Dollywood Archives - Laughing Lindsay

A Look Back at 2025

December 31, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Since it’s the last day of the year, I thought I’d post a look back at 2025!

A Look Back at 2025

Well, back in 2024, I said that I wasn’t sure where 2025 would take me. However, I hinted at a bucket list trip to kick off the new year. That trip was to New York City with my husband! From there on, the year was filled with several last minute trips. I don’t particularly care for last minute trips and prefer to be more intentional with my trips. However, that’s just how some years go! In 2025, I managed to take 9 trips! Granted, several of those were quick 24-48 hour weekend trips. Nonetheless, I felt like I traveled too much in the first half of the year (6 trips) and slowed way down in the second half (3 trips). I also got sick in October and that lasted until late November (Covid that turned into bronchitis). So, that also slowed me down. I’m currently looking to plan some trips in 2026, just trying to narrow down my options. Here’s a look at where I’ve been in 2025 though.

New York at Christmas

My 2025 started with a bang! My husband and I visited NYC in early January to experience it at Christmas! I finally got to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in person! I also go to see the Rockettes perform! It was a quick 48 hours trip, but it’s one I think about often. I hope I get to return to NYC at Christmastime again someday.

Dollywood by Myself

In March, I made a real last minute trip to Dollywood… by myself! You see, I’m not much of a driver. It tends to cause me a lot of stress. So, this was the first trip I’ve taken where I drove myself! I knew if I made a plan too far in advance, then I might chicken out. I booked my room a week or so out and then didn’t tell anyone except for my husband just in case I didn’t do it. Ha! I surprised my mom by sending her pictures of my room and she was absolutely shocked that I drove myself. It sounds crazy, but I am proud of the progress I’ve made to overcome my driving anxiety.

The Beach

The first trip my mom and I ever took after my dad died was to Myrtle Beach. That was in 2013. However, we hadn’t returned to the beach since then. When we were attempting to nail down a spring trip, I suggested returning to MB and my mom liked the idea. We ended up spending a few days in Myrtle and then a night in Charleston. It was a nice trip that I’m glad we took together.

Epic Universe

Yet another last minute trip happened at the beginning of May. I got to visit Epic Universe for park previews before its official opening! I can’t believe I got to experience a park before it officially opened to the public. It’s a real pinch me moment. It was so surreal and I’m glad I had the time and funds to make it happen.

Return to Tweetsie

The first theme park I ever visited was Tweetsie Railroad! I visited with my aunt and cousins as a child, but hadn’t returned. I kept talking about returning as an adult, but it wasn’t until May of this year that I finally did it. My husband and I took a real last minute weekend trip down to Boone, NC and visited this park. It was neat to re-create photos from my childhood and to see how things are going now. I hope I can return someday to experience its Halloween and Christmas events.

I Met Bob Gurr

In September, I took a whirlwind trip to California. While there, I got to meet former Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend, Bob Gurr! Talk about another pinch me moment. I still can’t believe that happened either. However, I am so thankful I was able to meet him and see his home. During that trip, I also got to eat at Tam O’Shanter, a Walt Disney favorite. Then, I went down to Anaheim to visit Disneyland for Halloween again. It was a tiring trip made worse by a flight diversion to Charlotte at the end. Anyways, I’m not sure I have it in me for another West Coast trip anytime soon.

Looking Ahead to 2026

I always like to give a little preview of what’s to come in the new year in these posts. However, as of this writing, I don’t have it figured out yet. Traveling has gotten much harder for my mom. She now requires lots of breaks and we will probably stick to driving distance trips. It’s all pretty new, so we are still figuring it out.

Although, I did renew my Dollywood pass for 2026 and upgraded to a Diamond pass for the first time! So, there should be at least 1 or 2 trips there next year.

Where do you plan on visiting in 2026? Where do you think I should go?

Dollywood Christmas Guided Tour Review

December 4, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I recently had the chance to take the Dollywood Christmas Guided Tour with my mom. So, I thought I would share what that entailed.

Dollywood Christmas Guided Tour

Back in June, my mom and I took the Summer Tour. During that tour, our tour guide recommended that we come back to do the Christmas tour specifically. He said that it was the best seasonal tour they offer. So, when we planned a return trip during the holidays, we knew we wanted to try it out as well.

This tour typically costs $79, but Gold and Diamond passholders receive a $5/$10 discount. When I renewed my pass for 2026, I upgraded to the Diamond. I was able to receive my Diamond discount of $10 when I booked this tour online a week out.

The Tour

The tour technically begins at 6:30. However, you are instructed to check in prior to 5 PM. That’s because similar to the I Will Always Love You Tour, you start the tour with reserved seating for a show! We had reserved seats for the 5:30 showing of the Christmas in the Smokies show. Following the show, we got to take a picture with some of the actors from the show. Then, we moved outside for a quick restroom break. Then, we made our way over to the train where we had reserved seats for a ride.

