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I love a good amusement park. I consider myself something of a guru. But, until recently, I had never been to Dollywood theme park. So, when my husband found himself with vacation time to blow, we packed up our car and headed for Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Where is Dollywood?
Pigeon Forge is, I don’t know how to put this, a weird city. There is a replica of the Titanic, a giant ferris wheel, and several wax museums. And that’s before you even get out of the main tourist areas!
Although Pigeon Forge wasn’t our target destination, we did manage to squeak in a visit to one of Pigeon Forge’s legendary alpine mountain coasters. You can’t tell in the picture, but I was pretty scared!
When to Go to Dollywood
I’m a travel agent, so I like to think I know a thing or two about planning trips. But, sometimes even an agent’s best guess is going to be wrong. I told my husband “Let’s go on a Wednesday, there shouldn’t be any crowds. It’s a Wednesday in October.” Well, guess what? Tickets to Dollywood sold out that day! I almost missed getting our Dollywood tickets. There were less than 100 tickets left for the day when I bought them the Sunday before. So, if you’re going, especially during these times of reduced capacity, buy your tickets in advance! (She says in her most authoritative travel agent voice).
Dollywood Fast Pass Tickets: Which Timesaver to Buy
Because Dollywood was at capacity, my husband and I decided to splurge for a timesaver pass. Dollywood offers two types of timesavers, a 10 ride pass, and an unlimited pass. I have to say, I think their system is one of the best. As much as I like theme parks, I’m a total chicken. I won’t ride anything that goes upside down or is otherwise too crazy. So, we bought my husband an unlimited pass and I got the 10 ride pass. It was a perfect solution for us, he could ride all those nutty rides while I scoped out the snacks. The only downside to the 10 ride pass, besides only being able to use it 10 times, is that you only get 1 ride each on The Lightning Rod, the Dragonflier and the Firechaser Express.
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Dollywood Cinnamon Bread
Get there early and get the apple butter for dipping the cinnamon bread in.
Our first stop, after checking in and picking up our timesavers, of course, was the Grist Mill. Dollywood is famous for the Grist Mill cinnamon bread and it did not disappoint. I would eat it every day for the rest of my life if I could.
This picture doesn’t do it justice, it was so good!
Rides at Dollywood
After we were sufficiently sugared up, we hit the Village and County Fair section of the park, where I encountered my first and only disappointment. You see, Dollywood has a historic coal-powered train called the Dollywood Express, and it had a 2 HOUR wait to ride it! I couldn’t believe it!
The social distancing measures only allowed the use of every other car. So, if the Dollywood Express is a must ride for you, get there early! We couldn’t do that wait so we decided to pass. The rest of the County Fair area features classic kid and chicken friendly attractions like bumper cars, swings, and other rides that spin.
My husband’s bummer moment arrived when he discovered Lightning Rod was already closed for the season. I wasn’t going to ride it. I have a policy that I don’t ride any roller coaster that would get a speeding ticket on the Turnpike, but he was pretty upset. If Lightning Rod is a must ride for you, you should visit during the summer.
Craftsman Valley
Next stop was Craftsman Valley. Craftsman Valley is an area that really makes Dollywood unique. It’s filled with different crafts and demonstrations. You can make your own candles, watch a blacksmith at work, and more. Many theme parks don’t do a good job of having things for nonriders to do, but Dollywood really excels in this area. While we were walking through Craftsman Valley, I kept thinking how much my mom, who is afraid of heights and therefore doesn’t ride much, would have enjoyed Dollywood. If you find something you just have to have while shopping, Dollywood will send it to the front of the park for you, free of charge.
My husband realized I was in the splash zone when I was taking this picture of Daredevil Falls and he DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING. He said I should have noticed that the ground was wet.
More Rides at Dollywood
After Daredevil Falls and Craftsman Valley, the next section of the park is where most of the thrill rides and roller coasters are located. Again, total chicken here, but I really liked the Firechaser Express. The Firechaser Express is a roller coaster that features a section where it goes backward. It was the perfect amount of thrill for me. Just scary enough to be fun but not so scary that I was, you know, actually scared. Since Dollywood is built into the mountains, my husband encountered a unique problem on the Wild Eagle. He said he had never seen so many bees in his life as he did at the top of the first lift hill of the Wild Eagle. And my husband is not a city slicker. He and I both grew up playing in the woods and creeks, so if he says it’s a lot of bees, it’s a lot of bees. He heard the announcements warning oncoming riders of the bee problem, but still wasn’t prepared for the swarm waiting for him. He did ride again at night and said the bees were nowhere to be found once it got dark. You might want to save the Wild Eagle for a night ride.
The Tennessee Tornado is also built into the nearby mountain but was spared by the Bees.
