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Dollywood
Category: Active Life Amusement Parks Amusement Parks
1020 Dollywood LnPigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 428-3386
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
55 reviews for Dollywood
Review Highlights
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"Recommended for: big Dolly fans or local families." In 25 reviews -
"best theme park I have ever been too." In 14 reviews -
"The rides are fun, and the food is outstanding." In 31 reviews
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55 reviews in English
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Review from J h.
Winchester, VA
4/7/2012
Dollywood is a fantastic place to visit and have loads of family fun. The live entertainment is without a doubt the best your going to find. I miss the Sha Kon A Hey show they had a few years ago which was one of the best live shows I've ever seen there or in Vegas or Disney!! DO NOT waste your time at the Russian Comedy Paper Show! This show is a slap in the face of all comedians and is on the edge of stupidity, not funny, and simply said should have stayed in Russia (must have been a Russian thing)!!! The rest of the shows (Irish Dancers, Namibia Singers, Russian Band, and the rest are FANTASTIC and ALL should be seen!!!
The only other comment I have and suggest, is carry a couple of Camel Back Packs with a 100 Oz.cold water container filled with half ice and water, for a family of four, because the price of the drinks in the park are OUTRAGEOUS ($12.99 each and $.99 for each refill per person). The cost of the substandard food also leaves a lot to be desired and continues to be a RIP OFF. I had a Chilidog with 3 (I counted them) pinto beans and 2 tiny pieces of ground beef, NOTHING like the picture they have of the food they sell. I now know why Dolly is so thin, they starved her to death with the meager meals they serve in the park. As for the meal my children ate, it was a large bun with very little ham and cheese sandwich with tasteless cornbread which was horrible and the worst I've ever eaten, as were the bland beans which were drowning in water, no pork or seasoning.
The adult rides are EXCITING, THRILLING and FUN. The childrens rides are lots of fun and adequate. The carnival games are fun for all ages but expensive. The prizes are small and not worth playing the games. -
Review from R S.
NY
4/30/2012
My desire in coming here was not the rides, not the food, but to experience a kitschy, Dolly Parton plastered bonanza. Does it live up to those reasonable expectations. NO!
I was hoping for at least one Dolly Parton impersonator, a drag queen, a grandma, an anything. There is none. In fact there is only one attraction where Dolly is the attraction (aside from the museum). It is the only one where she is in grotesque kitschy display and the only thing I would come back to the park to see. Heartsong
What is Heartsong? It is a movie starring Dolly Parton where she proclaims her love for the Smokey Mountains. I could write a sixty page dissertation on this attraction, but I will boil it down to a single paragraph of highlights.
A girl, ala Little House on the Prairie, turning, spinning in an open yellow field. Oh... now there is a cartoon butterfly?? Oh. now there are three cartoon butterflies, wasn't one enough? And that girl is still spinning, trying to channel her best Laura Ingalls. Now Dolly says she loves church, cue music "I will Always Love You." CUT TO picture of church, CUT TO sad old man about to die. CUT TO baby crying. CUT TO sad old man about to die clutching baby in arms. CUE rain. CUT TO Dolly Parton in rain with dramatic lighting bursting through double doors in nothing but a lace nighty. Cue song about Jesus rising from the dead?? Did I mention that saccharin is made from the tears of those who watch this movie?
The other big let down of this place was a store that boasts the name "DOLLY'S CLOSET." That sets a HUGE expectation bar! Amiright.
It's supposed to be a store of clothes fashioned after Dolly Parton's wardrobe. You would expect some pretty amazing things right? No... it's Talbots. Not even a Talbots with sequence, just plain old black cardigans to hide flabby arms.
Also do not miss the animatronic gospel singers at the Gospel Museum. I found out about them through another person's review. They wrote the following: "On the way back from seeing the amazing animatronic gospel singers, we stopped for Crystals"
I have NO IDEA what that last part means, but thanks for the recommendation! -
Review from Daniel B.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Tickets for a family of four: $240
One roller coaster was running, the other two were not operational due to mechanical issues.
Eight hours in the park...rode one coaster and self-propelled cars, saw one show, and ate a Funnel Cake and drinks ($20).
After waiting in line for two hours to see an Ice Skating show, hundreds of the best seats were Reserved only to be opened at the last minute where the people last in line got the best seats. (The last really were first.)
It took 30 minutes to be picked up for tram (Parking F where we were made to park) because they weren't running enough trams to handle the crowd, once picked up, we rode by empty parking lots A, B, C, D, and E. It took 45 minutes to catch a tram back to car later in the day. Parking $8.
$268 for one good ride (Thunderhead), a decent Ice Skating Show, two kiddie rides, and a funnel cake is not a good deal.
I still can't believe the experience.
(This is my most negative review of the 188 that I have written.)Listed in: This Challenge Doesn't Scare…, My 1 Star Reviews
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Review from Robert B.
4/12/2012 6 photos
This is one great theme park plenty of stuff to do.Rides to keep the kids busy, music on one of the stages. Take a train ride on a steam engine,or do a little shopping in one of the many shops. Grab a bite at one of several eateries and make shure you check out all the eagels they have there. I will admit it is a pricey but you will have a blast.
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Review from Carolyn M.
