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Welcome to Theme Park Review! Photos & Videos of Theme Parks, Roller Coasters, and FUN!
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 TPR Member Photo Trip Reports |
August 18th, 2014 by zachclarke2 |
May 30th, 2014 by ernierocker |
May 23, 2014 by jimmiemac02 |
August, 2012 by biosciking |
March 24th, 2012 by Skycoastin Steve |
September 10th, 2008 by Electerik |
December 8th, 2007 by carolinacaniac |
November 11th, 2007 by Guy T. Koepp |
October 28th, 2007 by Electerik |
August 12th, 2007 by Electerik |
May 13th, 2007 by BeemerBoy |
April 28th, 2007 by Erik Johnson |
April 21st, 2007 by ParkTrips |
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| Attractions |
| The park's major attractions are Wild Eagle, Thunderhead, Mystery Mine, Tennessee Tornado, the Barnstormer, Lightning Rod, and Daredevil Falls. . The park also has many hidden gems in attractions like Blazing Fury, the Slidewinder and the Dollywood Express, which features a trip through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains on an authentic steam engine. For the kids, there is plenty to do in the Country Fair section, with attractions ranging from a carousel to a Disko. Firechaser Express is a unique multi-launching family coaster. A zipline attraction is also available as an upcharge. |
| Food |
The park is world famous for its food. From barbeque to good old-fashioned country home cooking to hamburgers, the park has just about everything to satisfy the whole family.
If you are looking for sit-down restaurants there are Granny Ogle's Ham N' Beans, Aunt Granny's All-You-Can-Eat Buffet, and Mrs. Lillian's Chicken House. If you like to eat on the run, there is Hickory House BBQ, and Market Square, where sausage and cheese steaks are cooked on an open skillet right in front of your very eyes!
For that sweet tooth, you CANNOT miss the cinnamon bread at the Grist Mill! Funnel cakes and kettle corn are also available throughout the park.
For more information, please check the official park website:
http://www.dollywood.com/dining.aspx |
| Operating Season |
The park opens in late March and closes on the last weekend of the year. Check the official website for exact operating hours at:
http://www.dollywood.com/calendar.aspx |
| Established Seasonal events |
| The following festivals are held every year at the park: Festival of Nations, which is held between March and April; KidsFest, which is held between June and August; the Southern Gospel and Harvest Celebration, which is held between September and October; and Smoky Mountain Christmas, which is held from November to the end of operating season. |
| Access & Location |
The park is located at 1198 McCarter Hollow Road, Pigeon Forge, TN 37862.
-Off Interstate 40, take Exit 407 toward Sevierville/Pigeon Forge /Gatlinburg.
-Follow TN Hwy. 66 South, which becomes US 441.
-At Traffic Light #8 in Pigeon Forge, turn left and follow the signs to Dollywood.
For an alternate route:
-Take Exit 407 off I-40 and head toward Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg.
-Follow TN Hwy. 66 South which becomes US 441.
-Take a left at US 411/Dolly Parton Pkwy.
-Turn right onto Veterans Blvd at Traffic Light 17.1.
-The park will be on your left. (Look for the Dollywood sign.)
Another option to access the park is with the Dollywood Trolley. See the following website for details:
http://www.pigeonforgetrolley.org/dollywood.html
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| Nearby Lodging |
Dollywood's DreamMore Resort features 307 rooms of differing varieties. Dollywood also has 100 cabins for rent.
The park is located within close vicinity of a number of hotels, motels, cabins, and RV lodgings. Vacation packages are available at:
http://www.dollywood.com/dollywood-q10017-c10011-Vacation_Packages.aspx |
| Virtual Queue Options |
| The park offers a very reasonably priced TimeSaver Pass, (available at tiered levels) which can be used for select rides and shows. For availability and pricing please visit: https://www.dollywood.com/themepark/Guest-Services/TimeSaver-Pass
dollywood.reservedirect.com/ |
| Shows |
To some who visit Dollywood, the shows it offers are just as important as the rides. The park offers a wide array of permanent and seasonal shows.
Some of the show offerings include Country's Crossroads (traditional and contemporary country), Dreamland Drive-In (pop music from the 50's and 60's), and Dolly's Family Reunion (music written by Dolly Parton).
