Are you thinking of going to Dollywood, but are a Disney parks fan (either DisneyLAND or DisneyWORLD)? Today I’m going to give you a comparison of the two theme park systems. What’s better/worse at each park and give you an idea of what to expect.
As a bit of background, I’m Hilary — a Disneyland planning pro. I’ve spent a lot of time at Disneyland (I’d sometimes say too much) and I am here to help you plan your vacation. BUT in Spring 2024 I went to Dollywood with some friends. I want to be super clear that Dollywood did give me media tickets (and I told them I planned to write this post) but I will give my true and honest opinion of both parks. Disney has also offered me free tickets in the past. Just thought you should know. 🙂
Before we dive too deep, grab my Disneyland trip calculator — it can also even work for Dollywood, just helps make sure you know of ALL the costs before you head out on your vacation:
This post was originally written in April 2024, but in fall 2024 I went back with my family and updated some of the information with that visit. You can also learn more about what we did in the Tenneesee and North Carolina << in that post.
Today I want to compare the parks in a few ways:
- Rides / Attractions
- Pricing
- Atmosphere
- Food
- Lodging
- Vicinity
Rides & Attractions
I honestly just thought there would be a few kiddie rides and some coasters at Dollywood. I was wrong.
They have LOTS of different offerings for families. I found it to be one of the most family-friendly parks I’d been to. There are a lot of REALLY good family coasters. You can see their rides right here. I felt like they sort of combined a lot of what I liked about Legoland and some Disney-eseque rides and that’s Dollywood for you.
Coasters were great, better than Disneyland if you’re a thrill seeker. BIG rides and quite a nice variety of steel and wooden coasters!
Even if you don’t like coasters, there’s still a good amount for you to do. I’m not a huge coaster fan, but I LOVED the Big Bear Mountain ride, and Blazing Fury (I call that one the Pirates of the Caribbean of Dollywood, it does have 3 very small drops). Another friend with us is not a coaster fan either and she LOVED the park — so take that for what it’s worth.
They have LOTS of rides for smaller kids, sprinkled throughout the park, lots of play areas and things for littles to do as older siblings ride bigger rides. Dollywood does a parent swap program similar to Disney’s rider swap. There is even “Hidden Holly” which is indoors if anyone is hot/cold. It was a nice break spot. 🙂
I will say that if you have a BABY Disneyland has more offerings. Most rides had some height requirement, vs Disneyland where there are a lot of rides for infants.
HOWEVER, Dollywood also has glass blowing to watch, a metal works barn, bald eagles, and a bird show, and some old-time things to tour, including a replica of the home where Dolly grew-up.
I wasn’t able to tour it (because it doesn’t open til’ may), but there’s more of Dolly’s history opening up near the front of the park for people to enjoy too! There’s LOTS to do if like you coasters, Dolly, the South or just beautiful surroundings.
The train was one of my most favorite things ever. It only goes every 60-45 minutes but it blew the Disney train out of the water as a REAL coal-powered steam train! Watch the soot on your face (and wear sunglasses if possible to shield your eyes from cinders).
Wait Times:
I know, I know — Disney lovers are wondering if you’ll be looking at 150 minute wait times? The answer: no. I checked the app quite a lot during the day and the longest line I saw was 75 minutes mid-day. However, we also saw that ride (Big Bear Mountain) slip to 30 minutes in the afternoon, and rode it a couple of times then. Mid-day was always the earliest, and if you’re there at rope drop (which not many people were) you could get a LOT done with VERY few crowds, and then enjoy the rest of what the park has to offer.
We were also there on a pretty busy spring break day, so it wasn’t a non-busy day.
BTW, looking for a fun gift to announce your tip my Disney gift guide does just that (great options for Dollywood too!).
Time Saver Pass
You might also be wondering if you need to shell-out for their Genie+ — I did not, and I still had a GREAT day! They have something called a Time Saver Pass — there are 3 different “tiers” that offer different amount of rides available. It also offers you priority seating at shows as well.
It looks like you go up and show them your pass (I believe they scan it) and then you get on the ride right away. It’s not available on all rides (but most major ones) and I saw lines for that all through the park.
If you stay at one of the Dollywood hotels you get the lowest tier Time Saver for free ($60 in savings). I believe that gets you line-free into 5 different rides (not including Big Bear Mountain).
I did NOT have Genie+ though and I felt like wait times were great, and if one was too long there was plenty of time to do other things with shorter waits.
We went with the Dollywood Hotel Time Saver in fall 2024 and we get to use it as much as we want in the first hour, and then you can use it up to 5 rides the rest of the day. Honestly, when we were there, we didn’t really need it much. But that really makes rope drop a time to get a LOT done!
Plus Size at Dollywood?
Here’s the bad news: I’m an overweight gal (read my overweight at Disneyland post for more on that) — and I did some of the test seats and would not fit on them. However, my very normal-sized friends (not sticks by any means) were able to ride everything.
It’s just something to be aware of. Rides where it might be an issue do have test-seats out in front that are easy to access (to prevent the walk of shame if you don’t fit on a ride). They either turn green if you’re good to ride, or will beep if the restraint comes down enough.
