Dollywood

[bored]

If you can't handle Everest stay off of Mystery Mine, Tennessee Tornado and Thunderhead. Blazing Thunder is like Big Thunder Mountain. My fav. is the Dizzy Disk!

The thing I enjoy most about Dollywood are the employees. Majority are retirees and they are almost always very nice. You don't have the wanna be rappers with their pants hanging to their knees working in the parks. Park is also extremely clean and well maintained.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

The thing I enjoy most about Dollywood are the employees. Majority are retirees and they are almost always very nice. You don't have the wanna be rappers with their pants hanging to their knees working in the parks. Park is also extremely clean and well maintained.

I completely agree. Dollywood is a beautiful park. I didn't care for it when I was a kid as there wasn't really much to do there but that has greatly changed. I would spend one day there. It's not a HUGE park and you should be able to do everything you want to do in one day with the right planning. When I've gone in the past they have offered tickets that get you in after 3 p.m. on one day and then the entire next day for the price of one day admission. Her museum is fascinating.

Be on the lookout for Dolly too! I've met her twice at Dollywood .

 

[Stew_Mouse]

Be on the lookout for Dolly too! I've met her twice at Dollywood .

How neat! Does she have scheduled visits or does she just show up when she can?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

How neat! Does she have scheduled visits or does she just show up when she can?

I think she just shows up when she can/is in town. I know she has an "apartment" in Dollywood to hang out in when she's there. Last time we were there (for the BBQ festival in Sept.), when we got to the park and went to the window to buy tickets the guy told us that she was in the park. About an hour later they started roping off walkways and Dolly came walking down the street saying hello to people (we were over by the carousel and had just come out of the Heart Song show), shaking hands, etc. It was pretty late in the day so there wasn't a whole lot of people left in the park so she stopped and talked to a lot of people. She's so nice!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Park next to the Old Mill and pay for the trolley/tram to the park. It was cheaper than parking I think and you get dropped off at the entrance.

This is what we do too. Much cheaper and the Dollywood tram to get out of Dollywood and back to the parking lot can get crazy! The trolley is much cheaper and more efficient, IMHO. To exit Dollywood you have to go through a HUGE store and then go to the left and there's a stop right there for the trolley that takes you to a parking lot less than a mile away.

Also, I don't know if they still do this but they've been doing it for a long time, if you go to the candy shop that's near the entrance they make taffy. They have a bucket with free samples of their taffy.

There's a glass shop where you can watch a person handblow different things that's really neat to watch too.

 

[intheworks]

If you arrive to the park at 3pm, you get the next days admission for free. Two full days or even one, really is adequate to see every thing. The sit down food places are definately not worth the effort...the food stands are pretty good but like all park foods, overpriced. There is a stand just past the river rapids ride that has great curly fries and footlong corndogs. There are also a couple of stands with bbq, steak sandwiches etc. Oh! and as you go down towards the country fair...a place with homemade ice cream

 

[mum4jenn]

Keep in mind that the park is closed one day in the mid week (or at least it used to be). We found out the hard way and traveled quite a distance to get there only to find it closed on the only day we had planned to be in that area.

I great place to eat (last time I went) was at Aunt Granny's.

 

[powellrj]

We were there over spring break and spent 3 days and could have spent another. We had a great time! We got the refillable cup and popcorn bucket which really saved us because we would just get a drink refill and a popcorn refill and have a cheap snack during the shows. We went during International time and the shows were great! We bought season tickets and are planning on at least one or two more trips before the end of the year.

DD rode all the rides and many of them 2 or 3 times and we saw all the shows plus visited all the shops. I agree that the employees were great. They were so nice and friendly. We also found out that if you bought the lanyard, they gave away 25 prizes away to lanyard wearers daily. I have no idea what the prize was, but it was just something that sounded fun!

 

[cassiez76]

we went last year on july 4th. it was a beautiful park and the weather was really nice. not really hot. it was a practice trip for disney

while the park was great, it isn't disney. but that's ok. there were enough things to do and see....and get wet. jeeze! lol

the 1st ride we did was the journey to the center of the earth 4D movie and the cast members had a red light a seat belt wasn't buckled...they just stood around at the front and mumbled not my job. that's when i knew we weren't at disney LOL

i'd like to go back and look around at all the craftspeople and be able to look in the shops.

and the water park sounds fun! we didn't get a chance for that.

oh...and i so wanna go shopping along the strip that leads to dollywood. all the as seen on tv billboards were calling my name!!

oh...one last thing, if you're going for the 4th of july, either leave the park later or earlier...it's crazy getting out of there on that main strip...everybody was waiting for fireworks.