If you happen to be visiting the park during a Smoky Mountain Christmas, be sure to check out Dollywood's unique take on old classics.
Exact show locations can be found on your park map and for a list of seasonal shows, please check the park's website:
http://www.dollywood.com/entertainment.aspx
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| TPR Notes |
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Nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is a theme park built around the influences of Dolly Partons upbringing that takes folks away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The park has stepped up the thrills in recent years with the addition of coasters Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle, Mystery Mine and Thunderhead and the Sky Zip and ropes courses, yet still retains incredible down-home charm and hospitality.
While the smaller children cannot ride the premier attractions, there are plenty of attractions the family can enjoy together in addition to wonderful shows, artisan/craft exhibits, and delicious food.
The park is beautifully landscaped and really pulls out all the stops for their annual Smoky Mountain Christmas events. Some of the musical numbers can be on the preachy side, but it is quality entertainment. | |
| Member Reviews |
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| Results 1-20 of 24 for Dollywood
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(Log in to post / edit your review)
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One of the Best Parks in North America
| | 01-01-2017 | |
Montu357
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Dollywood made its case for the best park I have ever been to. The extremely friendly staff gourmet style food outstanding themed areas and great family attractions mixed in with high quality coasters are only a few reasons to love Dollywood. The shows are also authentic and above the usual cheesy shows offered at most parks. There is simply a ton of things to do here so plan to spend a full day. This is a place that everyone will love so bring the whole family and try to go on a less crowded day so you can marathon the roller coasters here. When I went 14 rides on Lightning Rod still wasn't enough for me. There are also plenty of shaded areas and unique shops/eateries for those who aren't into the big rides. This park is a must visit!
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Good coasters, amazing cinnamon bread!!!
| | 03-27-2014 | |
CPSFMMCW
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I'd like to start by first saying that the cinnamon bread is like heaven in your mouth. It's phenomenal. Alright, now I have to say, my experience at Dollywood was so-so the first time I went. It was super packed and so I spent most of my day waiting in line, and only ended up riding a few rides and missing out on many. However there's a happy ending for everyone, and things were way better when I went in the early Summer of 2014. The crowds weren't too bad, and I was able to get lots of rides in. My opinion of the park is definitely better now, since I've had a really good experience at this park. Its really charming, has a lot to do, and is a fantastic park.
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Excellent
| | 10-25-2012 | |
super7
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Dollywood is at the top of the list for US regional theme parks in atmosphere and theming, re-rideable rides and customer service. It is one of the parks you purposely want to eat at as they have many original items on the menus. The old-time theming takes you back in time. Their customer relations takes the time to answer any email with a letter! The park has something for riders and non-riders, where many parks miss the target. A true, high quality family park.
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Simply Amazing
| | 10-14-2012 | |
SFOGfan1
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This park is great! As it has been said before, the coaster lineup is small, but the four major coasters are some of the best of their type. However, they'll get fairly swamped during the day. So, buy a $15 Lo-Q! Seriously. Buy it, it's worth it. And the food is delicious, too! Cinnamon bread.. well its been said before. The amount of trees and wildlife just make this park top notch. Dollywood has a great variety of flats, so if the coasters are to crowded, ride the flats! Finally, use the enter after 3, next day free deal. Get a Lo-Q for the 2nd day, and use it for the coasters, do flats and other stuff on the first day. Dollywood is great! Simply great!!!
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A Total Change of Pace
| | 04-07-2012 | |
Bamitspat
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Dollywood is a refreshing change from the big corporate concrete jungle parks. The elevation changes and general landscape of the park is impressive, and the food is simply amazing. As everyone else has already said, the cinnamon bread is delicious! Dollywood's coaster lineup is not the largest, but all four of the large coasters are good. Thunderhead is the best of the bunch though. The Q2Q system more than pays for itself. It is so cheap at Dollywood! One complaint I have about Dollywood is a lack of non-coaster rides for big kids. Barnstormer is good, but I'd like to see a shooting dark ride or a drop tower or something along those lines to spread the lines from the coasters around the park.