However, if you’re plus size (I’m a size 20’ish) there are rides that you won’t be able to ride. It does depend on where you carry your weight, etc — just be aware.
When we went in fall 2024 I tried to ride a few things that I didn’t “fit” on the test seat and I fit just fine — so I’d take it with a grain of salt. I’ve also heard that room 4 tends to be “roomier” on coasters — and that was the seat I went on.
A Note on Dollywood Rides:
One area I saw Dollywood lacking in was ride attendants. There were a lot as you actually loaded, but none as you got onto the ride, and often none as you lined-up into some rides. Which, was problematic as we got on coasters.
Sometimes groups wouldn’t line-up right and we’d have to skip a ride (leaving a seat empty) so our group could ride together, and it sometimes made for some awkward times….
Disney has that part down to a science, and I know that man power does have a cost with it… so, let’s talk about….
Pricing
I paid just under $300 for one kid to come to Disneyland with us for one day.
I could maybe have taken 4 of us to Dollywood for that price. 🙂
Tickets on the day we visited (not sure there is surge pricing, it looked like one price whenever) were $89. SUPER reasonable. AND you can add a second day for like $30 — I think it was $120 for 2 days at the park.
We just did one day and we didn’t see any shows, although part of our group was late and my friend and I scoped out the park for all of us. We could’ve done much more if the whole group was there right off.
Is that giant savings worth having a few less ride attendants? I think maybe so? Plus, the whole day is more laid-back…. I was just super happy with the pricing and found it to be REALLY reasonable throughout the parks!
In fall 2024 we went and had 3 day passes — we hadn’t intended to be there all 3 days but due to the hurricaine it’s what worked out. 3 days was a bit much for us….. I think 2 is perfect for a first-time visitor.
Atmosphere
This is where Dollywood really shines. Yes, Disney has the music in each area, but Dollywood is built in the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s absolutely BEAUTIFUL in the area around it. Many coasters weave in and out amongst trees, and the park train takes you into beautiful territory.
It’s just gorgeous, as is the ride to the park.
There’s lovely country music playing throughout the park (both live and recorded).
The park is just as clean and well-kept at Disneyland, walkways are wide and there’s plenty of space for everyone. There’s loads of benches and areas in the shade. Lots of trees. I was REALLY happy with the atmosphere.
Park workers are SO kind — like bend over backwards kind. They’re beating out Disney as of late with just some of the kindest, sweetest employees who just want you to have a great day.
We LOVED package pick-up. We bought things around the park and then were able to pick them up at the emporium on our way out of the park on our way out. SO handy, rather than hauling them around with us!
I have also heard that they go ALL-OUT for Halloween and Christmas, similar to Disneyland — and it’s a very popular time to visit!
During our fall 2024 they had SO many fun pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns out for their Halloween festivities. I’d love to be there at Christmas. It’s really sweet and fun!
Park Layout:
The park is sort of a giant circle with a few out-croppings along the way. There is no way to get to another part of the park without walking around said circle — here’s the map.
Some areas are just a line where you have to circle back to re-join the “circle” of the park.
That was a downfall for me. I like being able to get places easily like you can at Disneyland — BUT the park, in general, isn’t as big and we all know if you’re considering going from Rise of the Resistance to Pixar Pier you might as well pack a handcart because that is a walk!
Here is a good snippet of the different “lands” in Dollywood (although I wouldn’t say they’re as “themed” as the ones in Disneyland).
Shopping
Oh man, SO great. Honestly, a woman’s paradise. So many cute “southern” shops. I also felt like things were fairly reasonably priced. T-shirts ranged from $19-$25. Lots of Dolly-wear (I got a Jolene t-shirt), lots of stuff about the yummy cinnamon bread (stay tuned). Lots of just “country” wear.
BUT more affordable than Disneyland’s pricing (are we seeing a theme here). Also, the workers were SO helpful and didn’t seem bothered at ALL when I asked a quesiton (and they immediately knew the answer).
LOTS of cute shops, we really enjoyed that part (a group of women).
Food
Once again — Dollywood has this down.
There’s LOTS of places to eat. I wasn’t sitting waiting in line to order for hours on end. Sadly, there is no mobile ordering, but since we barely could make-up our mind on what we wanted to eat by the time we got to order I felt like that was OK.
You’re looking mostly at “southern” food. Think BBQ, Mac and Cheese, funnel cake, etc. I think less variety than Disneyland, if I’m being honest.
The premiere food is the Cinnamon Bread which you can get at the Old Grist Mill. It’s delicious. We shared it with 5 of us, and it was perfect. We bought both the icing and the Apple butter, but everyone preferred the icing I think. It is absolutely amazing (but greasy, so watch that part).
We sat and ate that, and did a Dolly sing-along and honestly I may not have been happier in a long time, it was just amazing. So much happiness. 😀
Pricing was good — I would say around $15 for a meal, and the Cinnamon bread (enough for 5 of us) was around $15 as well.
Portions weren’t huge, but could be split with kids. There was also some festival food that we really enjoyed as well (but was a bit more on the pricier side).
