We're passionate about all things Dollywood and Sevier County, and we want to share that passion with you. Come along as we explore all that this beautiful area has to offer. From Dollywood and Splash Country to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove, there's something for everyone in Sevier County.
We're also big fans of Dolly Parton, and we'll be sure to keep you up-to-date on her latest news and projects. We're sure you'll find something to love here.
Showing posts with label Fall in the Smokies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fall in the Smokies. Show all posts
Dollywood is currently running a ticket promotion for the rest of the Harvest Festival/LumiNights and two days into the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. So, if planning is your thing, go ahead and purchase your Christmas tickets now for Christmas, in case they sell out, as they might as that date approaches. As you see below, the promotion ends November 5th.
find this deal here: dollywood.com/tickets
That's TWO opportunities to see Smoky Mountain Christmas at a discounted rate. Enjoy if you're able to take advantage of this opportunity.
π΅Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information
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.
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 construction updates from all of 2022. Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.
Mountain Coasters! - your complete guide to all of the mountain coasters near Dollywood - there's 13!
Pigeon Forge Restaurants open past 2pm! - Here's a ranking of some of the best restaurants - decided by YOU - In Pigeon Forge that are open past 2pm....click here for that blog article.
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.
Fall Colors are creeping into the Smoky Mountains. I follow a lot of stuff on social media in order to keep you all informed with as much helpful information as possible. On Facebook, I follow a hiking and waterfalls in North Carolina group, and its members' share tons of photos of their hikes and waterfalls, as one would expect! Some of the members recent images are incredible to see. I had been concerned that our autumn leaves may just wither on the tree and fall due to some ongoing drought issues we've been experiencing around here, so this makes me happy to see the leaves really changing color. This, to me, seems a tad bit earlier than normal, but it is what it is, so enjoy it if you are able to.
Let's take a look at some of this Facebook's group recent pictures....all taken by 2 group members, Cara C. & Matt M.
Dollywood has released information related to the Harvest Festival, including the Tasting Pass and their festival menu. The Harvest Festival starts on Wednesday, September 20th thru October 30th, excluding Tuesdays.
Just FYI for your planning: Dollywood is closed Tuesday October 31st thru Friday November 3rd, then Dollywood opens back up on Saturday the 4th with the Christmas Festival. Also, Dollywood is closed Every Tuesday until Tuesday December 4th.
I have rounded up all the information that I could find and put it one place for you to look over. Let me know if I have missed anything in the comments. Let's see what's up, let's dig into it all!
π FOOD
We'll start with what Wes Ramey had to say about the offerings in the Dollywood Blog:
"Dollywood’s award-winning culinary team has been hard at work incorporating the comforting smells of sweet pumpkin treats and warm apple cider into delicious fall dishes, drinks and desserts, including a pulled pork sandwich with pumpkin spice BBQ sauce, three bean pumpkin chili, salted maple potato tornado, toasted pumpkin sausage and ricotta flatbread, and spiced pumpkin bisque with toasted pepitas. Are you hungry yet? I know that I am, and the items I just listed are just a few of the tempting tastes found parkwide as part of the Harvest Festival menu."
Click on any picture to enlarge - These are from the Dollywood Website, Check it out HERE.
π TASTING PASS
π What's New Around The Park?
Dollywood Blog writer Jennifer Webb shares what's new for the festival this year!
Every season, we try to give our Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health a “glow-up,” and this season is no different. The award-winning nighttime experience once again features a number of whimsical pumpkin displays, like the pumpkin spider, the pumpkin guitar, and new this year, the pumpkin honey bees.
This season, Great Pumpkin LumiNights makes its way to Market Square. The area serves as the centerpiece for the event with the focal point—the 40 ft. tall expertly-carved pumpkin tree. New this year is the Honey Bee display. During the day, this bee-autiful display offers a pop of color near the returning Hug A Bee Beekeeper experience. By night, these buzzing bees create a sweet lighted moment for your family.
