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For the Best Dinner at Dollywood, Just Add Pirates

Pirates voyage dinner theater is a swashbuckling adventure in the smoky mountains..

Call it silly and touristy if you must, but I absolutely love a dinner theater attraction—the bigger, louder, and brighter, the better. I’ve eaten kalua pork and chicken long rice at a luau in Hawaii while hula dancers swayed against a blazing sunset, and I’ve tapped my toes while watching Irish step dancers and snacking on bangers and mash at Raglan Road in Walt Disney World. But admittedly, I’m not truly happy unless my meal is paired with death-defying stunts and pyrotechnics. These high standards of mine were instilled by none other than Ms. Dolly Parton herself.

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I started going to Dolly Parton’s Stampede when it first opened in 1988, back when it was the Dixie Stampede . It’s in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, a tiny town in the Smoky Mountains that’s home to Dollywood and to countless other kinds of family entertainment, from a Titanic museum to a lumberjack stunt show to a centuries-old grist mill that’s now a restaurant on the banks of the Little Pigeon River. Every time my family would go back to Pigeon Forge, our Dollywood trip wasn’t complete unless we sat high up in that arena, watching games of horsemanship and “stampeding” our applause with our feet because, as part of the entertainment, we were eating with our bare hands.

On my most recent trip back, though, I wanted something different. Something daring. Something adventurous. Something… with pirates.

Dollywood’s Pirates Voyage dinner show, explained

Pirates Voyage is a dinner show that’s owned by Dollywood, but isn’t part of the park itself—although dinner for an adult costs almost as much as a ticket to the theme park just down the road. Over the course of an hour and a half, guests sit and eat while a show unfolds, combining physical stunts, aerial acrobatics, sword fighting, fire dancing, animal actors, and games of competition. Oh, and mermaids.

The theater’s tiered seating is situated around a 300,000-gallon lagoon, which is 15 feet deep and holds two 25-foot pirate ships, one decked out in crimson and one in sapphire. In the center of the pool is a deck with a ship’s mast rising up from it and a platform sort of like a crow’s nest high overhead. The entire set is visible as soon as you enter the room, but still, I couldn’t have anticipated the complexity and quality of the stunts we were about to witness.

Our party included my Dollywood-loving lifelong best friend and her daughters, 8 and 2, whom we were introducing to the wonders of Pigeon Forge for the first time. Our adult tickets were $69.99 each, the 8-year-old’s ticket was $35, and the toddler was free as long as she sat on someone’s lap. The price of admission includes a four-course meal and unlimited soft drinks, and alcohol is available for purchase. Shows happen almost every night of the year in Pigeon Forge and at the Myrtle Beach location as well.

As soon as we sat down, a server dressed as a pirate came to take our drink order. The meal started with a creamy vegetable soup; I enjoyed the thick bisque purely for the nostalgia, since it was essentially the same recipe as it has been at the Stampede for more than 30 years. As the show progressed, we were served fried chicken, sugar-cured ham, corn on the cob, a roasted potato, and a biscuit, then an apple turnover. The chicken was flavorful and I especially liked the ham, but the meal is a distant second on the list of reasons I enjoyed the experience.

Just as our food started coming out, the lights in the theater went down, and all of a sudden Blackbeard descended from the ceiling, sitting in what I can only describe as a pirate throne. He started the show, a parrot on his arm, setting the scene for what would be the night’s competition between the crimson pirates and the sapphire ones. Eventually, there would be challenges they’d try to win to capture the hidden treasure. First, there were going to be some really thrilling stunts.

Mermaids dropped down from the rafters, sitting on ship anchors suspended from the ceiling and diving into the water. A fire-wielding pirate took center stage with a flaming sword, who lit the stage on fire before setting the water itself ablaze. Stunt divers careened off high-dive platforms, plunging into the water and disappearing under the ships. There was a lot of sword fighting, a lot of swinging wildly on ship’s rigging, a lot of truly unbelievable feats of strength and skill.

And there were animals, too. Trained dogs performed tricks, tropical birds took flight, and Salty the Sea Lion stole the show with his antics, stealing fish from his pirate trainer and eliciting a huge audience response when he succeeded in getting his treats. Dolly Parton wrote a song for the show, “Sail Away,” which plays during the performance, while two performers partner for aerial acrobatics.

The whole thing was bigger and more spectacular than any show I’ve ever seen at a theme park, and I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. The next day, we spent the day at Dollywood riding roller coasters and eating the park’s incredible cinnamon bread until we were about to burst. The day after, we went attraction hopping in Pigeon Forge, exploring Wonderworks, the interactive science museum housed in an upside-down mansion, and Magiquest, where we had magic wands and used them to unlock treasures in a medieval-style castle. It was a lot of fun packed into three days.

At the end, I asked my friend’s 8-year-old what her favorite part of the whole trip was, fully expecting her to say one of the thrill rides—she goes to Disney a lot and knows her way around a theme park vacation.

“Um,” she said, “probably Salty.”

A sea lion performing tricks in a pirate lagoon won the whole trip. I honestly can’t say I’m surprised. That guy has some real star power.

