Pets are not allowed inside Dollywood or Dollywood's Splash Country, except for trained service animals. What makes Dollywood different from most big theme parks is Doggywood, its own day kennel for dogs, right next to Guest Services at the front gate. A kennel run costs USD 25 a day and a cottage costs USD 35 a day, plus tax. Your dog needs written proof of rabies and Bordetella vaccines, you bring the food, and you walk the dog yourself. Doggywood does not board overnight.
This guide covers the full Doggywood rules, how to book, what to pack, how to plan your day around dog walks, and where to stay in Pigeon Forge with a dog. The details come from Dollywood's own Doggywood page and the Dollywood theme park FAQ, read in October 2026. Prices and rules can change, so check the page before you go.
Can you bring your dog into Dollywood?
No. Dollywood's pet policy is simple: pets are not permitted inside the theme park or the water park. The only animals allowed in are service animals that are trained to do a task for a person with a disability, in line with the ADA service animal rules. Emotional support animals and pets in strollers or carriers are turned away at the gate.
The good news is that you do not have to leave your dog at a hotel or a kennel across town. Doggywood sits right at the front gate, so you can check your dog in, enjoy the park, and come back out to walk it during the day.
Doggywood at a glance
| Detail | Doggywood rule |
|---|---|
| Location | Next to Guest Services at Dollywood's front gate |
| Kennel runs | 12 runs, 4 by 6 feet, USD 25 per day plus tax |
| Cottages | 4 cottages, about 5 by 5 feet, USD 35 per day plus tax |
| Cottage weight limit | Total weight of dogs in one cottage must be 19 pounds or less |
| Sharing | Dogs from the same household can share, USD 5 per extra dog |
| Hours | Opens 30 minutes before the park, pick up within 15 minutes after closing |
| Overnight | Not available |
| Vaccines | Rabies and Bordetella, written proof from a vet, no exceptions |
| Food and walks | Owner brings food and walks the dog, water is free |
| Who can use it | Dogs only, for guests at Dollywood or Dollywood's Splash Country |
| Cancellation | Full refund if cancelled by 5 pm the day before |
Kennel run or cottage: which should you book?
Doggywood has two kinds of space. The 12 kennel runs measure 4 by 6 feet and work for dogs of any size. The 4 cottages are a little smaller at about 5 by 5 feet, but they are more enclosed and cozier, and they are meant for small dogs: the total weight of the dogs in a cottage must be 19 pounds or less.
For a single small dog that gets anxious in an open run, the cottage is worth the extra USD 10. For a medium or large dog, the kennel run is the only choice. If you have two dogs from the same home, they can share one space for an extra USD 5, which saves money and often keeps both dogs calmer. Two small dogs can share a cottage only if their combined weight stays at 19 pounds or under.
With only 16 spaces in total, Doggywood fills up on busy days, especially weekends, summer, Harvest Festival in the fall and Smoky Mountain Christmas. That is why Dollywood strongly recommends booking ahead.
How to book Doggywood
Reservations are made online through the Doggywood page. When you add a kennel or cottage to your cart, Dollywood asks you to complete a Doggywood waiver and upload your dog's vaccination records. Without a reservation, Dollywood says it cannot promise a space on the day.
If you want to try your luck on the day, bring a copy of the vaccination record with you, or ask your vet to email it to Dollywood's guest services admissions team before you arrive. You can get a full refund if you cancel by 5 pm the day before your visit by calling 1-800-DOLLYWOOD. After that, the booking is not refundable.
Gold Passholder discounts apply at Doggywood, so season pass holders should book with their pass details.
Vaccine rules: rabies and Bordetella, no exceptions
Every dog must be up to date on rabies and Bordetella, the kennel cough vaccine, and you need written proof from a veterinarian. Dollywood is firm on this: if your dog cannot have either vaccine, for medical or any other reason, it cannot board at Doggywood. A vet exemption letter will not work.
Bordetella is the shot that catches people out. Many dogs that only see the vet once a year are not on it, and some vets recommend giving it at least a few days to a week before boarding so it has time to take effect. Check your dog's records as soon as you book the trip. Our guides to what vaccines a dog needs for boarding and kennel cough after boarding or day care explain why kennels insist on it and what to watch for afterward.
Dollywood also says it can refuse to board a dog that looks ill. If your dog is coughing, has diarrhea or seems off, leave it with a sitter at your lodging instead.
Hours: drop off and pick up times
Doggywood runs on the same days as Dollywood. It accepts dogs 30 minutes before the park's published opening time, and every dog must be collected no later than 15 minutes after the park closes. Dollywood's opening hours change by season, and many evenings run late during festivals, so check the park calendar for your date.
Because there is no overnight boarding, Doggywood is a day service only. If you plan to leave the park and go to dinner in Pigeon Forge, you must collect your dog first. Doggywood can only board dogs for guests who are at Dollywood or Dollywood's Splash Country, not for people sightseeing elsewhere.
What you have to do yourself
Doggywood is a place to keep your dog safe and cool, not a full-service day care. Hosts are not allowed to walk your dog. You need to:
- Bring enough food for the day. Water is provided free.
