Dollywood to reopen with guidelines in place to prevent COVID-19 spread

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WTVD) -- One of the gems of the south is starting its phased reopening this week.

If you are a season passholder, Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee will open exclusively to you on Monday and Tuesday. Starting Wednesday, the park will officially reopen to everyone but not without restrictions in place to stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Face coverings will be required for everyone over three-years-old.
• Visitors' temperatures will be screened before they can enter the park.
• Markers will be in place to encourage social distancing.
• Additional hand sanitizer stations will also be in place. High-touch areas will also be cleaned frequently.

"All along the park grounds, where you're not riding high-thrill rides, we're going to require guests to keep their masks on. But we do have a lot of places on grounds that will give guests a break," Dollywood vice president Eugene Naughton told ABC-affiliate WLOS.

As Dollywood schedules to reopen, the park will follow social distancing guidelines and will limit the capacity of the parks. As a result, season passholders will be required to reserve the date and time they wish to visit, and general admission guests will purchase date-based tickets.

Dollywood initially closed in March due to coronavirus concerns.