10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Going To Dollywood

I am here to shout from the rooftops about my love for Dollywood Theme Park. The park, which is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is owned by icon Dolly Parton.

I grew up going to Dollywood and recently got to stop by with my friend Quincy for her first time. There are so many reasons I love the theme park, but I’m here to share everything you need to know before heading there for the first time! 

There’s lots to know about the little theme park in the Smoky Mountains, starting with the fact that it’s really not so little. First, there is one theme park and one water park! There’s Dollywood Theme Park and Splash Country water park. These parks aren’t open year-round; both take breaks during the winter months, so be sure to triple-check that calendar. Dollywood typically closes in early January and opens in early March. In 2027, Dollywood will close on January 3rd, 2027, this upcoming year, and reopen in mid-March. Splash Country operates from mid-May until mid-September. In 2026, the water park opens on May 15th and will close on September 20th, but that isn’t a daily schedule, so be sure to check their websites AND pay attention when purchasing park tickets.

Second, there are over 50 rides and attractions in Dollywood Theme Park! From family fun to high thrills, there’s a little something for everyone. In fact, Dollywood is an award-winning theme park that’s been operating for over 40 years. Guests of all ages can get in on the fun and find something they enjoy. Don’t sleep on those roller coasters, they’re GOOD ones.

Third, there are two hotels on the property! Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge and DreamMore Resort are both a 15-Minute trolley ride to Dollywood, a 5-Minute Trolley Ride to Dollywood’s Splash Country, and a 12-Minute Drive to the Pigeon Forge Parkway. They both offer perks at the theme park like priority access to the parks, golden hour participation, Complimentary Dollywood TimeSaver Passes For Resort Guests admission or season passes, and more.

Fourth, it’s not super easy to get there if you have to fly to Tennessee. The closest airport (not including the tiny Gatlinburg airport that doesn’t offer commercial flights) to Dollywood is McGhee Tyson in Knoxville, Tennessee, which is about 45 minutes to an hour from Dollywood. Renting a car is easily your best option to get from the airport to the theme park. Ride shares that will go that far out are hit or miss, so I don’t recommend relying on them. There are some services, like the Smoky Bear Shuttle service, that you can book, BUT I have never personally used that service, so I can’t speak to how reliable it is or what the experience is like. Sure, renting a car isn’t ideal, but a beautiful Smoky Mountain road trip isn’t too bad!

Fifth, this is a tough theme park to walk in! It’s roughly the size of the Magic Kingdom (although technically it’s a little bigger). Not only is it a decent-sized park, but it’s also in the Smoky Mountains, so it has lots of hills. There’s a decent amount of uphill climbing, especially if you’re entering Timber Canyon. This is one of the most important things to consider before your park day. Bring your best shoes and make sure to get your thoughts right before racing around that park.

Sixth, there is a skip-the-line system! It’s called the TimeSaver Pass, and there are 3 different levels to it. TimeSaver is the first tier, and you can get five “expedited entries” on any of the participating TimeSaver attractions, plus priority seating at shows in participating theaters. It’s $60 – $100 per person, depending on the time of year you’re there! This doesn’t work at Mystery Mine, FireChaser Express, Dragonflier, Lightning Rod, or Big Bear Mountain.

TimeSaver Plus is the second tier. This lets you enjoy as many expedited entries as you like on participating TimeSaver Plus attractions, plus priority seating at shows in participating theaters. It’s $80 – $120 per person per day, and it can be used on FireChaser Express, Dragonflier, and Lightning Rod only once. It offers unlimited entries on Barnstormer, Drop Line, Mystery Mine, Sky Rider, Smoky Mountain River Rampage, Tennessee Tornado, Thunderhead, The Waltzing Swinger, and Wild Eagle.

Finally, there’s TimeSaver Premium! This gives you unlimited entries to all thirteen TimeSaver attractions and priority seating at shows in participating theaters. It’s $99 – $139 per person per day, and you can make reservations in the TimeSaver Reservation Center to select your showtime in the theaters.

Seventh, there is a tram system for the parking lot. Paying for preferred parking is such a good deal because of how close it is to the park entrance in my opinion. The tram system can be BRUTAL, especially if you’re parked out in Lot E (which is the lot designated for the water park, but is also used during super busy park days). At the end of the night, there’s ONE tram station that services EVERY lot, and that means you’ve got Disney-sized crowds to deal with. We also had lots of line cutters dash in front of us to get on the trams, which can be super annoying. Walking to lot E is possible, but it’s a 25+ minute trek that requires you to cross a road and under a bridge. On super busy days, people on our team have walked to Lot C, which had no people waiting. The tram that dropped people off there was happy to take them the rest of the way to E. There’s a separate shuttle for resort guests, which is very handy. 

Eighth, it’s a dry theme park! Similar to Magic Kingdom, there is no alcohol in Dollywood. This can throw off some people looking for a nice beverage. You can find alcohol at the resorts and the restaurants at the resorts. Plus, you can also try Dolly Parton’s own wine that they offer there.

Ninth, there’s a lot you can learn about Dolly in this theme park! This park isn’t just called Dollywood for fun; tons of her life and career are woven into the theme park. You can see her childhood home, take a trip into her tour bus, and see an entire area of the park dedicated to her and her career, where you can see memorabilia, iconic outfits, and more, all straight from Dolly herself. She owns 50% of the park, while the Herschend Family Entertainment group owns the other half. Dolly traditionally comes to the park each year on opening day, which I have never been able to experience, probably because I wouldn’t handle it well or like a normal person would.

Tenth, this park has festivals that can rival EPCOT! They have had festivals for several years, but they’ve been really making an event of them lately. There’s the I Will Always Love You Festival, which ran from March 13th to April 12th, 2026. This festival celebrates the stories behind the songs Dolly is known for. The Flower & Food Festival ran from April 18th to June 7th, 2026. This festival boasts larger-than-life blooming sculptures and garden-fresh flavors. The Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration runs from June 15th to August 2nd, 2026. This fest celebrates the meaning of family fun, plus it offers a nightly fireworks and drone show. The Harvest Festival runs from September 14th until October 31st, 2026. This year, guests will see the return of Great Pumpkin LumiNights featuring more than 12,000 glowing gourds.
Finally, there’s the Smoky Mountain Christmas. This one runs from November 6th, 2026, to January 3rd, 2027. This will have more than 6 million twinkling lights, dozens of festive flavors, heartwarming holiday shows, and you can meet Santa himself.

BONUS! I’m begging you to get the cinnamon bread. This is the most famous snack for a reason, and it’s the first thing I tell everyone to eat when they go to the park.

I am so deeply in love with Dollywood theme park, and this is just scratching the surface of what makes it great. As always, be sure to keep following AllEars for more theme park tips, tricks, and more.

REVIEW: There’s a Reason This Dollywood Snack Is FAMOUS

 

Tell me if you’ve ever been to Dollywood in the comments!

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