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Dolly's Magical
| | 03-31-2012 | |
Supershawn
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Dollywood ends up taking the cake for one of the best parks you could travel too. Between the friendliest staff you could come across, a beautiful setting in the Smokies, and some of the finest Theme park food you could purchase it's easy to fall in love with this top notch park. While there aren't tons of coasters in the park, rest assured each one that is there was well thought out and worth reriding. One to really note is Thunderhead, a top 10 ride for sure, if you're really lucky you'll get a ride in or after it's rained. Some must sees would be Lillian the Chicken Lady, the glass blowers, any of the shows and of course a loaf of cinnamon bread. And dont forget to take advantage of the best priced q2q out there, $15 is well worth it!
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WOOO Dolly!
| | 03-30-2012 | |
Nozzy
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Dollywood may not have the most coasters in the country, but it makes up for that in quality and a fantastic atmosphere. The 4 coasters all could be considered a headlining attraction at any park, with Thunderhead being THE completely unchallenged best wood coaster in the southeast. Other experiences like Adventure Mountain are unique and fun, and some of the shows can be worth a break in rides! Food is delicious with a variety of tasty meals and snacks. The craftsmen can be a lot of fun to watch too. The only real negatives I can see are that the park design makes it hard to get to coasters from anywhere else (though this could be given a pass as the beauty of the area has been preserved) and subpar bathrooms. Definitely visit!
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Dollywood,One of the Best Parks in the Country
| | 03-16-2012 | |
RCBoilermaker14
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Dollywood is awesome.The rides,shows,food,atmosphere,friendliness,and everything about it is great.Rides include amazing award winning Thunderhead,Mystery Mine,Tennessee Tornado,Blazing Fury,Daredevil Falls,and Barnstormer.Their shows are amazing,also check out the Kingdom Heirs.Food is way above average for amuement parks.The atmosphere feels good,and the staff is mostly friendly,except for a few ride ops.The scenry leaves other parks in the dust with Wild Eagle.One last thing,please check out the Christmas Event,please.As far as the park rating goes 5/5
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Since when was CP "the best?"
| | 03-02-2012 | |
molemaster43
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Cedar Point huh? Push it aside and hit Dollywood. Dollywood has a huge variety of rides for the whole family. First, they have a good variety of coasters. Thunderhead is an AMAZING woodie, Mystery Mine is just "wow" , Blazing Fury is pretty fun, and Tennessee Tornado isn't terrible, but shouldn't be high priority. They have a good water ride variety. Mountain Slidewinder and Daredevil are great, but the rapids is meh. There is some good thrills, like Barnstormer and the carnival themed area is great for families, as it features classics such as the Pounce 'n' Bounce, Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, Scrambler, and Disko. Hit this place, please! IT IS SUCH A GOOD PARK!
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Genuine Excellence
| | 01-11-2012 | |
Ryne23s
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Although it contains a great classic dark ride, several great coasters, and some of the best food you'll find anywhere; what truly sets Dollywood apart is the geniune friendliness and service of its employees. There is no "scripting" or forced "themed phrasing"...just honest, warm hospitality that makes you feel like you belong there and they are glad you came. Dollywood is in a class all there own...there is nothing fake or fabricated about it. A world class southern experience that shouldn't be missed.
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Love Dolly!
| | 11-25-2011 | |
chadster
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Dollywood is a prime example of what other parks envy. Well themed attractions, quick operations, and excellent food. Another strong point is that once in the park you won't by the ultra high theme park prices for food and merchandise that you might at other chains. The GCI woodie is one of the best they have built and the arrow is not bad at all, rather enjoyable actually.
Dollywood is the definition of southern hospitality.
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Fantastic Park
| | 11-23-2011 | |
Hilltopper39
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I can't say enough good things about Dollywood. Everything about the park from operations, to quality attractions, to friendless of the staff, to the food is top notch! Thunderhead is one of the finest wooden roller coasters in America, Mystery Mine is a unique and thrilling steel coaster, and Tennessee Tornado is one of the best coaster Arrow ever made with a great first drop into a tunnel off the side of a mountain. Dare Devil Falls is one of the best log flumes around and Fire in the Hole is an cool little dark ride/coaster. The cinnamon bread is out of this world and everything i have ever eaten at the park was great. Seriously ranks up there with Knoebels and Epcot for the best park in America!
