Dolly Parton is filming a new holiday movie for NBC for this Christmas season, and it's set at Dollywood

Update - 8/30/22 - The full cast from Deadline:

According to Deadline, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmie Allen and Zach Williams will also appear in the movie, as will Tom Everett Scott, Ana Gasteyer and Angel Parker.

The film will feature the ‘Jolene’ hitmaker in the titular role, and will see her try to share a unique “mountain magic”, which she has always found in Dollywood at Christmas time, with the world.

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Hi Everyone, 

We all know that Dolly stays busy, but did you know she is currently filming a movie in Dollywood?  She’s been spotted with some of her famous friends, like Willie Nelson, Jimmy Fallon & Jimmy Allen.  The park has pulled out some of its Christmas decorations for the movie - and in real life it's not Halloween yet - welcome to how it's done in showbizness! 

courtesy wvlt Willie Nelson visits Dollywood to prepare for Dolly Parton movie (wvlt.tv)

Dolly’s movie Mountain Magic Christmas is going to air on NBC around Christmastime, Dolly said in a Q&A at the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster announcement at Dollywood on August 5th, 2022.  Dolly also mentioned the movie would 'sort of be a movie about how movies are made.'  My mind immediately thought of 30 Rock, a show about how television shows are made, which aired on NBC from 2006 to 2013. Ana Gasteyer (NBC Alum from SNL) was spotted at Dollywood Sunday and that spread on social media, so it seems that could just be a coincidence, even celebrities love Dollywood-right? Or she could have a role in the Dolly movie - we’ll have to wait to see!

Ana Gasteyer photo courtesy of Steven Gomez Facebook - Facebook

At the announcement, Dolly had more to share about the movie.  She said the movie would have a lot of comedy and music, especially uplifting songs with the Christmas spirit.  She mentioned that she and Zach Williams would be singing a duet for “There Was Jesus”, filmed at the Robert F. Thomas Chapel in Craftsman’s Valley.  Dolly also shared that some of her family would be included in the movie, as well as Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus. Those two stars have not yet been spotted around Dollywood.  Some filming takes place on days when Dollywood is closed to the public, and we don’t know every star's schedule.  With a few more weeks of filming left, I know eagle-eyed guests of Dollywood will flood social media with their images of the stars the moment they are seen.

Here is the official description from NBC:

“A modern-day movie musical about the making of a network TV special, "Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas" is the frenetic backstage story and delightful on-camera results of Dolly's desire to uplift an exhausted world's spirits by sharing the unique "mountain magic" she has always found in and around Dollywood at Christmas. Throughout the movie's production numbers and rehearsal chaos, Dolly finds herself taking a private journey into her past, guided by the mysterious appearances of her personal Three Wise Men. When it's time for her big special to air live, a renewed and inspired Dolly goes rogue and shows the world that the real magic of Christmas lies in the hearts of the children we all once were, the realization that Christmas is about the people we share it with, and how her faith remains the common thread between Christmases past, present, and future.”

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@audreychambers20 This was so worth waiting nearly 3 hours for and made my 10yr old ecstatic! 🦋 #dollyparton #dollywood #jimmyfallon @Jimmy Fallon ♬ Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That - Dolly Parton

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Here is what Knoxnews.com Reported: 

Another very famous face was spotted at Dollywood this week.

Rocking a leather jacket, black denim and loafers, fans took video of Jimmy Fallon at Dollywood on Sunday. And Dolly Parton, the Queen of Tennessee herself, was seen nearby wearing a red polka-dotted blouse and black pants.

The 1950s-inspired getups may have been the duo’s costumes while filming scenes for Dolly Parton’s upcoming NBC holiday movie musical, “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.”

Video footage captured the late-night talk show host and Parton waving at fans before filming at Red's Drive In restaurant in the 1950s-themed Jukebox Junction section of the park.

Billy Ray Cyrus and Jimmie Allen are among the other celebrities scheduled to film with Parton for the movie.

“Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” is slated to be a behind-the-scenes story of making a television special as the country icon learns valuable lessons while also being visited by the Three Wise Men.

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If you want to see Dolly's Q&A about her movie, it is cued up here Dolly movie Q&A #1 & #2 is here

Or watch the whole video below:

Make you subscribe to my blog and my YouTube channel and I'm sure I will have more info about the premiere of the movie this December on NBC.

Until Next Time!

