💠Dollywood's 2025 Exclusive Ride Time + Golden Hours + Golden Events - What's The Difference? - Info You'll Want 2 Know 💠

Hi Everyone,

Let's discuss Exclusive Ride Time (ERT), Golden Events and Golden Hours for 2025.  I notice these three mostly separate things are often confused for one another, so let's first define each of these.

💠Exclusive Ride Time (ERT) - This is special time set aside for those Gold & Diamond Passholders who register, as well as Resort Guests who register for this once-A-festival event.  You get to enjoy select attractions before the park opens to the public.  ERT falls under Golden Events.

💠Golden Hour - Every operating day, for the first hour, you can use your Gold or Diamond Pass as if it were a TimeSaver Pass, allowing you a so-called 'front of the line' pass, that are popular at many amusement parks these days.  This includes all rides that offer the TimeSaver option.  No registration required - just show the attendant your pass.  Link to Dollywood's TimeSaver Page - lots of specifics including which rides - click HERE.

💠Golden Events - these are less frequent events.  They are usually well advertised in advance and can include things like the Media Day event on Opening Day, or special events through the season.  ERT falls under Golden Events.

Here's a handy infographic from Dollywood with more specifics...

For Exclusive Ride Time (ERT), ERT's are held on one Saturday per festival. 

 

Below is an example of how ERT works, straight from an official Dollywood Facebook event page for the Flower and Food Festival ERT event for 2025.  The selected attractions for each ERT event will change for each event.

Gold and Diamond Season Passholders gain access to a special Early Ride Time Event in Jukebox Junction during the Flower & Food Festival! ERT will run from 8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. at Lightning Rod, Rockin’ Roadway and Smoky Mountain River Rampage.
Attendees can enjoy early park entry, premium ride time, culinary samplings and an exclusive 1986 original design sticker!

𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚:

Gold and Diamond Passholders, as well as resort guests, are eligible to register for this event. Each Gold or Diamond Passholder must have an event ticket to be allowed entry. Children 3 & under or children with a Pre-K Imagination Season Pass are the only exceptions. Silver and Platinum Passholders, as well as guests using Bring-A-Friend Tickets, do not qualify.
Gold and Diamond Passholders

 

🌟🌟🌟

Gold and Diamond Passholders will be prompted to log into their My Dollywood account to register for this event. They will find this registration as an action-required entitlement in their online account. There will only be one entitlement given per eligible guest. This entitlement can only be redeemed once per person.
Once redeemed, this will serve as the guest’s event ticket. This ticket will be scanned at the turnstiles on Saturday, April 26 beginning at 8 a.m.

Resort Guests

Resort guests wishing to attend this event can pick up an event ticket at the ticketing desk at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort.
Guests will scan their event tickets and their park admission tickets at the turnstiles on Saturday, April 26, beginning at 8 a.m.
Additional Information
Please be sure to reserve an event ticket for each member of your party so we have an accurate rider count. Children 3 and under will not need an event ticket. Registration will begin Tuesday, April 15 at 11 a.m.

🌟Here is a FB link to the next ERT Event, which happens to be this upcoming Saturday April 26 - you need to register in your My Dollywood Account (see above) to take advantage of this opportunity.  These ERT events are only one-time per festival.

https://www.facebook.com/share/19cGNnniyX/ 

I have been unable to find a schedule for ERT for the rest of 2025.  When I do, I will be sure to post that update here.

I hope that helps to clear up any confusion around these topics!  Please let me know if something is off or incorrect- it could easily be! :)

🔵Blog Posts and other Helpful Trip Planning information - 

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a spreadsheet that incorporates ratings from different reliable sources and ranked hotels in the area.  I've listed out columns for things like indoor pools, hot tubs and more on the spreadsheet.  Very helpful if you, or someone in your group is looking for a specific amenity.
• Top Breakfast Restaurants in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a list of the best Breakfast restaurants in Pigeon Forge using ratings from various reliable sources and ranked them in my blog post.
  
