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Monday, March 17, 2025

🟡🟣Dollywood's 'I Will Always Love You' Music Festival, Tasting Pass Info, Calendar, and More! 🟣🟡

Hi Everyone,
Dollywood has opened for its 40th Season and I am here to share with you information that I've found about the tasting pass, this years' operating calendar, New Stuff and more!

courtesy of dollywood.com


For the "I Will Always Love You'' music festival, Dollywood has opted to not put any information about the tasting pass, menu items, or anything else related to the IWALY Festival Dining situation, on their website (Yet - Work In Progress, I think).  So, I took a deep dive into the app to figure out if any information was there - and there is!  

I'm not sure if this is how they will handle Tasting Pass info dissemination moving forward, but I like having it all in one, easy to find place on the website vs. scattered across the app.  

3/18 NOTE:  On the Festival Page on the website - here - it looks like they've begun to assemble the web page for all the menu items.   When that happens, I will update this blog post further - so stay tuned, I will let you know on the FB Page, give it a like/follow.


Let's go to the Dollywood App.  Below are two screen shots, side-by-side to help illustrate the example of How To Find Tasting Pass Food Items.




Step One - Left - Decide which restaurant you want to look at.  Here we are looking at Crossroads Funnel Cakes.  You see a badge labeled "Festival Dining" - that's the badge you will find all of the Festival Tasting Pass Menu Items as you scroll up/down through the list of restaurants.  

Step Two - Right - When you click on the restaurant, it will take you to the screen that you see on the right.  You'll need to scroll down to "Festival Offerings - Tasting Pass Eligible".  Here you see that their only IWALY Tasting Pass option is the Strawberry Crunch Funnel Cake.

My hope is that there is a front-gate brochure of all the menu items for you to look over. 

Since there is minimal Tasting Pass information on their website, and the info on the app to guide me to buying a Tasting Pass does not take me to a place to buy a pass, then I feel like I should hold off on posting specifics like pricing, and other details.  In the past you could use your Season Pass for the discount associated with your level of pass, and that should be the case this time as well.  

If you're interested, here's a link to the Christmas 2024 Tasting Pass...you can see price structure, etc.  Click Here.

I wish I had more info to share about the tasting pass!

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What's Up around the Park for the "I Will Always Love You" Music Festival
Being the first week of the season, the park has many completed projects from the couple of months of being closed.  Also, not listed here are many of the celebrations planned during the rest of the season.  Dolly mentioned a larger event around May 3rd, the official 40th Anniversary opening date.  Stay tuned for more on that.
  • Parking Lot - A New 750 spot parking lot is opening.
    • Smoother Experiences:  I've heard they paved away the bumpy asphalt in the tram loading/unloading areas of the Transportation Hub, with concrete. 
  • Front Gate Opening Ceremony - I don't have many details, but may include the playing of the National Anthem and a flag raising ceremony.  Also, not sure what time this happens.  This is for all season long.
  • Country Fair Refresh - The steep path next to Iron Horse Pizza is closed.  You'll need to walk towards the Carousel and hang a right down into the new/old path that takes you in between the Flying Elephants and Sky Rider rides.  The secondary path that passes by Smoky Mountain Rampage is still open and accessible.
    • New Splash Pad - There's a new splash pad in the former area where the kiddy coaster once stood.  They've added some additional seating as well.
    • You'll notice fresh paint and other updates to buildings and structures.
  • Imagination Playhouse - New permanent home at the Heart Song Theater, in the Village.
  • New Dollywood Sign - coming later in the season.  Dolly has often spoken about her time in Los Angeles, looking at the famous Hollywood sign and thinking to herself..."If I could change that "H" to a "D", it would be perfect!  And so, for the 40th Season, that's what Dollywood is doing.  It will be at the Craftsman's Valley/The Village Crossroads, above the new shade structure where the former cave once stood.
  • Brand New Eatery set to open in May - Wilderness Pass Restaurant - This will be on the site of the former River Battle Ride, in Wilderness Pass.  It's next door to Mystery Mine and Firechaser Express.  It will feature Rotisserie Chicken, Fish, Collard Greens, plus other interesting menu items.
  • Rides - Some rides are having a slow-start to the year...
    • Smoky Mountain Rampage - has not opened yet.  It usually opens with the park.
    • Dollywood Express - Original info:  D.E. has not been able to run because of a local Burn Ban.  We are in a deficit for rain at the moment.  
      • 3/18 update - The burn ban has been lifted.  A new sign at the train depot mentions 'routine maintenance' as a reason for closure.  Cinderella #70 was seen moving around the tracks near the depot.... hopefully in preparation for operation.  We'll see!  
    • Lightning Rod - mechanical issues.
    • Blazing Fury - closed, expected to open later in the season with some minor upgrades.
    • Tennessee Tornado received a fresh coat of paint.  Painting is not quite finished yet, but it is operational.
    • Giant Tree Swing - it's been closed about 1/3 of the time since opening day.  Hopefully a minor issue.  3/18 - I believe it opened back up.
    • Everything else has opened, from my research.
  • TimeSaver Pass from the Resorts - Some of the ride offerings have changed from the offerings in the past (for example:  Lightning Rod & Big Bear Mountain) - be sure to check that info out so no one in your group is disappointed.

