Founded by Gary Slade, publisher of the monthly Texas newspaper Amusement Today, which relates to the amusement park industry, the Golden Ticket Awards were first handed out in 1998. Each year, awards are presented to the best of the best in the amusement park industry. Based on surveys given to experienced and well traveled theme park enthusiasts around the globe, award winners are calculated by a total point system in various categories which include; Best Amusement Park, Best Water Park, Best Water ride, Best Children's Park, Best Landscaping, Best Christmas Events, Friendliest Park, Best Food, Best Kid's Area, Best Wooden Roller Coaster, Best Steel Roller Coaster, Best Shows, Best Marine Life Park, Best Seaside Park, Cleanest Park, Best Carousel and Best Halloween Event.

This year Dollywood was the winner of five of those award categories, and much to the surprise of visitors to the park that day, the vivacious Dolly Parton was there to receive them. Those fortunate enough to fill the remaining seats in the audience cheered loudly, giving Dolly standing ovations each time she entered the stage to receive the awards for each of the five categories. After explaining to the audience that the awards were for the best of the best in the industry, she joked in her usual bubbly personality saying,  "Or in my case, the best of the breast." In a press release after the ceremony Dolly said, "I understand the voters are a who's who of folks who know the theme park industry, and I'm just tickled for our family that Dollywood can lay claim to the Best food, Shows, New Ride, Christmas event and Friendliest Park in the world. And to be there and accept all of the awards at Dollywood while we hosted the event just makes these wins even sweeter for me."

Dollywood has held first place with best Christmas Event for five consecutive years and Best Shows for the past four. Best new ride award went to the park's new steel roller coaster, "Wild Eagle."

As well as winning five top awards, Dollywood was a finalist in five additional categories, coming in at third to fourth place for Best Park, Landscaping, Water Park (Splash Country), Water Ride (Mountain Slidewinder) and best Wooden Roller Coaster (Thunderhead).

Other Golden Ticket Award winners were Cedar Point, Ohio, voted best amusement park for the past 14 years; SeaWorld, Orlando, won best marine life park; winning cleanest park for the fourteenth year was Holiday World and Splashin' Safari, Indiana; Busch Gardens in Virginia, also a repeat winner, for best landscaping; best Halloween event went to Universal Orlando resort. Some of the nominees included theme parks from as far away as Sweden, England, Germany, Switzerland and Canada.

Born and raised in the Smoky Mountains, Dolly Parton is known for her generosity in giving back to her community. Each year she invites the residents of Sevier County, her home county, to spend one day at the park for just $5 admission. As well as Dollywood, Parton owns other venues in Pigeon Forge including Splash Country Water Park and the Dixie Stampede. She is also founder of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a non profit organization that promotes early childhood literacy by giving free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5. Though initially intended for the children of Sevier County, the organization today spans the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Competing with the many universal famous names in the amusement park industry, Dollywood should be congratulated for its success in providing good traditional family entertainment at its very best, and commended for bringing to Tennessee such high volumes of tourism each year.

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