June 23-29, 2019

Pigeon Forge, TN

(Dollywood)

The theme park is jointly owned by Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment.  It is the biggest tourist attraction in Tennessee.

We are not really into rides-the 1 to 2 minutes of thrill is not worth the aching back or neck we might have after being jostled around.  We were mostly looking forward to the entertainment and were not disappointed.

But to begin with we made the mistake of purchasing the tickets on-line in advance.  When we got to the park we still had to wait in a long line to show our email confirmation to obtain our actual tickets.  We noticed there were several self-ticketing machines with no lines! 

We began our visit at the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame that is composed of pioneers in the field of Southern Gospel music.

It is conveniently located next to the Showstreet Palace, the venue for the first show we wanted to attend featuring the Kingdom Heirs, a Southern Gospel quartet.

The Quartet performs multiple shows daily at Dollywood during the month the park is open.  They have been performing at the park since 1977.

One of the few rides we did take while at the park was on the Dollywood Express, a steam locomotive that travels along a 2.5 mile loop-to-loop track from the Village to the top of the mountain. 

The locomotive burns five tons of coal each day and is the oldest attraction in Dollywood operating since 1961.

The plume and stench of the smoke can be seen from any place in the park.

A couple of other shows we attended included the Smoky Mountain String Band and Country Crossroads singing a medley of songs.

Monte was chosen from the audience to participate in a skid.  I had told him to go ahead of me to the outdoor theatre to get seats while I went to stand in line to get a cup of water.  Imagine my surprise when I came to the theatre and saw Monte up front in a chicken costume.  He is such a good sport.

We didn’t want to carry around food with us so we ate lunch at the park. 

 

Later in the day we shared a funnel cake and then a hot fudge sundae. 

The Rockin’ Roadway and the Mad Mockingbird were the only other rides we thought were tame enough and did not have long lines.

 

 

We saved the best attraction for last.  My People, My Music at the Dreamsong Theatre, showcases Dolly’s incredible journey from Locust Ridge, TN to stages around the world. 

 

The show, that celebrates the family who inspired Dolly to achieve her dreams, features her brother Randy along with several other family members who share songs of the family’s strong faith, their deep love for the Smoky Mountains and their steadfast belief in their sister Dolly.