🍁🍂Dollywood's Harvest Festival 2024 Video Extravaganza 🍂🍁

Hi Everyone, 

As I write this we are in peak-Christmas season, just a few days out from the big day and I am wrapping up my videos from Dollywood's Harvest Festival.   I had several videos from this festival and it's nice to have them all in one place to easily share them with you all.  Of course they are all on my Dollywood Playlist on YouTube, but here they are all bundled up together.

Smoky Creek Leather & Hat Co, in Craftsman's Valley

Blown Glass Shop - Harvest Highlights

Emporium - Harvest Highlights

Dolly's Fan Shop

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Dollywood Menus for 2024
• 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 2024 Operating Calendar
• 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 many Big Bear Mountain footage.
• 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.

🦃🦃Happy Thanksgiving From What's Up At Dollywood! 🦃🦃

🦃🦃🦃

I hope you enjoy this Dolly at Dollywood Thanksgiving Special from 1987, as much as I do every year.  Feels like a wayback machine trip.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving!  Thank you all for your continued support with What's Up At Dollywood as it continues to grow. 

Dolly, as far as I know, is not going to be at the Dallas Cowboys football game this year, sadly.  But you can re-live that show in its full glory below, through Youtube.

You may have to click a link to watch on YT itself, due to the NFL media rules.

Here's Dolly all the way back in March of this year, 2024 in the Opening Day Dolly Parade at Dollywood.

🦃

🟢🔴🟢🔴 Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas 2024 - Tasting Pass Menus, Info and More!🟢🔴🟢🔴

Hi Everyone,

Dollywood has released information related to the Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival.  I've got menus, operating calendar and more below.  Smoky Mountain Christmas starts on Friday, November 1st and runs thru January 5th, 2025.

Dollywood is open daily throughout the Festival Except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas.  Dollywood's schedule through the festival is 11am to 9pm.  Dollywood closes on New Years Eve at 9pm, so no midnight celebration at the park.  However, the resorts have celebrated in the past with a prix fix event.  I'll keep my eyes peeled for it and report it back here if I do. LINK TO NYE at the Dollywood Resorts - Click Here for info.  You'll see there is one event at each resort and they're unique - so check that out.

🎄🎄🎄 

Let's dig into some more details.

🟠Christmas Festival Menu Items - Beverages, Savory Bites & Desserts

🟡Beverages

 🟡Savory Bites

 🟡Desserts, mmmm desserts

Click on any picture to enlarge - These are from the Dollywood Website, Check it out HERE.

🟠Country Fair Buffet Menu-Christmas Buffet

🟠Tasting Pass Options

Don't forget to use your Gold & Diamond Pass for a discount.

This tasting pass operates the same way as all the other passes before it.  You get to choose any five items from the Christmas Festival Menu.  You don't have to use them all in one visit.  You can share a pass - they could make for a great date night meal! 

🟠What's Up Around The Park?  

Relive the magic of last year's Smoky Mountain Christmas festival through these videos of our fun activities. Get excited for what we have in store for 2024!

Christmas Drone Show - Watch my 2023 Drone Show Video Below

🟠Rides - Weather Permitting, All of the rides should be in operation, except for the two water rides which have closed for the season.

Dollywood does have Weather Guidelines that they follow for inclement weather and temperatures, and Smoky Mountain Weather can throw some curveballs.  Read my blog post about Dollywood's Weather Guidelines HERE.

🟠Park Map for Smoky Mountain Christmas - PDF Click Here

 

🟠VIP Tour

🟠Photo Opportunities

 This was written and published by Wes Ramey for the dollywood blog in 2023 but, it's still great info in my opinion, for photo opportunities, entertainment, everything!

Read it HERE

The spirit of Christmas shines merry and bright during our Smoky Mountain Christmas festival presented by Humana during this special season, with the event beginning on Nov. 4 and ho ho ho-ing all the way through Jan. 6, 2024!  The 15-time winner for Best Theme Park Christmas Event boasts more than 6 million shining, shimmering lights throughout the park, but the newest ones will fly above the park each evening as part of a stunning holiday drone show - Joyful. Our summer drone show has been one of my family’s favorite nighttime experiences for the last several years, so we are really looking forward to this sparkly new sight during the holiday season.

 Read the rest at the link above.

🟠Music / Entertainment / Performances / Meet N Greet

More Information Coming Soon.

You Can Check the Daily Schedule at this link - new links are posted here each week.  Click Here.

Here's the Schedule for Week Two.

