Dollywood offers sweet summer nights as it celebrates 40 years

The park’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration is also well underway, meaning special drone shows, fireworks shows and other events will be on offer until Aug. 3.

The Dollywood Theme Park is at 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd. in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Things to do

To beat the heat, you should check out Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Park. There’s a 25,000-square-foot wave pool, splash pads and a bevy of water slides. Equipped with water cannons, Bear Mountain Fire Tower promises to be a blast for the kids.

Once the family has dried off, the Dollywood theme park should be your next stop. From Big Bear Mountain to the Mystery Mine, there are nine roller coasters on hand — including a recently revamped classic. There are several rides for young children to enjoy as well, including Black Bear Trail and the Busy Bees.

There’s a lot more on offer than traditional theme park rides though.

You can visit a two-room replica of Parton’s childhood home, test your strength at Lumberjack Lifts, catch a presentation at the 30,000-square-foot bald eagle aviary and a lot more.

There are some fun things for returning guests to check out as well, including Blazing Fury. According to local outlet Knox News, the 47-year-old roller coaster has been revamped with new track work, a completely rebuilt waterfall area and more.

The Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration is also going on right now, meaning special shows are in store for visitors.

The rescue dog performance “Perondi’s Stunt Dog Experience” has returned to the park’s Showstreet Palace Theater for the summer, while Celebrity Theater is hosting the laser-filled “Gazillion Bubble Show - Evolution.”

There are also special Dollywood events going on in celebration of the park’s 40th anniversary. Once the sun goes down, Wildwood Grove will be hosting dance parties. There’s a nightly drone and fireworks show.

“Play On,” a show that explores the park’s decades of musical history, is a new show playing at Pines Theater. From `80s and `90s country music show “Forever County” to the contemporary tunes of “A Cappella Fusion,” there’s more on offer around the park this season. For more information on what’s happening at Dollywood right now go to dollywood.com/plan-your-visit.

Best places to stay

First-time visitors will need time on their side if they want to see everything on offer at Dollywood.

The park’s own resorts, DreamMore Resort and Spa and HeartSong Lodge & Resort, feature pools and easy access to Dollywood. Whichever you choose, you’ll get park perks for being a resort guest — including TimeSaver passes.

For a one-of-a-kind experience, visitors can book a stay in Suite 1986 — Parton’s own tour bus. Bookings start at $10,000 for a two-night stay.

Beyond the park, which is nestled near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, cabin rentals are in high supply.

For the full outdoor experience, you’ll want to book a mountainside cabin. Bear Cove Cabins is Dollywood’s preferred cabin rental company, which means Dollywood offers guests priority access to its parks, free preferred parking and access to the daily Golden Hour. During the first hour each day, cabin guests can use the park’s TimeSaver entrance for faster access to rides.

There are plenty of other options nearby. Smokymountains.com, for instance, lists tons of rentals within the Dollywood area.