Vacation Recap: Dollywood

My first trip to Dollywood was in December 2008. We had just moved to Georgia and my in-laws took us to Dollywood for Christmas. I really didn't know what to expect. As native Floridians, we had done the Disney/Universal Studios/Busch Gardens circuit enough to wear us out on theme parks. Plus, neither of us like rollercoasters. Yes, I know. We are boring.

But I fell in love with Dollywood. Richie loved Dollywood already. As part of our trip there, my in-laws purchased a season pass for each of us so we could continue to make trips. Since 2008, I think we have missed one year of having season passes.

Each year, Dollywood has different themes that special shows are tailored around. This year and last, we made it a point to make our first visit during the park's Festival of Nations. In 2012, we saw Spirit of the Dance (Ireland), Los Pampas Gauchos (Argentina), and Paper World Show (Ukraine). This year, we also saw three different shows: Glass Duo (Poland), Mystic India (India), and Cirque Shanghai (China). Every single Festival of Nations show we have seen has been nothing short of awesome.

Here's a video of the Glass Duo. You can't say this talent isn't impressive.
 

I took a few pictures during the Cirque Shanghai show, but they don't do any justice.

 

There is a new exhibit at the park this year called Chasing Rainbows. It's a museum filled with Dolly Parton memorabilia: costumes, awards, personal history, and so much more. I loved walking through the museum! My favorite part? The Imagination Library display.

 

Let's hear it for early childhood literacy!

I tend to sound like a travel agent when describing vacation destinations. If you're looking for a theme park that has something for everyone at a reasonable price, we give Dollywood two thumbs up. We are already planning for another quick getaway for the next festival: Barbeque and Bluegrass.

 

Up next? Our first visit to an aquarium together.