Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s incredible theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is quickly becoming a beacon for theme park fans to experience a taste of the South. The rapidly expanding resort destination is home to a theme park, water park, and two beautiful hotels, making it a multi-day vacation spot for families from the South, and around the country. This year, Dollywood is celebrating its 40th anniversary, which brings even more notoriety to the regional theme park that’s continuing to get national acclaim.
The big celebration kicked off in March, but Dollywood’s 40th anniversary season runs through the first weekend of January 2026. Between the hair-raising attractions, incredible entertainment offerings, and scrumptious food, Dollywood truly has something for everyone in the family. After visiting the park for its season kickoff weekend, I learned valuable tips and tricks to make a day at Dollywood for its 40th anniversary easier and more fun. If you’re going to the park this year, keep reading to learn how to make the most of your day at Dollywood.
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What’s new in 2025, Dollywood’s 40th anniversary season
This year, there’s a host of new offerings and returning favorites at Dollywood. You can catch everything from a new stage show that celebrates the park’s history to a new drone show that honors the 40th anniversary in summer. The park’s Country Fair area is newly refreshed.
Pro-tip: Country Fair is ideal for families with kids since there are so many attractions clustered together, plus a picnic pavilion and a splash pad all in one land.
Later this year, the all-new Wilderness Pass Restaurant will open. The eatery will serve delectable meals of rotisserie chicken, smoked meats, macaroni and cheese, and more.
Choose your Dollywood hotel wisely
When it comes to your hotel, there are plenty of options around Dollywood, and there are even Dollywood-owned hotels. On my most recent visit to the park, I opted for a split stay between an off-site hotel and one of the Dollywood hotels.
I spent my first two nights in Pigeon Forge at the Residence Inn Pigeon Forge. I loved that the hotel was a quick seven-minute drive to the park. The hotel was clean and the staff was exceptionally friendly (we call that Southern hospitality around here). The all-suite hotel features separate living and sleeping areas, and a fully equipped kitchen to make meals if you want to. I love this resort for families on a budget who want more amenities in their rooms.
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The third and fourth nights of my trip were spent at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge and Resort. The resort’s luxury lodge vibe made it feel a world away from the excitement of the theme park. There are plenty of areas around the resort to just sit and hang out. I especially loved the outdoor fire pits. The 302 rooms and suites are perfectly adorned with mountain lodge theming but all of the modern amenities one would need. I stayed in one of the resort’s family suites with a balcony, which has a king bed plus twin-sized bunk beds in a separate area. This is a great option for families with little kids who want separate spaces and themed bedrooms.
What day you go to Dollywood matters
Dollywood is a popular vacation spot for people in the South looking for a fun theme park vacation that’s not as expensive or challenging to plan as some of the larger national theme parks in Orlando, Florida. But when you go to Dollywood still matters, just like it does at Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando Resort.
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Weekends at the park are going to be busier than weekdays. You’ll also want to plan around school and national holidays. To make it even more convoluted, the park does have some days in April, May, August, September, October, November, and December when it’s closed during the week. You can check out Dollywood’s park schedule here.
Don’t skip the Dolly Parton Experience
One of my favorite things at Dollywood is exploring the Dolly Parton Experience. It’s just off Showstreet, the main road into the park. Here, you can enjoy live music inside Dreamsong Theater, go through the Songteller exhibit to take a walk through Parton’s life, see a curated collection of her style at Behind the Seams, and step inside one of Parton’s old tour buses. Don’t forget to stop into Dolly’s Fan Shop, where you can find everything from t-shirts and mugs to Christmas ornaments and Parton-themed makeup.
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This area tends to be less busy during the morning when everyone is racing to their first rides of the day. If you want to read most of the museum placards, you’ll want to set aside about an hour to go through the entire area.
You may see Dolly visiting the park every once in a while
Yes, the rumors are true that Parton does show up at her namesake park every once in a while. If you want the best chance to see the American icon, you’ll want to be at the park on opening day or when any new attractions are opening. You may also catch her around the park on its actual anniversary day on May 3. When she’s at the park, there’s usually a short cavalcade where she’s riding in an old-time open-air carriage waving at guests. Park hosts can give you more specifics on the timing and route if Parton is, in fact, at the park. She’s also been known to hop on stage for a performance, so you really never know where she will pop up.
Save money on parking at Dollywood by taking the Pigeon Forge shuttle
Parking at any theme park can put a wrench in the morning. Parking lots are huge and trams can be infrequent, making getting into the park even more challenging. If you’re staying at an off-site hotel, or making a day trip out of your visit to Dollywood, consider skipping parking at the park and using the Pigeon Forge shuttle. You’ll park at Patriot Park, then hop on the continuously operating shuttle. The ride takes about 15 minutes. Transit starts running 30 minutes before Dollywood opens and stops once everyone has returned to Patriot Park. Fares are $2.50 per person, one way. You can also get an all-day pass that’s $3 per person, which is a better deal.
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Measure your kids before heading for rides
If you’re going to Dollywood with kids, you can visit the Centralized Measuring station on Showstreet between the Ride Accessibility Center and Rental Services. Here, kids will get measured by a Dollywood host and given a color-coded bracelet to wear at the park. The bracelets tell your kid and the attraction hosts what rides they are tall enough to do and not have to be measured every time they get into a line. While this isn’t absolutely necessary for your kids to be able to ride park attractions, it does make it a little easier to know what’s a go and what’s not right away.