• 30 Great Places to Eat In Pigeon Forge that are open after 2pm! A list of highly rated establishments that are open past 2pm.
• Guide To Mountain Coasters - A look at all the types of mountain coasters in Sevier County.
• Dollywood's 2025 Operating Calendar +MORE - speculation, guesses on future projects, etc.
• Navigating to Dollywood from North Carolina post-Hurricane Helene.
• 8 Things to do at Dollywood if you don't care for rides - There's a lot to do!
• Pigeon Forge Trolley Info You'll Want to Know!
• Trip Advisors Top 10 Budget Friendly Hotels in Pigeon Forge.
• Tons of YouTube videos - I have so many YouTube videos of Dollywood including every festival and lots of general park updates as well as Big Bear Mountain footage.
• Check out my 2024 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2024.
• Check out my 2023 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2023.
• Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.
• 2024-2025 School Break Calendar - includes Fall, Christmas & Spring Breaks for regional schools.
• Link to Dollywood's TimeSaver Info Page - click Here.

🟠🟢Dollywood's Flower & Food Festival Tasting Pass Info for 2025 🟢🟠

Hi Everyone,

The Smoky Mountains are alive with the vibrant hues of spring, and at its heart, Dollywood's Flower & Food Festival is blossoming into a feast for the senses! Imagine the park awash in a kaleidoscope of floral artistry, perfectly paired with an array of delectable tastes. Feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of beauty and flavor? Your answer: the Flower & Food Festival Tasting Pass, your passport to a curated culinary journey.

The Flower & Food Festival runs from April 18 to June 8, 2025. Note that Dollywood is closed on certain Tuesdays and Thursdays early on in the festival. Operating Hours for the entire festival will be 10am Opening and 8pm Closing. Pro Tip: Always double check the calendar when you plan to go to Dollywood - ALWAYS!

Firstly,

You Can Buy the Tasting Pass at Dollywood.com at this link - here.

All this information is from Dollywood's website, which is at this link - here.

It's $42.99 and $3 discount for Gold and Diamond Passholders. Click on any image to see a bigger version.

You get Five Choices. You can use them all in one day if you wish. You can use Two, come back another day and use the other Three. Make it a fun date night and split Four, and share the fifth as a dessert.

I don't have a link to whomever created "the spreadsheet" - but someone has created a spreadsheet with rankings of value for all of the Tasting Pass menu items - is what they've done, but if you look for it on the Dollywood Facebook Pages, you will find it. I think the gist of it usually ends up being that the Food vs. Drinks battle commences, and food usually wins. That's what I gathered from a quick glance at it. If you want to search for it, it's out there. I saw one for the IWALY tasting pass as well.

BEVERAGES

SAVORY BITES

DESSERTS

Have you tried any of the menu items in the tasting pass?  If so, what did you think about it?  Let me know in the comments.

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information - 

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a spreadsheet that incorporates ratings from different reliable sources and ranked hotels in the area.  I've listed out columns for things like indoor pools, hot tubs and more on the spreadsheet.  Very helpful if you, or someone in your group is looking for a specific amenity.
• Top Breakfast Restaurants in Pigeon Forge.  I have created a list of the best Breakfast restaurants in Pigeon Forge using ratings from various reliable sources and ranked them in my blog post.
  
• 30 Great Places to Eat In Pigeon Forge that are open after 2pm! A list of highly rated establishments that are open past 2pm.
• Guide To Mountain Coasters - A look at all the types of mountain coasters in Sevier County.
• Dollywood's 2025 Operating Calendar +MORE - speculation, guesses on future projects, etc.
• Navigating to Dollywood from North Carolina post-Hurricane Helene.
• 8 Things to do at Dollywood if you don't care for rides - There's a lot to do!
• Pigeon Forge Trolley Info You'll Want to Know!
• Trip Advisors Top 10 Budget Friendly Hotels in Pigeon Forge.
• Tons of YouTube videos - I have so many YouTube videos of Dollywood including every festival and lots of general park updates as well as Big Bear Mountain footage.
• Check out my 2024 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2024.
• Check out my 2023 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2023.
• Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.
• 2024-2025 School Break Calendar - includes Fall, Christmas & Spring Breaks for regional schools.

