Dollywood is such a great place to go with your family! In 1986, Dolly Parton bought the park known as Rebel Railroad, Goldrush Junction, Goldrush and Silver Dollar City and rebranded to add her name. These tips will help you make the most of your trip in this gorgeous park!
Dollywood tip 1: Eat a big breakfast before you get there
They don’t open until 10 am so you can get a big breakfast at one of the amazing restaurants in town. One of my personal favorites, the Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe, is really close by and you will not be disappointed!
Dollywood tip 2: Buy tickets in advance
If you’re like me, you hate wasting time trying to get into an amusement park. When you are planning your trip, buy your tickets ahead of time on the website. That way, you can go right in and not have any delays.
Bonus tip
Sometimes, AAA sells discounted tickets so if you are a member, call and ask if they are still doing the promotion. Also, McDonald’s will have discounts on their cups in the summer for tickets.
Dollywood tip 3: Download the app
Dollywood has an app that is pretty great for guests. It will show you the wait time for rides throughout the day, it has the show schedule, ride lists, dining with menus, shops and craft vendors.
The app helped us score rides with short lines!
The last time we went, we were dying to ride Lightning Rod (like everyone else) but the line got really long. Then, the ride shut down, so we watched the app for when it opened back up. When it did, we ran over to the ride and didn’t have too much of a line. It worked out perfectly! Side note: ride that ride if you can!
Dollywood tip 4: Stay at the Dollywood resort Dreammore for better access
Dollywood has a resort of their own called Dollywood’s Dreammore Resort and Spa and the Smoky Mountain Cabins. These luxury resorts have pools, fitness areas, shopping, kids activities and some amazing ambiance. The Resort was featured in Travel and Liesure magazine and was ranked one of the top hotels in the South.
When you stay at these Dollywood specific properties, you get some amazing perks! Guests receive priority access to the parks. You get a complimentary time saver pass (a way to skip the lines) for 8 rides and unlimited shows. This costs other guests $44 per person.
Free shuttle for guests staying here
There is a free shuttle to the park or you can park for free which will save you $20 and you can park in the priority lot. Guests can go in the park early on Saturday mornings which is huge because we all know Saturdays can be crazy at vacation destinations.
Lastly, if you make purchases in the park, they will take them back to the resort for free, you just have to check in at the front desk.
Bonus tip:
If you want to find a hotel that is a little cheaper, go through booking.com where you will find area hotels compared and you can find the best one for your travel group.
Dollywood tip 5: Don’t buy water
Make sure to hydrate the entire day, but don’t pay for it. Dollywood will give you free cups of water throughout the day. Take advantage of this instead of paying around $4 for a bottle of water.
Bonus Tip:
Dollywood uses paper straws and while I appreciate the attention to conservation, they are not good. I suggest bringing some of these silicone straws to the park. These even come with a squeegee!
Dollywood tip 6: Enjoy all the photo ops when you find murals
Dollywood has some great theming and with that theming comes some amazing photo ops throughout the park. The kids will love taking pictures, especially when they can pretend they have huge butterfly wings (Dolly loves butterflies!) or are hatching out of an owl egg with other baby owls. Seriously, find these and snap away!
Dollywood tip 7: Take breaks
This is a large park and the set up makes it a little hard to get around. Basically, Dollywood is a large circle and to get to the back of the park, you must walk all the way around. This will wear you out so make time to “have a sit” in one of the many seating areas throughout the park. The theming is even great in the seating areas so you can have a snack and just enjoy your surroundings.
Dollywood tip 8: Eat the cinnamon bread
Speaking of snacks, this is it, the best snack in the park. If you eat one thing while you are at Dollywood, make it the Cinnamon Bread at the Grist Mill. This grist mill was built in 1982 and was the first functional mill build in Tennessee in over 100 years.
A visit is not complete without the cinnamon bread!
