“The magic is inside you, there ain’t no crystal ball.”
Dolly Pardon is one that I know a lot of us have grown up adoring and admiring. Her tenacity is unreal and she loves others with all that she has. It is no wonder that her very own theme park, Dollywood, is going to bring all of that and more to those who visit. We have visited Dollywood on 2 separate occasions, and I honestly think this past visit was on of the best yet!
Here are the best ways to enjoy Dollywood Theme Park. I mean, it is not hard to do 😉
A summer worth celebrating.
As I mentioned above, we have had the opportunity to visit Dollywood twice thus far. Let me tell you, I plan to make a point to get our family up to Pigeon Forge, TN more often so that we can take advantage of Dollywood theme park again! This summer, Dollywood is collaborating with Bush’s Beans to bring you Summer Celebration. Let me tell you a little more about this.
Best ways to enjoy Dollywood theme park and the Summer Celebration.
The Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration presented by Bush’s Beans kicked off on June 18th and runs through August 7th. It showcases:
- New Summer Tasting Pass
- New Summer Surprises
- Sweet Summer Nights Drone and Fireworks Show
- Gazillion Bubble Show Aurora
As you walk around Dollywood, you will come across different ‘Roadside Attractions’. Y’all, these are so much fun! Your family will be amazed at the creativity and fun of each pitstop. Here are some of our favorites.
Water Hose Fountain.
My kids thought this Roadside Attraction was so much fun! You will find this fountain made from garden hoses in Market Square. It is the perfect way to cool off this summer and enjoy the beauty that surrounds the Market Square, cue this beautiful garden! My son was jamming out to the music playing while we cooled off in the Water Hose Fountain.
Kite Sky.
Okay, this may be one of my favorites. Not long after you enter the park will you be treated with an overlook ‘sky’ of kites. The tails of the brightly-colored kites move with the wind, and you feel like you are in a magical place. We loved walking under the Kite Sky, and I know you all will too!
Noodle Takeover.
Alright, I take it back. Noodle Takeover is another favorite of mine! As you walk through the top of Craftsman’s Valley, you will be taken back for the amazing array of a THOUSAND suspended pool noodles hanging above. It is like you are taking a stroll underneath a rainbow. So cool!
Bush’s Bean Can- Largest ever!
I can’t go without mentioning the largest Bush’s Bean Can. My son was like “Wow! That is one huge can of beans!” You are totally right 😉
Giant Spinning Tops.
These were such a fun little resting spot after we ate at the Till & Harvest Food Hall in Wildwood Grove. Now, Wildwood Grove was not finished the last time we visited Dollywood. Y’all, it is so good! These Giant Spinning Tops are the perfect addition for Summer Celebration. The tops are woven together with brightly colored fabric pieces, which look magical together when the seat is spun.
More great Roadside Attractions to take advantage of.
Now, we had a busy little crew with us who wanted to ride A LOT of rides. Before I go into those details, I want to mention a few more awesome Roadside Attractions you may want to take advantage of. The Bubble Foam Zone is set up in Wilderness Plaza. This unique spot is a special foam party for kids as well as adults who are kids at heart! There is a rinse off area once everyone is done playing in the non-toxic soap bubbles!
You will also find Lazy Loungers replacing the rocking chairs within Valley Theater. The trees in The Village and Rivertown Junction are colorfully wrapped and the landscaping through the entire park is absolutely stunning! Pops of color that literally scream summer! At night you will be able to enjoy fireworks and a drone show as well as the Gazillion Bubble Show!
Y’all, this Dollywood is bringing it all this summer.
Best ways to take advantage of Dollywood with the family.
Now that I have gone over some of the awesome Summer Celebration Roadside Attractions, I am going to go over some of the other best ways to enjoy Dollywood and take advantage of all that it has to offer. First off, you need to think of who all is coming to the park with you. Are they smaller kids. older kids or a mixture? Our family consisted of a mixture.
Why is this important? You want to think of what rides you will be able to ride while you are at Dollywood. Most of the rides will have a height requirement. My 9 and 11 year old were able to ride majority of the rides. It worked out that the rides that were more for my 9 and 11 year old were cutting it close to her height requirement. For the younger kids, you will want to take full advantage of Wildwood Grove! So many great rides for younger kids.
We also started with the rides that we knew would be more busy. Basically worked our way back that way. The one that we rode a few times with all of them was Daredevil Falls! We basically all took turns on who rode up at the very front, meaning who got the most wet. Great ride for the summer heat! Another wet ride that is a lot of fun is Smoky Mountain River Rampage. My 5 year old was laughing the entire time we were on the raft.
Stay hydrated.
I love it that Dollywood takes not only your experience into consideration, but also your wellbeing. They offer free water and ice at any of the food/beverage stations. You can also bring in unopened water bottles or empty cups to be filled at water bottle filling stations. Did I mention all the misting fans? Y’all. Dollywood has this all figured out. My husband and I kept talking about how awesome the entire day was due to the well thought out configuration of the park and keeping its customers comfortable and cool.
This can be hard during the summer time, but Dollywood has it going on in this department!
Food.
There are lots of different food options available around the park. Each area has ‘specific’ food items up for choice, like southern inspired to kid-approved. We decided to eat at Till & Harvest Food Hall in Wildwood Grove. They had lots of great options for the entire family, and the price point is great! I can’t forget to mention all the baked good and sweets you will find as well. YUMM!
Accessible and friendly first aid stations.
I never thought we would be making a stop by the first aid station while we were at Dollywood, but we did. Chloe got excited and started running. Well, she tripped. She skinned up her knee enough to make it bleed. Thankfully there was a first aid station right around the corner. We quickly signed in and she had her knee bandaged up in no time! Can’t forget to mention that she got a popsicle during the process. Great to know that you have these resources available.
Purchase tickets and add-ons a head of time.
This can be very helpful if you are heading to the park with a large crew. You can purchase your tickets as well as get a discount on the parking pass too.
Bring a small backpack to carry all the extras.
Another great idea for anyone who is planning to stay all day at the park and take full advantage of all that it has to offer is bring a small backpack. The kids arrived at the park in their tennis shoes, but we packed sandals as well as an extra pair of clothes for backup if they decided to get too wet. There are splash areas to help cool you down. I know some will wear their bathing suits under their clothes so that they are ready to go in that aspect as well! We also brought our extra unopened water bottles in the backpack.
A summer for making memories!
We all know how summer time is one of the best times to make those memories with the family. School is out and there are no big expectations. Dollywood is a great way to enjoy all that the summer has to offer. Have you ever been to Dollywood?
Check out more about Dollywood’s Summer Celebration here! More family vacation spots: Branson, MO , Montreal ,and New Orlean for Christmas .
Hugs!