Following the train ride, we moved to the in park chapel for the carolers. Unfortunately, the tour didn’t include reserved seating for this show. Rather, everyone just had to stand and watch. After the show, we were able to take another picture with the group of carolers.

After that, it was snack time! Everyone was given a mini loaf of cinnamon bread and a hot chocolate to enjoy. Then, the tour ended in Wildwood Grove where we were able to see the Snow in the Grove show.

Is the Dollywood Christmas Guided Tour worth it?

As with anything, value is subjective. However, this tour is probably only worth it for a select group of people. For starters, it’s a fast paced tour. My mom struggled to keep up with the group. I don’t think this tour is great for people with mobility issues or children. While it was great to have guaranteed seating for the show and for the train ride, the rest of the tour you can do on your own. Additionally, this eats up a lot of time. The show was at 5:30 and the tour ended around 8 PM. We didn’t get to see all of the park’s decor and didn’t have time to stop for pictures of the park. So, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it for first time goers with only one park day.

This tour is ideal for repeat park goers who want to experience the park in a new way. I also encourage everyone to consider if they and their loved ones are in good enough shape to be walking briskly around the park prior to booking this one. While I enjoyed the tour, it wore my mom out. So, just keep in mind each person’s needs and wants before booking this tour.

Dollywood Aunt Granny’s Restaurant Review

August 6, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Earlier this summer, my mom and I ate at Aunt Granny’s Restaurant while visiting Dollywood. As per usual, I thought I would provide a quick review of that experience.

Aunt Granny’s Restaurant

The most popular restaurant at Dollywood is Aunt Granny’s Restaurant. That’s because it’s an all you care to enjoy family style meal full of homecooked food! As of June 2025, it’s $27.99/adult before discounts, making it a pretty good deal as far as theme park dining goes.

Note: Prior to Covid, it was a buffet. However, it’s now all you care to eat served family style.

Also, fun fact: It’s named Aunt Granny’s because Dolly Parton has helped raise her nieces and nephews. So, they called her Aunt Granny. Eating here is supposed to be like visiting Aunt Granny Dolly’s.

The Main Course

The meal begins with drinks and cheddar biscuits! It was a hot day, so I got water. It was good, particularly if you are regular Walt Disney World visitor. No swamp water here. The cheddar biscuits were good and we were sad we weren’t hungry enough to eat them all.

For the main course, you are able to select three mains. My mom and I decided on herb baked chicken, fried chicken, and southern fried catfish. Unfortunately, we were both disappointed with the baked chicken as it was dry. However, the fried chicken was much better. The fried catfish was the surprise hit for me. I really enjoyed it.

The Sides

You are able to select four sides for the table to share. We went with carrots, corn pudding, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. The corn pudding was easily our least favorite. The mashed potatoes were our favorite. The carrots were pretty good also with the honey and herbs. The macaroni and cheese was good, but somewhat basic. Overall, the sides were tasty and filling.

The Dessert

Finally, everyone is allowed to select a dessert. During our visit, they had 9 different options! Our server was nice enough to entertain my specific questions about the different desserts before I made my selection. Being the family’s baker, I can be pretty picky about my desserts. Haha! My mom and I both ended up picking the dirt pudding. It was light, sweet, and the perfect option for a warm day as it didn’t sit on the stomach heavily. It was also great for our chocolate fix.

Is Aunt Granny’s worth it?

Theme park food is expensive. However, all you care to eat for $27.99 (before tips/taxes/discount) is pretty good! Plus, most of the food was really good. It was also nice to sit down in the air conditioning since the festival food booths required you to sit outside in the heat. This place often has a wait and I think it’s easy to see why. It’s reasonably priced for what you get. Plus, it’s better than most other theme park food.

Have you ever eaten here?

Dollywood Summer Festival Tour Review

July 2, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I’ve just returned from a quick visit to the Smoky Mountains with my mom, where we got to experience some of the Dollywood Summer Festival Tour!

Full Disclosure: Due to the weather messing up the tour, we will be receiving a refund for this tour. However, I think I have a good idea of what you can expect when you take this tour.

Dollywood Summer Festival Tour

During my last visit to the park, I was able to do two tours: the Dolly Parton Experience and the I Will Always Love You Music Festival Tour. My mom thought those tours sounded like fun, so we booked one for this trip. We booked this tour online ahead of time and I was able to use my gold pass for a small discount. We paid $74/each plus taxes and fees.

The website listed a 8 PM start time, but also stated that I should check in before 6 PM. That’s so that they know you are actually there and so you know where to meet up with the group at 7:55 PM. You also receive your lanyard when you check in. I know the site also mentions receiving a TimeSaver at check-in, however we didn’t receive that.

The Tour

As I stated above, unfortunately the weather ruined a good chunk of this tour. Typically, you are supposed to have a bit of a tour of Wilderness Pass before heading over to Wildwood Grove. We spent much of this time hiding out from the weather. However, we did walk over to FireChaser Express where the guides told us about its creation. The ride wasn’t running due to the weather, however you usually get to skip the line to ride it after they tell you about it.

