If you’re planning a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, there are four more reasons to put Dollywood on the itinerary.

The Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, theme park walked away with four Golden Ticket Awards during Amusement Today’s annual ceremony Saturday night in Austin, Texas, earning more category wins than any other theme park in the world.

But the most interesting part for travelers isn’t the number of trophies heading back to Tennessee. It’s what Dollywood won them for.

Dollywood was named Best Guest Experience and Most Beautiful Park, while Wildwood Grove earned Best Kids’ Area and Big Bear Mountain was named Best Family Coaster.

Together, those four awards tell a pretty good story about why Dollywood has become much more than a place to ride roller coasters during a Smoky Mountains vacation.

The Dollywood experience goes beyond the rides

There are theme parks with bigger roller coasters. There are parks with more rides. But Dollywood has built much of its reputation around the entire day guests experience once they walk through the gates.

That’s reflected in its seventh consecutive Golden Ticket Award for Best Guest Experience. The category considers friendliness, cleanliness, ride operations and value, and Dollywood remains the only park to win the award since it was introduced in 2019. The Golden Ticket Awards were not presented in 2020.

Anyone who has spent a day at Dollywood knows why that particular award matters.

The park’s hosts are a noticeable part of the experience, whether you’re boarding a roller coaster, watching a craftsman at work or simply trying to figure out where to go next. Add the park’s live entertainment, food and East Tennessee atmosphere, and Dollywood feels different from many traditional theme parks.

One of the world’s most beautiful theme parks

Then there’s the setting.

Dollywood sits in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and the surrounding landscape becomes part of the park itself. That helped Dollywood reclaim the Golden Ticket Award for Most Beautiful Park, an honor it previously won in 2024.

The setting is especially impressive during the fall, when the mountains surrounding Pigeon Forge begin changing colors and Dollywood transforms for its annual Harvest Festival.

That festival began Sept. 14 and runs through Oct. 31 this year, filling the park with thousands of carved pumpkins, seasonal entertainment and Great Pumpkin LumiNights after dark.

New for 2026 is Harvey’s Boo Bash, Dollywood’s first separately ticketed after-hours fall event.

Wildwood Grove keeps getting better

Families traveling with younger children have another reason to pay attention to the awards.

Wildwood Grove was named Best Kids’ Area for the seventh consecutive year.

The area has evolved considerably since opening in 2019. What began as a colorful family-focused section of the park now includes Dragonflier, Big Bear Mountain and Dollywood’s newest major attraction, NightFlight Expedition.

NightFlight Expedition opened this summer as a $60 million indoor family adventure that blends coaster-style movement, immersive environments and storytelling. Its addition gives families another substantial attraction they can experience together rather than separating into those who want big thrills and those who don’t.

That family approach is also why Big Bear Mountain continues to stand out.

Big Bear Mountain remains a family favorite

Big Bear Mountain won Best Family Coaster for the fourth consecutive year, meaning it has claimed the Golden Ticket every year since the category debuted in 2023.

The coaster features three launches, onboard audio and plenty of twists and airtime without pushing into the extreme-thrill territory that can intimidate younger or less adventurous riders.

That makes it one of Dollywood’s most useful attractions for families: exciting enough for coaster fans while still approachable for guests taking their first steps toward bigger rides.

And those shared experiences are a big part of what makes a theme park vacation memorable.

Dollywood came close to another major honor

Dollywood also finished No. 2 in the Golden Ticket voting for Best Park in the world, behind Europa-Park in Germany.

Thunderhead, one of Dollywood’s signature wooden roller coasters, finished sixth in the Best Wooden Roller Coaster rankings.

One category you won’t see Dollywood competing for anymore is Best Christmas Event. After Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas won the award 15 consecutive times, Amusement Today retired the category in 2024 and designated the event as its Christmas theme park legend.

Fall may be one of the best times to visit

The timing of Dollywood’s latest awards couldn’t be much better for travelers considering a fall trip to the Smokies. The park’s autumn atmosphere. Combined with the changing colors of the surrounding mountains, gives visitors another reason to experience Dollywood behind its rides.

And the seasonal celebrations don’t end with Halloween. Beginning Nov. 6, Dollywood shifts into its Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration, with 6 million lights, holiday entertainment and seasonal decorations. The event continues through Jan. 3, 2027.

Awards alone aren’t a reason to plan a vacation. But they can tell you something about what a destination consistently does well.

In Dollywood’s case, these four Golden Tickets cover hospitality, scenery, family attractions and a roller coaster designed for generations to enjoy together.

That’s a pretty good snapshot of what makes a day at Dollywood worth building into a Great Smoky Mountains getaway.

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(Photos courtesy of Dollywood Parks & Resorts)