it ranks so high on the list of 25 best attractions worldwide.
Dollywood ranks even higher on a list of U.S.-only attractions — No. 6, just behind Universal Studios Hollywood at No. 5, but ahead of Disnleyland (No. 7), Disney's Hollywood Studios (No. 8), Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. (No. 9) and Disney California Adventure Park (No. 10).
Most impressive, perhaps, is that Dollywood landing in the Top 10 on the global list means it's the only American park without Disney's name attached to it — a win the theme park president is particularly proud of.
"To be included in the top 10 with the most iconic parks in the industry illustrates our strong commitment to delivering the absolute best guest experience," says Craig Ross, president of Dollywood Company. "On behalf of Dolly and all of our hosts, we are thankful to be named in the company of these amazing parks. This truly is a great honor."
It’s just more good news for a certain Ms. Dolly Parton, who owns stake in Dollywood among a long list of other achievements she has going in her professional life. Most recently, the country legend announced that she will soon release a new book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics.
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