Pro Tip:  Notice how Dollywood uses an orange font in the showtimes above?  If you would like to see every single show, then plan your day according to those orange showtimes.

Shows/Performances...

• Heidi Parton's Christmas to Remember is new this year.
• Appalachian Christmas is the Smoky Mountain String Band's Christmas Show, if you weren't aware.
• Looks to me like all of the other shows are returning from last year.

Other Cool Stuff...

• Snow in the Grove is new this year.  Everyday beginning at 6pm, then every half hour with the last one at 8:30pm.
• Merry & Bright FIREWORKS Show is new this year.  It takes place in Wildwood Creek on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:45pm. This show replaces the Joyful Drone and Fireworks Christmas Show from last year.   See my video of the 2023 Joyful Show HERE.
• Always popular Santa's List returns to The Village.  It's everyday from 11am to 8pm in the Heartsong Theater.
• Wings of America (Bird Show) moves to Saturdays Only with a special holiday themed show.
• The Dolly Parton Experience will have some Christmas related items throughout the various exhibits, as I understand it.  

⭐Check out Dollywood's Website for the latest information about Special Smoky Mountain Christmas Entertainment.  HERE.  

🟠Dollywood App

🟠Special Offers

Note that the $82 offer ends on 11/24/24.

🟠Season Passes

Read my article about Season Passes that, if you purchase a 2025 pass now, will include admission to this Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival.  Read that HERE

🎄🎄🎄 

Check out my previous videos from Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas to get a preview of all the fun you can expect.

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Dollywood Menus for 2024
• 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 2024 Operating Calendar
• 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 many Big Bear Mountain footage.
• 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.

Good luck with the planning process and ask any questions you may have in the comments below.  I'll do my best to answer or point you in the right direction.

#Dollywood #DollywoodTripPlanning #PigeonForgeTennessee #TennesseeTourism #vlog #blog #pigeonforgeattractions

🎃 Dollywood's Harvest Festival 2024 - Tasting Pass, Park Info + More! 👻

Hi Everyone,

Dollywood has released information related to the Harvest Festival, including the Tasting Pass and their festival menu.   The Harvest Festival starts on Monday, September 9th and runs thru October 28th.

My Night At Dollywood 2023

Dollywood remains open daily throughout the Harvest Festival, operating from 10am to 9pm. The planned closures following the festival strongly suggest that the park is gearing up for the transition to Smoky Mountain Christmas, which begins on November 1st.  

Source Link (dw..com)

🎃 🎃 🎃

Let's dig into some more details.

🟠Harvest Festival Menu Items - Beverages, Savory Bites & Desserts

🟡Beverages

 🟡Savory Bites

 🟡Desserts, mmmm desserts.

Click on any picture to enlarge - These are from the Dollywood Website, Check it out HERE.

🟠Country Fair Buffet Menu

🟠Tasting Pass Options

Don't forget to use your Gold & Diamond Pass for a discount.

This tasting pass is the same as all the other passes before it.  You get to chose any five items from the Harvest Festival Menu.  You don't have to use them all in one visit.  You can share a pass - they could make for a great date night meal! 

🟠What's Up Around The Park?  Artisans, Craftspeople, Music, Food, Photo Spots, Pumpkin Spice and everything nice!

Relive the magic of last year's harvest festival through these photos of our fun activities. Get excited for what we have in store for 2024!

My Night At Dollywood 2023

My Night At Dollywood 2023

My Night At Dollywood 2023

My Night At Dollywood 2023

My Night At Dollywood 2023

My Night At Dollywood 2023

🟠Rides - All of the rides should be in operation.  Daredevil Falls usually closes at dusk, while Smoky Mountain Rampage usually closes with the park.  The last day of the season for the two water rides, in the recent past, has been the end of the Harvest Festival, So, October 28, 2024.

Dollywood does have Weather Guidelines that they follow for inclement weather and temperatures, and Smoky Mountain Weather can throw some curveballs.  Read my blog post about Dollywood's Weather Guidelines HERE.

🟠VIP Tour

Learn More at dollywood.com, click here.

🟠Photo Opportunities

 This was written and published by Wes Ramey for the dollywood blog in 2023, but it looks as though it was removed perhaps.  Anyhow, it's still great info in my opinion, for photo opps for your socials.