Nashville, TN
3/26/2012
My two year old was able to ride on 7 different rides, including an old fashioned carousel and a real steam locomotive. She was on cloud nine all day. We went on opening day and caught the Festival of Nations parade and met Dolly, so it's possible our experience was a cut above typical, but it really was a lovely time. It is a well-laid out park with plenty of food options and shows as well as kiddie ride. I didn't make it to any adult rides, so this is a family review only.
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Review from Julia W.
My husband has always wanted to go to Dollywood so we made a venture as we drove across the country.
You have to park in one of the lots and get shuttled in to the park itself (similar to Disneyworld, etc).
Everyone was super friendly and we were able to get a military discount on admission as well since my husband is active duty.
We rode the train and some of the roller coasters as well as ate some fattening Southern food.
Overall, it was a beautiful fall day to be at the park and they had started getting the Christmas decorations up so it was just a nice visit. -
Review from Peter K.
11/13/2011 4 photos
Went with a group of people here and had a fantastic time. From the time that we arrived until we left late in the evening, we had so much fun.
The park is extremely clean and well, kept. The food is not your typical park food, way better then that with the good old down home flavors. The staff here is so friendly and we only paid $20.00 per person to enter and have fun all day. So many great memories and we had the wonderful chance to meet Dolly herself.. Truly a wonderful lady, so down to earth. -
Review from Stephanie W.
Davenport, FL
6/24/2011
I have to start by saying that I work for Disney World and have been to many theme parks in my day. Dollywood was great! Very clean and everyone that worked there was extra friendly! They may not have always been the most efficient, but they always stopped to talk and tell us about the park. So that made up for being a bit on the slow side. But again, I come from a place that has to be efficient, so take it with a grain of salt.
As soon as the park opened we headed for Mystery Mine. Because most parks make you use a locker, we stopped there first. (Not knowing we didn't have to. Our mistake.) The prices weren't posted on the lockers. We assumed it was a certain amount and started putting in quarters. Nothing. We stopped a security guard to ask. He must have talked to us for 20 minutes. He didn't have an answer and told us we didn't need the locker. He went so far as to give us our money back from his own pocket! He even asked for our map to mark up everything that we should see while we were there. He was great!
Mystery Mine was a slight disappointment only because we got stuck at the top of one of the hills. Luckily, we got to finish the ride (just barely) but it was shut down for the rest of the day. Sad panda.
We rode Thunderhead twice. What an amazing wooden coaster! When so many are rough and hard to ride, this one was smooth (for what it is) and can I say FAST! Wow!
Our surprise of the day came when one of the employees suggested Blazing Fury to us. From the outside it didn't look like much. And even on the ride we were thinking what hokey fun it was. Until the end.... We were lulled in by how easy going it was until that point. We were both cracking up with the surprise ending (don't want to ruin it for those who haven't been on it). All we could say was, Well played Dolly! Well played! Haha
It's a good, clean family park that I would recommend to anyone. Thanks for a good day, Dolly! -
Review from Justin P.
Lancaster, PA
8/22/2011
I think Dollywood is great! We stayed in town for 4 days, and went to the park on 3 of those days. (Just two thirty-something adults) The park had a couple really good rides, a few good shows and was over all very nice and clean to walk around. We also found the employees to be very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the Dolly museum and some of the restaurants. If you want lots of thrill rides, this isn't the place, but the few that they have are pretty good! It is more about the atmosphere.
My only real disappointment was that I thought it could have used some more Dolly! I guess I was just expecting to see a few more photos of her around the park, or more souvenirs with her on them. But even without that we had a very nice time and plan to return again. -
Review from Aj R.
Nashville, TN
12/28/2011
I have been to many theme parks, I've been to Disney World's Massive Park and to Several Six Flags locations, I have also been to several other theme Parks of various sizes. Dollywood is Very Family Friendly but Also has a few awesome Roller Coasters. This is not a Coaster park so if That's your thing It's not for you. Kids of All Ages will be entertained and the Adults will have fun too. Their are some Great water rides(even for little Kids). The game area is large but its setup so that if you'd like to avoid it and not spend the cash, you can. The games are not terribly over priced and many of them are easy or kids to win, so your child is happy and you're not broke! The Food here is always Good, Do not Miss the Bakery or The stands with the Large Skillets of Food. Dollywood is always expanding so each year there are new attractions. This is a Great Park For The Whole Family!
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Review from Mike D.
Woodbridge, VA
7/8/2011
Was a great little park. We went on a Saturday morning in Jun and dont think we waited longer than 10 mins to get on any of the rides.
The park was very clean and everyone was friendly. Not nearly as big as Disney but worth it for the price. -
Review from Jeff S.
6/5/2011
Dollywood is a great park with a great theme.
At one part of the park you have a museum about Dolly herself which is a great addition to the park.
At another part of the park, you have all these craftsmen and women making items you'd see in a old-time village. And there's another area of the park dedicated to birds of prey on display.
The food at Dollywood is pretty good and you are not gouged for it like many parks. Drinks here are also reasonable.
As for the rides, Thunderhead is definitely one of the best wooden coasters out there. The Mystery Mine is also a fun coaster - party indoor and part outdoor. The indoor part is all dark and you never know what to expect.
And what I love most of all about this park is that they hire the older people and it's not just the youngsters working in the park. Good going Dolly and crew! -
Review from Rachel P.