🔴🟡🔴🟡Dollywood's Opening Week + 'I Will Always Love You' Music Festival 2025 - VIDEOS AND PHOTO TRIP REPORT 🟡🔴🟡🔴

Hi Everyone!

This article includes all of my Videos from Opening Week AND A Photo Trip Report.  Some of the pics from my visit.  I want to try and include a Photo Trip report in my blog for every visit this season!

I have gathered up all of my videos so far from Dollywood's Opening Week - their 40th Season!

If they were put in chronological order, they would go this way.

Tram Ride In

Part One

Part Two

Glass Shop

From The Heart

Emporium

Emporium Short

A short about Dollywood's Project 2026.  

Includes the Media Day Teaser video from Dolly and Eugene Naughton, park president....and a little construction zone footage from 3/18/25.

photo trip report - random order

Country Fair splashpad and enhancements

new permanent home for Imagination Playhouse, the Village Area

Country Fair - new signage and a new path - that used to be there a long time ago.

Country Fair - Fresh paint everywhere

Construction Update from 3/18/25, New Wilderness Pass Restaurant

Construction Update from 3/18/25, New Wilderness Pass Restaurant

Construction Update from 3/18/25, New Wilderness Pass Restaurant

Construction Update from 3/18/25, New Wilderness Pass Restaurant - outdoor dining area

Construction Update from 3/18/25, New Wilderness Pass Restaurant - this will be the Mobile Ordering Window.

Featured Menu Items

Celebration Sky, part of IWALY celebration

LOVE photo opp, part of the IWALY celebration

Face Paint and Henna Prices 2025

I doubt this is new, but new to me!

Some of the 40th merch - see my videos for lots more merch video.

This is happening later in the season.

The Depot Stage, where The Tones typically perform, has been removed.

Dollywood has placed these anniversary medallions on the buildings that have been around since day one of Dollywood, such as the Little School House seen here.

Seen at the Glass Shop

Seen at the Glass Shop

Seen at the Glass Shop

Seen at the Glass Shop

Seen at the Glass Shop

Seen at the Blacksmith Shop

Seen at the Blacksmith Shop

Here's #192 being prepped for service later in the season.  Cinderella is pulling the train until then.

These two signs grabbed my attention.

This sign is at the Junction - you can't get close to it.

This sign is interesting - it has a hole where the train headlight is, and I think its a couple of LED lights in there, but not positive.  It will be awhile before Dollywood is open after dark to see wether or not its a light.  Wonder what this is connected to - a larger project or just a one-off thingy?  This is between Blazing Fury and Tennessee Tornado.

I hope you enjoyed this visit to Dollywood!  Let me know in the comments your favorite part, or least favorite parts!  I would really love to hear from you!

🟩🟩Dollywood's Project 2026 - What is it? Where is it? What I Know & Some Guesses🟩🟩

Hi Everyone,

Before we go to the video about Project 2026, I want to be clear that I do not have any official information about Project 2026.  I am a life-long amusement and theme park enthusiast, Dollywood enthusiast as well as a Dolly Parton enthusiast - and maybe a good guesser?   So, this is all 100% W.U.A.D. Speculation.  I will build my case for what I believe the ride system will be used for P'26.  Are you with me? GOOD.    

Dollywood teased Project 2026 at the Opening Day Media Event.   

Let's go to the video...

TRANSCRIPT:  In 2026 Dollywood is going further than we've gone before.