When you walk inside, you will smell the amazing aroma of warm cinnamon and butter. Don’t overthink this. Buy at least one loaf with the icing. They also sell apple butter and I’m sure that would be amazing, too. Maybe get both and see which one you like better? You will not regret your decision.
There is an upstairs and downstairs entrance and usually the upstairs has less of a line when it is open.
Dollywood tip 9: Access the Hidden Hollow in Wildwood Grove
If you are like us, you go to amusement parks in the summer. Summer in the South is blisteringly hot. When we last went to Dollywood it was over 90 degrees. In the back of Wildwood Grove, there is a safe haven with air conditioning and seats called Hidden Hollow.
This indoor play structure is perfect for the kids to get a chance to cool off (or warm up in the winter) and burn off some energy after that cinnamon bread. My dad has even fallen asleep in here on the couches a few times while we let the kids play!
About Wildwood Grove
This is a new section of the park and it has some great rides, a splash pad and very little food. Plan ahead!
Dollywood tip 10: Bring a wagon
There is so much walking in Dollywood because it is such a large park. There are hills throughout and sometimes the kids just have trouble with that. We love this wagon and have used it at HersheyPark and Busch Gardens. That way, instead of someone having to carry their kid, they can ride in style with a canopy over their head and you have storage for the day. It has a capacity of 140 pounds!
Bonus tip
If you are going on a hot day, these towels really help you stay cool and this fan is great for the stroller or wagon.
Dollywood tip 11: Ride all you want in each section before moving on
Dollywood is broken up into several different areas. The best bet for getting through the whole park is working one section at a time. For example, the Country Fair has many flat rides for kids. My advice is to have the kids (or grown ups, no judgement) ride all the rides they want in that area until they move on to another part of the park. Once you get through everything you want for the day, you will have time to go back and ride again if you want.
Dollywood tip 12: Schedule in a train ride
The Dollywood Express Train Depot is iconic to the park. This is an authentic coal-fired steam engine train that will take on a 20 minute ride around the park. It’s a great way to rest your legs and enjoy the scenery. It only runs a handful of times a day, so check the app for the schedule, and get there early to snag a seat.
Dollywood tip 13: Ride the rollercoasters
Rides span from family friendly to world class thrills
Yes, Dollywood is a family friendly park with many attractions that are appealing to non thrill seekers, however, there are some killer roller coasters at Dollywood! Lightning Rod is an incredible steel/wooden hybrid coaster, that is unparalleled in my opinion, that mimics taking off in a muscle car. The Wild Eagle literally feels like you are soaring in the air with an eagle. The Tennessee Tornado has one of the largest loops I have ever seen and Thunderhead is a wild woodie that will let you know who is in charge. If you are an enthusiast, you cannot miss these.
Dollywood tip 14: Use the parent swap
If you want to ride the roller coasters, but you have small kids, use the parent swap. These seems pretty standard these days as one parent will ride while the other waits with the kids and they will swap places for the next ride. That way you can ride Lightning Rod!
Dollywood tip 15: Take in the theming
Dollywood’s theming is an immersive experience. When you wait in line, you are getting ready for the ride from your surroundings. For example, waiting for Lightning Rod looks like you are in a mechanic shop.
When the kids ride the Black Bear Trail in Wildwood Grove, they are surrounded by bee sounds, a babbling river and greenery all around. Dollywood takes theming seriously!
Dollywood tip 16: Check out some shows
There are some great shows at Dollywood and if you check the app you will get a list for the day. My personal favorite is the Wings of America show where they use live birds to educate the audience about them. They even bring out a bald eagle at the end and that is the best part to me! If you’re into Country Music, you are in luck because most of the shows involve it!
Use the app to find the show schedules
Dollywood tip 17: Stay for the fireworks in Wildwood Grove
In the summer, Dollywood tends to do fireworks and they are fantastic! The best place to see them is in Wildwood Grove.
It’s really nice to be back there because the Wildwood Grove Tree lights up and is so beautiful. This past year, they used hundreds of light up drones with the fireworks and it was a masterpiece!
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