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.
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.
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.
🟠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!
🟠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.
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:
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 Big Bear Mountain footage.
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.
Planning a family vacation around regional school breaks? Look no further! After extensive research, I have copy/pasted a comprehensive list of fall break, Christmas break, and spring break calendars for school districts throughout the region.
🔵Spring & Fall Break Chart, includes Christmas Break!
This handy chart is published by the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism (pdf). It lists break dates for the many school systems that frequent Dollywood during their respective Spring & Fall breaks along with dates for Christmas breaks. It includes the first and last day of school for each school system as well. Click on the image to make it bigger.
🔵Crowd Calendar
Another helpful Dollywood Trip Planning tool is the Dollywood Crowd Calendar! It's run by a third party that analyzes ride wait times that Dollywood publishes for their app.
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 Big Bear Mountain footage.
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.
You can find it at this link at dollywood's website, Click Here.
SPLASH COUNTRY DEALS
From May 23 through June 8, 2025
Valid all 2025 Season
Dollywood Resorts Deals
There are currently 10 Different Special Resort Offers as of June 1, 2025 - Check them out HERE
Other Dollywood Discounts
⭐Sevier County Days - Discounts for residents of Sevier County, Tennessee. Click link to see more info and purchase tickets. Dolly invites everyone who lives or works in Sevier County to Dollywood’s Splash Country June 2-8, 2025 and Dollywood June 9-15, 2025, for a non-refundable $5 donation. All net proceeds benefit Local Area Nonprofits.
Chick Fil A Discount for both Dollywood and Splash Country
$10 off a ticket - more details, WVLT - has the scoop, CLICK HERE.
Locations in Knoxville, Chattanooga, the Tri-Cities and even Asheville are offering the coupons to either Dollywood or Splash Country.
To get a Splash Country coupon, guests will need to stop by a Chick-fil-A between June 2 and June 29. The coupons will work for any day at the park from June 2 to Sept. 31.
As for Dollywood, those coupons will be available from July 28 to Aug. 31. They’re good for admission from July 29 to Aug. 31.
🟢🟢I HIGHLY recommend checking this out, Dollywood will update it frequently with new deals and offers. Dollywood.com's Offers Web Page - you may see an offer you like! - Click Here
As of June 2, 2025 - there are 15 different offers available.
🟢🟢Dollywood 10% Discounts through Sam's Club - LINK HERE
As of June 2, 2025 - Use your Sam's Club Membership to get 10% Off. $93 for Adult 10+, $83 for kids 4-9. Read details at link for all the info you need, and to purchase tickets.
🔵OTHER PROMOTIONS FOR THE AREA...As of June 2, 2025.
Rocky Top Mountain Coaster
Attention Dig'N Zone fans! Get 20% off your 2025 stay at Parkside Resort in Pigeon Forge! (Holidays excluded.) Use code "DIGNZONE2025" at parksideresort.com to book!! Don’t miss out—start planning today!
𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡 & 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠! Save over 75% on Soaky Mountain Waterpark admission with our Soaky Mountain Package! Use promo code 𝗦𝗢𝗔𝗞𝗬 and dive into the BEST deal in the Smokies! Valid for stays from June 7 - August 3, 2025! https://loom.ly/N6DAjPQ
Save over $200 per night with this Soaky Special! Get FREE admission to Soaky Mountain Waterpark when you stay with us during select 2025 dates, no code needed! Book your stay, pack your swimsuit, and we’ll take care of the fun! https://loom.ly/Gsx_mzM
Valid Dates:
• May 10–11, 16–31
• June 1–6
• August 4–31
• September 1, 6–7, 13–14, 20–21, 27–28
Offer valid on ANY room style at River Lodge, Stone Hill Lodge, Wilderness Villas, or Mountainside Cabins.
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 Big Bear Mountain footage.
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!
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. 😊