Pigeon Forge, TN – Yes, Dollywood has an amazing array of rides, including a train pulled by a historic steam engine used to move troops in Alaska during WWII and the world’s fastest wooden roller coaster.
What you don’t know about Dollywood will surprise you! I spent two days exploring the Theme Park (https://www.dollywood.com/themepark), Splash Country Water Park, and the Dream More Resort and Spa as part of a tour hosted by Dollywood for a small group of food and travel writers early this month.
The tour was culinary focused, but there are non-culinary things you might like to know also. I left with hundreds of photos and a very full belly!
FOOD & DRINK
The food is definitely “Southern” in the best down-home way, with specials changing randomly or according to what festival is going on. It’s authentic and affordable. My visit happened to be during the Barbecue & Bluegrass Festival, so . . . there was grilling going on: Ribs, Pulled Pork, Sausage, ears of corn, and even watermelon! Beyond grilling, there were creative takes on a couple standards: Crossroads Funnel Cakes topped with chicken, mandarin orange sauce and powdered sugar. And Country Cookers – Kettle Korn made in various colors and flavors.
This brings me to an interesting point about food at Dollywood. Food service employees have a certain amount of creative freedom to come up with new ideas. The Country Cookers – Kettle Korn guys were absolutely beaming about the next flavor they’d come up with. And although they’re known for their cinnamon rolls, Pastry Chef Gidget Davis at Spotlight Bakery created new savory Maple Bacon Cupcakes. Bits of bacon are in the batter and they’re topped with sweet maple icing. Whoa! And at Splash Country you can get a – new this year – Sm’Oreo Gourmet Milkshake. Double whoa!
I just noticed there’s a theme here – sweets. Never fear, there are lots of non-dessert type options, too. We had Chicken Salad with lots of fresh fruit on the plate at Granny Ogle’s Ham and Beans and a wonderful “Grilled Watermelon Salad” in Market Square.
A word on managing dietary restrictions. The Front Porch Cafe is the place to go. Meals that accommodate just about any food allergy are available there. They also have a program called “Start Fresh” that prevents cross-contamination between foods.
Two new partnerships were recently launched with Bush’s and Lodge. Bush’s sponsors Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans and Lodge sponsors Aunt Granny’s Restaurant. Lodge is behind the complete and beautiful remodel of Aunt Granny’s, including revamping the buffet approach and serving dishes. It felt more like a meal at a friends home served family style. No huge chafing dishes or buffet pans here. Just various cast iron serving pieces, including some pieces from Lodge’s stoneware line. Very nice!
SPLASH COUNTRY
The biggest tip I can give you if you’re going to Dollywood with your family or a group of 14 or less is to get a “Retreat”. They are sweet 200 sq ft covered (think shade) enclosures with a TV screen, table and chairs, a phone for service, and a 100 sq ft sun deck with lounge chairs. It’s a good place for young children to nap, with adult supervision of course, as well as a place for adults to take a break and recharge. They are a reasonable $190 for the day. Especially good if you split the cost among a couple families.
If there’s just two of you, think about renting one of the 65 sq ft “Canopies” so you can take a break from the sun. There’s also a locked storage locker that’s a great for stashing personal items when your’re both in the water. Rent for $50 for a day.
NEW this year – Rentable Luxury Loungers for two. Located in front of River Beach, they also sport a lockable storage locker and provide shade. So new, they’re not available online yet, but you can rent one of the six Loungers when you get to Splash Country. They’re $45 for the day.
Also NEW this year are Tex-Mex Tacos at Splash Country. Multiple food options are available at this easily manageable water park.
THEME PARK
I love Dolly’s music. I like country music in general, but I was concerned about having to listen to blaring music all day. Not to worry! All music played by live groups (with mics and amps) or recorded played over speakers while I was there was tastefully subtle.
Shade and easily accessible seating are plentiful. It’s especially important on warm days.
Plan a little time for checking out the many quality shops and Dolly’s museum.
We commented among ourselves that we didn’t see any crazy meltdowns by children or adults even though the weather was pretty warm. There’s this relaxed vibe throughout the park that’s hard to explain. The employees genuine friendliness and interest in helping everyone is probably a big part of it. And the layout of the park doesn’t hurt. Lots of people were enjoying the park with us, but it didn’t feel crowded due to smart design.
DREAMMORE RESORT AND SPA
DreamMore Resort has been open for three years now. It’s beautiful and very well done. Family-friendly with a comfortable layout and a ton of amenities and special touches for guests:
- If you have Theme Park tickets, skip the ride lines with a complimentary TimeSaver pass.
- Items you purchase at the park will be delivered to your room so you don’t have to schlep them around with you all day.
- Exclusive park entry – avoid the lines.
- Free Resort Shuttle.
- Early Saturday park entry.
- Browse Resort features HERE.
The food available at the Resort eateries is notched up a bit from what you can enjoy at the parks. Everything I sampled, including the breakfast buffet at Song and Hearth was exceptionally good.
Many people won’t notice, but between the Song and Hearth deck and the pool is a Kitchen Garden planted with a nice variety herbs they pick fresh and use in food preparation as well as cocktails. Any gardener will tell you that Mint has a way of taking over, which it’s done here. There are plans in the works to re-do the garden using large planters. It should be even prettier and controlled at the same time.
If at all possible, enjoy the Salon and Spa. They feature FarmHouse Fresh products. The irony of being on a culinary tour and farm-related spa products wasn’t wasted on me. I wasn’t a believer, but am now. Lean in, I’m going to tell you something personal. I had my usual Summertime dry skin on the heels of my feet. After my pedicure, including a foot massage using the Honey Heel Glaze ($26) FarmHouse Fresh product, my heels showed no indication of dry skin for at least a full week! Now that I check, they still look good weeks later. That’s really unusual for me. Most products wear off after a few hours or a day, if I’m lucky. And this is not a paid endorsement.
I found Dollywood to be refreshingly, unapologeticly all about Dolly Parton. Sweet and welcoming, butterflies and positive never-give-up messages, without being sappy in the least. I think you’ll agree.
- You have GOT TO GO! You won’t believe the quality of the food, the amenities, the extent they’ve gone to making the Theme Park, Water Park, and DreamMore Resort family friendly, and the overall value.
- Be sure to check out Camp DW at the DreamMore Resort, if you’re staying there. They have a lot of activities for kids and adults every day. Some are free. Some are for an additional cost. Bedtime stories, arts & crafts, live music, and more.
- Dollywood was awarded a whopping Four Golden Ticket Awards, the so-called Oscars of the Industry, this year alone by Amusement Today, the amusement industry’s go-to publication for the news within the industry.
- Many employees are area folks that have retired from their careers. They love working at Dollywood and come back year after year.
- Dollywood is a few years away from completing a $300 million expansion. It’s not your Memaws Dollywood.
- Download the Dollywood Park App (App Store or Google Play) for maps and ride wait times. It definitely comes in handy!
Dollywood (https://www.dollywood.com/)
2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