Up, over and through the Great Smoky Mountains and down to the heart of the ancient Wildwood Tree.  Follow the light to discover the unexpected.  What will you find when the sun goes down?

Take flight in 2026.

What is it?

"Further than we've gone before.''  What I think that really means is, ''We've written a gigantic check to a ride manufacturer.''  I'm coming around more and more to the Mack Inverted-dynamic-do-everything powered-coaster that will feature a few medium to high-speed roller coaster gravity driven moments.  I am thinking this will be similar in nature to Blazing Fury (meaning slow parts and fast parts using theatrical scenes to help tell the story, very family friendly), except brand new state of the art ride systems by Mack.  This is not a record-breaking thrill ride.

Where will it be located?

It is in Wildwood Grove.  It will be behind Big Bear Mountain as you walk through Wildwood Grove.  It is already under construction and at the time of publishing this article - the best way to see it is from the Dollywood Express.

Less likely possibility...

The Flying Theater Concept has come up amongst enthusiasts, and many of us who speculate on stuff like this, and I just don't see that concept happening at Dollywood.  For starters, it's sort of boring, in my opinion - compared to this fancy Mack coaster I'm about to try and sell you on, and I think Dollywood was rightfully sold on.  Two, the flying theater concept falls into the one-and-done category until the film changes, which cannot be inexpensive.  Theme Parks want people to want to ride over and over, AND they want to be able to change attractions in cost-effective ways to freshen them up from season to season...so, this detail just hammers the Mack system home for me. Dollywood wants to showcase the Smokies, per the video, so how many different movies about the Smokies can you really make - where they are different, unique and entertaining for flying theater audiences?   

Silver Dollar City opened Fire In The Hole 2.0 (link to blog article).  It is very well executed.  It's a modern-day version of Blazing Fury...that is what they replaced.   I'd encourage you to go to my blog post and look at the details in the scenes - the use of projected scenes is well done and uses the latest/greatest technology.  I think Dollywood will tap into whatever resource was used there - for Project 2026.  Dollywood said (I think)- we can use this Mack ride system to tell this story about the Smokies in a beautiful way.  We can utilize space better with these scenes with the rides capability to spin 360'.  We can get your feet close to waterfalls and streams.  

There may be a scene of fireflies taking over whole areas of the Smokies like they do in real life.  I imagine a big helix going around this ancient Wildwood Tree mentioned in the video.  We'll see how it plays out.

Here's something else that crossed my mind as I was writing this part - Puy d'fou is supposedly - the Cherokee Indian development at Exit 407, with the Phase 1 of Buc ee's - part of their massive plan included a "museum /play/entertainment/education center'' - by Puy d'fou.  THEY ARE AMAZINGLY DETAIL ORIENTED IN ALL THEY DO.  Honestly, it's like a near-perfect recreation of everything.  Google their theme parks or go to their website and dig around.  They confirmed their involvement in Exit 407, then there was a pause on the project from the developer about the order of the Phases.  That is the last update I recall - but this is on Dollywood's radar no doubt - this desire to be detail oriented now involves serious competition in your own backyard, where it did not exist.

Back to this amazing Mack Inverted Power Coaster...

There are a few examples of these Mack coasters- and their heavy theming - let's look at a few pics from RCDB.   I'll link to each pic below it - if you want to click on it and look at other pics - go for it.  

This is Arthur, at Europa Park in Germany - which happens to be an amusement park owned by - guess who?  MACK.  The park operates like a Showroom for amusement rides, as well as a theme park.   Side note:  Mack Trucks - Americans are more familiar with Mack Trucks, which is a separate division of the same German company.  Amusement rides are industrial equipment, jazzed up.

source: RCDB

Here's the ride vehicle.  It's a train with three of these cars.  Below is a closer look.

