10 Reasons to Check Out Dollywood Theme Park {Pigeon Forge, TN}

I received discounted tickets in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

I love amusement parks and whenever we go on vacation I always try to squeeze one into our itinery. One amusement park that has been on my must-visit list is Dollywood in Tennessee. I have always loved Dolly Parton and I was so curious to see how she envisioned a theme park.

First thing I will say is that Dollywood is expensive and I mean expensive for a day for a family, but saying that there are ways to save and for me this was probably the only time I’d get to visit the park so we splurged.

Here are my 10 reasons to visit Dollywood:

So many rides! Seriously rides for all ages from little kids to teens to adults. Big rides, small rides and classic rides. We all had a blast and the lines moved fast.

So many bathrooms! Yes I am old and need to go a lot especially while hydrating while we walk around. I was so impressed at not having to search for a bathroom because they were everywhere.

Crazy clean. I didn’t see anything out of place or dirty, there were workers everywhere making sure the park stayed spotless which is definitely something hard to do with so many people visiting.

A different experience throughout the seasons. From beautiful blooming flowers and colors to Christmas decor galore, the park itself is amazing just to walk around. We went during the holiday season which honestly Dollywood at Christmas is amazing! So many lights and decorations! Our favorite was taking the steam train around to see the lights at the end of the day.

Live music and shows. If you need a break from rides or maybe you are not a big ride person, there are shows and music to enjoy all included in your price of admission.

So much history to explore. From the steam train to the Calico Falls Schoolhouse it is amazing how Dollywood wants to show off more than just rides. The one-room schoolhouse offers visitors a view of how many schools appeared in East Tennessee during the 1890s. There is also the two-room replica of Dolly Parton’s Locust Ridge childhood home which didn’t have electricy or running water.

Worker filling up the steam train…

A church in a theme park, yep only at Dollywood! The Robert F. Thomas Chapel is a one-room country church where the simple wooden pews and hardwood floors allow guests to enjoy mass on Sunday for services! If its not mass time you can still walk around inside and see how beautiful it is.

A huge climbing playground. Hidden Hollow is basically a building that houses a giant climbing structure for kids to run around and explore. It is a great break from the heat or to let your kids wind off some energy.

Eagles, yes tons of actual eagles! I am not a bird person but I do enjoy seeing animals. I was super impressed at the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary – a 30,000-square-foot aviary houses the country’s largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles.

For big Dolly Parton fans, you can explore her Tour bus! Dolly’s Home-on-Wheels has taken her all across the U.S. and is now parked for guests to go inside and tour it.

Photo from the Dollywood website

Honestly, if you can splurge or have time in the area with nothing to do, I highly recommend Dollywood. You can easily spend the whole day riding rides, watching shows and animals, people watching and more. I will say too we ate lunch there and had snacks and the prices were not terrible.