Oh, Dolly. Dolly, Dolly. I don't know if I've ever wanted to like something more and ended up liking it proportionately less. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND all the hype surrounding this place. DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
Let me preface this review by saying that our visit consisted of adults only- no kiddos. Maybe this experience would have been more positive if we'd had munchkins in tow. Also, for the record, I love corny, cheesy, touristy, hokey stuff. And, I love theme parks.
Let me start with the good: for one thing, as others have stated, the park was very clean, and the folksy/country theme was well done and pervasive. Buildings and landscaping were attractive and well-maintained. Since our visit took place in July, we did ourselves the favor of arriving at the park pretty close to opening, and we literally never had to wait in line for the first three hours of the day. I suppose I enjoyed the Dolly museum, which is included in your admission price. Unfortunately, I think my list of positives ends there.
The not-so-good: "major attractions" are seriously lacking. I would say they have a grand total of three rides that legitimately fit into this category: a wooden coaster, and two steel coasters. The wooden coaster was decent. One of the steel coasters (Tennessee Tornado) was pretty good, though incredibly short. I would have been really let down to have waited in a long line for a sub-1 minute coaster. The second steel coaster (Mystery Mine) rattled my brain around. Here's the big problem, however: we were able to knock out "the big three" in less than an hour. We went on two or three cheesy/low-budget rides in hour number two. And, with that, we were basically done riding everything we wanted to ride. I would say 2/3 of the rides in this park look like they would fit right in on a midway. Things that spin you, things that fling you around, etc. I don't go to a theme park to ride fair rides.
We thought maybe we could salvage the day by seeing a show or two. Oh dear. We saw the bird show, and while the birds of prey were beautiful, the show was the least impressive bird show I have ever seen. The dude who was presenting the birds seemed incredibly nervous and not very well-rehearsed, and he basically just walked around holding the birds and stumbling over his memorized script. There wasn't much to it. From there, we decided to check out Dolly's own "Sha-kon-o-hey!" stage show. ...It became a punchline for the rest of our vacation, i.e. "if you don't behave yourself we're going to go see Sha-kon-o-hey again!". I don't know what else to say about that. Oh yeah, "Sha-kon-o-hey" is about an hour long, FYI, and once the show starts, you can't really leave. Yeah. Anyway, we were legitimately done and ready to leave the park by right around lunchtime.
The price of admission at the gate was $57.25. That's about 2/3 the cost of a Disney ticket. This wouldn't be a problem, if I felt like I was having 2/3 as much fun as I would with the mouse. I really felt like this experience was no better than visiting a cleaned up version of Six Flags (and I really despise Six Flags). We left here with some serious buyer's remorse, feeling completely ripped off and silly for spending so much money on such a disappointing day.
You might have a fun day here if you have small children with low expectations, but otherwise, I am sadly unable to recommend this park.
Of course, now that I have posted this review, I am fairly terrified that the animatronic gospel singers from the gospel museum (see picture) are going to kill me in my sleep.Listed in: Overrated
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Review from Matt H.
Methuen, MA
8/2/2011
There's a small list of parks I've been to that I really looked forward to so much, and yet they somehow befell my high expectations for whatever reason. And it's not as if Dollywood is a BAD park; no, it's actually quite nice. It's very authentic, the staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, the food is rather tasty, and the whole "buried in the Smoky Mountains" thing gives it a very scenic and rustic atmosphere. So it's quite the place to see. But it's just not big on rides. Maybe I'm missing the point of the place, and perhaps I didn't take the time to appreciate the shops and shows, but I was kind of let down by the Dolly experience.
The park is extraordinarily clean and well laid out; everything's in a circle more or less. You just walk around and hit everything in order. Along the way, there's shops. shows, and exhibits sprinkled in with the rides, as well as a variety of dining options. The shops are rather impressive in a way. I'm not exactly big on the kind of things they sell -such as birdhouses and wooden ducks and other assorted southern trinkets - but watching the craftsmen at work is very interesting. The fact that so many things are handmade is quite captivating itself, and you have to appreciate the work that goes into the carvings and leather belts. The food itself also seems homemade (or at least they do a very good job of making it taste like genuine southern cooking, as far as this northerner can tell) and it's pretty good. My first meal at the park was a lackluster. generic frozen burger (not even Disney can make a good burger, so i'm not too surprised here), but the second meal was much better. Miss Lilian's Chicken House serves up a great buffet with baked and fried chicken, potatoes, salads, roll, and delicious country fried steak. I can't believe I've been missing something as delicious as fried steak all these years, but it's amazing and definitely worth trying if you've never had it. The white pepper gravy is killer, as well. $13 a person seems a bit steep, but you'd probably spend that on all the food you'd eat anyways.
I did not sample any of the shows here during my visit, but I got a good chunk of the rides done. And that's where my mixed feelings about the park come in. Roller coasters are in very short supply here. That said, Thunderhead is easily one of the best wooden coasters I've been on. It's very fast, relentless, relatively smooth, and the airtime is enormous in both the front and back. Top 5 material for sure. And while Mystery Mine is not nearly as good, it's still an impressively themed Eurofighter with a great vertical drop and some barrel rolls that deliver impressive hangtime. More of a fun ride than a super-intense ride, but still very enjoyable nonetheless.
