Dollywood opened in 1986, when Dolly Parton bought half of the former Silver Dollar City theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The park is operated by Herschend Family Entertainment and is known for its live entertainment as well as roller coasters and homestyle food, including barbecue, fried chicken, skillet dinners, and Herschend's iconic Cinnamon Bread.
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Dollywood's show schedule varies, but we're just going to go ahead and recommend that you see as many shows as you can while visiting Dolly Parton's theme park. (Though it's almost certain that Dolly won't be there in person.) If nothing else, check out whatever is playing at the Showstreet Palace Theater.
If you want to spend some time with Dolly, visit The Dolly Parton Experience. This showcase for Dolly's career took over the area surrounding and including the former Chasing Rainbows museum.
Country Fair
Craftsman's Valley
Jukebox Junction
Rivertown Junction
Owens Farm
Timber Canyon
The Village
Wilderness Pass
Wildwood Grove
Dollywood is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - just north of Gatlinburg and south of Interstate 40. From the Interstate, take exit 407 toward Sevierville and follow Tennessee 66 South, which becomes U.S. 441. At traffic light #8 in Pigeon Forge, turn left and follow the signs to Dollywood.
Consider staying at one of Dollywood's resort hotels - DreamMore Resort or Heartsong Lodge & Resort - that provide free Time Saver (Dollywood's version of Lightning Lane or Fast Lane) passes for resort guests. If you have that, you're good. Otherwise, you might consider buying the Time Saver pass if you are visiting on a summer Saturday, when crowds are largest.
Plan to arrive at least one hour before the park opens. You can find park hours and wait times by downloading the official Dollywood app to your phone. Parking lots can be a hike from the entrance, so you will need extra time.
Lightning Lane is the top-rated attraction in the park and typically has the longest wait time, so make that your rope-drop priority in the morning, if you are into the big coasters. It's located to the right just past the park entrance, so it's convenient. From there, follow the park's layout to the left, picking up the coasters as you tour this huge park counter-clockwise: Blazing Fury, Tennessee Tornado, Wild Eagle, FireChaser Express, Mystery Mine, and Thunderhead, before doubling back slightly into Wildwood Grove for Big Bear Mountain.
If you are visiting with kids who want rides just for them, go the opposite way, turning left at the entrance into Timber Canyon and straight for Wildwood Grove.
Check the Dollywood app for showtimes at the big theaters on Showstreet and near the park entrance. With Time Saver - or a quick trip around the perimeter for the big coasters only in the morning on a less-crowded day - you should have the afternoon free for those shows.
Top dining choices here are Aunt Granny's Restaurant in Rivertown Junction for fried chicken and Granny Ogle's Ham 'n' Beans in Craftsman's Valley for Southern favorites. The Grist Mill in Craftsman's Valley is the Dollywood home for the Herschend theme parks' iconic sweet treat, Cinnamon Bread.