  • New Shows/Old Favorites
      • Wild Roots Band
      • Kingdom Heirs
      • Smoky Mountain String Band, (aka as Appalachian Christmas during S.M.Xmas.)
      • Heartsong, The Movie - New Location in Dreamsong Theater.
      • Sing-A-Long with Dolly returns for a 2nd year, for IWALY.
      • Trio, Again, returns for a 2nd year, for IWALY.
      • Heidi Parton's Kin & Friends, returns for a 2nd year...and plays all season long.
      • From The Heart, returns for a 2nd year...and plays all or most of the season.
      • LINK TO THE LATEST INFO AT DOLLYWOOD.COM/SHOWS & ENTERTAINMENT.
  • IWALY Operating Calendar.
    • Open Every Single Day throughout the IWALY Festival - 10a to 8pm.
Cross check this calendar, against the latest-greatest version at dollywood.com, as things can change without notice.


TROLLEY TO DOLLYWOOD
So far, crowds have been normal level except for Opening Day, which was a mad house, so that everyone could see Dolly in person.  The parking lots closed for a few hours and the park recommended taking the Pigeon Forge Trolley.  Now it's spring break time, and the park is expected to be busy.  If you're staying at a Pigeon Forge hotel on the Trolley route, then you could save a lot of headaches by schlepping your crew onto the Trolley.  This isn't for everyone, but if you don't mind the experience, then I recommend looking into the Trolley basics, at the very least.  Watch my video - A Fun and Easy Guide to the Pigeon Forge Trolley, below.



Transportation Names
You will hear a lot of names used while you're in Pigeon Forge.  If you're unsure of all the names used for Dollywood transportation - here's a guide.

  • The Parking Lot Tram is used in the Dollywood and Splash Country Parking lots, for the purpose of getting guests to and from the front gate.  When Splash Country is open, the park operates a separate Tram, designated to take guests between the two parks.  If you're riding the PF Trolley to get to Splash Country, you will exit at the Dollywood Stop, and then walk to the Transportation Hub, to get on the designated Tram to Splash Country.  If unsure, ASK!


  • The Resort Trolleys - take guests to/from the resorts, to/from both parks.


  • The Pigeon Forge Trolley/Gatlinburg Trolley - These two systems co-exist to take passengers around all of the tourists' areas in Sevier County.  The main hub of activity for Pigeon Forge is at Patriot Park, near The Island and Teaster Lane.  In Gatlinburg, the main hub is at the Ripley's Aquarium.


Dollywood Opening Day Media Event Video
Dollywood Media Event from Opening Day March 14, 2025, Featuring Dolly Parton.  You can view the entire event on their FB page below.

 

I see this asked a lot.  How is Dollywood celebrating 40 years in 2025?  I thought it opened in 1986??  

You and I didn't turn one year old until a year after our birth dates.  So, Season One happened in 1986.  Dolly turned 40 years old that year.  In 2025, Dolly turned 79 years old, the park is in its 40th Season, and the park is 39 years old.  Fun Fact:  In the future - in the year 2046, Dolly will be 100 years old.  The park will be in its 61st season!

Easy Quiz Time - Following along, in the year 2056...How old will Dolly be, What Season will Dollywood be celebrating, and what year of operation is it?? 


I hope everyone enjoys their Dollywood visit and has a great 2025 season!

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information - 




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