Dolly's other two coasters aren't so impressive, though. Tennessee Tornado is a rare smooth Arrow looper, but it's also painfully short and rather forgettable in general. Blazing Fury is abysmal and tied for the worst coaster I have ever ridden. The ride hardly counts as a roller coaster; it's more or a dark ride going past some very dated fire effects with a few small drops. The fire effects aren't even "so cheesy there's unintended humor" - they completely stray into "so cheesy it's just bad" territory. A real disappointment, because dark roller coasters usually get me excited, and this was just plain awful on all fronts.
The flat rides are kind of a bust as well. Barnstormer is a notable exception. I love Screamin Swings, and despite a very short ride cycle, it still managed to get me back in line over and over. Yet aside from that, I can't think of a single other stand out flat ride. Disk'os are always boring, and there wasn't even a good Dodgem to be found! Water rides were a bit on the cheesy and boring side, with the lone standout being a decent river rapid ride that actually managed to get me fairly wet and contained numerous small drops. On the flip side of the coin, Mountain Sidewinder has the longest queue line in the world and does virtually nothing exciting.
Dollywood seems to me more like a museum of southern culture, great food, and a scenic train ride through the mountains with a few rides interspersed. And at that, it succeeds fairly well and is mildly entertaining. But as an amusement park, and an amusement park with very amusement park prices, I was less than amused by the rides, and considering the fact that I have to pay full price to go on Thunderhead and Mystery Mine, I'd really appreciate a few more ways to spend my day at the park.
Dolly's knockers were nowhere to be seen while wandering around, either. I'm sure this disappoints a lot of (presumably male) guests. -
Review from Heather B.
Marietta, GA
8/12/2010
Boooo Dolly! $55 are you kidding me you only have 3 solid roller coasters! I tried to use my AAA card for a discount but oh no you have to pre purchase your tickets for a discount. Ugh seriously.
This place was below average. The rides that I recalled as a child were missing and the place just felt old and grimy. Even the Indian and cowboy reenactment on the train was missing just a boring old train ride on a boring old train.
Absolutely nothing special about this place. I can go to six flags for much less that than and leave feeling as though I got my monies worth.
I just felt as though Dolly stuck her hand in my back pocket and robbed me for all I was worth. Not a good experience at all. -
Review from Troy W.
11/12/2010
As a child, only interested in the rides, I felt this park was limited. It lacked all the lights, camera, and action that a teenager wants. In my 20s, I began to see what I had been missing.
First, the park has received national attention for its employee uniforms (costumes, really), its cleanliness, and its food. Do they deserve this attention. YES! It's all true. It is nice visiting a park where the majority of its employees looked like they actually enjoyed working there... and they were having run with it. It was and is a very clean & friendly park. Some of their food has actually been featured on Food Network... very good indeed!
In my 30s, this has become one of my favorite parks. Now, though I'm 20 years older, it is still the rides that I'm interested in. It was the introduction of Thunderhead (a Great Coasters Internation coaster) a few years ago that locked in my love for this park. It is one of my favorite rollercoasters. While not the scariest, it may be the most FUN I have ever had on a coaster. Excellent design and layout. Now, it's been a couple years since I have visited the park and I see they have added a few more thrill rides. I suspect this will really start to pull in the thrill seekers.
Older folks will enjoy this park because of its bluegrass and mountain atmostphere. There are many "old world" country displays... employees making lye soap or candles, etc.
Comparing apples to apples, this is not one of the cheapest amusement parks to visit (I'm not including full blown "resorts" like Disney.). It seems like it is priced about $10 more than comparable parks and when you can find discounted tickets, the discount is not that much. However, it's worth every penny! Very good park! -
Review from Lydia Z.
Lisle, IL
4/6/2011
Dollywood is fun. It is very similar to Silver Dollar City in Branson MO. I would describe Dollywood as an in-between to Six Flags and Disney World, and leaning more toward Disney than Six Flags.
It is clean and well themed. Staff was very friendly.
The price is higher than I thought but we booked a room and tickets on Dollywoods site giving a slight discount. The food is pricey but not surprising considering it is in the park. Just like movie theaters and other theme parks. It just cost more for the convenience.
We went during the week very early in the season and it was empty. That was nice. Every ride was a walk on. Several rides we had all to ourselves. -
Review from Benjamin C.
Lowell, MA
7/28/2011
Dollywood was a decent park only 3 rollercosters a ton of little kid rides if your like me and don't care much for shows you can finish this park in less than a day. I got the fast pass great fast pass just like the six flags one but found that i really didn't need it but at 15 dollars you can take the risk. food was kinda lacking map was impossible to understand. it will be a long time between my next visit. There is alot of things to do in the area you need to try the go carts. it is worth the trip but don't make your whole vacation around dollywood and you be fine.
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Review from laura b.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2006
My junior year of college in new york city and my friend, adrienne, and i decide to take spring break by the balls and embark on white trash road trip extraordinarie. Fuck Cabo, fuck the Florida Keys and fuck Ibiza...we're going to motherfucking DOLLYWOOD!
We borrowed a friend's car (what possessed him to lend us his precious automobile is beyond me - i mean, had he seen my apartment? i would literally throw garbage on the floor out of sheer laziness/being very, very high - but i'm fairly certain it involved wanting to get into some pants), bargained some time off work and headed out of sweaty new york shitty for the idyllic scenescapes/blatant racism of the south. Oh what we wouldn't do for Dolly.
