Travel Guides Family Friendly Amusement Parks
Joshua Meyer
Dollywood is one of Tennessee’s top tourist attractions, a theme park where you can experience thrill rides, music shows, and the crafts, cuisine, and culture of the Smoky Mountains. Located in the foothills in the city of Pigeon Forge, the park has gone by different names since 1961. At one point, it was called Silver Dollar City after another one of the best amusement parks in the region (which has the same owner, Herschland Family Entertainment). Ever since actor, singer-songwriter, and country music legend Dolly Parton took on a 50% stake in the park and lent it her name in 1985, however, Dollywood has been a go-to destination for even more families and people traveling across the American Southeast.
In spring 2023, Dollywood opened its longest roller coaster, the 4,000-foot Big Bear Mountain, and in fall 2023, it’s set to open its latest hotel, the HeartSong Lodge and Resort. New attractions like these, along with old favorites like the whitewater rafting ride, Smoky Mountain River Rampage, and the authentic coal-fired steam engine, the Dollywood Express, might have you daydreaming about a trip to Dollywood while “working 9 to 5,” as Parton herself would sing. If so, you may be wondering just how much a trip like that would cost you.
Let’s take a quick look at ticket prices and other things you can expect to pay for on a trip to Dollywood.
Tickets and airfare
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For people aged 10 to 61, a one-day Dollywood ticket costs $89. Kids aged 3 and under can enter the park for free, while those aged 4 to 9, plus seniors 62 and over, get a discount of 10 silver dollars, making their tickets $79. Two- and three-day tickets only add $20 to the regular price, so with 50 rides and all the other entertainment offerings Dollywood has, it might be a better deal to do a second or third day (at $109 and $119, respectively). You can spread them out anytime within the same five-day period if you need a rest day or two in between.
Those interested can also purchase multi-park tickets, which enable you to access both Dollywood and its sister water park, Dollywood’s Splash Country, even hopping from one park to another on the same day. These tickets are $99, $119, and $129 for one, two, or three days. So, for a family of four, where the kids are 10 or over and the adults are 61 or under, you’d be looking at a maximum of $516 for three full days at both Dollywood parks.
There are other expenses to consider, however, beyond just the admission price, such as transportation. For those flying in to visit Dollywood, the nearest major airport is McGhee Tyson Airport, just south of Knoxville, Tennessee. Airfare will vary depending on where you’re coming from, but remember that it could add a few hundred dollars to your trip per person.
Gas, parking, and hotels
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For those traveling by car, Dollywood is within driving distance of other major cities like Atlanta and Nashville, the latter of which holds the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Check out our music lover travel guide to Nashville, and if it’s within your budget, consider combining a trip there with your Dollywood visit.
The farther you drive, the more you’ll need to pay for gas, of course. Some sites recommend budgeting anywhere from $200 to $500 for gas and parking fees on a three-day trip to Dollywood and the surrounding area. Parking just for the day at Dollywood is $22.80 for standard vehicles and $27.35 for oversized ones like RVs.
For guests at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and its Smoky Mountain Cabins, parking is free, and there’s also a free shuttle service that runs from the resort to the park. Prices at DreamMore also vary greatly depending on the season, with a single night falling in the same $200 to $500 range as your potential gas budget.
Hotels outside Dollywood in Pigeon Forge and nearby Gatlinburg might be more affordable. Again, the time of year and level of accommodation you choose can yield a wide range of prices, but some of the better-reviewed hotels run $75 to $150 a night. Another benefit of Gatlinburg is that it provides access to the Great Smoky Mountains, America’s most visited national park, where you can hike the Appalachian Trail, maybe while humming a Dolly Parton song.