Dollywood's Great Pumpkin LumiNights nominated for USA Today Award for the Best Theme Park Halloween Event

Update:  The results are in and Dollywood came in 6th place.  Here's the full list of winners.

The top 10 winners in the category Best Theme Park Halloween Event are as follows:

1. Halloween Haunt at Kings Island - Mason, Ohio
2. Fright Fest at Six Flags - Multiple Locations
3. Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld - Multiple Locations
4. Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens - Multiple Locations
5. Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios - Multiple Locations
6. Great Pumpkin LumiNights at Dollywood - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
7. Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City - Branson, Missouri
8. Hallo-Fun at Knoebels - Elysburg, Pennsylvania
9. Brick-or-Treat at Legoland - Multiple Locations
10. Halloween Haunt at Kings Dominion - Doswell, Virginia

Congratulations to all these winners! 

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Hi everyone,

Dollywood is a contender in the USA Today's -The Best Theme Park Halloween Event. You can vote once a day (per device) to get Dollywood to the top of the leaderboard.  As of this publishing, they are ranked at #6.

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Looking for a more friendly scare this Halloween? Theme parks across the country host ghoulish events to celebrate the season, and the whole family is invited. We asked a panel of experts to pick their favorite Halloween events, and now we need your help selecting the 10 best. Vote for your favorite once per day until Monday, September 12 at noon ET. The winning events will be announced on Friday, September 23. 

The Voting Period Has Ended.

Go here to vote--> Click Here

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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!

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New for 2022

Dollywood has some new stuff planned for GPL&HF.  Here's what they've said about it...

NEW Hoot Owl Hollow

image courtesy of Dollywood

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 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?

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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

New Parking Fees Coming to Smoky Mountains in 2023 and Increased Camping Fees

Hi Everyone,

This post doesn't relate to Dollywood exactly, but I know many of the millions of you who read this blog and come into the area will include a visit to The Smoky Mountains and Dollywood in the same trip, so I wanted to pass this information along to you guys.  This a big change for the Smokies as they have, up to this point, been a basically free experience for parking.  That is about to change in the form of fees for parking and updated fees for camping.  

The Smokies have been the last holdout among National Parks to charge a fee for use, so this has been a long time coming and it is somewhat of a hot topic, although the park sites a lot of support among its most frequent users.  The visitation numbers to the park have grown significantly over the last several years and in my time of living in this area, they have increased incrementally year after year. 

The parking issue revealed itself in the past few years with the higher visitation numbers.  The most popular trail lots fill up and visitors will park where they are not supposed to, which causes access issues for others.  This parking fee may help address that issue, but the parking tag does not guarantee parking, so for best results, plan ahead by visiting early in the morning, or on off-peak days and in the off season.  The parking tags are not location-specific, so they are for all parking in the Smokies - including these highly sought-after locations such as Cades Cove, Mt. LeConte, The Chimney Tops, Clingman's Dome, Laurel Falls, Abrams Falls - all the Falls in the Smokies....and everything else inside the park.

2021 visitation for Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone combined is less than the Smokies.

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Here is the local ABC Affiliate - WATE's take on it....

WATE Story

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been approved by the National Park Service to implement a new fee system that will help cover the cost of operating and maintaining the park as visitation continues to increase.

The "Park it Forward" program will include new parking fees plus an increase in camping fees beginning next year.

The park shared the information about the decision on Monday. The annual tag will allow for parking throughout the park from the date of purchase and will be required to be displayed on any motor vehicle parked within the Smokies boundary starting on March 1, 2023.

The approved parking rates are $5 for a daily parking tag, $15 for a parking tag for up to seven days, and $40 for an annual parking tag.

Camping fees are also increasing. Backcountry camping fees will be $8 per night, with a maximum of $40 per camper. Frontcountry family campsite fees will be $30 per night for primitive sites and $36 per night for sites with electrical hookups. Group camps, horse camps, and picnic pavilions fees will primarily increase by between 20 and 30 percent depending on group size and location. Rates for daily rental of the Appalachian Clubhouse and Spence Cabin in Elkmont will be $300 and $200, respectively. For a complete listing of all frontcountry facility rates, visit the park website at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/2023-fees.htm

“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and I’m honored to be a part of it,” Superintendent Cassius Cash said in the news release. “I have been incredibly encouraged by all the support, from across the country, and especially here in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina, for the opportunity to invest in the future care of this treasured park. We take great pride in being the country’s most visited national park, but that distinction comes with tremendous strain on our infrastructure. Now we will have sustained resources to ensure this sacred place is protected for visitors to enjoy for generations to come.”    