Driving up on Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is kinda like driving up on a more countrified Reno. It's a strip mall of stores of every variety: luggage, steak houses, clothing, knick knacks, steak houses, home furnishings, crystal, china, tools, steak houses, and every kind of knick knack (and steak house) a girl's heart might desire. And what my heart desired was a throw rug with dolly parton's face on it, mkay? I can't describe Pigeon Forge properly because the relative gaudiness of the city is only set off more against the beauty of the smoky mountains just beyond. A town where a place named, "Rainbow Love Motel," is not a spot for hot gay sex but rather, a quaint lodge owned by a family of religos who happen to really love rainbows. Truly a sight to see.
Dollywood itself is a couple minutes outside of the city and compared to the semi-obscenity of Pigeon Forge, it's quite tame. FROM THE OUTSIDE. Driving in, you are greeted with a giant overhead sign from Dolly telling you that she's happy that you're there. See, that's Dolly for you...right off the bat, she wants you to feel included. I bet she throws a kick ass dinner party.
We parked the car and head into the theme park. Now, it doesn't have as much of a Dolly focus as one might imagine (i.e. roller coasters are NOT in the shape of two large breasts, as i was once told and foolishly believed) but instead, it's a wonderland of rides and carnival type games that would entertain any child. Or any Dolly fantatic. Or pretty much anyone with an ounce of sense about them. Also, Dollywood takes the cake as far as best ride names ever:
Chasing Rainbows
Piggy Parade
Blazing Fury
Waltzing Swinger
Dreamland Forest Treehouse
And my two personal favorites:
Amazing Flying Elephants! and the more than vaguely sexual:
Beaver Creek (with a sign next to it that reads, "you'll get wet!")
They also have a ton of live stage shows and most seemed to focus on kitschy dance parties or southern gospel. i like. a bunch of silly meaty meat restaurants including several all you can eat buffets. quelle surprise.
We hit the gift shop on the way out to stock up on well over $200 worth of Dollywood goodies for friends and family and bosses and this dude i met the other day. i mean, i wanted one of EVERYTHING.
On the drive out, there is a sign with a picture of Dolly, surrounded by butterflies and hearts and rainbows that reads, "I will always love you, Dolly" God, I adore this bitch. I mean, not only did she bring us some of the greatest music of all time but fuck it if the woman doesn't still keep it real. With the exception of owning a theme park dedicated to her. ANYHOO, to this sign I say, Me too, Dolly. Me too.
p.s. this review is born of miri d's current profile photo so a special shout out goes to MD and her car. Long live Jolene.Listed in: My life is in shambles., Things I love more than food.
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Review from Joi B.
5/12/2010
A Dolly disappointment. I'm sorry. I always thought that anyone who could utter such bon mots as, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap," could clearly do no wrong.
Until I went to Dollywood. A grand rip off, my dear Dolly! Where was all that tacky glitz and glamah I was expecting? NOWHERE. Instead, what I found was some kind of ethnic awareness festival going on. Um, I could find better and more importantly *authentic* versions of this in many, many places. Can I please enjoy me a Southern theme park without the PCP (Politically Correct Police) intervening and offering up a mediocre experience? How is this enlightening the guests? I don't get it.
Our first mistake was to watch the joke of an aerial show that they had going on. A partonizing nod to Chinese gymnasts. I felt sorry for them, because they were too talented to be part of a mediocre production. When I woke up to thunderous applause, I realized I was clearly in the minority here.
Dolly. I wanted Dolly and her awesomeness everywhere! Instead, her story was regulated to a tiny theater and a halfway decent musical treatment in a bio pic. Yawwwwn some more.
Food. Lots of it everywhere and I will give them this: the best fried green tomatoes I have ever had. Otherwise, if I never have to see a child chomping on a turkey leg bigger than her head again, I'll be mighty happy.
I also detest the prices and the scam they've got going on. One day costs FIVE DOLLARS LESS than a season pass. WHAT? THE HELL? Even if I were forced to stay in Pigeon Forge another cursed night, I wouldn't be returning to this park. And don't get me started on how Pigeon Forge is actually the repository of all evil (it's in a *dry* county. Hello, 1923 called. They want their prohibition back!) If you can stay out of this horrible town, I suggest you do. The infamous (if you're a Kathy Griffin fan) and much celebrated Miracle production (a Pentecostal style musical that has to have millions poured into it) also goes on in Pigeon Forge, so you can imagine what you'll be in for should you decide to stay in a motel on the "strip." Here's a piece of advice: stay elsewhere and drive the half hour to Dollywood, if you must go (you know who you are. I was one of you, just so you know).
I would give Dollywood one star, however I do appreciate that Dolly gives back to her community and many people survive off of the fat of this place. Hell, Dolly herself gets five GLITTERY GAUDY SPARKLING stars. Dollywood only gets two. -
Review from Amanda C.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2008
This might explain a few things about me but I lived in Tennessee during some very formative years (9 - 12). After a bitter divorce, living in a trailer, and a custody battle not to be reckoned with my mother re-met and married her high school pen pal (a soldier in Vietnam her home ec class sent cookies to. It's a weird story. If you would really like to hear it ask me later.) and before I could say "wtf?!?!" I found myself living in Jonesborough, TN just 2 hours away from Dollywood (http://tinyurl.com/6q9nmq).