 

[Lady V]

We also found out that if you bought the lanyard, they gave away 25 prizes away to lanyard wearers daily. I have no idea what the prize was, but it was just something that sounded fun!

Hey! We have won twice. The first time we got to choose a WHOLE pie or cake from the bakery to take home. The second time we were given a large bag of kettle corn and bottle of water while we watched a show. And you get a letter from Dolly.

 

[Stew_Mouse]

the 1st ride we did was the journey to the center of the earth 4D movie and the cast members had a red light a seat belt wasn't buckled...they just stood around at the front and mumbled not my job. that's when i knew we weren't at disney LOL

That is funny and scary at the same time. I will have to keep my eyes out for that.

 

[stevenpensacola]

Dollywood is a very pretty park...especially in the fall, and at Christmas time.

go to: theme park review . com

you'll have to remove the spaces from the link. for some reason, the address is blocked on this site.

click on Park Index at the top.
Locate Dollywood.
Lots of excellent photos and photo trip reports on this site.

It is possible that there could be some language and photos that some may find objectionable when you follow the links.

 

[palmtreegirl]

We've been there twice, once last August and again last month. We had a great time both trips! They have a new activity called Adventure Mountain, it's a ropes course, it was so much fun and it's included with park admission.

 

[live4christp1]

Not 100% sure they still do this but worth checking into.........from inside the park headed toward the gates to exit there is a bakery shop to the left. (I don't think it is right at the gate but to the left of it) If you go in there at park closing they are trying to get rid of all the pasteries, sweets, etc. of the day and they discount them a good bit (or they used to). I'm talking big cinnamon rolls like Main Street Bakery, cupcakes, huge cookies, all sorts of things. We got a huge bag of stuff on night for under $10.

 

[Stew_Mouse]

We've been there twice, once last August and again last month. We had a great time both trips! They have a new activity called Adventure Mountain, it's a ropes course, it was so much fun and it's included with park admission.

I saw some photos of a zipline... is that part of Adventure Mountain? Is the zipline included with admission?

 

[minniebeth]

I saw some photos of a zipline... is that part of Adventure Mountain? Is the zipline included with admission?

Adventure Mountain is really cool, they have different levels from stuff for little ones all the way up to a much more advanced level. The top level is not all THAT crazy that most can't do it. But the teens in our group still liked it.
It gets really crowded by noon, so plan on going early, otherwise, it backs up and there is up to an hour wait to get on it and then it is slow going.

The zip line is separate from Adventure Mountain. It is a series of 4 lines in total and takes approximately 2 hours to complete. It was around $40 if I recall correctly and if you have a season pass or length of stay pass you can put the 20% discount toward it. I personally think it's a good deal. It's not a jungle zipline, but pretty cool in the mountains~where else can you have that experience for that price?

 

[Stew_Mouse]

minniebeth, sorry to hijack your thread! Thanks too! And to everyone else who has contributed!

 

[minniebeth]

We went in April for the first time, so didn't know much about Dollywood before we went. It's hard to find information about it relative to the amount of Disney info out there, and I'm a planner. I was happy with getting some tips ahead of time here, and am happy that others can offer info here too!

 

[Stew_Mouse]

Yes, it has been extremely helpful. What sorts of things did you learn on your trip there? Did you have a good time?

 

[Wishing on a star]

the 1st ride we did was the journey to the center of the earth 4D movie and the cast members had a red light a seat belt wasn't buckled...they just stood around at the front and mumbled not my job.

Okay, I used to live in the area..... We have been to DollyWood several times over.... And, as far as the cast members..... We have never, ever, experienced anything like that!!!!

Please do not worry or think of this as indicative of an experience at DollyWood in any way.
Quite the opposite.

I recommend the HeartSong presentation!
DS loves River Rampage.
Daredevil Falls is GREAT. (check out the mountain view when you finally reach the top and get ready to make the plunge.
We also really love the Wilderness Mountain Adventure. This also features Dolly herself, and this is fun as well as just hilarious. "All a part of the plan......".

Nope, it's not WDW... It is not 'slick', and polished, etc... Think 'Appalachian', everything is brown wooden back-woods..... (Except for Showstreet and some of the main attractions, of course)

Seeing Dolly is a very rare occurance....
She does appear for special occasions, such as opening weekend, opening of new major attraction... She was there for opening of Mystery Mine, and when asked if she has ridden it... She laughed and grinned and said, in true Dolly fashion... Are you kiddin' If I were to get on that thing hair and wigs and all kinds of parts would be flyin' off everywhere!!!!


There was one recent event where the weekend was operated as a fundraiser for Nashville Flood Relief... that may be where the one poster was lucky enough to have seen Dolly appearing in the Park.

If you go with the right attitude, and know the things that you will enjoy and seek them out, you will have a wonderful time!