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Dollywood Diamond Pass: Is It Worth It?

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Are you wondering if a Dollywood Diamond Pass is worth it or not? Well, here’s a look at the benefits of having one based on my experiences in 2026!

Dollywood Diamond Pass

Dollywood Diamond Pass

Dollywood typically begins selling passes for the next season in the fall. Purchasing a pass at this time is the best deal you will see. However, it can be confusing trying to determine which pass is the right one for you and your family. In my Is A Dollywood Season Pass Worth It post, I looked at the value of being a season passholder at any tier. Today, I am finally looking at the value of the highest and most expensive tier available – Diamond!

I renewed my Gold pass in 2025 by upgrading to the Diamond pass for 2026. Dollywood allows you to begin accessing their pass savings immediately. So, I’ve been using this pass for almost a year now and have a pretty good idea of its benefits. Then again, Dollywood has a tendency to change up their passes and benefits from year to year. So, let’s jump into its benefits and its costs.

Media Events

I think the main benefit that everyone was most excited about with the Diamond pass was the possibility to be invited to a press event with Dolly in attendance. In order to get a ticket to those events, you had to be a member of the press OR a Diamond Passholder. I was hopeful for an invite for the 2026 season opening event since I’ve been a Passholder off-and-on for several years. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive an invite to that event. So, I wouldn’t recommend getting a Diamond pass just to gain access to those events. Going forward, I don’t know that everyone will be as excited to attend a media event since Dolly has passed. Dollywood also doesn’t explicitly mention this perk being available in 2027.

Bring-A-Friend Passes

It used to be that pretty much every Passholder got to bring friends to the park for free. Now, they have practically done away with that unless you are a Diamond Passholder. So, if you are planning to use your pass to bring friends, then you will have to pay more by selecting the highest tiers of passes. For 2027, the Diamond passholder will receive 4 free Bring-A-Friend tickets for Dollywood or Splash Country. Meanwhile, Gold Passholders receive 1 for Dollywood. Silver doesn’t receive any.

Discounts

I’d say the other big perk of being a Diamond Passholder is the discounts. Diamond Passholders receive the biggest discounts in the parks and at the resorts. Diamond Passholders currently receive a 20% discount on food and merch as well as on resort stays (when available). I will admit, I purchased several shirts last Christmas and it was nice to get that 20% off each one! Unfortunately, the prices at the resorts have been so high on recent visits, that it was much cheaper to stay off-site and park at the the park (we get free general parking worth $25/day) when visiting. So, I haven’t been able to use the passholder resort discounts.

Free Drink Cup

If you purchased a Diamond Pass early on, then you received a special All Season Drink Cup! This year’s was a pretty purple featuring the new ride! You can get free refills in the cup, which can save lots of money. Unfortunately, I drink almost exclusively water, so that perk wasn’t as attractive to me personally.

Free Popcorn?

Diamond Passholders were previously allowed to redeem a coupon for one free cinnamon bread per month. However, that perk has been taken away in 2027. Now, Diamond Passholders will receive a Popcorn Bucket with Free Season-Long Refills. It’s not yet known what the popcorn bucket will look like. It’s also personal opinion if being able to get popcorn all season long is more valuable than a free loaf of bread each month. I don’t eat much popcorn and never buy it in a park. Although, I will eat a loaf of cinnamon bread, but I actually haven’t been able to redeem mine this year yet. I guess I better get on that before it goes away.

New Perks for 2027

Dollywood has added a few new perks for passholders in 2027. Both Gold and Diamond can park in Lot F, based on lot availability. Additionally, both tiers will be able to sit in reserved seating at shows in DP’s Celebrity, Showstreet Palace, and Pines theaters. It remains to be seen how that will be handled. Diamond is also being given a one-time Preferred Parking perk. Lastly, all three tiers are receiving a one-time Expedited Entry on NightFlight Expedition and a Passholder Lanyard.

Is the Dollywood Diamond Pass worth it?

