Coming off a record year which featured the best new attraction of 2016, Lightning Rod, as well as the successful first anniversary of Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort, The Dollywood Company continues to provide more unique experiences at each of its family-friendly properties.
Two new family rides debut this summer at Dollywood providing thrilling new adventures for guests. The first is Drop Line, a 200-foot tall free-fall experience that towers over Timber Canyon and provides an incredible view of the park before its exhilarating finish. The drop tower ride lifts Dollywood guests nearly 20 stories above the Canyon’s pool, before plummeting them back to the ground in a thrilling rush. Also new is Whistle Punk Chaser, a junior coaster which throws exciting twists and turns at Dollywood’s younger loggers, helping prepare them for the day they can join their parents aboard the award-winning Thunderhead wooden coaster. Dolly said,
“As everybody already knows, family is very important to me. These days, there doesn’t seem to be enough time for families to be together, whether you’re a just a couple like me and Carl or you have 12 kids like my family did growing up. That’s why we continue to add all these new rides and shows for families to experience together."
Dolly continued,
“We have something for everyone, but even more important, we have something for you AND your family. We’re adding so much this year; I’m calling 2017 ‘the year of the family!’”
In addition to the new attractions, families have two engaging new events to experience 2017. Just in time for families enjoying spring break, the park will introduce enra, a Tokyo-based dance company featured on "America’s Got Talent" in 2015. The group wowed audiences with their high-energy multi-media dance, light and video fusion show. Interactive video and lights combine with the talented performers to create a unique, cutting-edge experience for guests.
In October, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival adds the spectacular GREAT! Pumpkin LumiNights event. This nighttime event immerses families in fabulous fall pumpkin illumination. Additionally, a new pumpkin trail comes to life after dark with a number of spectacular pumpkin displays glowing with the fire of fall. The festival also includes the Southern Gospel Jubilee which brings in the greatest Southern gospel talent around. Gene Scherrer, Dollywood Vice-President and General Manager said.
“We are really excited about adding the GREAT! Pumpkin LumiNights to our Harvest event. We’ve created a number of impressive displays that will light up the night and allow us to add some new experiences for families to enjoy the fun of fall in a uniquely Dollywood way.”
The company also recently announced the addition of TailSpin Racer, a multi-lane, mat-racer-style slide to Dollywood’s Splash Country for 2017. The parks’ 2017 additions are all part of the $300 million investment in Dollywood which Dolly announced in 2013.
With the excitement of what is shaping up to be a record season in 2016, The Dollywood Company announced the addition of TailSpin Racer to Dollywood’s Splash Country for 2017.
This thrilling new attraction allows up to six guests to race each other on mats through the twists and turns of TailSpin Racer’s unique spiraling tube design. The race begins with riders descending a daring first drop inside intertwined, high-speed AquaTubes. After navigating the wet and wild curves, riders emerge from the translucent tubes on a traditional mat racer-style slide. From there, it’s an all-out race toward the splashdown finish. Dollywood’s Splash Country General Manager Mike Brown said,
"TailSpin Racer is an exciting addition to the park that we know our guests are going to love. We always seek to add slides and attractions which will leave our guests with big smiles and memories to share. I think we’ll see a lot of fun as families and friends challenge each other to races down this great new slide."
TailSpin Racer’s slides are longer than a football field in length and stand five stories above the park. The $2 million attraction, which uses ergonomically designed starting blocks, will be located alongside Big River Pavilion near the park entrance.
Thanks to strong visitation to Dollywood’s Splash Country in 2016, officials added five new days, Aug. 15-19, to the park’s operating calendar. The award-winning water park now is open daily through Aug. 21 and on weekends through Labor Day.
Sweet sounds from the biggest names in bluegrass and the tangy tastes of the greatest barbeque in the South create a perfect harmony for guests during Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass (May 13-22). Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Blue Highway, Dailey & Vincent and The Willis Clan are just a small selection of the talented bluegrass pickers taking to the stage during Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass. Dolly Parton said,
“It always is a special treat to have these great bluegrass performers during my Barbeque & Bluegrass festival at Dollywood. There is nothing like listening to these award-winning performers when they take the stage to share their talents with our guests. There is only one thing that makes the music better and that is a plate full of our famous southern barbeque—especially the ribs!”