Officials say all revenue from the fees will stay in the park in order to "provide sustainable, year-round support focusing on improving the visitor experience, protecting resources, and maintaining trails, roads, historic structures, and facilities."  

Smokies officials also confirmed in the news release that the use of all park roads will remain toll-free. Parking tags will not be required for motorists who pass through the area or who park vehicles for less than fifteen minutes. The tags will not guarantee a parking spot at a specific location. Parking will continue to be available on a first-come, first-serve basis throughout the park.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the National Park Service system. Officials say that over the last decade, visitation increased by 57% to a record 14.1 million visits in 2021.

Smokies officials say with rising costs and more visitation, "additional revenue is critical to support upkeep of the park. The new fee changes will provide an opportunity for park users to directly contribute towards protecting the park."

"Funding from the new parking fee and from the Great American Outdoors Act enacted in 2020 will provide the most new financial support for the Great Smokies since the park was created in 1934," retired U.S. Senator from Tennessee Lamar Alexander said. "Every penny raised from the fee will be spent on creating a better visitor experience in the Smokies. Superintendent Cassius Cash and the National Park Service deserve thanks from all of us who enjoy the Smokies for solving a big problem with an obvious solution."

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Here are some of the details from the official NPS website PARK IT FORWARD.  Check it out for lots more information, FAQ's, etc.

Parking Tag Basics

Effective March 1, 2023

• Valid parking tags will be required for any vehicles parking in the park starting March 1, 2023.
• Display of physical parking tags in each vehicle will be required.
• Three tag durations will be available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types:
  • Daily - $5
  • Up to 7 Days - $15
  • Annual - $40
• Parking tags will not be refundable, transferable, or upgradable.
• Each tag will be valid for a single vehicle.
• Parking tags will be available for purchase both online and onsite.
• Parking tags will not be required for motorists who pass through the area or who park for less than 15 minutes.
• Parking tags will not be location-specific. A parking tag will be required to park in any designated parking spot anywhere within park boundaries.

Over the past decade, park visitation has skyrocketed by 57%. Because the park’s operational budget hasn’t seen similar growth, the increase in visitors is starting to take its toll with wear and tear on aging facilities and undue strain on limited staff.

New funding sources are needed to rehabilitate this national treasure and preserve the magic of the Smokies for future generations. So, it’s time we Park It Forward.

 

Fee Rates - Effective March 1, 2023

Parking Tag Program

DURATION	PRICE
Daily	$5
Up to 7 Days	$15
Annual	$40

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Backcountry

TYPE	CAPACITY	PRICE
Backcountry permit (for up to 8 days/7 nights)	8 ppl. Special permits may be issued for a few sites that accommodate parties of up to 12.	$8 per night Max of $40 per person/permit
Thru-hiker permit (for up to 8 days/7 nights)	Per person	$40 per permit

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Campgrounds

SITE	PRICE
Abrams Creek Campground	$30
Balsam Mountain Campground	$30
Big Creek Campground	$30
Cosby Campground	$30
Cades Cove Campground	$30
Cataloochee Campground	$30
Deep Creek Campground	$30
Elkmont Campground	$30
Look Rock Campground Standard Sites	$30
Look Rock Campground Electric Sites	$36
Smokemont Campground	$30

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Group Camps

SITE	PRICE
Big Creek Group Camp	$62
Cades Cove Group Camp without picnic pavilion (price depends on site specific capacity)	$60 - $75
Cades Cove Group Camp with picnic pavilion	$94
Cataloochee Group Camp (no flush toilets, all other have flush toilets)	$50
Cosby Group Camp	$50
Deep Creek Group Camp	$50
Elkmont Group Camp (price depends on site specific capacity)	$38 - $75
Smokemont Group Camp	$50

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Horse Camps

SITE	PRICE
Anthony Creek Horse Camp	$30
Big Creek Horse Camp (only site with flush toilets, rest have vault toilets)	$36
Cataloochee Horse Camp	$30
Round Bottom Horse Camp	$30
Tow String Horse Camp	$30

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Picnic Pavilions

SITE	CAPACITY	PRICE
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion	70 ppl	$32
Cosby Picnic Pavilion	55 ppl	$32
Deep Creek Picnic Pavilion	70 ppl	$32
Greenbrier Picnic Pavilion (only pavilion with vault toilets, no running water)	70 ppl	$16
Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion	70 ppl	$32
Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion (only full day pavilion, others are half day)	150 ppl	$75

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Day Use Cabin Rentals

SITE	CAPACITY	PRICE
Appalachian Clubhouse	96 ppl	$300
Spence Cabin	40 ppl	$200

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I hope that helps with your trip planning!  Until next time!