My family loves to take photos when we visit, and there’s a colorful photo op right when we enter the park called Harvest Sky. We can’t wait to stand beneath the thousands of vibrant, shimmering leaves swaying in the breeze along Showstreet. Then we’ll definitely have to stand in front of the colossal pumpkins—last year’s pumpkins ranged in weight from 800 to 1500 lbs. each and came from growers across the East Coast. We also love stopping by and seeing all the visiting artisans to see what amazing handmade wares they have brought with them, with many of them demonstrating their skills and techniques while creating one-of-a-kind treasures that we can purchase to take home with us to relive our time at Dollywood this fall whenever we want.

🟠Music 

According to dollywood.com....

Music fills the fall air as dozens of talented artists perform daily across the streets and stages of Dollywood. Listen for bluegrass, country and southern gospel acts paired with the Smokies' spectacular fall foliage and crisp autumn breezes for an engaging and enchanting way to experience an authentic mountain fall. Don't miss a minute of the music—download the Dollywood app to see the latest showtimes.

Here are Some of the many names I see and recognize immediately:

• Suzy Bogguss 
• TG Sheppard
• Cruz and Billy Conterras
• Gloryway
• Mandy Barnett
• The Young Fables
• Mike Snodgrass
• Rhonda Vincent
• Leroy Parnell
• Fiddling Leona with JP (video here)
• And many, many more!

⭐Check out Dollywood's Website for the latest information about Special Harvest Entertainment.  HERE.  

🟠Dollywood App

🟠Special Offers

🎃 🎃 🎃

Check out my previous videos from Dollywood's Harvest festival to get a preview of all the fun you can expect.

🔵Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information

• Getting To Dollywood by Plane
• Dollywood Menus for 2024
• 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 2024 Operating Calendar
• 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 many Big Bear Mountain footage.
• 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.

Good luck with the planning process and ask any questions you may have in the comments below.  I'll do my best to answer or point you in the right direction.

#Dollywood #DollywoodTripPlanning #PigeonForgeTennessee #TennesseeTourism #vlog #blog #pigeonforgeattractions

🌺🌻New Videos - Flower and Food Festival 2024🌸🪷

Hi Everyone, hope your summer is well.  It sure is flying by, it seems.  I was able to get my awesome day at the Flower and Food Festival videos published.  There's Two Parts, one and two.  Check them out below!

🎂Happy Birthday to Lightning Rod! You're 8 Years Old Now!🎂

Hi Everyone,

Today is Lightning Rod's 8th Birthday!  Lightning Rod has been, in its own cute way, the 'problem child' of Dollywood.  

Emerging from Rocky Mountain Coasters as the inaugural wooden coaster equipped with an LSM lift hill launch, Lightning Rod has thrilled riders with an experience unique to itself. 

Spanning 3,800 feet, with a drop of 165 feet, a top speed of 73 mph, and a G-force of 3.5, you're at the pinnacle of many roller coaster enthusiasts' lists!

Nearly every amazing roller coaster attracts many fans, and more than a few have been quick to point out differences and changes.  I love these comparison videos of Lightning Rods changes over its eight years of life.  

Lightning Rod has had a lot of modifications to it.  The biggest of course is switch from the LSM launch to a traditional chain lift at the end of the 2023 season.  It opened up on day one of Dollywood's 2024 season, a testament to Dollywood's desire to have more uptime for this ride.  You can see my video of LR that day below.

My feelings about it...I think its a win win.  So far this year it has had very little downtime, which was a huge objective for Dollywood.  I also liked that I was able to look around and take in a great view while going up the lift...where previously I would white knuckle the launch.  Many will disagree and there's nothing wrong with that.  I still feel like all the ejector air is still there in all its glory.  For me, the key to enjoying LR is being positive my pockets are completely empty.  I have seen stuff in my pockets that I was so certain were secure, float in front of my face on the quad down, which was not a good feeling at all...so, I need empty pockets so I can relax, lol.   A friend I was with lost car keys on it one time - nightmare!  The storage cubbies in the station hold larger items like backpacks and big purses, as well as smaller items for hats, glasses, phones - use them.

After the 2020 season, Dollywood decided to replace over half of the track with the more durable Ibox Track. Originally constructed with Timber Topper Track, consisting of six layers of lumber and a metal topper, the new sections are now entirely steel, providing a long-term solution. A picture from Wikipedia distinctly illustrates the differences between the two track styles.

Dollywood has an excellent coaster on its hands and in my opinion, they've made many improvements that lead me to believe it's going to be with us for a long time.  So happy 8th birthday LR, and it looks like you're going from problem child to a golden child. 😊

🥳 Happy Birthday Dollywood 🥳

Hi Everyone!