In Craftsman’s Valley, the pumpkin guitar glows to life as it strums Dolly’s famous hit, “My Tennessee Mountain Home,” and the not-so-spooky pumpkin spider greets you with his glowing grin. Other guest favorites include the friendly pumpkin frogs at Drop Line Pond, the bright-eyed pumpkin bats at Mystery Mine and much more. These vivid displays bring crisp autumn nights alive, making Great Pumpkin LumiNights the ultimate fall event for creating special family memories and Instagram-worthy moments.
There are plenty of activities your family can enjoy during Great Pumpkin LumiNights. With thousands of carved pumpkins throughout the park, it takes a number of talented pumpkin carvers to create the festive displays. Everyone in the family will enjoy learning how to carve a pumpkin masterpiece from Dollywood’s “pumpkin artists” during these demonstrations. Kids-and kids at heart-will love turning into human jack-o-lanterns with Glow face paint. Face painters create unique designs with glow-in-the- dark face paint during the day that come to life at night!
The Great Pumpkin LumiNights Tour offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Great Pumpkin LumiNights, and Gold and Diamond Passholders receive a special discount! This two-hour guided walking tour highlights all of your festival favorites. Participants will enjoy festive refreshments, a dip-your-own-candle activity, character meet & greets, front-of-the-line access on Mystery Mine and more. To learn more about booking the Great Pumpkin LumiNights Tour, visit our website.
Make sure your Dollywood days turn into exciting theme park evenings during Dollywood’s Harvest Festival featuring Great Pumpkin LumiNights.
My family loves to take photos when we visit, and there’s a colorful new 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.
Want some tunes as part of your Harvest Festival day at the park? You’re in luck, because live music is at the heart and soul of fall at Dollywood with Southern gospel, bluegrass and country artists found performing throughout the park. Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, Jeannie Seely, Emily Ann Roberts, Dailey and Vincent, Triumphant Quartet, Hannah Dasher and The Isaacs are just a few of the performers set to take the stage – be prepared to sing along and enjoy some new music that just might head to the top of your musical favorites list. Performances take place on indoor and outdoor stages throughout the park, allowing the beautiful sounds to echo through the landscape here in the Great Smoky Mountains.
⭐Check out Dollywood's Website for the latest information about Special Harvest Entertainment. HERE.
π π π
The 2023 Harvest Festival at Dollywood is just around the corner! Check out my video from last year's festival to get a preview of all the fun you can expect.
π΅Blog Posts with other Helpful Trip Planning information
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.
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 construction updates from all of 2022. Check out my 2022 End of Year Recap to see all of my Dollywood videos from 2022.
I'm excited to announce that I've updated my blog post about the top hotels in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! This is one of my most popular articles, and I know you all get a lot of use out of it. I love being able to help you out with practical information, and I hope you find this update helpful.
In the article you will see two new hotel newsy things that I share, but I will share them again here - since you're here and all.
1) A brand new Adult (Marriott Bonvoy) Hotel (Row 39) is scheduled to open in September 2023, and that may be of interest to some of you. Read an article about it here: https://tinyurl.com/4dhh7vaj
From the article:
Get ready to go back in time for your vacation. Way back in time.
The Wayback is a groovy, retro-themed hotel mostly for adults opening in Pigeon Forge between Flapjack's Pancake Cabin and the Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride.
Inspired by old roadside motels in Palm Springs, the hotel is hoping to provide a "vibrant escape amidst the high energy of downtown Pigeon Forge."
The 134-room hotel is expected to open in early September, according to general manager Marty Rothchild, and is developed by Sevierville-based company Aatmos. It's a Tribute portfolio hotel, part of the Marriott family.
Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott's loyalty program for frequent guests. This hotel is geared towards its members, who enjoy a variety of amenities as part of their stay. Non-members are also welcome at this hotel, but they do not receive the same amenities as members. I wanted to point out this distinction so that you can make an informed decision about whether to become a Marriott Bonvoy member before booking your stay.