Hotels with High Ratings in Pigeon Forge

Update May 15, 2024, for the 2024-2025 planning period.

Hi Everyone!

I have updated the spreadsheet for the next year.   I have double checked all of the ratings from Google and Trip Advisor and updated that information.  

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Original Post is Below 

Hi Everyone,

I see many requests for hotel suggestions on social media, so I thought I would do some research and create a post that can serve as a good starting point for anyone looking for a hotel near Dollywood.

I began by narrowing the choices to Pigeon Forge to make the list more manageable. I excluded Gatlinburg and included only one hotel option in Sevierville, which is very close to Dollywood.  Not every single hotel in Pigeon Forge is listed.

I created a column that averages the Google Rating and the Trip Advisor Rating.  This column is sorted by the average rating, so you can easily find the best-rated hotels.  I also created columns for the most requested features, such as a lazy river, indoor pool, hot tubs, balcony, fireplace, Trolley Stop, pet friendly, etc.  There are also four columns of notes where I have added some info that you might find helpful, and in some cases firsthand reviews that I have seen on social media.  There is a column that indicates the distance of each property from Dollywood, if that's important to you.   Please though, if your child or child-at-heart are dead set on having a lazy river, as one example, please make sure to follow up with the property to make sure that the lazy river is operational and will be operational during your stay.   

Unfortunately, due to the limitations of Google Blogger with creating tables and spreadsheets, it is not feasible to upload the table to this blog post and call it day.  Instead, I've created a view-only link to my google spreadsheet.  From there, you can sort or filter the columns and results any way you like.  Want the places with indoor pools?  Sort it that way.  Closest to Dollywood?  Sort it that way too.  Pet Friendly - same idea.  You can even download my spreadsheet and make it your own!

I did not include pricing information due to fluctuations with the seasons and even during the season the prices can vary, so that will be one additional step for you in your research.

If you're undecided on a timeframe to visit Pigeon Forge, this article from US News offers a lot of considerations you may want think about - read that here..

Before researching for this post, I had not given much thought to the difference between what a Whirlpool and a Jacuzzi is, but there is a difference.  It seems that Whirlpools are not as common as Jacuzzi's are in this area, but people use both words to describe them...and sometimes they say hot tub too, to make it more confusing.  I've done my best to differentiate all three in my spreadsheet.

If you would like me to add your firsthand experience about a property, I would be glad to do so.  Just email me at whatsupatdollywood@gmail.com.  Likewise, if you see any information that is incorrect, email me that too.  

Click Here -->LINK TO GOOGLE SPREADSHEET

Again, please double check to make sure that the pools, jacuzzies, hot tubs ETC are all operational before you book so you'll know - especially if that is super important to someone in your group.  

Disclaimer - I am not affiliated with any hotel, inn, motel, lodge, campground, cabin, or Dollywood.  I'm a vlogger/blogger who is interested in helping you save time and money on your trip to our area, and hopefully helping you create a great experience that you'll want to come back and have again and again....and growing my YouTube channel and this blog 😁😁😁

Check out my blog for other helpful resources for your Dollywood trip...

• Best Breakfast Locations in Pigeon Forge
• Dollywood First Time Visitor Tips
• Getting to Dollywood by Plane
• Pigeon Forge Trolley to Dollywood
• Dollywood's Menus 2023
• Proposing At Dollywood?
• Big Bear Mountain - A new roller coaster for 2023 in Wildwood Grove

Check out my YouTube Page and Dollywood playlist for lots of different Dollywood videos, different festivals, walking tours, etc etc.  Find us on Facebook too!

• https://www.youtube.com/c/JeffBurkhardt
• YT Dollywood Playlist
• Facebook Page - What's Up At Dollywood.  

Please Like my Videos and Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, follow my blog and Follow me on Facebook!  You can copy my RSS Feed into your favorite feeder (mine are Feedly & The Old Reader) - paste this link https://whatsupatdollywood.blogspot.com/=RSS

Until next time!