I love food at Disneyland, but I also loved it at Dollywood — this one’s a tie for me, with a slight edge to Dollywood because it seemed cheaper, and faster. But, no mobile ordering…. so there’s that.
Fall 2024 we ate at the Front Porch Cafe and I have NEVER had better shrimp and grits than we had there. AMAZING. I literally licked my plate. My husband got the loaded potato chips and loved those as well!
Lodging & Transportation
There are 2 Dollywood Hotels which I looked at. Pricing for our dates (we went during a busier spring break time) was about $200-$350/night at those hotels. They do have some larger rooms that are for larger families too.
We chose a cheaper hotel in town that was about $140/nt. It was fine, the rooms were clean and we had the Pigeon Forge river just be hind us. It also had a nice breakfast for us. We stayed at the Twin Mountain Inn.
There isn’t going to be a “walkable” hotel to the parks. It’s nestled in a mountain area. SO you’ll need to either:
- Park
- Uber
- Take a trolley from the Dollywood hotels (a great perk for staying “on-property”)
There is a TON of parking and they have a very efficient tram taking you back to your cars.
Parking was $25, I believe closer to $50 if you wanted preferred parking, but I felt like the $25 was fine with the comfy tram.
I think I saw where uber could drop you off, and it seemed close. From our Hotel the Uber would have been under $10, but we decided to park because I wasn’t sure if there would be surge pricing in the evenings at park close….
Fall 2024 we went and stayed at the Dollywood Dream More hotel and I was 100% in love wtih it. Their moto of Care more, Learn More, Do More and Dream more just had my heart. The rooms were nice and the perks were well-worth it. I booked it about 6 months in advance and kept looking for sales they were offering. I’d call and price match it. I got the room down to $215/nt which I thought was worth it.
Sadly, there wasn’t anyone like Get Away Today that you could use to book a Dollywood hotel, but you can easily compare prices on something like Kayak.
Transportation to Pigeon Forge
The bad news is that Pigeon Forge is about 3 hours and 30 minutes from Nashville (a BEAUTIFUL drive though) or about 45 minutes from Knoxville. There isn’t an airport close by — so you need to plan on renting a car and enjoying the area.
Vicinity
I wasn’t sure how to term this — but I’m sort of comparing the Pigeon Forge area (including Gatlinburg and Sevierville) vs Anaheim/Orange County.
And guys — there is no comparison.
The Pigeon Forge (although I saw no iron pigeons, sadly) is just BEAUTIFUL. The beautiful trees and rivers, streams, etc. It makes me just sigh thinking about it. I talk about it more in my post on visiting Tennessee.
If you’ve been to Anaheim you’ll know that’s not the case. Sure, there’s a lot of beauty in the LA area, and beaches aren’t far — but….. well, if you’ve been, you know.
Total hands down to Dollywood on this one.
I will also say that the people at the park, for the most part, were super kind. I didn’t see a lot of fights or blow-ups like I may at other parks…..
There’s a lot of other type small attractions in the Dollywood/Gatlinburg area (a TON of mountain coasters).
Dollywood vs Knotts Berry Farms
Since I have a Disney vs Knotts Berry Farms post — and since I thought Dollywood would be really similar to Knotts (which we love) — I thought I’d compare the two in case you’re wondering.
The basic premise is VERY similar. Dollywood also has quite a few more carnival-type rides, plus some larger coasters like Knotts.
BUT Dollywood, is cleaner, better kept, nicer workers, cheaper food, probably better/more rides overall.
The people at the parks were nicer as well. Just my thoughts on those two.
Which is Better? Dollywood or Disney?
Pricing definitely goes to Dollywood. Not only can you stay “on property” much cheaper (I think we may try that next time), but pricing on everything, including tickets, was just better.
Family-friendly the edge goes to Disneyland. It has a wider variety of rides for families, especially infants. That isn’t to say that Dollywood isn’t family friendly, but there’s a wider variety at Disneyland.
Coasters goes to Dollywood.
Location goes to Dollywood. However, if you’re looking to just fly in somewhere, and fly back out quick — Disneyland takes the edge there because Dollywood is far from airport transportation.
Service goes to Dollywood (Dollywood is similar to how Disneyland was around 2015 — workers really take their jobs seriously to be kind at Dollywood).
That being said — they are not ANYWHERE near each other, so you have to take each park as their own thing. We loved Dollywood and I hope you’ll enjoy your trip there as well.
I sort of went to “check it out” for my family, and came away thinking we will for SURE go there for a family trip in the next bit (which we did — with my fall 2024 update). Lots of things to see and do in the Tennessee area (match it with a trip to Nashville and it’s pretty magical). So, we will 100% be back (and I can’t say the same thing for Disneyland which I visited about 2 weeks prior to my Dollywood trip, if that means anything for you).
One other thing….
The thing I loved MOST is that I didn’t feel this like “rush” to do #allthethings at Dollywood. There weren’t influencers every 3 steps taking photos and videoing themselves walking around (you can’t video on rides, thank goodness). I felt like I could just enjoy the day at my own pace, and I feel like Disney influencers may have ruined Disneyland for that feeling. Just my two cents….
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