Rhonda Vincent & The Rage (May 15-16) are among the acts to help get the festival started on a high note. An impressive calendar of bluegrass talent performs throughout the event with more than 250 concerts scheduled during the festival. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver set up shop May 18 while Dailey & Vincent take the stage May 18-19. Other Barbeque & Bluegrass artists include Blue Highway (May 20), The Boxcars (May 22) and Balsam Range (May 22). The lineup also includes The Willis Clan (May 15), stars of the TLC show "The Willis Family."
Rhonda Vincent, one of bluegrass music’s most well-known performers, is a mainstay during the park’s annual festival and says the experience is unlike any other for her. Rhonda said,
“We always love performing at Dollywood. There’s a special excitement in the air every time we perform there, and it comes through in the show and in the response of everyone in the crowd. We can’t wait to get there!”
Dollywood’s award-winning food perfectly complements the sounds of bluegrass music’s finest. The aroma of bold barbeque wafts through the air, thanks to expertly-prepared pulled pork, smoked sausage and chicken, and slabs of ribs. Bountiful barbeque entrees are accompanied by Southern favorites like baked beans, corn on the cob and more. Guests also can find a number of sweet treats to put an exclamation point on their meal!
From bluegrass favorites and tangy barbeque at Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass to the park’s award-winning rides and family-friendly atmosphere, every season features amazing new memory-making moments to celebrate.
All concerts are free and included with park admission. Discover more about Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
Pirates Voyage welcomes all boy scouts and girl scouts to its annual Scout Day event! On May 7, Scouts and their troop leader can visit "The Most Fun Place To Eat" for a special Scout Day rate of $29.28*. Patch also available on site!
See Captain Blackbeard and his quartermaster Calico Jack lead the Crimson and Sapphire crews in an epic battle for lost treasure! Enjoy a four course pirate feast while watching spectacular acrobatic competitions, aerial feats, sea lions, tropical birds, beautiful mermaids and much more!
Scout Day Itinerary
3:30 pm Doors Open
4:00 pm Educational Presentation in Pirates Village
4:30 pm Pirates Village – Fun Interactive Experience plus Pirate Entertainment
6:00 pm Main Arena Show
7:30 pm Show Ends
Book Early Due To Limited Seating! (800) 433-4401
*Per person inclusive of tax and gratuity. For Child & Youth
Price for additional adult scouts and family members $41.22 inclusive
Deposit is due 30 days prior to show date with final payment due 7 days prior to show date.
Scout Uniform Required
See the Scout Day Flyer and get more information at PiratesVoyage.com.
As anticipation mounts for the opening of Dollywood’s Lightning Rod, fans now have one more way to satisfy their appetite for the world’s fastest wood coaster—a new Lightning Rod-themed ice cream flavor, thanks to Mayfield Dairy.
The packaging for Mayfield’s newest flavor, Smoky Mountain Fudge, features the colorful artwork of Lightning Rod launching riders to a world-record 73 mph top speed. The special ice cream flavor features chocolate ice cream swirled with fudge and chocolate sandwich cookie pieces. Dollywood fans can purchase Lightning Rod Smoky Mountain Fudge at Food City, Ingles, Weigel’s, Kroger, Publix, Walmart and Food Depot stores in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Scottie Mayfield, Mayfield President Emeritus said,
“Smoky Mountain Fudge is the perfect flavor to tell the story of Lightning Rod. Guests are taken for a wild ride through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains every time they board! Now, they can taste some of that excitement at home.”
While the ride has yet to open, it already has received much attention. USA Today called it "The most anticipated ride of 2016."
Lightning Rod rolls to the starting line as part of an adrenaline-packed 2016 season. Both the world’s fastest wood coaster and the world’s first launching wood coaster, it provides guests nearly 20 seconds of airtime, a number of innovative ride features and an unforgettable journey through the hills surrounding Dollywood.
Lightning Rod is not the first Dollywood coaster to receive special Mayfield ice cream packaging. In 2014, Mayfield helped celebrate the opening of FireChaser Express with Crunchy Caramel Pretzel.
For more information about Dollywood, please call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit Dollywood.com.
