Dollywood Wins Budget Travel Award for “Best Value Theme Park”

The popular website BudgetTravel.com recently announced the winners for the first annual “Budget Travel Awards,” and we’re excited to report that our favorite theme park made the grade! Dollywood took home the award for “Best Value Theme Park,” beating out hundreds of other attractions.

According to Budget Travel, the award winners were chosen by polling the travel experts on their staff and the writers, photographers, and videographers that they regularly collaborate with. All of the winners were picked because they “truly go above and beyond to deliver exceptional value and customer service” all while letting travelers “see more for less.”

So, what makes Dollywood the best value theme park in America? Read on to find out!

Lower Ticket Prices

Budget Travel notes that tickets to Dollywood cost about 40 percent less than other major theme parks. A single-day adult admission to Dollywood is currently $69.95, while a single-day admission to Disney World can be as high as $122 during peak season.

Additionally, Dollywood offers great deals on two-day tickets, three-day tickets, and theme park/water park combo tickets. For truly exceptional value, guests can purchase a Season Pass to Dollywood, which costs less than a single-day admission to Disney World.

Shorter Lines

Dollywood is home to some of the most thrilling roller coasters and rides in the world, and you won’t have to wait in endless lines to experience them! At Disney World, you can end up waiting anywhere from an hour to two hours for popular rides. Even with a FastPass, the wait time for rides can be 45 – 70 minutes. In contrast, guests at Dollywood typically only wait 5 – 20 minutes for rides. If you’re looking for even shorter wait times, you can pay $35 for a TimeSaver pass, which gives you expedited entrance to ten rides of your choosing.

All-Inclusive Entertainment

In addition to its reasonable ticket prices and speedy lines, Dollywood provides phenomenal value with its entertainment. All of the shows and concerts at Dollywood are completely free with park admission! Some of the most popular shows at Dollywood include the park’s resident gospel quartet, a ‘50s and ‘60s musical revue, a show starring Dolly Parton’s family members, and an old-fashioned Smoky Mountain string band.

Throughout the year, Dollywood also hosts a number of awesome festivals that bring special entertainment to the theme park. Here is a quick look at Dollywood’s festival schedule:

• Harvest Festival: more than 300 concerts from Southern gospel stars and thousands of beautiful jack-o’-lanterns.

• Smoky Mountain Christmas: special holiday-themed shows, nightly Christmas parades, and dazzling light displays.

• Festival of Nations: musicians, dancers, singers, and artists from all around the world perform at the park.

• Spring Mix: three weeks of concerts featuring music legends from a variety of genres.

• Barbeque & Bluegrass: an all-star lineup of visiting bluegrass musicians and heaping helpings of mouthwatering BBQ favorites.

• Summer Celebration: longer hours, nightly fireworks displays, and world-class shows.

How to Save More Money at Dollywood

While Dollywood offers great value, it is possible to save even more money when you visit the park. Check out these 14 tips and tricks for cutting costs at Dollywood!