The best-kept secret of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee is how awesome Dollywood is! Whether you are old or young, into Dolly Parton or not, into roller coasters, bluegrass music, history, wildlife preservation, trains, water slides or old timey craftsmanship, this park has got something for you. Contrary to popular belief, you DON’T need to be a Dolly Parton fanatic in order to have a great time here! But if you have any bit of affection for the woman, it is likely to increase ten fold by the time you leave.
Located about 35 miles away from Knoxville in Pigeon Forge, Dollywood is nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and is just a short drive from Gatlinburg (another great spot I wrote about previously). Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Dollywood has brought a huge amount of tourism and jobs to the area, between the craftsmen stands at the amusement park, the Splash Country Adventure Park, the brand new Dream More Resort, the Dixie Stampede Dinner Theater and of course the Dollywood Theme Park itself. This surge of tourism brought on by Ms. Parton and the many dedicated employees of Dollywood has been having an immensely positive influence on the area of Pigeon Forge.
The amusement park is what I will be focusing on here and how it succeeded in bringing my family together to have an amazing time.
The amusement park is what I will be focusing on here and how it succeeded in bringing my family together to have an amazing time.
The Grist Mill photo courtesy of Andrew Jessop
One of the first things I noticed about Dollywood was that the people there are so NICE. From the marketing department folks that graciously gave me a lovely presentation and a tour of the park, to the people serving corn dogs and brats in the food stands, to the kind gentlemen on the trolley who offered their spare tickets to my family free of charge, there is just something about this place that brings out the best in people. Maybe it is just how it is in the south, maybe I’m a jaded city girl, or maybe it is the influence of Ms. Dolly herself, but whatever it is, be prepared to pay it forward because you won’t find kinder people at any other amusement park.
| A note for drivers: if you want to save money on parking, drive to one of the reserved free parking lots and take a trolley to the park for 50 cents per person. Otherwise, |  |
it will cost $10/car to park at Dollywood itself. The trolleys run frequently, are very clean, and they drop you off right at the front gate.
Dollywood is an Appalachian themed amusement park at it's core, with replicas of old log cabins, a grist mill, an old school house and a replica of Dolly's own church named after the Doctor who delivered her.
Dollywood is an Appalachian themed amusement park at it's core, with replicas of old log cabins, a grist mill, an old school house and a replica of Dolly's own church named after the Doctor who delivered her.
Mystery Mine roller coaster -- photo courtesy of Dollywood If you’re into roller coasters, be sure to check out the Wild Eagle. I wasn’t able to enjoy it since someone had lost their glasses on the ride so they needed to close it for a while, but it came highly recommended. I did get to go on the Mystery Mine coaster and that was awesome! It was a really smooth ride with only 8 seats per car, with pitfalls into the darkness, creepy animatronic birds and real fire explosions. It was super thrilling and fun. The Dollywood Express train is also not to be missed and is fun for the entire family. But it is a real coal train, so don’t sit too close to the front unless you want to get a face full of soot! There’s also a bunch of children's rides that will keep the kiddo’s adrenaline pumping all day long.
A video of the Dollywood Express Train
Smoky Mountain River Rampage -- photo courtesy of Dollywood
The Dreamsong Theater where we saw the "My People" music show starring Dolly's brother and other kin.
Award-winning music shows are happening all day long at Dollywood featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and rock-n-roll music. I could have filled my day with it, but since I only had the one day at the park, I decided to just check out the show “My People” which featured Dolly’s “kin” -- including her brother Randy, cousins, nieces and nephews and Dolly on video interacting wtih her family and talking about her upbringing and musical influences. Growing up in a family of 12 kids, you'd think it'd be tough to get noticed, but Dolly was a performer at heart from the get-go, putting on shows with a homemade microphone constructed using a tin can on the end of a stick!
I got a chance to observe another outdoor show called "Live From the Back Porch" that added a lot to the ambiance while I enjoyed a delicious corn dog from the “Dogs N Taters” food stand. All of the food I had at Dollywood was DELICIOUS -- roasted corn, scrumptious French fries, turkey legs, foot long corn dogs, pizza (even a 12 lb pizza pie), real sliced potato chips, brats, and apple pies. A famous treat they have there is the cinnamon bread found in the Grist Mill.
YUM.
Just a slice of the collection of Dolly's fabulous clothes housed in the Chasing Rainbows museum.
Are you a fan of Dolly herself? Well, then you’ve come to the right place! Dolly only does shows at the park once or twice a year, but year-round you can enjoy a visit to the Chasing Rainbows Museum to see tons of Dolly memorabilia including her many awards and trophies, photos of her with every celebrity on Earth, music stations with all of her hits, a hologram image of her and even her clothes and shoes! You can even go inside her pink tour bus and see how she lived on the road. In an interview I saw with Dolly, she said she didn't really think she had lived a successful life until she walked into this museum and saw everything on display. It is really something to see.
Dolly's tour bus and the Chasing Rainbows Museum filled to the brim with Dolly memorabilia, her awards and her clothes!
Is that ice cream or candles that look like ice cream?
Something that set Dollywood apart for me was the local arts and crafts vendors located in the park. These talented individuals sell handmade leather goods, homemade candles, hand-blown glass, pottery and hand-forged steel items made by a real blacksmith! It's such an amazing way to employ local artisans and teach people about the history of the area at the same time. Bravo to Dollywood for this fantastic feature.
I could probably write a book about everything there is to do and see at Dollywood. Do yourself a favor and make this place a destination for your next weekend getaway. A word to the wise, if you get your ticket after 3 pm, you can come back the next day for free! And I'd highly recommend doing that since there is so much to take in. Get ready to be inspired by the great Dolly Parton!
Hello, Dolly! A piece of artwork I bought recently featuring one of my favorite ladies!
"You'll never do a
whole lot unless
you're brave enough
to try."
Dolly Parton
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