Summers at the ocean and trips to Disneyland were a thing of the past as I traded my California loving ways in for humidity and Dollywood, the bastardized cousin of Disneyland.
Instead of Main Street U.S.A. you get Showstreet.
Instead of Fantasyland you get Dreamland Forest
Everything else is just some even more (if that is possible) redneck version of Critter Country and/or Frontierland.
The best ride in the whole park they took out back in 1997. It was called The Flooded Mine: (http://brentrobinson.w...) a 1970's version of Pirates of the Caribbean changed in to a mining town.
Dollywood isn't that bad if you live in Tennessee. It's a theme park with water rides, roller coasters, musical acts that come through, and Dolly Parton....tell me one person who doesn't love Dolly Parton. Sadly, for me, Dollywood will always remain a place of summertime torture where I developed a taste for pork rinds (EW!). -
Review from Mikki H.
Madisonville, TN
11/17/2010 7 Check-ins Here
The first time I went here was as a chaperone for my son's fourth-grade field trip. I was expecting Hokey-wood...but I LOVED it. I dragged my husband to Dollywood shortly after that initial trip. He was reluctant, his expectations being about the same as mine were, but we've been season passholders ever since (more on that later).
It is clean, friendly, well-organized, and just a lot of fun. There are seasonal festivals to mix it up a bit: KidsFest in the summer, Bluegrass & Barbecue in early fall, Gospel & Harvest Celebration in Fall, and of course Christmas in the Smokies for winter. Each one is decorated to the max, and has shows and vendors that fit the theme. The food is great (and not TOO expensive), the rides are fun (Tennessee Tornado and Mystery Mine are favorites) and the shows are well done. Not Broadway productions by any stretch of the imagination, but very entertaining. The water rides are great in the summer, because it can get kinda warm here. There are shops and vendors with crafts you won't find anywhere else.
Now about the season passes...if you live nearby (we're about an hour and a half away), it's totally worth it. And get just one "Gold" pass. Pick the person who will always be with your group (I'm the designated Gold Pass holder in my family, because I'll take my son sometimes, but my husband has never gone without me). You get free parking and a 20% discount on most purchases (food and merchandise). It pays for itself in one or two visits. -
Review from James B.
Jackson, TN
10/16/2011
We visited in the fall and had a great day! My son enjoyed the barnstormer, tornado, and thunderhead. I enjoyed the birds of prey exhibit. The longest wait we had in line could not have been more than 10 minutes.
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Review from jess t.
Olympia, WA
9/30/2008
I went here on my honeymoon, on a 4,000 mile road trip with my new bride. Is it not every homo's dream to go to Dollywood on their honeymoon?
We drove into Pigeon Forge and camped in one of the dozens of shitty hotels lining the road that leads to Dollywood. We got up early so we could make it to Dollywood before it got crazy - we only had a few hours in the park, and didn't want to spend it waiting in line. Our timing was great, and we barely waited in any lines all day.
Do not miss under any circumstances or at any cost: the Chasin' Rainbows Museum, of Dolly's life. Original costumes, many photographs and inscriptions, Dolly's original Coat of Many Colors, diorama-stylin' of various movie sets, kiosks streaming her videos -- it was worth the price of admission alone, and completely made my entire trip to Tennessee worthwhile.
Travel through different time periods and themed areas of the park - a replica of the Tennessee mountain shack/Dolly's childhood home, a 1950s carhop all-american area. "Dreamland Forest" -- wha--? Actually we didn't even make it to that area of the park. The County Faire - here we found the romantic rides like the scrambler and the Waltzin' Swinger, which we rode over and over and over, holding hands. A coal mining area -- is coal mining (and all the associated pain and loss) in Appalachia really a theme park attraction? Yes, it is!
There are many folk arts & crafts scattered around the park, with on-site demonstrations of glassblowing, sand-casting, and slate-painting. You can get virtually anything personalized with virtually any phrase. There's an eagle sanctuary, full of various eagles that can't be released for one reason or another, which I thought was interesting & I think my wife found a little bit unsettling or sad. I thought it tied into this larger issue of Dolly creating community and culture - the Eagle Sanctuary, alongside the Southern Gospel Museum, and, well, it's not just about Dolly after all, is it?
Recommended for: big Dolly fans or local families. If you have pre-teens with a thirst for amusement parks, you'd probably do better at a Six Flags over Anywhere. -
Review from Robert B.
Roanoke, VA
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had a good time at dollywood with our 4 year old daughter. We enjoyed the rides, both the children and adult. The staff were extremely nice and friendly. The only downside is the cost. Ticket prices are outrageous. Once inside the park food and drinks are double what they should be. Won't be going back. Not worth the money
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Review from Laurice F.
Los Angeles, CA
6/12/2008
After following confusing directions and getting lost multiple times due to a lack of adequate signage, we finally found Dollywood last weekend [we were to attend a wedding in Nashville and decided to check out Dollywood the day before]. What a lovely amusement park! My bf is a rollercoaster fanatic and really wanted to check out the rides here. I must say they were all pretty awesome - especially the wooden coaster, Thunderhead - we rode on that twice. The water rides were perfect on that humid day.
The park itself is really clean compared to the ones here in L.A. All the tagging is mostly So-and-so Loves So-and-so instead of some obscure gang acronym. Unfortunately we felt that the food was only OK. Not the best bbq we've ever had and we expected more.
