The Pigeon Forge theme park is popular for a reason—but you can still maximize your visit without going into debt.
Every summer , I pack two of my youngster into my minivan with a cooler full of snacks , a giant duffel bag , and a suitcase . We drive from our home inWashington DCto Space Camp inHuntsville , Alabama , where I drop my girl off for a hebdomad of other - worldly adventures while my son and I go on an dangerous undertaking of our own . On the way to Huntsville , we unremarkably make several stops . My darling , and the only one that makes a repeat appearance class after class , isDollywood .
In the past , we have stayed at off - site hotels and embark to the green each day . That was in part due to cost , and in part because , before this twelvemonth , Dollywood only had one on - site hotel that unremarkably sell out before I got around to planning our annual road misstep .
However , this twelvemonth , I wanted to fully immerse myself in the “ Dolly house of cards ” and I hoped it would be potential since Dollywood of late open up a fresh hotel , Heartsong Lodge and Resort . I splurged on two nights and my kids and I had a peachy clip disembarrass hair curler coaster , love Dollywood ’s famous cinnamon bread , and loaf in the stamping ground ’s tremendous pool . We also explored Pigeon Forge , the fun and kitschy town where Dollywood is located .
Design by Maitane Romagosa for Thrillist
Here is a breakdown of what I spend on a tripper to Dollywood for myself , my 13 - twelvemonth - old daughter , and my nine - year - old son .
About the travelers
Job : Freelance author and adjuvant professorAnnual salary:$61,000-$80,000 per yearLocation of abidance : Washington DCAdditional travelers : Children , senior nine and 13Age:40s
About the vacation
Where : Dollywood en route to Huntsville , AlabamaHow recollective : Four daysPlanned budget:$2,000
Upfront costs
collation for the ride:$75.24 . It ’s about a seven - and - a - half - 60 minutes drive from my home in Washington DC to Dollywood . Snacks are central to keep my tiddler happy , minimizing stops for food , and help me stay alert . $ 75 is more than I typically care to drop on junk food for thought , but under the context , I believe it was money well spent . My kids were well-chosen throughout the ride and I consumed enough sugar to keep me alert .
Lodging and parking lot tickets:$1,365.78 . This was the highest cost of the stumble by far . I booked Dollywood ’s “ Stay and Pay Package ” for $ 1250.18 . The package offers a discount versus book a room and park tickets separately . The price let in lodging in a forked king room with a balcony and two two - day tickets to Dollywood and Dollywood’sSplash Country USAwaterpark . I purchase an extra two - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. pass for my son for $ 115.60.It ’s important to observe that price fluctuate forever for Dollywood lodging and tickets , free-base on the time of year , requirement , specials the park and hotels might be run , and other factors . Even if I were to reserve the same trip for next year for the same dates it ’s unlikely that my costs would be exactly the same .
stay at either of Dollywood ’s hangout let in several perk that made ride out at one deserving the higher cost for my home . In the past times , we have stayed at hotel with small puddle that were not very inviting . I really like that Heartsong offered a resort hotel experience with a huge pool , hot tub , and activities for the kids throughout the day . Guests of Dollywood resort hotel also get a free bird to park which saves on pricey parking fees , admission to park before it open up to the oecumenical public , and five Timesaver Passes , which set aside us to skip over the line for several popular drive . Plus , never having to leave the “ Dolly bubble ” while on vacation is invaluable .
Day by day
Day 1 - Wednesday
full cost : $ 196.21The first day of the trip was long . Including some small traffic hold and stops , I was on the route for about nine hours . I spent the first three hours listen toTaylor Swift ’s Eras Toursetlist . I had tickets to see Taylor Swift later in the summer in Warsaw . Since I like to blab along at concerts , this was mandatory listening over the objections of my Logos . I drop the residuum of my metre playing 20 Questions with my kids and listening to various podcasts to blow over the time . I also make for some of my favorite Dolly Parton birdcall and theDolly Parton ’s Americapodcast to help get me in a Dolly frame of mind before arriving .
