After grappling with multiple challenges including unexpected ride closures and restricted operating hours, Dolly Parton’s renowned Dollywood theme park is set to quietly close its doors in just a few days.
The cherished amusement park will be shutting down for the winter season at the end of this weekend. Its final day for visitors will be Monday, January 5, after which it will remain closed for over two months before reopening on Friday, March 13.
This annual closure during the colder months is a routine measure as low temperatures can affect safety. According to Inside the Magic, the park’s rollercoasters and other rides rely on specific temperature ranges for their wheels, braking systems, and hydraulic components to operate safely.
It is reported that 22 of Dollywood’s rides have temperature cutoffs, with operational limits ranging from 39 degrees to as low as five degrees.
Jointly owned by Herschend and the legendary country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton, Dollywood is nestled in the Knoxville metropolitan area of Tennessee. The park has faced a series of setbacks recently, impacting its operations.
The park, which is jointly owned by Herschend and country singer-songwriter Parton and is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Tennessee, has been hit with numerous blows in recent weeks.
Just before Christmas, visitors were left disappointed after the park announced the immediate closure of a popular ride: the Dollywood Express.
Following a slew of problems ranging from unexpected ride closures to limited hours, Dolly Parton’s iconic theme park Dollywood will quietly cease operations in just days (stock image)
It will stop welcoming guests on January 5, and will stay closed for over two months before it reopens again on March 13. Seen is a January calendar listing multiple days as closed
Dollywood announced on social media that the beloved heritage steam train ride was temporarily ceasing operations for unscheduled maintenance.
‘We are sorry for the inconvenience,’ it wrote. ‘We hope you will enjoy all of Dollywood’s other award-winning rides and attractions during Smoky Mountain Christmas.’
The Dollywood Express is a 20-minute mountain excursion that takes visitors on a five-mile ride through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The train promises that parkgoers will ‘enjoy pastoral scenery’ and ‘some of the most beautiful views that nature has to offer.’
The park, which charges $94.99 for a day ticket, warns that the train’s schedule is subject to change and closures may also occur due to maintenance or inclement weather conditions, including lightning.
Upset parkgoers unleashed their fury over the disruption on Facebook and blasted the train’s closure as ‘absurdly ridiculous.’
Taking to the park’s page, one said: ‘It’s absurdly ridiculous that on a Saturday, the train is not operating.
‘Do what you have to do, even if it means paying people to work all night to make sure that train works, especially on the Christmas weekends.
Dollywood is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Parton is seen at the park in 1988
The park closes each year during the colder months as low temperatures ‘can compromise safety’ (stock image)
Just before Christmas, visitors were left disappointed after the park announced the immediate closure of a popular ride – the Dollywood Express, seen here
‘How inconsiderate a lot of folks, especially senior citizens in the park. That’s the one thing they can ride and enjoy. Not to mention the train is promoted so much on social media and billboards. Absurdly ridiculous.’
Another wrote: ‘I was planning on bringing my son to ride the train as that is his sole reason for existing right now. We can’t go anywhere without his toy trains.
‘Please get this fixed ASAP. We bought season passes so we could take him just for the train. Please don’t wait till the off-season to fix it. Also, please keep us updated.’
Weeks earlier, the park was forced to revise its hours of operation and close early due to forecasted temperatures.
On December 14, the theme park was open from 11am to 6pm, closing significantly earlier than usual. Typically, the site closes between 9pm and 10pm.
Despite the mishaps, Dollywood has had a booming few years and was named the named the best theme park in the US in August for the second year in a row.
TripAdvisor’s annual list, based on thousands of traveler reviews, ranked Dollywood above giants like Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
And in July, a self-proclaimed Disney adult admitted that Dollywood had become his new favorite theme park, claiming it boasted more affordable ticket prices, fewer crowds and great rides.
