*To find out about Christmas at Dollywood in 2020, check this out.
While following old traditions is an integral part of the Christmas season, creating new ones is where the magic really lies. And the 2019 Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas is just the place to start your new holiday traditions. From November 9th, 2019, all the way through January 4th, 2020, you can come down to tour their winter wonderland and celebrate the season in style. Musicals, light shows, and other fun activities will quickly cement this event as a new tradition in your household. So, plan to head on down and experience all the 2019 Dollywood Christmas has to offer this season and for years to come.
Gorgeous Christmas Decorations All Around
The entire 130-acre theme park transforms into a winter wonderland just in time for the Christmas season. Over five million lights, fun inflatables, and other enchanting decorations light up the day and absolutely come alive at night. Each night, their parade brings out even more décor on the many floats and popular characters ready to spread holiday cheer.
Fun Activities to Keep Everyone Well Entertained
Dollywood keeps their 20 rides and attractions running throughout their Christmas event, but the fun does not stop there. They also have many other things you can do while visiting their theme park, keeping your fun going from the moment they open the gates to close. Here’s a glimpse of what they have in store for you.
Tour the Winter Wonderland by Train
Simply walking around the winter wonderland can keep you entertained for hours at a time. Every tree, building, and pathway is decorated to the hilt with gorgeous décor and bright lights. But for a truly unique look at the theme park decorations, you just have to hop aboard the Dollywood Express. This train will take you around the park faster than you could ever walk it, leaving much more time for the other amazing activities.
Check Out Glacier Ridge
Although every corner of the park offers something amazing to see, their newest addition, Glacier Ridge, attracts the most attention. Tucked between Craftsman’s Valley and Timber Canyon, this area contains a 130-foot tunnel adorned with beautiful lights along with a stunningly lifelike polar bear exhibit. You can also experience a recreation of the Northern Lights for yourself as you near the Blazing Fury area.
View All the Light Shows
Delightful light shows are found at various points across the Dollywood theme park. These shows treat visitors to animated LED displays set to beautiful Christmas music. The twinkling lights and awesome music promise to dazzle the senses and leave you in awe.
With the popularity of the Glacier Ridge section of the park, the Christmas tree light show draws the biggest crowds. Standing at over 50 feet tall, this tree is lit up from bottom to top with LED lights. The programmed display goes on for seven minutes at a stretch, starting at 6pm each night. Every 30 minutes, another show starts, treating onlookers to its glorious display.
Visit Rudolph and His Reindeer Friends
For the first time this year, Dollywood is hosting Rudolph and friends at their theme park. From Rudolph and Clarice to the Bumble and Yukon Cornelius, you can see all your favorite characters come to life before your eyes. They will play fun games, share their tales, and take photographs with all their fans.
Enjoy Christmas Services at the Chapel
At their onsite Robert F. Thomas Chapel, you can attend Christmas services on all your Sunday visits. Held at 11:30am, and again at 5:30pm, the service celebrates the reason for the season and gives everyone a chance to make new friends.
The chapel itself is a sight to see with handmade quilted wall hangings all around and a gorgeous vintage organ. For Christmas, it is beautifully decorated inside and out to bring holiday cheer to all.
Watch the Christmas Parade
Each night at 8pm, the theme park comes alive with a phenomenal Christmas parade. Dreamed up by Dolly Parton herself, this parade comes in an exceptional array of bright colors and flashing lights. Each parade float seems to outdo the rest with holiday characters keeping the excitement going between sights. Surprises abound during the parade to ensure everyone feels the magic of the season.
Attend the Many Musicals and Christmas Shows
Above all else, you must take time to attend some of the musicals held throughout the 2019 Christmas season at Dollywood. They have some real masterpieces on the books, including:
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- Appalachian Christmas
- Twas the Night Before Christmas
Depending on their schedule, the cast tends to run shows all afternoon and evening on the weekdays. Weekends have even more shows packed into their schedule to treat all visitors to fun holiday entertainment.
With so many exciting things to do, you can come to Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas 2019 over a dozen times and still see something new each time.
Visit 2019 Dollywood Christmas to Make New Holiday Traditions
Through the Dollywood Christmas 2019 season, you can pick up tickets to the theme park as a single, two, or three day pass. If you are going to be around for three days, the extended pass is the best deal. The water park will not be open during this event, so skip the ticket upgrade. If you live nearby, you might want to consider a season pass instead, giving you unlimited access to the park, whenever you want to visit.
Whichever tickets you choose, do yourself a favor and get the TimeSaver Pass as well to keep from spending much of your time waiting. This ticket upgrade gives you instant access to certain shows and rides, keeping you from spending time waiting around.
With all these ticket options and upgrades, it is easy to make Dollywood Christmas 2019 an important part of your holiday traditions. Simply come down through the holiday season to experience all the fun stuff to do.