We block for dejeuner at aRed Robinalong our route and spent $ 36.45 . Normally on long road stumble I wish to gravel to fast solid food and make stops for food for thought as quickly as possible . However , I made an elision because there are no Red Robins where I hold out in Washington DC and I am a magnanimous fan of their veggie Burger . I was happy to block up for a sit - down meal after I found one just a few minute off the main road . The bank note would have been more expensive , but we befall to run through at the restaurant on a day when Red Robin was running a promotion that deep dismiss kids ’ meal .
Because I drive a hybrid galvanizing minivan . My car was fully charge when I leave and the tank was nearly full since I rarely apply gaseous state for day - to - drive around the metropolis . However , during the drive , I needed to stop for gas and pass $ 48.63 to fill up shortly after we stopped for dejeuner .
Photos by Jamie Davis Smith
One of my favorite tricks for saving money at resortsin the Caribbeanis to check into a lower - price hotel nearby the holding the night before arriving . Then , I can spend the intact next twenty-four hour period love the resort ’s amenities right from the showtime . I used the same strategy with Heartsong . I did n’t reserve a hotel for our first night in Pigeon Forge in advance because I was n’t sure if I would make it all the way there before I needed to rest for the night . However , the drive went swimmingly and I made it to Pigeon Forge at about 10 pm . When we were close , I handed my sound to my daughter and she found a budget hotel onPricelinethat she book through the app . We stayed at anEconoLodgefor $ 111.13 . It was clean and breakfast was admit so it met our needs . I also appreciated that I was recognise by a aliveness - size cardboard cutout of Dolly in the lobby .
Day 2 - Thursday
Total monetary value : $ 125.63After waking up , my fry and I partook in the complimentary breakfast at the EconoLodge where we had stayed the night before . It was introductory , but the toasted bagel and oatmeal packet filled us up . I appreciated that having breakfast on - site saved us time so that we could get to Dollywood sooner .
After check out , we headed to Heartsong which was only a few minute from the EconoLodge . Heartsong is a expectant step up from the EconoLodge and I was depend frontwards to the more broad and well-situated accommodations for the rest of my time in Pigeon Forge . Fortunately , our room was ready early . We quickly fell off our bagful , break out the fantastic aspect of the Great Smoky Mountains and pool from our balcony , and headed to the on - site client table service desk to pick up our park tickets , TimeSaver bracelets , and a plug-in that would tolerate us to use the resort ’s costless shuttlecock to and from the park . Within five minutes , we were on our way to Dollywood .
I have a major caffeine habit so the first matter I did at Dollywood was grab a cupful of chocolate for $ 5.53 . Then we hit the rides . My kid are much more daring than me and they headed straight to Wild Eagle , which has several inversions . I work with my kid on other rides , including Blazing Fury and the FireChaser Express . When it was time to go on Dollywood ’s new coaster , Big Bear Mountain , I must have looked a picayune spooky because right before take - off one of the drive attendants told me “ It ’s just you , the lick ginmill , and Jesus . ” That did n’t make me feel much good , but it was too late to get off . as luck would have it , my circuit bar did its job and I got off the drive safely . To cool down down , and calm down down , we go on one of my favorite rides , Smoky Mountain River Rampage , where we got right pluck .
Photos by Jamie Davis Smith
We pass the rest of the daylight blend in on other rides . Our TimeSaver passes help us make the most of our first daytime at Dollywood and we traverse a lot of ground . We appease at the park for lunch where my son had a nipper ’ meal with cheese pizza for $ 11.06 and my girl and I split a veg corn dog platter with two veg dogs and minor for $ 15.49 . For a bite , we order a loaf of bread of Dollywood ’s legendary cinnamon bread for $ 14.39 . I expect to have remnant , but we finished almost the entire loaf of bread in one sitting .
Although Dollywood was the main haul of this head trip , my family love research Pigeon Forge as well . I line it as Las Vegas for tyke because it ’s full of bright neon sign , kitschy show likePaula Deen ’s Lumberjack Feud , over - the - top mini - golf course of action , and so much more . I want to cut up out a little time to explore the town we have a go at it so we went back to Heartsong on the complimentary bird to grab our car to head into town for a few hours .
No visit to Pigeon Forge is complete without a ride on a mountain coaster . A ride for the three of us on theLost Mine Mountain Coasterwas $ 45.97 . It ’s a fiddling pricey for a shortsighted drive , but we do n’t have anything like it where we survive on the East Coast , so I think it was deserving the cost .
