Dollywood
Oh Dollywood, how I love you! This was one of those spur of the moment trips. I am not even sure what prompted it. I think it was a Wednesday before a 3 day weekend in July 2016. I saw a last minute deal online for a stay at the DreamMore resort that included park tickets so I booked it. you can imagine how excited my husband was to find out about this. Not to mention it included a 3.5 hour car ride there. He is a good sport but lets be honest, Dollywood isn’t exactly a punishment!
Rooms
Rooms were fantastic. I am a big fan of the king bed for the adults and the bunk beds for the rug rats. Keep the stinky monsters in their own space whenever possible. The things I love about hotels rooms are modern decor and cleanliness and Dollywood didn’t disappoint. Good bathrooms and room sizes as well.
Food
The resort has one main restaurant. We ate their each morning and enjoyed their breakfast buffet. Did I mention I am obsessed with breakfast buffets? This one was not just any old run of the mill buffet. I felt like each pancake I stuffed my face with was made especially for me with love. Other than breakfast I really don’t remember much of what else we ate. I think they had pizza somewhere around the front desk area and of course there was food at the park. Just know the breakfast is good!
On a side note, I also loved that they didn’t give my kids a glass where there was a 200% chance they would knock it over and break it. They also didn’t give my kids a styrofoam cup where there would be a 75% chance one of them would poke the straw through the bottom and their drink would slowly spill all over the floor. We wouldn’t notice until I slipped on it enough to fall on my fanny and get my pants wet enough to look like I had an accident. Thank you Dollywood for providing a reusable plastic cup!
Amenities
The resort alone has so much to do. Not only is there an outdoor pool but there is also an indoor pool. There is a splashpad for the little ones and an extremely large hot tub for adults. They have a fire pit and even offer smore kits. There are cornhole boards, a playground, and a gameroom. In the evenings you can sit outside and watch the fireworks show that shoots off from the park. The kids loved it!
Park
I was worried that the boys would be too little for any rides at the actual amusement park. Luckily I was wrong. There was plenty to keep them busy. One of the many benefits of staying at the resort is the shuttle that runs back and forth to the park. It was so easy and convenient. We rented a double stroller as soon as we walked in and that was a blessing. We went fairly close to opening time and never had to wait in any lines. They had plenty of age appropriate rides for them. Then they had some little play areas where they could get wet and cool off. They had a blast which made it a win.
Summary
I would go back in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I think the secret is out because I have never been able to find that low price again. I would absolutely love to go see it at Christmastime in the future. We shall see if the stars align.
Checkout our most recent stay from October 2021 here!
The Island
I had no idea what The Island was in Pigeon Forge. Once again I realized a 3 day weekend was on the horizon and the thought of being stuck inside with my kids was giving me a panic attack. After perusing online for any last minute specials, there it was….Margaritaville at The Island. It just sounded good and the price was even better. I booked it and then started sweating as I broke the news to my husband that we had another 3.5 hour drive ahead of us. You guessed it, he was ecstatic!
Rooms
As you have caught on by now there is a theme I seek out with hotels…modern and clean. Margaritaville was perfect. Oddly enough as soon as my kids walked in they said it was the most beautiful room they had ever seen. I thought that was a strange reaction from a 4 year old. It was a very spacious room. The bathroom had great finishes, there was a balcony, and even a fireplace. Most importantly for my husband was the blender!
The hotel has a coffee shop on the main level as well as a bar. Just across the drive-way is the Margaritaville restaurant. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a breakfast buffet. They do have a pool, hot tub, and fitness center as well. The hotel is on The Island. Meaning as soon as you walk outside the front doors you are already in the middle of the action. Restaurants, shops, and attractions all at your fingertips.
Activities
From candy stores to magic stores to Build-A-Bear, it is all there waiting to thrill your kids and torture you! Just kidding, as long as you know what you are getting into use it as bribery. There are all kinds of rides good for small kids. The ferris wheel was fun for big kids as well. We did it during the day but I bet it would be cool at night as well. The ropes course would be fun for all ages also.
Area Attractions
Oh boy, I wouldn’t even know where to begin here. There is sooooo much to do in Pigeon Forge. Just drive down the strip and you will pass countless options of activities. I will offer a piece of advice when it comes to the Aquarium. We made the mistake of attempting to go on the weekend. This was a huge mom fail. I shouldn’ve known better. There was a line just to get into the parking deck. There was a line to buy tickets. There was a line to get in the building. There was a line to see every marine animal. You get the picture. My kids love aquariums and were really looking forward to that one. However, I may have made up for it a little with our favorite pigeon forge activity that weekend…..the alpine coaster. It went faster than expected and those fearless boys loved it!
Here are just some options:
- Ober Gatlinburg: Winter adventure with skiing and snow tubing.
- Titanic Museum: This has great reviews and comes highly recommended. We will be visiting on our next trip!
- Pigeon Forge Gem Mine: Sift through a bucket of sand for gems. This seem to be around every corner.
- Hollywood Wax Museum: Wax figures of famous stars and pop icons
- Alcatraz East Crime Museum: A different perspective on history and crime with an interactive experience.
- WonderWorks Indoor Amusement Park: Our kids our begging to go here on our next trip.
- Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Show: This was my pick my no one else wanted to go. Between Dad and the 2 boys I get overruled a lot.
- The Coaster at Goats on the Roof: This was the alpine coaster and obviously the favorite. I got a little surprise at how fast it went. Notice me grasping on to the brake for dear life HA!
