Want to save at Dollywood? Knowing some people really love Dollywood and others would like it more if it were cheaper, they are now offering lodging-inclusive vacation packages which save a decent amount on your hotel stay. Plus, it's your choice of hotels/motels from an authorized list-- a pretty decent variety. That makes it easier (and cheaper) for some people, especially in this weird economy.
You can find the links from the main Dollywood website or you can go straight to their Dollywood Vacation Packages order website. Customers can print out your authorized tickets on your printer, then Dollywood scans them right at the park! (Which is great because you don't have to go somewhere else to pick up tickets).
We first found that there are no discounts at Dollywood this time of year (Aug 2009) unless you are active military. However we did go to the park on Saturday after three pm and we get in Sunday all day for free. So, a day and a half for the price of one! That is the good news. The bad news is that we really dont want to go back on Sunday. We did most everything we wanted to do in 4.5 hours. The train is an absolute gem. The rides for kids are worse than Kings Island and more along the State fair line of quality. The park is quite dirty. Most of the games were open and unattended. Most of the concessions were closed. We did not go to the Larger and Newer side of the park for big kids. We will go there tomorrow. $54 dollars for adults $44 for children 4-11. Drinks are 4 dollars. I wish I could comment on food but there really were no choices we wished to indulge ourselves with. The popcorn ran out by 6.
The best bet in Gatlinburg is the National Park. WOW is all you can say. It is a much better destination than Dollywood. We rented a cabin from cove mountain rentals and it sleeps 4 comfortably for 400 for three nights (310 for the rentals and 80 in taxes and fees). Get out of Pigeon forge and Gatlinburg if you can. Go there to entertain yourself at night. The views of the mountains from the cabin rentals beat the views of the crowds on the street any day. BTW we bought a Margarita at dinner and it tasted horrible. We returned it and they then told us that it is made with wine not tequila since it is a dry county. I would have LOVED to know that before I ordered it!