There’s a new restaurant planned for wilderness pass at Dollywood for 2025, here’s what we know so far
Choosing from the many Dollywood dining options is one of the great joys of visiting the park. Do I want a sit-down meal from Aunt Granny’s? Or maybe some delicious mountain barbecue. On some trips, I’m craving ham and beans. But there isn’t a trip that goes by that I wouldn’t be satisfied with sausage or potatoes from the Market Square Big Skillet options. I could live on Big Skillet options. Throw in some cinnamon bread, a funnel cake or kettle corn for dessert and you’ve got a full day.
But Dolly does not have a reputation for resting on her laurels. There is also something new, something bigger or something better on the horizon. Welcome to Wilderness Pass Restaurant which will open in 2025, the 40th season of Dollywood.
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What will the restaurant be like?
Wilderness Pass Restaurant will offer diners covered outdoor seating. Guests will go in to place their order and have a choice of two lines. There will also be a mobile pickup window. While there will not be any indoor seating, there will be a covered pavilion as well as some tables with umbrella covers. The pavilion will be open on all sides but will have the option of canvas roll-down panels and gas heaters for the colder months. There will also be fans to help move the air around in warmer months. From the plans, it appears the fountain on the location will be retained.
What’s on the menu?
The recently announced menu includes rotisserie chicken, braised beef, pulled pork and catfish. Sides include cheddar grits, mac ‘n’ cheese, hush puppies, corn salad and more. There will even be a vegan chili on the menu. The southern dessert offerings are pineapple upside-down cake and banana bread pudding.
Also, keeping a menu packed with Dollywood favorites would make sense in a lot of ways. First, that part of the park just needs a quality dining option, it does not need a reinvention of the wheel. Ain’t nobody clamoring for Dolly’s Mountain escargot. Second, from a logistical point of view, offering more or similar options to what’s available in the rest of the park makes sense. You can save ordering in bulk after all and if things get low at one, you can reinforce from other parts of the park.
The location
The restaurant will be beside Mystery Mine. It is said to be a nod to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is expected to be open mid-April.
Dollywood officials seem to be trying to keep construction at a relative minimum for the 40th anniversary. There are a handful of smaller projects, including the addition of water to Blazing Fury, but nothing big – aside from the restaurant – before 2026 when some real major projects should kick off including a massive $50 million attraction.
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