- Come back during the day to walk your dog. There is an enclosed walk area at the back of the kennel building.
- Clean up after your dog in the walk area.
Children under 18 are not allowed in the kennel and cottage area, so an adult has to handle drop off, walks and pick up.
Planning your Dollywood day around dog walks
Dollywood is built on a hillside, and the front gate is at the bottom. Walking back out from the far end of the park, near Wildwood Grove or Timber Canyon, takes a while. A good rhythm is to walk your dog at drop off, again around lunchtime, and again in the late afternoon. Use the walks as your break from the crowds and the heat.
Keep your ticket or pass handy so getting back in is quick. If you have a big group, take turns: one adult walks the dog while the others ride, then swap. Doggywood is indoor and climate controlled, which matters in a Tennessee summer, but your dog still needs regular breaks and a drink from its own bowl.
What a Dollywood weekend with a dog costs
Doggywood is one of the cheapest theme park dog options in the country. Here are three common setups, before tax:
- One medium dog, two park days: two kennel run days at USD 25, so USD 50.
- Two small dogs from the same home, under 19 pounds combined, two days in a cottage: USD 35 plus USD 5 for the second dog, so USD 40 a day and USD 80 in total.
- Two large dogs sharing one kennel run for three days: USD 30 a day, so USD 90.
Compare that with a local day care, which often charges more per dog per day and closes before the park does. The catch is that Doggywood saves money but not time: you still have to walk the dog yourself.
Is Doggywood a good fit for an anxious dog?
Doggywood is indoors and climate controlled, but it is still a kennel next to a busy front gate, with other dogs nearby and people coming and going. A dog that is used to a crate and settles quickly will usually be fine. A dog that panics when left, barks nonstop or has never been boarded may find a full day hard. Try a practice run first: leave your dog in its crate at home or at a local day care for a few hours in the weeks before the trip. If it struggles, book a sitter at your cabin instead, and keep Doggywood visits short with more frequent walks.
Dollywood's Splash Country
Dollywood's water park follows the same rule: no pets except service animals. Its Splash Country FAQ points guests to Doggywood too. Splash Country is a short drive from Dollywood, so you would board at the Dollywood front gate and then drive over, then collect your dog before Doggywood closes. Plan this carefully on days when Dollywood closes earlier than Splash Country.
Do Dollywood's resorts allow dogs?
Dollywood's two resorts, DreamMore Resort and Spa and HeartSong Lodge and Resort, are listed by booking sites as not accepting pets, apart from service animals. Dollywood's own pages we read did not state a pet policy for the resorts, so confirm with the resort before you book. Remember that Doggywood cannot help overnight, so a no-pets resort really means no dog on that trip.
Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have plenty of pet-friendly cabins, hotels and campgrounds instead. The Margaritaville Island Hotel in Pigeon Forge takes up to two dogs at USD 50 per dog per night, and The Lodge at Camp Margaritaville takes dogs up to 50 pounds for a fee per stay. See our Margaritaville pet policy guide for both. Several Smoky Mountain campgrounds, including KOA parks, take dogs too, and our KOA pet policy guide covers their rules.
Can you leave your dog in the car at Dollywood?
No. East Tennessee summers are hot and humid, and a parked car becomes dangerous within minutes, even with the windows cracked. Doggywood exists for exactly this reason. If Doggywood is full and you have no other plan, skip the park day or split up. Read our guide on how hot is too hot for a dog in a car for the numbers.
Other options if Doggywood is full
If every space is booked, look at a pet sitter who can visit your cabin or hotel, or a local boarding kennel or day care in Pigeon Forge or Sevierville. A sitter is often the best fit for cabin stays, since your dog stays in one place all trip. Our guide on finding a trustworthy dog sitter covers the checks to run, and our day care vaccine guide helps you get records ready for an outside facility.
Taking your dog into the Smokies
Many Dollywood visitors also spend a day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Be ready for strict rules there: dogs are only allowed on two trails, the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail, plus campgrounds, picnic areas and along roads, always on a leash. Our guide to dog-friendly national parks explains the rules. The national forests nearby, such as Cherokee and Pisgah, are much more open to dogs on trails.
Service animals at Dollywood
Trained service animals are welcome in Dollywood and Splash Country under the ADA. Some rides are not suitable for animals, and you will need another member of your party to stay with the animal while you ride. Ask a host at the ride entrance, and check the accessibility guide on Dollywood's website before your visit. Emotional support animals do not count as service animals and must go to Doggywood like any other pet.
Doggywood checklist
- Reservation booked and confirmation saved.
- Vaccination records uploaded with the waiver, plus a paper copy.
- Food for the day, a bowl, a leash and waste bags.
- A small towel or familiar blanket if your dog settles better with one.
- Phone alarms for your walk times.
- Park closing time checked, so you can collect your dog within 15 minutes.
The bottom line on Dollywood and dogs
You cannot take a pet into Dollywood, but Doggywood at the front gate makes a park day with a dog easy. Book ahead, pay USD 25 for a kennel run or USD 35 for a small-dog cottage, bring rabies and Bordetella records, pack food, and plan to walk your dog yourself. There is no overnight boarding, so choose pet-friendly lodging in Pigeon Forge.