Dollywood Celebrates Its 41st Season
Visitors can expect exciting new changes and additions at Dollywood this year.
On Friday, March 13, Dollywood reopened its doors to officially kick off its 41st season. And if you’re planning a trip there anytime soon, you should know the park is going to look a little different, but in a good way.
This time around, Dollywood will have new rides, events, and more to make the experience better than ever.
For starters, if you’re one of the lucky people visiting the park on opening day, you might get the surprise of a lifetime by seeing Dolly Parton in person. The country superstar is scheduled to be at Dollywood to celebrate the milestone season along with everyone else.
This is the first time the park is letting anyone with a ticket experience opening day. In the past, it was only reserved for season pass holders.
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Probably the most talked-about addition to Dollywood this year is the NightFlight Expedition ride, which will be unlike anything the park has ever offered.
NightFlight will be an indoor, family-friendly hybrid roller coaster and water ride, and it will be the park’s longest, at roughly five and a half minutes.
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According to Dollywood’s official website, the ride will take guests on a nighttime flight over the Smoky Mountains, where they’ll “enjoy a thrilling whitewater rafting excursion through more than 500,000 gallons of surging water, traverse a mountain ridge on a roller coaster, and navigate a mysterious shimmering lake by boat.”
This new attraction is also the largest investment the park has ever made, with the project estimated to have cost more than $50 million.
NightFlight is expected to open sometime this spring. An exact day hasn’t been shared.
Additionally, Dollywood’s Splash Country water park is stepping up the fun with Neon Nights.
This new event series will take place on select Friday and Saturday nights during the summer. Guests can buy tickets for an after-hours experience with live music and access to select attractions.
Another event that will happen after the park closes will be Harvey’s Boo Bash, which takes place on October 16, 23, and 30.
Those who attend will be able to celebrate the spooky season with candy collection stations, access to select attractions, and exclusive food and merchandise available only during the event.
And speaking of food, Dollywood is adding a mouthwatering lineup of brand-new menu items this year, per Knox News, including:
- Strawberry Salsa with Chips
- Tex-Mex Loaded Fries
- Zesty BBQ Glazed Corn Strips
- Southern Fish and Chips
- Sausage and Cabbage Skillet and Sausage and Rice Skillet
- Raspberry Lemon Sweet Roll
- Strawberry Cupcake
- Black Forest Cupcake
- Dragon Fruit Lemonade and Mango Tea
This definitely looks like a year at Dollywood you won’t want to miss!