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Unto these hills . . .
| | 08-21-2011 | |
cfc
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Although it dumps "country cute" on you by the bucketful, Dollywood is an excellent park--one of the best in the U.S. Its setting in the Smoky Mtns. of Tennessee is beautiful, and the park lives up to that with excellent theming and food, a very nice staff, and a great selection of rides and shows (which gets better every year). All of the park's coasters are very good (particularly Thunderhead), and there are plenty of good, quirky attractions families can enjoy together (particularly Blazing Fury and the park's water rides). The park's steam locomotive even takes you on a real five-mile excursion into the mountains. Dolly has every right to be proud of this park.
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Go for the rides, stay for the Cinnamon Bread
| | 08-17-2011 | |
QueerRudie
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For a park like this, one expects some level of depth- and you get it here. Dollywood is not only scenic, but one of the best run parks in the world, on par with Disney or Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Immaculate, friendly, personable and comfortable, Dollywood encompasses as much of the fun of Dolly- with world-class attractions. Tennesee Tornado should NOT be missed, as Arrow's last stand (And one of their finest designs ever.) Blazing fury will SOAK you if you're not careful, and the Mountain Slidewinder is one of the most terrifying rides on the planet. DO NOT MISS THE CINNAMON BREAD. Food is pricey- but you get great quality for what you pay for. The shows are top-notch, and you might even get to see Dolly herself!
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The best of 14 parks I have visited!
| | 08-05-2011 | |
Thunderhead
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Dollywood was a stab in the dark for a young enthusiast and I sincerely was blown away by the park. The Coasters were fantastic, Thunderhead being my obvious favorite. Tennessee Tornado is truly the smoothest Arrow I have ever been on. Mystery Mine was really the first "themed" coaster I have ever ridden and had shown me how to appreciate the overall ride experience. The flats were great. Barn Stormer was fantastic, and Sierra Sidewinder is plain fun. $10 for a BBQ Sandwich, chips and a pickle was depressing but I swiftly got over it.
"Let the thunder rollllllll!"
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Dollywood Will Always Love You
| | 03-27-2011 | |
Hang And Bang
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Everything about this park is good - rides, food, shows, theming, setting - everything! Tennessee Tornado is possibly the best standard Arrow looper in existence. Mystery Mine is amazingly themed and just plain fun. Blazing Fury is pure bliss for fans of random. Theming is truly topnotch. The odd layout of the park can be frustrating but having to hunt things down seems to further immerse you in the experience. There's so much to do here it's hard to imagine not having a blast at Dollywood.
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Outstanding Park
| | 03-27-2011 | |
rcdude
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Dollywood is currently my favorite park. All of the attractions they have are excellent, the park is in a great setting, and the theming is top notch. Sha-Kon-O-Hey is an amazing show. The food is also the best you'll find at a park (but it's not normal park food). In some areas of the park, it doesn't even seem like an amusement park, but more of a village in the Smokey Mountains. However, it does feel like the park is missing something. I can't tell for sure what that might be, but it is the reason Dollywood does not receive a higher score from me.
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Why Isn't It Gaudy?
| | 03-24-2011 | |
andy2840
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A park themed around Dolly Parton ought to be about boobs and rhinestones. What's all this down home charm in a picturesque setting crap about? I mean, wouldn't you love a coaster themed for her boobs? Think of the airtime. The park has exceptionally good food, interesting rides and fun coasters. At least Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are gaudy enough to do Dolly proud.
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Never a bad time.
| | 03-24-2011 | |
Guy T. Koepp
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Great shows, great rides, great atmosphere, friendly people, and some of the best theme park food in the nation make Dollywood one of the best in the US. If you've never been, you must go!
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Excellent
| | 03-24-2011 | |
jjune4991
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After two trips to Dollywood, I can say that it is my favorite park all around. Great coasters, with Thunderhead being my favorite wood, and Tennessee Tornado, an amazing last effort by Arrow. The food here has to be the best in the country. And there are flat rides galore. Oh, and the best "odd" ride around, Blazing Fury!
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| Pros |
- Low priced Virtual Queue system
- Cinnamon Bread
- Kids attractions spread around the park
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| Admission Policy |
Pay One Price
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| Recent TPR Updates |
No Infomation.
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