Honestly, I think it’s difficult to say the Diamond Pass is worth it for most folks. I paid $399.16 for my pass last year, but haven’t gotten to access many of its perks. My mom and I did enjoy the discounts last December. Plus, we visited the waterpark for the first time this year (look for a post on that next year). I guess the real value of this pass for me is in the park entry. My mom and I went in August (very briefly because it was too hot) and are getting ready to visit in October. So, that’s two days each. I guess that’s worth around $260 for Dollywood entry and then $60 for Splash Country entry. Then, we used $75 in parking fees since it comes with free parking ($25/day). I feel confident we used at least $4 in discounts.

The math on this one is hard. You really need to be a local and to use all of the free passes to get all of its value. Have you ever had a Dollywood Diamond Pass? Did you feel it was worth the money paid?

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta Review with Tips

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Last month, I was lucky enough to experience Astra Lumina at Anakeesta while visiting the area. Today, I thought I would provide an overview of that experience to help others decide if it’s worth their time and money.

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta

Let’s start by going over the basics of this event. Anakeesta is a mountain top adventure park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. While I’ve never done a post dedicated to Anakeesta, I have mentioned it in Spring in Pigeon Forge, TN, What To Do in Fall in Gatlinburg, TN, and Christmas in the Great Smoky Mountains posts as a place to visit during those seasons. In the springtime one, I even mentioned Astra Lumina when it first arrived at Anakeesta. So, it was nice to finally be able to return to the location and see this event for myself.

Astra Lumina bills itself as “an enchanted night walk amongst the stars.” Astra Lumina has set up various night time lighting shows around the world for over 10 years. Back in 2022, Astra Lumina arrived to Anakeesta. Currently, they have installations in Gatlinburg, Istanbul, and Gold Coast.

Considering this is an event put on by an outside company, this is an upcharge event at Anakeesta sold as an add-on to your regular day ticket. A regular ticket to Anakeesta costs around $33-40/adult. Astra Lumina costs an additional $18.99 per person and you purchase a ticket for an arrival window. Arrival windows begin around sunset.

The Night Walk

Astra Lumina at Anakeesta features 9 different light experiences. Each one tells a part of a story about stars falling to Earth, regenerating, and rising back up. Each installation has additional music or sounds with a short show. Most of the stations have seating for you to enjoy the show. It took us about 50 minutes to see all 9 spots, but we could have taken longer.

My mom and I weren’t sure what to expect with this experience. However, we both really enjoyed it. I think our favorites were the Stardust Rays and Stellar Visions. Each part was enjoyable and unique. My mom initially compared it to viewing Christmas lights, but I think that’s an over simplification. It’s a chance to connect with nature and enjoy being outdoors. It’s a chance to think about how vast the universe is and how small we are. This experience can be enjoyed with loved ones or alone. It was the perfect ending to a hot summer day.

Tips

  • Take a break – Most sections have benches to sit on. I highly recommend sitting down to view the shows when you see a bench. It’s also great for folks who tire easily since you don’t have to walk too far to the next area. Bonus: no stairs.
  • You can purchase tickets ahead of time – We didn’t buy tickets online because we weren’t sure of our plans. In fact, we ended up at Anakeesta because I got a text message at 4 PM notifying me that the restaurant we were supposed to eat dinner at was closed due to technical difficulties. We pivoted and ended up going here. I’m so glad that we did.
  • You can enter early – Anakeesta allows you to enter Astra Lumina 30 minutes prior to your arrival time. Since we bought tickets the day of, we ended up with the last time slot of 9:45. However, they allowed us to enter at 9:15 PM.
  • Take your time – I was worried that things would be crowded since we had the last time slot. However, I think it worked out to our advantage. Most of the people had cleared out by the time we came through. There were some people around, but it definitely wasn’t crowded.
  • Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes – I wore sneakers and was very happy with that decision. While you are on walking paths, you are still out in nature. Plus, there was a bit of an incline at the end.

Is Astra Lumina at Anakeesta worth it?

I think Astra Lumina at Anakeesta is worth the added cost for most folks. I think it’s perfect for older children and adults. Young kids may not get the story or get bored. Younger folks may get tired as well with the event taking place at night. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and were happy we experienced it.

