Dollywood Planning Major Expansion for 2019

Everyone’s favorite theme park is getting a major addition in the near future! It was recently revealed that Dollywood is planning a 5-acre expansion that could open as early as next year. While Dollywood’s PR team has yet to officially comment on the changes to the theme park, The Mountain Press newspaper and other sources have confirmed the expansion. Read on to find out everything we know about this exciting development at Dollywood.

Land Clearing Near Timber Canyon

Since at least November of 2017, Dollywood has been clearing large swaths of land near the Timber Canyon section of the theme park. When guests rode the Dollywood Express this winter, they could catch a glimpse of CAT excavators and bulldozers at work in this area. So far, the focus has been on clearing and flattening the land to prepare for future development.

Unsurprisingly, this activity has been generating a ton of attention and speculation from Dollywood fans and roller coaster enthusiasts. Numerous bloggers and YouTubers have shared their entertaining theories about how the land will be used. Nothing activates the rumor mill quite like a mysterious construction project!

More land clearing at Dollywood! pic.twitter.com/ZyKhdYdGr4

— Coaster101.com (@Coaster101) December 16, 2017

Dollywood Meets with the Pigeon Forge Planning Commission

On February 27, 2018, the Pigeon Forge Planning Commission reviewed a site plan for the expansion at Dollywood. The plan reportedly provided a general outline of the theme park’s ambitions but did not include many details. According to The Mountain Press, the new development will be built on 5 acres near the Thunderhead wooden coaster and the parking area.

For reference, the entire theme park is comprised of 150 acres and Dollywood’s Splash Country is 35 acres. The new 5-acre section will be larger than the Country Fair area of the park, which makes it one of the largest additions to Dollywood since the expansion for the Wild Eagle and Firechaser Express.

New Attractions and a Restaurant 

The most intriguing information about the expansion has come from Pigeon Forge’s Community Development Director David Taylor, who told The Mountain Press, “There’s going to be about eight different attractions, a restaurant, separate building for restrooms, there’s going to be water features, shade structures; just a lot of different things in this area.”

Local news station WBIR is reporting that additional documents submitted to the Planning Commission show plans for a pendulum-style ride, an indoor play area, and an enclosed family coaster.

It is worth noting that Dollywood is not opening any new rides during the 2018 season. Instead, the park has expanded its entertainment budget by $1 million in order to bring some of the biggest musical acts in the world to Pigeon Forge. As part of the “Season of Showstoppers,” Dollywood will host the award-winning South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo during the Festival of Nations and a variety of classic country, Christian, and rock artists during the new Spring Mix Festival.

Tell Us Your Predictions for Dollywood’s Expansion

Be sure to check this blog in the coming months, as we will keep it updated as more information becomes available. Until then, we thought it could be fun to make some predictions about the new attractions coming to Dollywood!

What would you like to see in the new area of the park? Tell us your ideas in the comments below!