I am so incredibly excited to share this detailed post all about the Dollywood Theme Park with you guys! We love this place so much, it’s a perfect way to spend time with the entire family in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area of Tennessee.
The Beard and I visited Dollywood once before we were married and had a BLAST. But, it was even more fun taking the entire family this time!
If you aren’t familiar with the wonder that is Dollywood Park, let me give you a little bit of background.
- Yes, it’s named after that Dolly – the great Dolly Parton. She’s from this area and some of her family members even work at the park!
- It opened in 1986 as Dollywood but the Rebel Railroad (more on that later) opened in 1961.
- Dollywood ranks as one of the top 50 most attended theme parks worldwide, with roughly 2.5 million visitors every year!
- Dollywood has rides, amazing food, craft vendors, kids areas, shows, the list goes on and on.
To purchase tickets and see Dollywood prices, follow this link here!
Dollywood Opening Details
Every morning the park opens with a talented group of singers to welcome you into the park. We were there on a Friday and there was a solid group of visitors right there at opening!
The Dollywood schedule and hours change with the seasons so be sure to check their calendar. It would be terrible to plan a trip and then realize they are closed that day!
Dollywood Accessibility
One of the things I love about Dollywood is their approach to accessibility. It’s clear they take time to be thoughtful about all their guests. If you or a family member needs to rent a wheelchair, the process is super easy.
- First, it’s right at the front of the entrance – you can’t miss it.
- They have a significant amount of Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) that you can rent for your visit.
- Reservations can be made online 48 hours before your visit or you can rent one when you arrive.
- Wheelchairs are $12/day or EVCs are $41/day. You do get a discount if you are a Dollywood Gold or Super Gold Passholder.
They also have great options for folks with accessibility needs including a separate accessibility entrance and a Boarding Pass tailored for them to include rides they can ride.
Wildwood Grove
Wildwood Grove is the newest addition to Dollywood and it’s awesome. The theme of this area is “beyond an ancient hollow log and into a hidden land .. beckons the explorer in all of us.” This little area could be a mini theme park all on its’ own!
First off, they have six Dollywood rides in Wildwood Grove and all (except one) are toddler friendly. Also, let me take this time to tell you about their very smart way to let the ride hosts if your kiddo is tall enough for a ride.
Right near the ECV rental, your kiddo can get measured and then gets a corresponding colored bracelet that alerts ride hosts that your child is tall enough for certain rides.
This made getting through lines super easy because you didn’t have to stop and measure every kid who wanted to get on a ride. For the record, O was just over 36 inches and could ride all rides in Wildwood Grove except for the roller coaster.
Although, she would have tried if we let her. We have a little daredevil in our family.
I should also mention that some of the rides at Dollywood do require you to ride with your kiddo. But, if you are anything like me – you definitely want to clutch your child as they fly into the air on a mechanical contraption.
If you need a little break from the sun – you can head into the Hidden Hollow in Wildwood Grove. This is an indoor playground for ages 1 – 13. It has slides, climbing, and some interactive games too.
This is definitely a nice place to relax within the Dollywood park if you or your kids need a break from rides.
I don’t have any pictures of this area BUT there is also a little splash pad and music area called Wildwood Creek. More info about it can be found here.
This might have been my favorite ride! The Mad Mockingbird goes up in the air and you can guide it just like a bird flying through the sky. O couldn’t stop giggling on this ride, it was so fun.
The Frogs & Fireflies ride in Wildwood Grove is definitely one that kiddos can ride by themselves .. if they are interested in riding alone.
If hunger hits while you are in Wildwood Grove during your trip to Dollywood, there are some great options!
- Till & Harvest: a Mexican themed sit down restaurant that has an open-air patio with burritos and bowls filled with fire-grilled meats, fresh veggies, and more.
- Sweets ‘n’ Treats: a counter that has sundaes, drinks, and even some delicious chicken tenders and tater tots!
Roller Coasters at Dollywood
While Dollywood is super family friendly, it is a theme park … which means roller coasters! To be totally honest, I’m not a big roller coaster person. But, my husband is and luckily, so is my brother in law. They took off when the park opened to ride all the coasters before it got busy.
This list right here filters all the “thrill” ride & attractions at Dollywood. It also details the coaster experience, how tall you have to be to ride it and where it is located in the theme park.
I did ride ONE roller coaster, The Wild Eagle, and it was actually pretty fun.
Quick Food Options at Dollywood
First, you need to know that Dollywood has some AMAZING food options. They have sit-down restaurants, a buffet, quick-service spots, food stands and the most amazing cinnamon bread in the entire world.
We didn’t take advantage of the sit-down restaurants for this trip, but people RAVE about Aunt Granny’s Kitchen.
My favorite snack was definitely the soft pretzel shaped like a butterfly. Butterflies are a significant theme around Dollywood so I was all about this. Plus, it was delicious.
If there is any food you buy at Dollywood, it has to be this cinnamon bread from the Grist Mill. I’m not kidding, it’s the most amazing thing in the world. I’m pretty sure I ate almost our entire loaf in about 4 minutes.
