Disney World vs. Dollywood: Which Gives You the Best Bang for Your Vacation Buck?

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Visiting a theme park is a summertime staple. It can be an ideal vacation for solo travelers and families alike.

But how do you decide where to go when so many exciting options exist? We’ve taken a close look at Disney World versus Dollywood to help you choose which East Coast destination to explore next.

What Does a Five-Day Theme Park Vacation Cost?

We researched costs for a five-day stay at each park, with check-in on June 6, 2024, and check-out on June 10, 2024. Here’s what we found:

Prices reported may not include taxes and fees. Costs also don’t reflect transportation to and from the resort, other activities, resort add-ons or vacation souvenirs.

At first glance, Dollywood looks like a more affordable excursion. But when you add up the daily costs, you’ll still end up spending around $3,000 for park admission and lodging when traveling as a family of four. Family groups should also expect to pay $900 (or more) to eat on resort grounds during their five-day stay.

Past Guest Experience

We spoke with Tara Spears, founder of Togetherness Counseling, who has visited both locations. In the summer of 2018, she went to Dollywood with her partner and children. In recent years, she’s gone to Disneyworld more than 100 times with her entire family or just her partner. (Spears is a Florida resident.)

She broke down her costs for us:

“For Disney, I have only gone with a pass. An annual pass has ranged over the years from $300 to $800. I don’t usually stay on the property, and I drive there and drive home. Food is astronomical and is usually $50 to $75 per person per day,” said Spears. 

“[For] Dollywood, I stayed with my in-laws. Food was similar in price. Disney has better food and way more options. I don’t usually find a need to pay for activities in addition to the park. I drove to Tennessee, so there was no flight,” Spears continued.

Which Park Is the Better Value?

“Disney is a superior theme park. Period,” said Spears. “The options and rides far exceed Dollywood. All of the parks are worthy on their own. Epcot is a great date night for couples. Magic Kingdom is a must for the kids.”

Spears continued, “With that stated, if you go to Tennessee with the expressed intent to attend Dollywood and do not appreciate the state as a whole, then you are really missing out. If you are attending Dollywood as a sole objective without experiencing the state, then no, it’s not as cool as Disney.”

So, Where Should You Go?

Spears doesn’t think either vacation is necessarily better than the other.

She said, “It’s really about your intent. Tennessee is a beautiful state, and seeing the mountains, Gatlinburg, zip lining and visiting local artisans and restaurants is very enjoyable. 

“Unlike Dollywood, which, in my opinion, is worth it as a package deal with Tennessee, Disney does not need a package deal. You can literally spend the week on the property park-hopping and lounging at the hotel and be very satisfied and entertained,” Spears advised.

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