Disney World Halloween vs Christmas: Holidays Compared

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With the holidays quickly approaching, I thought I would write a post comparing Disney World Halloween vs Christmas!

Disney World Halloween vs Christmas

Disney World Halloween vs Christmas

I’ve seen lots of folks online wondering if they should plan a trip to Walt Disney World during the fall months to experience Halloween or wait to experience Christmas. Today, I’d like to help people decide which one is right for them by comparing Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

The Decor

Let’s start with the most obvious difference – the holiday decor! For Halloween, you can expect to see Main Street decked out in orange with lots of pumpkins! Plus, there’s fun character pumpkin wreaths around the park. For Christmas, there’s garland and Mickey wreaths. Don’t forget the huge tree at the front of Main Street!

For me, I think I prefer the Halloween decor because it’s unique. I can see Christmas wreaths back home and around town. However, you don’t see near as much fall decor or specialty fall wreaths around.

The Entertainment

I wrote a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide with Tips a few years ago and took a look at all of the different entertainment options at the party. From a parade to fireworks and special castle stage shows, there’s lots to see and experience. My Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Review briefly touched on the entertainment at its party. However, it is very similar offerings at the Christmas party, with fireworks, a parade, and stage show too.

Again, I would pick Halloween for this one. However, I feel like lots of places offer good Christmas shows that the whole family can enjoy. Once again, I think it’s harder to find a good Halloween offering that is family friendly.

The Treats

Who doesn’t love to go trick-or-treating? I love visiting the Halloween party and coming away with a full bag of candy! It’s fun to go around the park and see what all goodies you can get! The Christmas party hands out cookies and drinks. I enjoy that too. However, I can eat several pieces of candy and only a few cookies. Full disclosure: the vast majority of candy and cookies typically come home with me to be enjoyed for days to weeks to come.

I think the candy has to win due to being able to enjoy several different pieces of it versus just a few cookies.

Outfits

Lots of folks dress up in costumes for the Halloween party. I enjoy sitting on Main Street and watching people walk by in their outfits. At Christmas, people wear a variety of Christmas outfits. Typically, it’s a Christmas shirt/sweater or pajamas. I think the Halloween costumes are more fun.

Ambiance

Halloween will get some of the catchy tunes stuck in your head “It’s really not so scary…. boo to you!”. However, there’s something special about watching it snow on Main Street! So, I’ll give Christmas this one.

Weather

Unfortunately, Halloween takes place during hurricane season. So, you will have to deal with the heat and potentially storms if you visit during Halloween. By Christmas, hurricane season is mostly over and it’s cooled down. I’ve got to hand this one to Christmas. Granted, it can be chilly at Christmas parties, but I’d rather deal with that than the heat of summer/fall in August.

Other Offerings

People can visit just for the parties, but they often visit the other parks on their trip. So, I will say that Halloween is mostly concentrated at Magic Kingdom. Epcot will have Food & Wine in the fall. Hollywood Studios may have a few Halloween treats and their character dining gets a Halloween layover. Animal Kingdom usually doesn’t do much of anything, but may get a few Halloween treats.

Christmas at Disney is a whole thing. Every park has special decor and events! Hollywood Studios has Jollywood Nights. Epcot has Festival of the Holidays. Animal Kingdom has the merry menagerie. Disney Springs even has specially themed trees! The resorts get in on the fun too with special trees and decor.

So, if you are wanting a full holiday experience, then you have to go at Christmas!

Should you visit Disney for Halloween or Christmas?

I love visiting Disney for both holidays. However, I’ve been hard pressed to find a comparable Halloween experience. Meanwhile, I love Christmas and can be happy with the offerings at lots of different places. So, I will vote for Halloween but just know that I don’t think there’s a bad answer here. You are going to Disney and it’s going to be great!

Solo Universal Orlando Tips

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Having taken a few solo Universal Orlando trips, I thought I would post a quick guide with tips for other folks considering doing the same.

