Dollywood has big things planned for 2025, and 2026. Here’s what we know so far
If the 40-year history of Dollywood has taught us anything, it’s that the park’s leadership does not believe in allowing the park to stagnate.
When Dolly Parton partnered with Herschend Family Entertainment, Silver Dollar City, as the park was known, received an instant investment infusion of $5 million. When it opened for the 1986 season as Dollywood, the park was rewarded with a massive attendance increase. Perhaps as much as 75% depending on your source. The way forward was clear.
Through a well-thought-out and measured campaign of investment and growth, Dollywood would shed its cocoon of a relatively minor theme park. Wings were stretched and Dollywood became one of the world’s best and most recognized amusement parks.
That doesn’t mean every decision has worked out or there haven’t been bumps in the road. For instance, the River Battle was – I believe – a good and well-executed idea. But it just didn’t work. To their credit, Dollywood’s management recognized it wasn’t working. They shut it down after nine seasons and this year you’ll see something new in its place.
The ability to be clear and level-headed, not stubborn, has been a big part of Dollywood’s success. There is a willingness to recognize what works and double down, such as the popular Wildwood Grove addition which was quickly followed by the Big Bear Mountain roller coaster. More growth beyond Big Bear seems to be coming down the pike. With this in mind, here is what we know about what is or may be coming soon.
1. A new restaurant
The Wilderness Pass Restaurant will open for the 2025 season in mid-April. It will be at the former location of the River Battle. The restaurant – with its covered outdoor seating – will bring some sorely needed quick-service dining to the Wilderness Pass Area of the park between Mystery Mine and Wild Eagle. The restaurant’s menu will be rotisserie chicken, fish, and pork. Menu prices range from around $15 to $22.
2. New parking
As much as I appreciate the efforts of Dollywood management to improve the park over the years, the biggest lingering issue is parking. The lot itself is awkward. The buses and trams can get overwhelmed during peak busy times. As I’ve said before, my top 10 worst experiences at Dollywood have all been just trying to get back to my car at the end of the day.
There was even a day last year when Dollywood officials suggested people park at Patriot Park and take the city trolley over to Dollywood. I don’t have many hard and fast rules in life but one of them is that if the amusement park’s parking lot is full, the park is full. Go somewhere else. I’m not taking a tram just to get on another tram to go to your park.
The good news is that help is on the way. Dollywood officials have unveiled a large new lot above the preferred parking area that will offer a significant increase to Dollywood’s parking capacity. Work began back in the summer with dozers moving earth and flattening a space to create more space for parking. I’m certainly curious as to how it changes parking logistics. The lot is placed on the far side of the preferred pay lot away from the park. It doesn’t appear accessible to the current tram and bus system. Will it have a bus route?
It’s walkable but it would be a pretty good hike for some. I’m curious also if there will eventually be a public Wildwood Grove entrance – as part of the multi-phase Wildwood Grove rollout – which could save people walking up and down that massive hill to the current second bus system.
3. Wildwood Grove phases
When Wildwood Grove – a massive expansion that increased park size by 20% – opened in 2019, the indication was that was just phase I. The addition of the Big Bear Coaster appears to have been phase II. Owens basically said they are developing another park at Wildwood Grove. He also indicated phase III is coming in 2026 and a phase IV beyond that.
“The Goal is we become the preferred family destination in the United States,” Owens said.
If you think about it Wildwood Grove as a second park makes sense. Dollywood has opened two major hotels in DreamMore and HeartSong with distant plans for up to three more. To accommodate that many guests, Dollywood either needs a second park or to make the existing park much bigger.
4. A $50 million attraction
We have these listed as three separate entries, but there’s a chance all three are related. In his interview, Owens says the 2026 project is phase III. It isn’t 100% clear but he appears to be referring to this attraction, which he discusses in slightly more detail later in the interview. Asked if it’s a ride, Owens hesitates. He refers to it as a major attraction, a nearly $50 million attraction which put me in mind of something like Disney’s massive and immersive Star Wars Rise of the Resistance until I searched on Yahoo and found out that Rise cost $500 million. So, it’s probably not that. Plus, Owens indicated it’s something entirely new.
“It’s something that no one has ever done before,” Owens said.
But what is it? Well, the Mountain Press reported that Dollywood officials revealed to the Pigeon Forge City Commission that the attraction would be 43,000 square feet on a three-and-a-half-acre tract behind Wildwood Grove. The building will hold up to 1,000 people.
Silver Dollar City – Dollywood’s sister park in Branson, Missouri recently launched an all-new version of its classic Fire in the Hole, a sister ride to Dollywood’s Blazing Fury. The old version was weird and cheesy, like Blazing Fury, the new version? It’s a $30 million dark ride built in a large building with themed surrounding acreage known as the Fire District Area.
However, making an appearance on something called No Coaster Con, Dollywood officials made a vague reference to Ranger Ned building a storage shed behind Big Bear. The implication is that whatever is being built back there will fit neatly with the Wildwood Grove theming. And not some shoe-horned version of Blazing Fury which wouldn’t match the Wildwood Grove theming at all.
5. Blazing Fury refurbishment
During his interview, Owens referred to a legacy refurbishment. During the conversation, Owens certainly seems to be referring to two separate projects, the $50 million attraction and the legacy refurbishment. And on the preview day, as suspected, Dollywood announced that Blazing Fury will be updated and the water feature is returning.
What other additions are coming to Dollywood in 2025
The Dollywood Website has announced several other improvements or additions for the 2025 – 40th anniversary season. They include a new stage show celebrating the park’s history of entertainment. Also added, are a new 40th-anniversary drone and fireworks show and a “newly-refreshed” Country Fair with all new seasonal overlays. At the preview, it was confirmed that Country Fair games are gone, replaced by a new splash pad.
Other improvements include new paint, carpet and seats in the Celebrity Theater. There will be a new outdoor Dollywood sign on a hill, inspired by the Hollywood sign in California.
The Heartsong Theater has been renamed The Imagination Playhouse. The Heartsong Show will move to the Dolly Parton Experience.
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I think that the new hotel at Dollywood should be for people who can afford it. I wish I could stay at Heart Song or Dream More but I can’t afford them.