First Family Visit to Dollywood & HeartSong Lodge
Recently, we took a trip down to Pigeon Forge for our very first family visit to Dollywood. We are usually a Disney family, but we decided to mix it up a bit and give the park a try since it’s only 4 hours away.
Dollywood has two main hotels: DreamMore Resort and Spa, and HeartSong Lodge. We really identify with the rustic Smoky Mountain cabin feel, so we decided to stay at HeartSong Lodge. Overall, the resort is fantastic. HeartSong is on the level of any Deluxe Disney resort in terms of theming and atmosphere.
The lobby was way more bustling than we thought it would be. And that feeling was improved even more with the live music performer, Anna Lea, playing country music.
We went with a cheaper room category and got a King Room with a sleeper sofa since we just needed something compact but functional for the three of us. Ava absolutely loved the sofa bed, which is something we can’t say about the sofa sleepers at Disney. The space is beautifully themed, though the bathroom is a little tight if everyone is trying to get ready at once.
We then headed to the park, which was a blast, but there was a definite learning curve. BE PREPARED TO WALK. Dollywood is built on the side of the Smoky Mountains, so everything is on an incline. One thing we did notice is that the roller coasters are way more likely to go down than at Disney, so we always had to adjust our plans.
The next morning, it was in the 30s. Because it was so cold, none of the coasters were at operating temperature during our first hour in the park. It kind of canceled out that early-entry TimeSaver perk you get from staying at the hotel.
If we had to offer one major critique, it would be the ride operations. Loading felt pretty slow compared to Disney, and they were frequently sending out trains with empty rows.
We ended up getting season passes, and we are so excited to head back to Dollywood a couple more times this year. And we are really looking forward to the new ride, Nightflight Expedition, opening.
If you want to see our full day and review, check out our video.
