41st Season Opens March 13 with Season Passholder Preview Opportunities

Dollywood announced Tuesday, October 28, 2025, that the Pigeon Forge theme park will open for all guests on Friday, March 13, 2026, marking the beginning of the park's 41st operating season and launching with the I Will Always Love You Music Festival running through April 12. The opening date announcement included confirmation that season passholders will receive special ride preview days providing exclusive early access to NightFlight Expedition, the park's $50 million indoor hybrid roller coaster and whitewater raft ride scheduled to debut spring 2026 as the largest single attraction investment in Dollywood Parks & Resorts history. The preview access strategy mirrors approaches utilized for previous major attraction openings including Lightning Rod and Wild Eagle, rewarding annual passholder loyalty with early riding opportunities before general public access begins, though specific preview dates and registration procedures remain unannounced pending additional operational planning during the intervening months. The March 13 opening represents Dollywood's traditional mid-March season commencement timing aligning with spring break travel patterns throughout southeastern United States markets generating significant early-season attendance from families visiting during school holiday periods. The announcement arrived during a comprehensive October 28 media event where Dollywood revealed multiple 2026 season initiatives including Harvey's Boo Bash Halloween programming, Splash Country's Neon Nights summer events, and Run Dollywood race weekend scheduled for April 25-26, creating unified messaging around upcoming season attractions and experiences.

Five-Festival Calendar Maintains Established Seasonal Programming Structure

Dollywood's 2026 season features five major festivals maintaining the park's established seasonal programming framework developed over four decades of operations. The I Will Always Love You Music Festival opens the season March 13 through April 12, celebrating songwriting artistry through live performances, Dolly Parton sing-alongs, and the theatrical production "From The Heart: The Life & Music of Dolly Parton" at Celebrity Theater. Flower & Food Festival follows April 18 through June 7, combining horticultural displays featuring millions of blooms throughout the park with culinary experiences highlighting regional Appalachian cuisine and international food offerings. Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration runs June 15 through August 2, providing peak-season entertainment emphasizing outdoor activities, water attractions at adjacent Splash Country, and extended operating hours accommodating summer vacation visitation patterns. Harvest Festival presented by Humana operates September 14 through October 31, featuring Great Pumpkin LumiNights, thousands of carved pumpkins, autumn foliage displays, and the new Harvey's Boo Bash separately-ticketed after-hours Halloween event on October 16, 23, and 30. Smoky Mountain Christmas concludes the calendar November 6 through January 3, 2027, showcasing six million lights, holiday entertainment productions, and themed areas including Snow in the Grove and Peppermint Valley extending operations into the new year. The festival calendar demonstrates consistent year-round programming eliminating extended closure periods common among competing regional theme parks, maximizing annual operating days and revenue generation opportunities while providing guests with differentiated seasonal experiences encouraging repeat visitation throughout the calendar year.

Season Pass Sales Launch November 1 with Complimentary Christmas Festival Access

Dollywood's 2026 season passes become available to the general public Saturday, November 1, 2025, following an advance sales period for current 2025 passholders and pre-registered guests, with purchasers receiving complimentary access to the ongoing 2025 Smoky Mountain Christmas festival running through January 4, 2026. The promotional incentive provides immediate value for early purchasers who can experience the holiday festival without separate admission charges while securing 2026 season access at advance purchase pricing, creating urgency for sales conversions during the November-December holiday shopping period when consumers allocate discretionary spending toward gifts and vacation planning. Season pass tiers include Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Summer Fun Pass options offering varying benefit levels including parking privileges, bring-a-friend discounts, dining plan eligibility, and access to both Dollywood theme park and Dollywood's Splash Country water park throughout their respective operating seasons. The Pre-K Imagination Pass program continues offering complimentary admission for children born in 2021 and 2022, providing free park access for preschool-age guests accompanying paying family members and reducing cost barriers for young families considering Dollywood visits during early childhood years. Dolly Parton emphasized continuity and innovation in prepared statements: "I'm so proud of what the park has become in its first 40 years, and with what we have in store for our guests this year, it's safe to say we're just getting started!" The quote positioned 2026 as a transformative season building upon four decades of operations while introducing NightFlight Expedition and expanded premium event offerings generating incremental revenue beyond standard admission pricing.

Splash Country Opens May 23 with New Neon Nights Premium Event

Dollywood's Splash Country water park launches its 26th season Saturday, May 23, 2026, operating daily through Sunday, August 9, then continuing on weekends and select days through September 20, providing four months of water park operations during warm-weather periods when outdoor aquatic attractions achieve optimal guest experience conditions. The 2026 season introduces Neon Nights, Splash Country's first separately-ticketed after-hours event featuring high-energy glow-themed entertainment, live DJ performances, vibrant neon lighting effects, and unlimited access to select water attractions during evening hours, paralleling Harvey's Boo Bash's separately-ticketed model at Dollywood theme park and expanding premium event strategies beyond the main park into the water park property. Specific Neon Nights dates, pricing structures, and included attractions remain unannounced as of the October 28 reveal, with additional details planned for release during early 2026 as operational planning finalizes and marketing campaigns develop closer to the summer event dates. The simultaneous introduction of after-hours premium events at both Dollywood and Splash Country during 2026 demonstrates strategic emphasis on tiered pricing models generating incremental revenue from guests willing to pay above standard admission for exclusive experiences, extended operating hours, and limited-capacity environments providing perceived value through reduced crowding and specialized entertainment unavailable during regular park hours. The combined 2026 season announcement encompassing opening dates, festival calendars, season pass incentives, major attraction debuts, and new premium event offerings created comprehensive messaging positioning Dollywood's 41st season as "game-changing" in the words of marketing materials distributed during the October 28 media event, building anticipation for spring 2026 opening while driving immediate season pass sales through November 1 public availability and complimentary Christmas festival access incentives.