Destination Pigeon Forge: 5 Ways to Save Money
July 24, 2008
Filed under Destinations
If you’re vacationing in the area of Great Smoky National Park in Tennessee, chances are you’ll spend some time in Pigeon Forge, just 10 minutes from the park’s gateway town of Gatlinburg. After all, Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park and Tennessee’s most ticketed attraction, is found in Pigeon Forge – so named for the passenger pigeons that once were abundant in the region and an iron forge that was part of the early settlers’ lives.
Pigeon Forge is also known for its live theater productions, from Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede and the Black Bear Jamboree and Dinner Show, to mystery dinners, comedy shows and magic extravaganzas. Marketing folks call Pigeon Forge the “entertainment capital of the Southeast.”
Of course, all of these attractions cost money. However, there are plenty of ways to save on your family vacation to Pigeon Forge:
· Pick up your Pigeon Forge Value Card at the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center at 1950 Parkway located at traffic light #0. This card entitles you to discounts and special deals at dozens of restaurants, attractions and shops throughout town.
· Enter Dollywood after 3 p.m. and get in FREE to the theme park on the next operating day.
· Present your military personnel I.D. and dependents’ I.D. at the front gate at Dollywood, and enjoy 30 percent off the regular day admission price.
· If you’ve had so much fun at Dollywood and want to come back the following day, upgrade your ticket before you leave, and you can return for just $20 (instead of the standard $50 daily admission fee).
· If you think you might spend more than two days at Dollywood, consider buying a season pass. These sell for just $83 (youth over 12 and adults) and are good for an entire operating season. Plus, you enjoy many other privileges (free parking!) and discounts at affiliated theme parks. Click here for details.
· Active military personnel, as well as firefighters, veterans, law enforcement and EMS personnel, should visit Pigeon Forge in August to enjoy exclusive discounts from participating businesses. This program is called “Celebrate Freedom,” and you simply need to bring your ID to pick up a discount card at the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center.
· Park your car and hop aboard the Pigeon Forge Fun Time Trolley, which runs along the six-lane, five-mile Parkway through town. Fares are just 50 or 75 cents, depending on the distance you travel, and it operates daily in the summer from 8:30 a.m. to midnight.