The Grist Mill is located in the Craftsman Alley area of Dollywood. You can watch them make the bread from scratch right before your eyes. My favorite part is probably when they dunk the entire thing in BUTTER.
I believe the bread is about $8 and it’s worth every single penny, especially when it’s hot. Just an FYI – you need to eat it immediately because it won’t stay good if you try to take it home. Also, be prepared with wipes, it’s messy.
It was SO hot when we visited Dollywood in August. Luckily, we were with Gold Season Pass Holders and they had their annual souvenir cups with them. When you bring this mug with you, you’ll get $0.99 soda refills, $1.99 hot or frozen beverages, and FREE water fill-ups.
I’m pretty sure between the 6 adults and 1 toddler – we filled our cups up at least 20 times.
Dollywood Break Areas
We were with folks ages 3 – 73, so break time was necessary. Okay, break time also might have been for 29 year old me. Luckily, Dollywood has SO many “rest” areas for all ages.
O’s favorite spot was this giant lego/building block area near the FireChaser Express. There were these giant blocks to play with and a little splash pad area.
There are a handful of these pull-off areas that have little playgrounds or games/activities for kids. It’s especially great if they need to stretch their legs after hanging in the stroller for the day.
Speaking of strollers, these are the two that we have and have used both at theme parks and have bought them on the Albee Baby website.
As you can see, there are tons of picnic tables scattered throughout the park! Dollywood is definitely thoughtful of all guests and makes sure to have rest areas at every corner.
This picnic area is super shaded because of the trees and is also near Craftsman Alley which has tons of fun shopping too!
Dollywood Shopping + Activities
Dollywood is a theme park and your mind immediately goes to rides, but they also have tons of other fun activities!
There are tons of shops scattered around the park. Each one has different items which is awesome because usually all theme park shops offer the same type of souvenirs. Here are a few examples of the shopping you’ll find at Dollywood:
- Dolly’s Closet
- Cozy Bear Cove
- Hillside General Store
- Lucky 7 Mine
- Smoky Mountain Christmas Cottage
This was such a cool area that I had to share! Near one of the picnic areas is “Eagle Mountain Sanctuary,” a 30,000 square foot aviary.
It “houses the country’s largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles. Get a rare glimpse of some of nature’s most impressive birds of prey in this beautiful mountain setting as members of the American Eagle Foundation interact with these spectacular animals.”
Another activity I didn’t expect to see at a theme park, a working chapel!
“Step inside this one-room country church where the simple wooden pews and hardwood floors echo with the sounds of families and neighbors gathering for Sunday morning worship. Join us at our chapel—named in honor of the doctor who delivered little Dolly Rebecca Parton.”
The Robert F. Thomas Chapel has services every Sunday morning at 11:30am during the regular season and at 5:30pm during the Smoky Mountain Christmas.
Kid Friendly Rides + Games
Dollywood is extremely family friendly so of course there are TONS of rides and games perfect for kiddos of all ages. For reference, O had just turned 3 when we visited Dollywood in August.
One of her favorite rides was the Rockin’ Roadway. She got to “drive” the car around a decently long track, beep the horn and wave to other drivers.
The Dollywood Express is definitely a family favorite. It’s a legitimate coal train that takes you on a 20 minute trip through the park and a little bit of the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
During your ride, the conductor tells great stories of the train’s history and how we relied on these trains in the past. But, be wary because you may get some soot or light embers on you from the coal.
The Dollywood Express only runs during specific times, so make sure you check the daily schedule as to not miss it!
If you are anything like me, you’ll love the Country Fair area of Dollywood. It’s dedicated to rides and games that you’d find at your local county fair!
The Beard had showed O videos of the Shooting Star ride so she immediately wanted to go on that one. She couldn’t stop giggling, I swear this child has NO fear.
They also have rides like:
- Scrambler
- Lemon Twist (Tea Cups)
- Demolition Derby (Bumper Cars)
- Waltzing Swinger (Big Swings)
We also had to try our hand at some of the games too. One of our family members even won a basketball for O!
While I might not love roller coasters, I LOVE water rides. We actually waited in this line for like 40 minutes and we generally refuse to wait in line for rides. Totally worth it and yes, O rode this one!
The Smoky Mountain River River Rampage is a white water rafting experience and you will get WET, so make sure you have extra clothes (and shoes) on hand. It fits 6 people meaning you might be with other folks, just FYI.
I loved this ride because you could never tell you would get soaked next and it made for some fun camaraderie on the raft.
Music + Entertainment at Dollywood
To say that Dollywood cares about music is an understatement. I mean, helllllooo it is based off Dolly Parton! There are shows constantly throughout the park.
There are actual concerts, pop up songs on the walkways, and then pull off stages like this one.
You can check out all the musical moments at Dollywood right here on their website.
We seriously love Dollywood and can’t wait to go back! There is really something for everyone at this Tennessee theme park. If you haven’t already, grab your tickets here!
If you like this post about theme parks on The Beard and The Baker, you might also like these ones from our travels:
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- 10 Family Friendly Things in Traverse City Michigan
- Cleveland in 24 Hours
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