Dollywood today announced plans for a 302-room “HeartSong Lodge & Resort” hotel, which will kickstart the company’s 10-year, $500 million investment strategy.
Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort will offer guests themed suites, indoor and outdoor pools, an outdoor cove with family gathering spaces and more. © The Dollywood Company
Scheduled to open in 2023, the new HeartSong Lodge & Resort will be located adjacent to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, which opened in 2015.
Dolly Parton announces HeartSong Lodge & Resort .© Curtis Hilbun /Dollywood
Dollywood’s “Dreamer-in-Chief” Dolly Parton shared her excitement about the plans:
“I’m so happy with what we are doing to make sure our guests have a great season this year, and being able to announce the new HeartSong Lodge & Resort is just one more way we’re going to be able to help families reconnect, explore and discover together. I truly believe the natural beauty of the Smokies and the warmth of this special place will inspire every guest to nurture the ‘heartsong’ within them.”
She revealed that the HeartSong announcement was originally planned for last year before the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined those plans:
“We wanted to talk about this last year, but with everything going on, we knew we needed to pause because it just wasn’t the right time to do it. Things are looking brighter and with the popularity of the Smokies soaring, there are more people than ever wanting to visit our area.”
A news release from Dollywood describes the theme of the HeartSong Lodge & Resort:
© The Dollywood Company
“Tucked away in a beautiful cove in the rolling foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort is a well-appointed, reimagined property that features a variety of accommodations and amenities.”
Guests are welcomed to Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort by four-story, lantern-inspired windows in the resort’s welcoming atrium. © The Dollywood Company
“Welcoming the outdoors in with high ceilings, exposed beams and natural layered textures, Dollywood’s newest resort offers lodging options for multi-generational families and couples. Spacious family suites and bunk rooms feature lovely touches that are inspired by the beauty of the Smokies, inviting guests of all ages to gather for meaningful connections.”
Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort welcomes the outdoors inside with high ceilings, exposed beams and natural layered textures, all inspired by the beauty of the Smokies. © The Dollywood Company
The resort lobby atrium features four-story, lantern-inspired windows, indoor and outdoor pools and an outdoor cove area with family gathering spaces, communal firepit and a screened-in porch. The resort will also include 26,000-square-feet of indoor and outdoor meeting/event spaces.
“From the time we announced Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in 2015, we have seen the entire region emerge as one of the nation’s leading family vacation destinations,” said Eugene Naughton, President of The Dollywood Company.
“We’ve been able to help Dolly achieve the dreams she had more than 35 years ago, and with this announcement today, we’re going to be able to put wings on even more of her dreams.”
“With the success we’ve experienced at DreamMore Resort, we feel this is the perfect time to expand our portfolio of resorts,” Naughton continued.
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we had a relatively strong 2020 and we currently are outpacing our original expectations for 2021, so we are confident in the potential we see in the continued growth of the Smokies. We’ve earned a number of awards and accolades the last few years, and with this addition and the epic plans we have in the works, Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains will continue to be mentioned among the best places in the country for family travel.”
With more than three million visitors annually at Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country water park, the Pigeon Forge parks comprise Tennessee’s most-visited ticketed attraction.
Since 2010, The Dollywood Company has invested more than $220 million into its properties as part of its ongoing investment plan. Expansions undertaken since 2010 include Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, roller coasters Lightning Rod and FireChaser Express, as well as TailSpin Racer at Dollywood’s Splash Country. In 2019, the park opened the $37 million Wildwood Grove.
What other attractions would you like to see at Dollywood in the next 10 years? Share your ideas in the comments section below.
She needs a campground resort.
Sounds like a campground is already in their future plans!
She requires a camping and resort vacation.