2) Country Cascades - Row 25 on Spreadsheet - Recently announced a new $14 million dollar expansion to its indoor water park offerings. It's scheduled to open in 2025. You can read more and see renderings here: WATE TV news
Dollywood has added an event and a bonus day on to their operations schedule. And it's for the kiddos! It's this Sunday, October 30th. The park is open from 10a to 9p and this event ends around 3pm it looks like. In the past the park has been closed on this Sunday, which is rare for them to be closed on Sundays, except at Easter and Christmas, I know from firsthand experience of going and pulling into the empty parking lot. That was a lesson learned!
πππ
This event sounds like a lot of fun. Here are the details from Dollywood:
To celebrate the final day of Dollywood's Harvest Festival presented by Humana, we are inviting our youngest guests (ages 12 & younger) to visit on Sunday, Oct. 30 in their costumed best!
The first 500 children wearing a costume who enter the park will receive a Harvest sweet treat as well as a festive cup good for free fountain drink refills all day. These complimentary gifts will be distributed while supplies last at the main front gate entrance from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
At 2 p.m. that afternoon, all costumed kids and their families are invited to participate in a costume parade in the Wilderness Pass Plaza led by beloved Dollywood characters including the one-and-only Miss Lillian!
During the Great Pumpkin LumiNights experience, Guests may wear costumes with the following criteria:
Costume masks may not be worn. Wigs, hats or other headwear and accessories may be worn as long as they do not cover the entire face.
Costume accessories may not look like or replicate a weapon of any kind, and no accessory may be sharp or have any component that could injure the Guest or others.
Costumes may not drag the ground or have the ability to trip the Guest or others.
Guests may be asked to remove portions of their costume when boarding attractions or experiences as per each location’s loose article requirements.
Guests may not dress as Dolly Parton or Santa Claus.
Costumes that are gruesome, bloody or distracting are not permitted.
πππ
I know it's a little unusual to see Dolly and Santa costumes as not permitted, but that has been a long-standing rule for a while now. I'm not privy to the reasoning behind it - I know lots of kids love to dress up as Dolly because I see them all over social media, usually wearing a coat of many colors.
It sounds like it will be a fun day at Dollywood and one last opportunity to enjoy the Harvest Festival and Great PumpkinLumiNights.
Although this ticket deal won't work for the kid's costumes event, as it ends around 3pm'ish after Miss Lillians Costume Parade, you can still take advantage of the $55 ticket if you arrive after 5pm, and just want to see the park dressed up and eat, ride some rides or see some entertainment. Here's a link to Dollywood's Tickets page here.
I have a new video, this one is from the Mountain Laurel Home Goods Store in Rivertown Junction. It's across from Dolly's Tennessee Mountain Home and it is decked out with Fall decor! Check it out below!
Update from 10/14/22 - The Island posted on Facebook, a video of the Nebulaz up and running. I am assuming it's still in the testing and commissoning phase, but I would expect it to open in the very near future.
I was checking out a recent post from The Dollywood Blog - Dollywood’s official blog, and they have a great post about DreamMore and how they celebrate the Harvest Festival there. I thought it would be a great share, so here you go.
I always say - Follow the Dollywood Blog and my blog for helpful Dollywood information.
Throughout the duration of the Harvest Festival, you can enjoy the Harvest Refreshment of the Moment including Pumpkin Punch, Pomegranate and Citrus Mocktail, and Autumn Harvest Punch. These delicious, family-friendly beverages are served by our Camp DW Hosts from 4-6 p.m. in the lobby and come with a recipe card allowing you to recreate the special beverage and memories at home. Camp DW offers a variety of harvest-themed take-away crafts including DIY patchwork pumpkins, foam pumpkin painting, seasonal vintage wooden trucks, canvas painting and more. Camp DW also hosts nightly s’mores and bedtime stories, which features fall-themed children’s books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Camp DW Activities During Harvest Include:
Bedtime Stories in The Barn every night at 8 p.m.
S’mores roasting around the wood-burning fire pit every night at 7 p.m.