Source: RCDB

Features of this Mack Inverted Ride System, include:

• 8 trains with 3 cars per train. Not sure how many trains DW will opt to get, if they go this route.
• Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 12 riders per train.  
• Each car can rotate 360 degrees, so imagine the possibilities with looking at scenes in the dark ride portion of the experience.  Scenes can be bunched up together and the car spins around to reveal a different scene to you - another cost-effective possibility! 
• Variable speed as determined by the needs of the story and the parks choices.
• Gravity-driven sections.  Parts of the ride will likely be driven by gravity, just like we see on Blazing Fury.  I have to imagine we'll be flying over water features, forests with lightning bugs, big fields of flowers, barns and structures from the past, just like what you experience when you go to the Smokies - according to the teaser video I posted at the top of the article.
• On-board audio to help tell the story.  
• Note that Herschend's two most recent additions have both included on-board audio...
• SDC's brand new dark ride, Fire In The Hole 2.0, features on-board audio.
• As did DW's Big Bear Mountain...Herschend loves it.
• HIGH CAPACITY:  1,500 PPH (depending on amount of trains and other variables)
• Conveyor Belt Station - easy loading and unloading.

Source:RCDB

The layout can be customized to the needs of the park. Some of the existing models of this coaster feature indoor sections as well as outdoor sections.  All of the models have some gravity driven parts at some point in the ride - just like what you see on Blazing Fury - that's the kind of comparison I am referring to.  

Now, going back to the DW video, they said "Follow the light to discover the unexpected.  what will you find when the sun goes down?"  To me, it sounds like they want to keep this as a ''night experience'' - so, if that holds true then I am not sure popping out into the 98-degree hot summer day, will fit into that experience they are hoping to achieve.  They may choose to keep it entirely indoors to be able to have a consistent storyline for every ride.  OR that could mean ''follow the light'' as in, the light at the end of the ride tunnel.  We shall see!

Dragon Gliders, Motion Gate, Dubai.

Source:  Dragon Gliders - Motiongate (Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Dragon Gliders, seen above, does not feature an outdoor section, but does enter into a large room that includes smaller rides....and DW could benefit from more indoor rides, or even semi-covered rides for when its raining....if they went with an all indoor version.

Source:  Dragon Gliders - Motiongate (Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Above, we see the Conveyor Load/unload part of the station.  Stations like this really keep the people moving.  

JURASSIC FLYERS - UNIVERSAL Beijing

Source:  Jurassic Flyers - Universal Studios Beijing (Tongzhou, Beijing, China)

Above - much better look at the Conveyor Station.

Source:  Jurassic Flyers - Universal Studios Beijing (Tongzhou, Beijing, China)

Here we see an outdoor section of Jurassic Flyers.  Not sure what the interior scenes look like, but obviously they are dinosaur related, and no doubt highly themed per Universal's standards.

DELIA'S ADVENTURES

Source:  Delia's Adventure - BON Luxury Theme Park (Las Jarretaderas, Nayarit, Mexico)

Not a lot of info on RCDB about this one - it's under construction.  He does say it's similar, if not the same layout as Arthur....so two definitely are clones and I think the other two are custom layouts.

Let's check out some POV's from these attractions.  First up Arthur.

Dragon Gliders

Jurassic Flyers

So, that's a look at all the installations of this Mack Inverted Powered Coaster from RCDB.

Late Breaking Development:

Yesterday, I noticed someone found the shipping information for Dollywood - from Germany to the port of Charleston, South Carolina.  Hmmm - who is in Germany?? Mack is in Germany, and this is one more CLUE that this is what I think it is.  I haven't had a chance to confirm the shipping information, but I will naively believe it is real.  A Vekoma coaster would come from the Netherlands, a B&M - Switzerland.  So, this effectively rules out many other manufacturers.

Again, this is all speculation, however I can see many of my fellow speculators are also coming around to this idea of a Mack coaster more and more as seemingly insignificant details - like a shipping tag - can help paint a picture of what's to come.

Thoughts, ideas?  Let me know in the comments.