Happy Birthday Dollywood!  38 Looks Good On You!

According to Wikipedia... 

On May 3, 1986, Silver Dollar City Tennessee reopened as Dollywood. The new Rivertown Junction area included Smoky Mountain River Rampage, a whitewater rafting ride; Back Porch Theater; Aunt Granny's Dixie Fixins' Restaurant; and Dolly's Tennessee Mountain Home, a replica of the cabin that was Parton's childhood home. Also new was "Rags to Riches: The Dolly Parton Story," a museum displaying articles and mementos from Dolly's life and career. "The Butter Churn" (a Trabant ride) was removed at the end of the season. Park attendance doubled to more than a million guests during the first season as Dollywood.^[11]

 

I have a lot of pictures of Dollywood in my Archives.  Many of which I have swiped off the internet with no idea who to credit the photo with.   Here's a few from very early times at Dollywood.  I'm not positive these are all from 1986, but certainly around that time period.  At the bottom I have a video to share if you would like to see inside Dolly's Apartment - featured in some of the photos below.

A more recent picture of Dolly's Apartment, that was above Apple Jack's Restaurant, and was razed several years ago.

Dolly's Apartment, when it was new to Dollywood.  I read a comment recently from someone who said they lived in ''Dolly's Apartment'' house as a child.  They mentioned Dollywood bought and moved the house to this location.

Again, Dolly's Apartment and Smoky Mountain Rampage under construction.

If you want to see inside Dolly's Apartment, you should watch Graham Norton's Dollywood Special where he takes a look inside.  It's a hoot.  He is a seasoned talk show host in the UK.

Cue up to 5:03 to see the Apartment, or click here.

38 Years - What a great success with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.  For me, in my opinion, Dollywood began it's impressive decades of expansion in 2004 with Thunderhead, which is 20 years old this year.  That was both a major attraction addition, and also the beginning of a whole new area of Dollywood.  It just continued from there with Mystery Mine in 2007.  In 2008 they added another area, Wilderness Pass, to connect to the top of Craftsman's Valley to Timber Canyon.   Then just more explosive growth through today.  

It's a lot of fun for me to Vlog and Blog about it.  I mentioned that in my very first blog post a couple years ago, where I share some nostalgia for Opryland - and also where my obsession? or fascination with theme parks and the mechanics of rides really got going.  That moved over to Dollywood when I moved from Nashville to Knoxville.

Cheers to Dollywood and I look forward to many more years of enjoyment!

Correction!  in my initial post I wrote that Dollywood turned 39, which was incorrect.  I woke up in the middle of the night realizing what I had written, and I have since corrected it to 38.  2024 minus 1986 is 38, but it is Dollywood's 39th Season, which is prob what I was thinking about when I wrote this.

🚨New Videos! Opening Day🚨 Dolly Parton Parade, Sing-A-Long, Lightning Rod, and MORE!

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying Spring.  If you subscribe to my YouTube Channel, you know I have been slowly publishing new videos from this past Opening Day on March 8th, 2024.

I am pleased to tell you all of my Opening Day Videos are published, and I hope you enjoy them.

This one is from the Country Fair area.   The Scrambler has been polished to its mirror finish for the start of the season.  I was looking at a video from October of the Scrambler and it was silver, but not at all polished and kind of had a matte finish about it - the seats I mean.  But it's all polished and looking sharp for the start of the season.  I love the freeze-frame aspect of catching one little moment of joy in everyone's faces.

This one is from Jukebox Junction.  I do believe the new drink fountain outside of Red's is new for this year.   A couple of years ago Dollywood mentioned that they were going to spend a lot of money on improvements to all of the restaurants in the park and so I suspect this is part of that effort.  I love seeing all the little changes from one season to the next.  Some are more obvious than others, some more exciting than others.

This is from the brand new Dolly Parton Sing-A-Long show that is at the Back Porch Theater in the Riverside Area.  I mean, this is fun singing Dolly's biggest hits alongside your friends and family.  

I also published three short videos from Opening Day, including the Dolly Parton Parade that is so much fun.  Dolly rides in her floral covered vintage DeWitt through parts of the park and everyone is so excited to see her...it is quite the site to see and experience.  It never gets old.

Here is Part One, check that out below...

Here is Part Two, check that out below...

Be sure to Subscribe and select to receive notifications when I publish videos.  Also follow me on my Facebook Page for updates there too.

Let me know what you think in the comments!