But what we really appreciated about the place are the friendly workers. The operators were always hyping up the riders and making sure everyone had fun.
The next time I visit my cousins in Nashville I'd love to drop by Dollywood's again. Good times! -
Review from kristen p.
Godley, TX
10/28/2008
Dollywood is pretty nice for a theme park. It's relatively clean, the staff is friendly, and there are lots of trees. I would recommend going during the summer as there are a lot of water rides. Dollywood has also added more roller coasters which seems to have made the price of admission go up say $20 since this occurance.
Throw a water bottle and a pb&j in your purse and you are set for the day.Listed in: To: Pigeon Forge / From:…
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Review from Kevin S.
Philadelphia, PA
8/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fun for the whole family. Saw Dolly Parton herself, made my vacation.
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Review from Beverly W.
Plainfield, IL
10/2/2011
This is a wonderful place. I loved it. It really is for women more than men, as my husband and I heard several others get bored with it. I love how old fashioned and thank Dolly Parton for such a nice wholesome place to go.
I highly recommend this for families, small children and girl vacations. The park is clean, rides are nice. I took my mother a few years before she passed away and she enjoyed it so much. We went to a free concert, had a wonderful meal in one of the nice restaurants. Talked with our waitress who was so nice, I felt so comfortable and exchanged many stories. It is a memory of my mom and a great park that I think of time to time. The shows are cute and if you go around Christmas it makes it more special. The decorations and the Christmas shows are great. Hope this will be around for years to come. This is what the south and country is about..... -
Review from Liam P.
Knoxville, TN
6/10/2010
From a person who used to work there I can say that this is a "Theme Park" not an "Amusement Park". If you are looking for mind blowing rides, go to Disneyland, King's Island, Cedar Pointe, or Six Flags over Georgia (Prices at the gate are $44.99 adult and you can buy them online for $29.99).
The cost has gone up alot since I worked there (from around $30 to $55.90 Adult ticket price). And if you have kids in the 4-11 year old range they gouge you for $44.70. So, if you have a basic family of 4 with kids over 11 the price will be $223.60 (that is not including eating in the park since you are not allowed to bring coolers in, and you know eating in the park is expensive.)
I can honestly say if I ever had to pay to go to Dollywood, I would never go and especially if I had a family. (If you can get in free like I did, then by all means go.) -
Review from Donna W.
Lexington, SC
10/12/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I have always been a fan of Dolly Parton and am impressed by how much she helps the community and her hometown.
The price for 5 adults was about $290, but that included a free meal (in October only). We went in after 3:00 and enjoyed the park for 4 hours until closing, and returned the next day on the same ticket.
Everything was clean, family oriented, and homey.....
My kids liked the water ride.....sort of a lazy river on a raft for about 6 people, but as you wind down the river, waterfalls, dips, and rapid waters will get you wet. Combine that with people watching and having the opportunity (for .25 each shot) to squirt you with water cannons as you float by, and it makes for a fun ride. I think my son had as much fun squirting riders as he did ridiing!
We went to the new Adventure Mountain, which was AWESOME!!!! You are harnessed for safety, and have tracks that you are constantly harnessed to during the adventure. You can choose different levels of difficulty or "risk".....four different courses offer different adventures. The adventures run from stationery steps with ropes for the handles, to rope bridges, and some wooden plank bridges with no handles. You pass on whichever you choose, but you are harnessed for safety, so even if you "fall", you're not going far. There is also a wooden bridge at each level, in case you're not very daring. This was a GREAT attraction and I think my favorite.
We enjoyed the craft displays and the craftmen showing how they make their items.
The games were a bit pricey, usually $2 to $3 a piece. If you get coupons from the Kroger (the little tourist area "Coupon books"), you can get some of the games 2 for 1 with a coupon in that book.
The tram rides to and from the parking lot were clean, pleasant and not long. The waits are not long for the trams, as they have several coming and going at all times. I was also impressed to find that if you have car problems, (dead battery, locked out, etc...) you can get help getting your problem resolved, compliments of DollyWood security. Nice added touch!
Worth a trip, and my kids asked for season passes before we even left the park. We were not able to do everything they wanted to do in 1 and 1/2 days.
Good family vacation, and very southern (religion-based) hospitality. Nice clean family fun!! -
Review from Robert M.
Knoxville, TN
9/5/2011
I am orginally from SW Missouri. It reminds me of my times as a kid at Silver Dollar City. Just with Dolly plastered all over the place.
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Review from Jocelyn J.
Worcester, MA
6/29/2011
I surprised myself by having a good time here. I was skeptical because I'm not a fan of Dolly Pardon or country/ bluegrass music in general. However, what I found was an amusement park heavy on Appalacian atmosphere, fun rides, and beautiful scenery. I didn't feel overwhelmed by country music (though it was playing in some areas, as you can imagine). It had enough entertainment to fill up at least four hours (if you're zooming through the place).
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Review from Jess S.
Chicago, IL
8/18/2008
This place is pretty hilarious.
High marks for some of the highest quality theme park giftshop kitsch I have had the pleasure of purchasing.
There was a roller coaster that we rode over and over again, because, well, we were three 20-something girls who decided it would be fun to roadtrip to the forests of Tennessee to experience Dollywood. And there wasn't much to Dollywood.
Cute place. Nice scenery. Good for the fam. -
Review from J. T.
