What I Noticed About Space While Working at Dollywood

10 Nov 2026

4 Min Read

Sho Keh Li (Contributing Writer), The Taylor's Team (Editor)

IN THIS ARTICLE

The space around Barnstormer at Dollywood was not particularly large. What caught my attention was how much happened around it: guests waiting, staff answering questions and people entering and leaving the ride. Working there gave me a different perspective on the spaces I had been interested in during my Interior Architecture studies.

I started out in Foundation in Arts at Taylor’s College, then went on to study Interior Architecture at Taylor’s University. By the time I left for Tennessee, I’d finished my coursework in January 2026. Friends’ social media posts about working and living in the United States had caught my attention, so I looked into Work and Travel and applied. I started work at Dollywood on 27 May.

Working Where Guests Waited

In the Attractions department, my responsibilities included welcoming guests, helping with ride positions and supporting daily ride operations. I spent my shifts interacting with people and staying focused on the work around me. The summer heat could be exhausting.

At Barnstormer, I noticed how the queue turned several times within the available area. To me, it was an effective way of accommodating waiting guests in a compact space.

Staff positions were another detail that stood out. We could face guests directly, answer their questions and offer help while they waited. I began to appreciate the relationship between where we stood and the contact we could have with visitors.

The entrance and exit also followed separate routes. Guests approaching the ride and those leaving moved in different directions. I saw that separation as a useful way of keeping their paths apart around the attraction.

I had often been drawn to the visual side of spaces. Working around Barnstormer gave me more to think about: the route a guest followed, where a member of staff could speak to them and how the layout fitted into daily operations.

Two people in matching checked shirts pose beside a control panel and a monitor showing a ride.

_{Keh Li and a colleague beside the ride controls at Dollywood.}

From Exhibition Preparation to Ride Operations

My interest in design had begun during foundation. Of the subjects I explored, Design Practice interested me most. I enjoyed rethinking ideas and seeing something I had imagined take shape. Outside class, I would look into interiors and design projects I came across online. That curiosity gradually led me towards Interior Architecture.

At university, preparing for the Fluere exhibition gave me experience of working with others under time pressure. Decoration materials were delayed over the Christmas holiday period, when a sponsor’s team was away. With the exhibition approaching, we kept following up politely and coordinating with them.

I found that patience useful when communicating with colleagues at Dollywood. There was also plenty I had to learn on the job. Following the ride’s safety procedures and responding to guests in real time involved responsibilities I had not experienced at university.

Asking for Work, Learning a New Role

Alongside my Attractions work, I wanted to find a second job to earn extra income. After three weeks of searching and asking around, I was discouraged. A friend from Jamaica encouraged me to keep trying and accept that an enquiry might not work out.

One day, a customer overheard me talking about my job search at a shop. He introduced me to an opportunity at a candy store. I went there immediately to enquire and got the job, selling candy, serving customers and making ice cream.

Later, I approached my Dollywood team lead to ask about other opportunities. I had found the team lead intimidating, so it took some courage to start the conversation. I was offered work as a lifeguard at Splash Country.

I could swim, but I had no experience in water rescue. During a week of training, I learned rescue techniques and CPR before passing the required assessments. I then worked at different water attractions, where staying alert and looking out for guests were central to my role.

A group poses around a wooden table with playing cards and phones on its surface.

_{Time around the table with friends from her housing community.}

A large group poses outside a building with an illuminated IRH sign at night.

_{A group photograph outside the residence building in Tennessee.}

Evenings Together and an Open Next Chapter

Away from work, I looked forward to the people in my housing community. We cooked dinner together, played Uno in the common area and spent hours chatting. Friends taught us their dances. Those ordinary evenings became some of my favourite memories of Tennessee.

I also got to know a local co-worker who encouraged me to worry less about other people’s opinions and spend time on my own growth. I sometimes felt uncertain about life after university. Our conversations reminded me that I did not need to have everything figured out.

I finished working at Dollywood on 16 September. Saying goodbye was difficult because the people I worked and lived with had become part of my everyday life. We would no longer casually say, ‘See you tomorrow.’

I am still exploring my career direction. The experience did not necessarily change my interest in Interior Architecture, but it helped me recognise how much I enjoy meeting people and learning through new experiences. I want to keep exploring opportunities, including within Interior Architecture, while I work out what suits me.

If you find yourself noticing how a layout affects the people using it, explore studying Interior Architecture at Taylor’s University.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Sho Keh Li completed Foundation in Arts at Taylor’s College before studying Interior Architecture at Taylor’s University.

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