From there, we received a complimentary snack. We were all given a deep fried s’more. There doesn’t appear to be any substitutions for this snack, regardless of dietary restrictions or preferences. The deep fried s’more was good. It reminded me of a marshmallow filled funnel cake with chocolate sauce.

After that snack, we walked over to Wildwood Grove. While we didn’t get to hear much about the newest ride, Big Bear Mountain, we did get a chance to ride it as soon as it opened back up from the weather. Our tour guide led us over to skip the line and everyone who wanted to was able to ride it. We were also given the chance to ride it a second time with skipping the line. Once was enough for my mom and I though. So, we all just stood around waiting for those other folks to ride again.

I believe somewhere around here you are supposed to receive a festival beverage – a icee/slushee beverage of some sort. We didn’t get a chance to get those though. We also missed the dance party, which I think was cancelled due to the weather. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment of all came when they cancelled the drones and simply showed the fireworks. We did have a reserved area to stand in and watch the show from. However, we missed the beginning of the show and it was really short. I imagine this would be much more worth it with the drone portion of the show.

Is the Dollywood Summer Festival Tour worth it?

While I know that we are receiving a refund for this experience, I don’t know that the whole tour is worth $74/79. It’s nice to learn about the park and to skip the lines. The added snack and beverage is great too. However, it’s a pricey addition to your park day. I think maybe they should just give TimeSaver passes to those rides to be used during the park day. Then, have you meet up at the reserved viewing area where they have the snack and beverage. That would make more sense to me.

If you are concerned about crowds for the drone/fireworks show or really want to ride the two included rides, it might be worth the price. If you are on a tight budget, you can probably skip this one.

Also, I just want to stress that our tour guides were awesome! They made the best of a less than ideal situation with the weather not cooperating. They also advocated for us to get refunds due to the weather issues. So, if you book a tour, just know that you are in good hands!

Dolly Parton Experience Tour at Dollywood Review

April 24, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

One of the things I was able to do on my recent solo trip to Dollywood was the Dolly Parton Experience Tour! I haven’t seen any online reviews for this tour either, so I thought I would publish an overview and review for anyone considering it.

Dolly Parton Experience Tour

As I stated in my I Will Always Love You Tour review, I did two tours on the same day. This is the other tour I did. It began at 11 AM. Unfortunately, I was unable to fully utilize the Golden Hour time in the park due to needing to arrive early for the tour (10:45 AM). So, just something to keep in mind if you plan on doing both in one morning.

This tour is cheaper than the other tour by $20. It’s priced at $59/person, with discounts available for passholders. It includes a lanyard (seen in the post image above), an hour long guided tour of the Dolly Parton Experience area of the park, and reserved seating for the Heidi Parton’s Kin and Friends show.

The Tour

The tour was supposed to be me and another family. However, the other family never showed up. So, I was lucky enough to get a one-on-one tour of the new Dolly Parton Experience area of the park!

The tour started off with some general info on the designing of the park, starting with Juxebox Junction being themed to Dolly’s childhood. Did you know that they re-created Red’s Drive-In because that’s where Dolly had her first taste of fast food? Wasting no time, we moved over to the Songteller building. Opened last year, it does an amazing and engaging job of telling Dolly’s life story. I was very impressed with the work they have done here. The use of technology to tell her story in different rooms was cool. I will definitely be re-visiting it to slow down and look more closely at the things located here.

Next up, we walked over to Behind the Seams. This building houses some of Dolly’s clothing and accessories. Supposedly, they switch out the items here periodically. So, you should be able to make return visits and see different items showcased. I thought it was really cool to see some of her clothing up close. She’s much smaller than I imagined!

Then, we walked over to enjoy some of the Precious Memories video in the DreamSong theater. Lastly, we visited Dolly’s Home-on-Wheels, which is an old tour bus of hers. I had been in it once before, but it’s still cool to see. Plus, we were able to skip the line to go on it.

The tour also includes reserved seating to a later showing of Heidi Parton’s Kin and Friends show (or another show in the DreamSong theater if it’s not available). I think that’s a great touch and lovely way to wrap this experience up!

Is the Dolly Parton Experience Tour worth it?

Even though I was the only person on the tour, it was still a pretty quickly paced one hour tour. I didn’t really get a chance to stop and take photos or to look at the clothing/artifacts on the tour. I plan to go back to take a slower look at the stuff in the buildings. The tour was great for additional information on the park’s design and about Dolly. It’s perfect for Dollywood/theme park/Dolly Parton fans! I don’t know that children would enjoy it. Also, we were up walking for the entire hour. So, you need to be able to be mobile for that length of time. Overall, I really enjoyed this tour and think it’s worth the time and money if you like learning about the park or Dolly.