Pumpkin carving demonstrations in The Barn every Tuesday that Dollywood is closed
Giant Connect 4, Jenga, Dominoes, Cornhole and other outdoor games available all day
Outdoor family movie nights in The Barn every weekend at 8:30 p.m.
Themed craft afternoon hosted by Camp DW Hosts.
Guest can enjoy live entertainment by featured Harvest Festival performers in the resort’s atrium throughout the festival, including performances by The Young Fables, The Woods, Billy and Cruz Contreras, the High Beams, and Kate and Corey. Daily roaming performers also can be found around the resort.
Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa’s Culinary Team is cooking up dining experiences. In The Lounge, you can feast upon delicious harvest-themed food and beverage options.
In The Spa, you can relax with special treatments infused with fall scents and ingredients. For Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, you can choose from treatments that are reminiscent of harvest in the Smoky Mountains such as the honey chai massage or luminous pumpkin facial. Choose from three harvest-inspired manicure and pedicure combinations – campfire, mint, and perky pumpkin – before completing their service by adding a sweet apple cider back polish or big bear polish foot scrub.
Dollywood is just hours away - as of this posting - from their awesome fall Harvest Festival.
There are so many impressive components to the park this time of year. All the cool decor around the park, the seasonal food options, and then the seasonal merchandise available in the stores around the park, night rides on your favorite roller coaster, the crispness in the air - so many things to love.
In this post I'll cover The Tasting Pass, Fall themed Glass art from the Blown Glass shop in Rivertown Junction, a couple cool items from last year from the Blacksmith, and then I'll show you what Dollywood looked like during last season's LumiNights Festival, and tell you what's new in 2022!
Let's jump in to it!
πππ
This is from the Dollywood Blog, link here. I always say, follow my blog and follow the official Dollywood blog to help you stay informed.
I’m going to be honest, my brain isn’t sure what season it is. We just wrapped the filming of “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” at Dollywood, and now our teams are taking down the park’s Christmas decorations and putting out the pumpkins—all while the summer weather is still very much here. However, fall will be here before we know it, and I for one am very much looking forward to it. One of my favorite parts about autumn—the food. I am a candy corn junkie and I am not afraid of who knows it.
Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana starts Friday, Sept. 23 and with it comes the return of the Harvest Festival Tasting Pass. Similar to the popular tasting pass for the Flower & Food Festival and our Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration, the Harvest Festival Tasting Pass allows you to sample five different food items crafted specially for the fall season. The tasting pass will run you $34.99. If you have a Gold or Diamond Season Pass, you can purchase the tasting pass at the discounted price of $31.99.
So what can you expect to enjoy with your Harvest Festival Tasting Pass? Here are a few items that I cannot wait to try!
BUSH’S Three Bean Pumpkin Chili & Pumpkin Cornbread
(Thanks to our friends at BUSH’s, this three-bean pumpkin chili is a taste sensation you have to try. The chili features ground bison, Monterey Jack cheese and an avocado crema. It is served with a slice of pumpkin corn bread.)
Smoked Sausage Mac & Cheese
(Take crisp fall weather and add the warm savory flavors of smoked andouille sausage and white cheddar for the ultimate mac ‘n’ cheese taste experience.)
Pulled Pork Sandwich with Pumpkin BBQ Sauce
(Take the delicious taste of pulled pork smoked onsite at Dollywood and top it with pumpkin-infused Memphis-style BBQ sauce and some cole slaw. Put it all in a brioche-style bun for the perfect fall meal.)
Pumpkin Sausage Pizza
(Tempt your taste buds with this fall-influenced twist on your favorite pizza! It’s an appetizing combination of crumbled Italian sausage, toasted pumpkin, whole milk ricotta cheese and parmesan.)
Sweet Corn Hushpuppies with Srirachia Aioli
(These hushpuppies are fried until they are golden brown then served with our own special aioli for dipping. The spicy aioli features roasted garlic, pumpkin puree and sriracha.)