Mobile, AL
10/14/2010
We (two young adults, no kids) enjoyed a pleasant day here because the weather was cool and dry, and since it was a Monday in early October, there weren't too many people in the park, so we didn't have to wait in lines. If it had been crowded and hot, I wouldn't have thought it was worth it.
I think Dollywood is a bit overpriced for what it offers. There are no fine dining experiences, the theme work is limited (certainly not on the scale of a park like Disney World), and there are only three roller coasters. Mystery Mine is the best and most advanced ride in the park, in my opinion, but none of the other thrill rides impressed me.
The staff are all very cordial and friendly, and the Dreamland Drive-In Show is enjoyable. The bird show is also very entertaining and educational. There's nothing here that's a must-do, however. I certainly wouldn't bother with it on a busy summer weekend, but if you're in the area and have a free weekday during the off-season and don't mind being overcharged, it's a fun way to pass the time. I don't feel the need to visit again, however. -
Review from Lindsey P.
Chantilly, VA
9/5/2008
best theme park I have ever been too. The rides are fun, and the food is outstanding. Always a "must see" when I take a trip to visit my family in knoxville.
I heard the christmas lights there are outstanding as well. -
Review from Tim L.
7/31/2007
What is there to do in Pigeon Forge? Well pretty much this is what there is: Dollywood.
I typically enjoy theme parks, but as I get older these family oriented parks just don't do it for me anymore in terms of excitement.
I suppose if you have a family it's a great place, the staff are all very friendly and definitely exude that Southern charm.
Overall though, I thought it was a bit disappointing especially with the ticket prices. -
Review from Steve C.
Memphis, TN
7/17/2011
We went to Gatlinburg and Smoky Mountains for years and never went to Dollywood because we thought it would be cheesy. Couldn't have been more wrong. Great park and has some good thrill rides. The Thunderhead is one of the best wooden roller coasters around. Tennessee Tornado, Mystery Mine, and Barnstormer are all lots of fun. Haven't tried Timber Tower yet. It was closed the last two times we went. Great park for whole family and you have to love Dolly and her zest for life and what she has done for the local economy around there.
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Review from Virginia Su B.
Boston, MA
1/14/2009
if you ever stumble drunk into the hills of tennessee.. you might wanna drop in here for some high-quality, mullet-watching fun. have a swig for every mullet you spot, it'll be the time of your life i PROMISE.
the funnel cakes are MIND-BLOWINGLY good [little plates of lard with powdered sugar sprinkled over them..], the roller coasters induce laughter rather than vomit, and you can psych yourself up all day with the hope of spotting Dolly Parton, which never happens.
in other news, it's beautiful and scenic. and there are mullets.
did i mention you should be drinking as much cheap beer and eating as many funnel cakes as you possibly can?..Listed in: the tennessee i love, stumbling around east…
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Review from Eliza M.
Chicago, IL
8/4/2008
I'm just so happy that Dolly Parton is in our world. Really, we're all better off for it. I was really uncertain about what to expect at Dollywood, but I was guessing it would be that sort of cheesy, ironic, can-you-believe-this-stuff kind of fun. Instead... it was just actually fun. Overall, I was surprised by how much there is to do there and how not tacky it is. (Okay, it's a little tacky, but I was expecting far worse.) Really, until you hit the "Butterfly Emporium" on your way out of the park (where you can buy all your Dolly-themed souvenirs, including, as all of our friends have learned, personalized shot glasses), there's barely a picture of Dolly anywhere - not a T-shirt, coffee mug, or visor in sight.
The variety of things to do in the park surprised me as well. In one day at Dollywood, we...
1. Saw a bunch of craft demonstrations, including Tennessee's only (I think) functioning grist mill, and a glass-blowing demonstration (silly, but that's been on my to-do list for a while)...
2. Rode one roller-coaster (none of us had been on one since we were 15, and the wooden Thunderhead was both fun... and all we needed.)
3. Saw musical performances by The Kinfolk (a Dolly tribute band made up mostly of her extended family) and Naomi and the Wood Brothers (Dollywood's signature bluegrass band). Both were fun, but Naomi and the Wood Brothers were fantastic.
4. Saw the Wings of America showcase of birds of prey. This stars various vultures, hawks, eagles, etc. that have ended up at Dollywood's American Eagle Foundation but, for one reason or another, cannot be rehabilitated and released into the wild (side note: I saw AEF's biggest star, Challenger the Eagle, when he was released onto Wrigley Field during the national anthem on Memorial Day, and I was *thrilled* to know that he has his own theme song and music video - When Challenger Flies.)
5. Had the strangest meal of our lives. I'm hoping others can find a better overall dining experience than Miss Lillian's Chicken Shack (indeed, the name should've tipped us off), but it was overpriced for buffet food, and you had to eat your meal while a crazy lady (Miss Lillian, I'm assuming) walked around giving people "chicken blessings" and winging biscuits at children until they caught one. It was creepy, and really had me cursing the fact that there's no booze in Dollywood.
Another pleasant surprise: it wasn't terribly crowded. We were there on a Friday in August, so maybe it's not their peak tourist time, but I was expecting bigger crowds and more people-related frustration. Also, I'm not sure how this is possible, but it felt like there were hardly any kids there. Maybe because we didn't go on a lot of rides, but still...Listed in: Gatlinburg Road Trip
