During a visit to Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park in Tennessee, my group of two went to Dolly Parton’s Stampede, a famous dinner show that’s just a brief drive from the park.
Dolly Parton’s Stampede — which also has a sister location in Branson, Missouri — was inspired by the country singer’s fond childhood memories of spending time around the kitchen table with her family. Operating for decades, the experience includes a live show and a multicourse meal served in an arena.
Dolly Parton’s Stampede is open for a few dinner slots almost every night. The experience starts at $59.99 per adult and $29.99 per child (if they’re between the ages of 3 and 9).
Prices vary by date and time, and visitors can also pay extra for upgraded tickets that include add-ons such as a cast member meet-and-greet. Reservations can be made in advance online, over the phone, or in person at the box office.
Ultimately, my guest and I paid about $80 a person for our dinner show. Here’s what it was like.
Upon arrival, we were surprised that we could visit the horses before they performed in the show.
The dinner show is located in a large building that’s also home to the Horse Walk, a pre-show introduction to the animals.
Just before check-in, we were able to visit the horses in a row of open-air stables and take photos with them. It was a memorable way to begin the dinner experience.
Once we checked in, we waited for our table in a large saloon.
We arrived early so that we could enjoy the multi-level saloon, where guests waited to be seated for dinner.
The Western-themed space — which has plenty of seating, a lot of games, interactive audio-animatronic characters, and a self-playing piano — made us feel like we were in an old-time frontier town.
It was a fun space to explore, and it made the wait go by quickly.
I indulged and ordered one of the signature boot-shaped cups.
The saloon has a bar that serves a variety of beers, cocktails, and moonshine.
I couldn’t resist ordering a drink in one of the dinner show’s signature boot-shaped glasses to keep as a souvenir.
We then made our way inside the arena for dinner and the show.
Dinner takes place inside a 35,000-square-foot arena. Guests sit stadium-style in an oval, allowing them to have optimal views of the live show in the center.
The menu is prix fixe, and the meal includes appetizers, an entrée, and a dessert.
The themed dining experience includes a Southern-style multicourse feast. Unlimited soft drinks, coffee, and tea are factored into the price.
The servers brought everything to our seats, making it convenient to enjoy the show while we ate.
We began our meal with the famous creamy soup.
The meal began with a bowl of the dinner show’s original creamy vegetable soup and a hot, homemade biscuit that was wonderfully flaky. The savory, delicious soup was the perfect starter since it wasn’t heavy.
In an attempt to perhaps stick with a more Old West theme, the servers didn’t provide spoons to guests. Instead, the soup was in a bowl with a large handle.
The soup is also so popular that guests can order a mix of it from the gift shop.
The live performances, from aerialists’ routines to horseback riding, were a major highlight.
A live show took place in the arena throughout the meal. It combined music and storytelling, featuring live performers and more than 30 horses.
The incredibly talented horseback riders were a highlight of the production, and comedy bits and pyrotechnics kept guests engaged. The aerialists’ performance to one of Parton’s songs was another high point.
The LED backdrop wall completed the immersive experience.
I was really impressed by the massive LED backdrop wall, which changed throughout the performances and depicted different scenes from the Great Plains.
When the wall was combined with physical set pieces, twinkling lights, and water features, the entire experience felt immersive.
The entrée portions were very generously sized.
Our entrée course included a whole rotisserie chicken, hickory-smoked barbecued pork loin, corn on the cob, and an herb-basted potato. (Since our visit, the menu has changed to include hickory-smoked pulled pork instead of loin and mashed potatoes instead of an herb-basted potato.)
The portion sizes were very generous. We could try every item or pick and choose which ones we desired.
Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available at Dolly Parton’s Stampede. The vegetarian feast includes some items from the regular menu, plus fire-roasted veggies, quinoa, and multigrain rice.
The chicken was my favorite part of the main course.
My favorite dish in the entrée course was the whole rotisserie chicken. The meat was incredibly tender and moist, and the main highlight was the signature spice rub on the outside.
I enjoyed the other dishes, but kept going back for more of the chicken.
The final course was an apple turnover, which was a refreshingly light dessert.
For the dessert course, we had an apple turnover. This hot, flaky treat was a unique twist on a traditional Southern apple pie.
I appreciated having a lighter dessert, rather than cake or ice cream, after such a large meal.
During this course, the production played a song written and recorded by Parton.
My party of two spent $160 on the experience and left completely full.
Ultimately, my group of two adults spent about $160 on our tickets and extra drinks.
I absolutely loved the meal and was particularly surprised by how delicious the entrée course was. Though the menu was prix fixe, it had a nice variety of dishes to satisfy even picky eaters.
The show was highly entertaining, family-friendly, and unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
I loved the small touches that honored Parton throughout the experience, such as including her music in the performances.
This story was originally published on January 8, 2023, and most recently updated on June 8, 2026.
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