PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — Dollywood visitors can expect to see some changes to the park when they stop by during the upcoming 2022 season. Officials said several construction projects are underway to improve the park and prepare it for visitors.
One of the projects includes a parking lot reconfiguration, meant to make it easier for people to find a parking spot and get into the park. They are also working on a new splash pad in the Splash Country section of Dollywood.
Several projects are also underway at Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge and Resort, which is set to open in 2023 next to the DreamMore Resort. It will include 302 rooms for different kinds of visitors including bunk rooms, themed suites, loft rooms and family suites. They are also expected to include balconies, high ceilings and stylish exposed beams.
The resort's atrium is also expected to be four stories tall with a giant stone fireplace, indoor and outdoor pools, an outdoor cove with gathering spaces and a communal firepit.
Tim Berry, the Vice President of Human Resources at Dollywood, said the park added 500 jobs so far this year and expects to add 300 additional jobs over the next 3 years.
"It's been fun in my career, to watch the growth and to think of how we had 800 or 1,000 employees when I first started and now to have over 3,000, and to add another 800 on top of that — it's amazing to watch the growth and what it's done for our area," he said.
Dollywood's theme park is expected to open for season-pass holders on March 11 and open for everyone on March 12. Then, the water park is expected to open on May 14.