Photos by Jamie Davis Smith
After the mountain coaster , we went toCicisto dine on a vast pizza pie snack counter . Since we do n’t have a Cicis near where we survive , I surprise my pizza - loving boy with a sojourn to the all - you - can - eat pizza pie joint . He was overjoyed and I was well-chosen that our bill derive to a very sane $ 33.19 for such a with child meal .
After dinner , we headed back to Heartsong and played in the pool , unadulterated with a waterfall feature film , before lead to sleep .
Day 3 - Friday
full cost : $ 198.49The next Clarence Day , we ate a fast breakfast of coffee and bagel at Heartsong ’s on - siteSongbirdmarket . The amount amount to $ 29.91 . After breakfast , we headed to the green on the gratuitous shuttle .
We quetch off the day by going on some rides we had missed the 24-hour interval before and exploring more of the green . One highlighting for me was seeing theGazillion Bubble Show . I had wanted to see this show on former visits to New York but never made it , so I was thrilled to catch it at Dollywood . My kids loved it as well , even though they were disappointed they were not prefer to be on stagecoach .
I also really liked go steady the park ’s new exhibit , TheDolly Parton Experience . This on - site museum tells Dolly ’s report through a series of interactive exhibits . My daughter liked model at a replica of Dolly ’s make-up mirror and I enjoyed the 360 - Dolly concert experience . Another highlight of the day was playing in theFoam Zone , a huge play field occupy with bubble froth . After we wash off , my son convinced me that his meter in the Foam Zone counted as his shower for the mean solar day .
Photos by Jamie Davis Smith
We had the same lunch as the day before , which come up to $ 11.06 for a fry ’ meal with tall mallow pizza pie and $ 15.19 for a veggie corn dog platter with two veggie dogs and fries . Throughout the 24-hour interval , we also buy various snacks from around the park for a amount of $ 17.60 . My favorite was theGooGoo Clusters , a gooey , chocolatey Tennesse treat I look forward to each class .
My original plan for the rest of the daytime was to manoeuver to Dollywood ’s H2O park , Splash Country USA , but my shaver decide they would rather make a stop at one of Pigeon Forge ’s other great attractions , WonderWorks , and spend the eve at Heartsong ’s pool . I decided to go with the flow . in brief after lunch , we went on a few more rides then went back to the hotel to grab the car and head to WonderWorks . Three tickets cost $ 96.50 . At WonderWorks , we played optical maser tag end , climbed the rope course , and went on a VR coaster simulator .
For dinner , we went toJersey Mike ’s . The restaurant was a picayune out of the way , but I am originally from Philadelphia and seldom pass up the opportunity to get a good wedge . I spend a total of $ 28.23 on dinner . After eating , we head back to Heartsong to float . My kids pass the rest of the dark swimming before lead to bed . After my kids fall asleep , I caught up on some work while sitting on my room ’s balcony . The nerveless mountain air and stunning view were a prissy elbow room to end our concluding day at Dollywood .
Day 4 - Saturday
entire cost : $ 211.25After wake up up , we puzzle ready to check out and then headed to the entrance hall to grab breakfast at Songbird . Coffee , a pastry , and bagels be $ 24.37 .
Before leave town , we headed to a new - to - us attraction in Pigeon Forge , theTitanic Museum . Three tickets cost $ 86.66 . We all love escort replication of various rooms on the Titanic and learn how the ship was powered .
After bring down the museum we stopped at my nipper ’s best-loved restaurant , Chipotle , where we spend $ 18.77 . Before hitting the route , I filled up my tank , pass $ 46.29 on flatulency . I also break off at a nearbyBuc - ees , which take to be the largest in the world . I wanted to see the enormous Buc - ees for myself and used the chance to stock up on snack for the next leg of the journey . After expend $ 35.16 on snack for the effort , we were on our way to our next destination . After I got back from my trip , I learned that the Tenessee Buc - ees had been surpassed in size by a new location in Texas shortly before our sojourn . I was disappointed but reason out that I now had a intellect to plan a trip to the Lonestar State .
How it all broke down
Upfront and trip costs:$1,441.02Costs from the trip:$731.58Final total:$2,172.60How much I drop compare to my original budget:$172.60 over budget