Solo Universal Orlando

Solo Universal Orlando

Several years ago, I posted Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips to help people who were considering attending HHN by themselves, like I did. However, I never posted about visiting the parks by yourself during the day. So, I thought I would share a quick list of tips for making the most of a solo trip to the Universal Orlando parks!

Tips

  • Move at your own pace – I say this in every solo travel post, but it’s true. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to set your own pace or change your mind without needing to explain it to someone else.
  • Ride as many rides as you want – If you want to try to ride every ride in a particular park, go for it! If you want to take it slower and see some shows, do that!
  • Consider Single Rider Line – There are several rides at each park that feature a special Single Rider Line that you can take advantage of to ride rides sooner!
  • Eat wherever and whenever you want – If you want to take the time to eat at a sit down restaurant, then do that. If not, grab something quick and keep moving!
  • Have a list of things you want to do – You don’t have to have an exact schedule (unless you want one), but having a general idea of things you’d like to experience is always a good idea!
  • Enjoy a show or parade – Solo trips are great for making time to see a show or parade!
  • Visit with characters – I love seeing characters on solo trips because I don’t feel bad for making someone else wait.

Going to Universal Orlando Resort Alone

As you can see, the possibilities for a solo Universal Orlando trip are endless! So, what are you going to do on your trip?

Biltmore Antler Hill Village Guide

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Prior to my visit to the Estate, I wish I had known how much there was to see and do at the Biltmore Antler Hill Village! So, I thought I would make a guide to it!

Biltmore Antler Hill Village

Biltmore Antler Hill Village

I feel like most people only consider the house when they visit the estate. However, there’s a whole other little shopping/dining/attractions area on the estate. That’s the Antler Hill Village! I didn’t realize how much there was to do here until I visited and we walked around during our visit. Without further ado, here are the things you can enjoy when you visit here.

Winery and Tastings

The Biltmore has its own winery and its located in the Village! There are a couple of chances to try their wine around the estate, including in the Tasting Room located in the Village. There’s also a Wine Bar and Wine Shop. We aren’t big drinkers, so we didn’t visit any of these locations, but I know it’s popular with lots of folks!

The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad Exhibition

One of the highlights from our trip, was visiting this exhibition. This is where lots of Vanderbilt family artifacts are on display. The one that excited us the most was a chess set that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte! It was nice to learn about the historic family as well as the historic pieces on display. This is a must-see for any history buff!

Barn

Towards the back of the Village, there’s the Antler Hill Barn. It was nice to walk around here and see some old farming equipment and to learn about the farming efforts of the estate. There’s also a short film playing with seating that goes over some of the history. Additionally, there are some craft demonstrations happening here. Unfortunately, I can’t find the hours for any of those craftspeople and there weren’t many there on the day we visited. We did see some broom making though.

Farmyard and Playground

To the side of the Barn is the Farmyard! Here is where you can see live animals! This is a great learning opportunity for children and we noticed several families enjoying their time here. It’s also great for adults to relax and take in some mother nature. Also, for people with children, you will be happy to know there’s the Pisgah Playground near the Barn/Farmyard. We obviously didn’t play on it, but it looked like kids were having fun.

Shopping

The Village has four shops: Antler Hill Outfitters, The Barn Door, Traditions, and Wine Shop. I got some discounted Christmas bowls (non-Biltmore branded) at The Barn Door! So, there’s a nice assortment of items to pick from at these shops.

Dining

There are also several great dining options here. I reviewed the lunch we had at Cedric’s Tavern as well as our meals at the Village Social (located in the Village Hotel) and the treats we got before leaving at The Creamery in my Biltmore Estate Restaurants Guide. I didn’t eat anything bad at the Estate, so I wouldn’t hesitate to try anything here.

Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate

Lastly, the Village Hotel is located at the Village! You can read my full Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate Review, but it was so convenient to stay here. We simply had to walk out the back of the hotel and up a few stairs to find ourselves in the Village!

Antler Hill Village

As you can see, there’s lots to enjoy in the Biltmore Antler Hill Village! From learning to shopping and dining, you can easily spend several hours just roaming around here. So, have you visited?