Food at Dollywood
Then, we hit up Aunt Granny’s restaurant for a super late lunch/early dinner. We always try to eat around 2–3 o’clock at theme parks. The lines for rides tend to be short during lunch and dinner, and the lines for food are shorter during nonmeal times, it’s a win-win. The food at Aunt Granny’s was really good. I was so busy eating that I forgot to take a picture! Aunt Granny’s is an “all you care to eat” place. Right now they are serving the food family style, but it’s usually a buffet. We had fried chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and biscuits. For not quite $20 (adults), which included a soda, I thought Aunt Granny’s was a great deal. To say we were stuffed would be an understatement.
After we had digested a bit, we walked around and looked at all the Halloween decorations and lights. Dollywood really went out of their way to decorate. I’d love to go back at Christmas time. I bet it’s gorgeous. Dollywood is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful parks I have ever visited. The combination of natural beauty, charming buildings, and a sanitation team that really keeps up with keeping things clean made for a gorgeous park. I can’t say enough about how beautiful Dollywood is.
Dollywood spared no expense decorating!
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Dollywood Is For All Families
Dollywood has earned a spot in my personal top 5 amusement parks, and that is an honor I don’t give lightly. Dollywood had something for almost everyone. I think preschoolers up to grandparents would love a day at Dollywood. I would definitely recommend Dollywood to most families!
When You Go
The closest major airport to Pigeon Forge is in Knoxville, Tennessee, about 25 miles away. I would highly recommend renting a car. Pigeon Forge is a small town. It’s unlikely you will be able to get an Uber easily.
Where to Stay
My husband and I stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Pigeon Forge. I’m a big fan of Fairfield Inn’s because they are budget-friendly (usually $100–200) and they have nice pools and free breakfast! Dollywood has a resort on-site, called the DreamMore, it’s around $150–300 depending on the time of year, and it includes a free timesaver pass! If you don’t mind people on the Ferris wheel being able to see you swim (you’ll look like an ant anyway) then check out the Margaritaville resort! They have a rooftop pool, and lots of restaurants and shopping within walking distance.
You can compare prices on hotels and get the best current rates at Booking.com
Or if you feel more comfortable renting a house you can search the area through VRBO
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I used to love going to theme parks with my kids when we were all younger! Now I’m scared stiff of fast rides. Dollywood sounds like good fun though. I have visited Universal, Knotts Berry and 6 Flags, all really good for thrill-seekers.
Dollywood is definitely more chicken or motion sickness friendly than some of the other amusement parks I’ve visited. There is plenty for those of us that don’t like to live life in the fast lane. I hope you get to visit someday!
Dollywood! I was so excited to read about this absolute legendary location. Great shout on the fast pass tickets, I always wonder which are worth it. And that Cinnamon Bread! I feel like that alone is the motivation to book a trip as soon as possible!
I have tried recreating the bread at home, but it’s not working out. I could blame my baking skills or we could say there is just something magical about Dollywood. Let’s go with the second one.
OMG, I kept on reading down to find out which region’s film industry it is until I found out it is a theme park. Hahaha! It’s exciting though. Great that it has something for all ages. I am in love with the cinnamon bread, must-try out there.
I love this area and want to take my niece and nephew so bad. I explained it to my sister as Las Vegas for kids. Great tip to buy tickets to Dollywood in advance, not getting in would be horribly disappointing. My mouth is watering at the image of the Grist Mill cinnamon bread. I love that different theme parks are known for different foods. Dolly’s museum and the Craftsman Valley would be highlights for me and its great customer service to send purchases to the front for pick up as you exit.
Vegas for kids is a great description of Pigeon Forge, I wish I had thought of it! There was so much to do, I wish I would have had more time to explore the city.
After learning more about what a wonderful person Dolly Parton is, I really want to visit Dollywood. Great tip about buying tickets in advance and getting the Fast Pass. Twenty bucks is a great deal on the food, especially for an amusement park.
There was a ton of food too! I practically needed rolled out of there. Definitely one of the better food deals I have found at a theme park.
As my age creeps up on me, I think I’d enjoy the Craftsman Valley more than the thrill rides. Okay, maybe I’ll go on one of the kiddy rides. But it’s nice to know that there’s something here for everyone, and that there’s good food available. Thank you for all the useful insider’s tips!
I’ve actually always wanted to learn more about Dollywood. We are in Virginia, so not too far away. I would have had the same thought of visiting during a weekday, but its crazy that it was sold out on a Wednesday! I’ll have to make sure we try that Gristmill Cinnamon bread when we go. Yum!
Tennessee is still on my list. I haven’t been to this state yet, but I plan a road trip through it. So for sure, I also visit Pigeon Forge and Dollywood theme park. I want to see a replica of the Titanic, a giant Ferris wheel, and wax museums. I also want to try Dollywood Cinnamon Bread! It must be delicious! Great tips on how to spent time in Dollywood!