Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (May 12, 2025) – Decades ago, Dolly Parton imagined a water park that offered summertime fun and splashy adventures in the place she calls home, the Great Smoky Mountains. In 2001, she opened Dollywood’s Splash Country, which is known for its breathtaking mountain setting, constant commitment to water safety, and role as one of Tennessee’s premier places for families to cool off while making lasting memories. On May 10, the award-winning water park opened for its 25th anniversary season.
Splash Country is the perfect summer retreat for the whole family, and it offers nearly 40 rides and attractions throughout its 35 acres. Thrill-seekers can enjoy rides like RiverRush, Tennessee’s first water coaster; Fire Tower Falls, the park’s tallest and fastest twin slides; and the exhilarating Mountain Twist mat slides. For those seeking a more leisurely pace, the water park offers the 1,500-foot Downbound Float Trip lazy river and a 25,000-square-foot Mountain Waves wave pool.
Splash Country also is home to unique spaces where families can relax together in between all those slides and rides. Cozy canopies and waterside retreats provide guests with the ultimate opportunity to relax in style. They feature shade, private lounging, storage lockers and more. For guests bringing their extended family for a day at the water park, the Family Reunion Retreat provides the maximum level of rest and relaxation and can accommodate groups of 12 or more.
As can be expected with any Dolly Parton attraction, Splash Country puts an emphasis on entertainment. For the park’s 25th season, guests can enjoy the return of the Splash Bash Music Series. The series features live music offerings at the wave pool stage, transforming the area into a unique combination of wave pool and dance party. A full list of artists and dates can be found here.
Splash Country’s culinary team has created a wave of tasty treats for the summer season. Among the new food offerings are chicken street corn nachos, chicken Alfredo pizza, and garlic Parmesan chicken tenders. Guests can choose special meal bundles starting at just $5 more than the one-day admission price of $54.95 plus tax.
For Splash Country lifeguards, safety is always the top priority. The aquatic team has won many awards and much acclaim for its safety programs and aquatic training, including being honored with the Ellis and Associates’ Platinum International Safety Award for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In 2024, the water park received the prestigious Al Turner Memorial Commitment to Excellence Award from the World Waterpark Association.
As part of the park’s continued dedication to safety, Splash Country will host its 15th annual Water Safety Day on June 26. As part of the festivities, the park participates in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, a global event that raises awareness about the vital importance of teaching kids how to swim and the finer points of water safety.
Splash Country is now open, with daily operation beginning on May 17 and running through August 9. Then the park will shift to weekend operations through September 21, which is its final day of operation.
For more information about Dollywood’s Splash Country and details on packages and bundles for its 25th season, please visit www.dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
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About Dollywood Parks & Resorts
A highly awarded and widely recognized leader in the amusement industry, Dollywood Parks & Resorts – which celebrates its 40th anniversary season in 2025 – consists of the 165-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and two award-winning resort properties: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of 64 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 28 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and earned the Golden Ticket Award for the Best Park in the world in 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. It also has been recognized as a top U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides and attractions, shows and crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and Tripadvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to mid-September. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort provide guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. For more information, visit Dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
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