A comprehensive guide to the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN by a local Building the perfect theme park is an ineffable combination of science, technology and alchemy. In Pigeon Forge, the magical formula is just right at the Dollywood theme park. The journey from Rebel Railroad to Goldrush Junction to Silver Dollar City is a fairly mundane tale of minor
Soaky Mountain Waterpark is one of the new attractions in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. And even though it only recently opened in 2020, they are still bringing us new attractions and improved guest experiences throughout the park with each new season. When you’re planning a summer trip to the Smokies, you may be curious on what exactly
It was 1987. I was in the 7th grade and our neighbor – a young adult – invited the neighborhood for a cookout. While the adults sat around a fire, I commandeered the boom box. I had VERY strong opinions about music at the time, nearly all of them wrong. I shudder to think what I subjected the crowd to as I
I grew up with Pigeon Forge, Tenn. in my backyard. As a result, I visited Dollywood nearly every summer and every holiday weekend since childhood. I’ve had the distinct privilege of not only watching our beloved park evolve over the years but also the opportunity to ride every ride in the park probably at least a few dozen times. As
Let’s start with a caveat: The 70s were a simpler time. “Star Wars” was huge. The world loved disco and the Pittsburgh Pirates and “Grease” and “YMCA” – it was arguably a very silly time. Herschend Family Entertainment had purchased Gold Rush Junction in Pigeon Forge from Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell in 1976. And that began the process of
Look, we get it. There’s a lot of competition in the Smoky Mountains. There are a lot of places selling some version of the same stuff you’re selling whether it’s pancakes or T-shirts or whatever. In particular, you have to find a way to stand out. And often that way is through branding or marketing. Maybe you’re a business owner
It’s not often we get a glimpse into the road not taken. There was a movement in the early 1900s to preserve the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains and create the national park. But that movement came with consequences. Whether those consequences were good or bad depends on your point of view. Ultimately, people lost their homes, their land
Theme park ride restrictions can be a stressful topic for the plus-size community. It’s never a great feeling to be told that you’re too big to ride. Since we often get the question, “Is Dollywood fat friendly?”, we decided to create this handy dandy guide to give you an idea of what to expect before you arrive at the Dollywood theme park.