Maple, Bacon & Walnut Funnel Cake
(Each season brings a delicious new topping offering for Dollywood’s funnel cakes. This fall, the salty and sweet flavors of walnuts in maple syrup and candied bacon are accented with powdered sugar and whipped cream – it’s sure to become a Harvest Festival favorite.)
Apple Dumpling with Ice Cream
(Don’t miss this perfect autumn dessert of baked apples and spice filling a delicious dumpling made of crispy pastry dough served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce.)
Apple Pie Milkshake (Ever wanted to have a slice of apple pie, but you wanted to keep moving to the next coaster? Here is the answer. The apple pie milkshake features vanilla bean ice cream and apple pie filling topped with streusel, whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a cherry!)
Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee (Craving the ultimate taste of fall’s favorite flavor in a beverage? This iced coffee is made with Starbucks Cold Brew, cold foam and the sweet flavor of pumpkin spice.)
Pumpkin Spiced Churros with Pumpkin Fluff (Pumpkin spice makes everything nice! A crisp churro is made especially decadent with cinnamon, sugar, and… that’s right, pumpkin spice! It is served with pumpkin-infused fluff for the ultimate treat.)
Again, this is not a full list, but are you hungry yet?
In my visit to the Blown Glass shop back in April, they already had a lot of their fall themed items out for sale. Never too early! Let's check that out below...
Pretty cool stuff, huh? Again, this is all at the Mountain Blown Glass Shop near the bottom of Craftsman's Valley, but technically in Rivertown Junction. It's #104 on the official Dollywood Park Map. Check it out.
Here's a couple cool items from the Blacksmith shop back in 2021.
Blacksmith in the Craftsman's Valley Area, next door to the Chapel.
2021 Items for sale at the Blacksmith
2021 Items for sale at the Blacksmith
Perhaps you'll want to make a knife to carve your own jack-o-lantern? These prices are from 2021, so you may want to double check before you jump in.
πππ
Let's take a look back at Dollywood's 2021 Great Pumpkin LumiNights and Harvest Festival and I'll tell you about what Dollywood has said will be included in this year's GPL&HF!
πππ
New for 2022
Dollywood has some new stuff planned for GPL&HF. Here's what they've said about it...
Experience a Smoky Mountain fall during Dollywood’s Harvest Festival (Sept. 23 - Oct. 29, 2022), voted America’s #1 Fall Family Event by USA Today Readers. Soak in mountain majesty as the hills come alive with vivid color, the smells of apple and pumpkin treats waft through the streets and the sounds of our award-winning rides fill the air with adventure. As the sun sets, you'll be wrapped in a whimsical warming glow as the park transforms into an enchanting display of illuminated carved pumpkins and shimmering pumpkin icons. Don't miss a minute of Smoky Mountain splendor—visit today before it glows away! (source)
Award-winning Great Pumpkin LumiNights returns to light up the night with thousands of creatively carved pumpkins and larger-than-life pumpkin icons. This year, discover the NEW Hoot Owl Hollow, an enchanting hideaway for a gigantic, glowing owl and her dozens of friendly siblings roosting in the trees, atop buildings and across the hillside. Explore a world of not-so-spooky nighttime fun when you stroll through a forest of shimmering sunflowers, see a family of glowing frogs, and be enchanted by our towering Pumpkin Tree.
Dollywood released an image of Hoot Owl Hollow
Dollywood also mentions that they will have new performances during this festival as well. I noticed during the Flower Festival in the spring that there were noticeably more roaming musicians in the park, which I loved randomly running into and taking time to listen to them play - and watching others doing the same. It was pretty cool, so I am eager to see how Dollywood pulls that together for this years festival.
Last year they did have an Owl themed area in between Thunderhead and the Main Gate area, so it sounds as though a big expansion of the Owl theme is in the works. I'm wondering if it will be in the same general area or move somewhere else?
πππ
Are you planning to go to this years Great Pumpkin LumiNights & Harvest Festival at Dollywood? What are you looking forward to the most? Let me know in the comments. Be Sure To Vote For Dollywood - Often!! Maybe I will see you at the park! Until next time - Jeff