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Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show Embarks on Sixth Season of Fun, Adventure in Pigeon Forge

• Post author By Trish McGee
• Post date February 9, 2024
• Categories In Uncategorized

Pigeon Forge, TENNESSEE (Feb. 8, 2024) – Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show is bringing the thrill of the seven seas to the Smoky Mountains, as it sets sail for its sixth season on February 9. The infamous pirate Captain Blackbeard and his crew will take guests on a swashbuckling adventure that features pirates, mermaids, high seas escapades, acrobatics, animal antics and much more. This daring and dramatic tale immerses guests in the captivating endeavors of pirate legends, complemented with a captain’s feast to fuel an epic voyage guaranteed to create memories to last a lifetime. 

From Buccaneer Bay, a talented ensemble of characters seamlessly combines acrobatics, pyrotechnics, animal antics, music and all things pirate for an action-packed evening of family fun and excitement.Thrilling sword fights, blazing cannons and pirates scaling high above two full-sized pirate ships bring the exhilarating Pirates Voyage to life. Guests will experience thrills around every corner as the pirate crew engages in a gripping “battle” to lay claim to Davy Jones’ coveted treasure. Amidst the spectacle, enchanting mermaids gracefully perform high above the depth of Buccaneer Bay’s lagoon, while “Salty” the sea lion and other friendly castaways outsmart Captain Blackbeard through cleverness and their pirate wit. Then, the Crimson and Sapphire crews combine heroics and high-flying fun on land, through the skies, on deck and in the water of the show’s 15-foot-deep indoor lagoon. 

“My Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show is an unforgettable experience, with incredible performers that bring an exciting adventure to life,” Dolly Parton said. “I think everyone visiting here in the Smokies is going to love them as much as I do. The pirates and mermaids, the sea lions and all the special effects – there is so much going on in this show that it’s hard to figure out where to look!  I love feeling like a kid again watching everything come to life in my Pirates Voyage – no trip to Pigeon Forge is complete without it!” 

And as any pirate knows, searching for treasure can work up quite an appetite! So when visitors enter the arena for this swashbuckling spectacular, guests are served a hearty and delicious four-course feast straight from Captain Blackbeard’s galley. The meal begins with voyager creamy vegetable soup and buccaneer bread. The feast fit for a pirate continues with a cracklin’ pan-fried chicken made from the crew’s secret recipe, cob o’ buttery corn and much more. Apple o ’me eye pie and unlimited Coca-Cola® products, tea or coffee complete the meal. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available by request.

Show times and reservations are available by calling (865) 505-2469 or visiting  www.piratesvoyage.com . 

-piratesvoyagepigeonforge2024-

Dolly Parton’s dinner shows have operated since 1988, featuring special effects, musical productions, live animals and a four-course family feast. Dinner show venues, theaters, and restaurants for family fun and adventure can be found in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud, The Comedy Barn Theater, and Frizzle Chicken Café.

Media Contacts: 

Ellen Liston: (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or  [email protected]

Leah Hicks: (865) 774-8139, (865) 898-6925 or  [email protected]

© 2024 PIGEON FORGE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM. All Right Reserved.

Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show Myrtle Beach, SC & Pigeon Forge, TN

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Pirates Voyage

Celebrate the Pirate Spirit at Myrtle Beach’s Most Fun Place to Eat, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show. Led by Captain Blackbeard and his Quartermaster Calico Jack, the Crimson and Sapphire crews capture your imagination with their bold stunts on land, on deck, in water, and high above full-sized pirate ships in a 15-foot deep indoor lagoon. This season is highlighted by new aerial and acrobatic acts, including a stunning performance in which two pirate captains soar together on silk ropes. With gunfire, sword fights, cannon blasts, live sea lions, mermaids, and a four-course pirate feast, Pirates Voyage is sure to give you memories of a lifetime.

Pirates of the Caribbean Ride Offends Guests, Shuts Down After 56 Years

in Disneyland Resort

A controversial Disneyland Resort attraction amassed attention this week after suddenly closing, trapping guests in their boats for two hours. Already considered “offensive” by some Disney Parks fans, Pirates of the Caribbean gave some families another reason not to ride!

Pirates of the Caribbean originally opened in Adventureland at Disneyland Park in 1967. Walt Disney Imagineering later created alternate versions of the attraction for Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort (1973), Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort (1983), Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris (1992), and Shanghai Disneyland (2016).

“Board a weathered barge for a treacherous voyage to the 17th century, when rowdy rogues and ruthless rapscallions ransacked Caribbean seaport towns,” the official Disney ride description reads. “Sing along as pirates serenade you with their anthem, ]Yo Ho, Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me).’ Sail past haunted Dead Man’s Cove. Navigate cannon fire between a Caribbean fort and a striking 12-gun galleon. Behold boisterous buccaneers drunk on the spoils of plunderin’ as flames engulf a seaside town…Ye beware, mateys: Dead men tell no tales!”

The Walt Disney Company has altered the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and its successors numerous times in its 56-year lifespan. In 2006, Imagineers first retrofitted Captain Jack Sparrow ( Johnny Depp ) animatronics inspired by the  Pirates of the Caribbean  franchise into the attraction. In 2018, they removed a sexist bride auction scene and turned the women into female pirates bartering stolen goods.

Some Disney Parks fans oppose any change to Pirates of the Caribbean, but others think Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort haven’t gone far enough. One Disney Park guest felt ogled by the pirate animatronics.

“I just think this is kind of a weird ride,” the guest said after their visit. “I don’t know… It’s just a little bit rapey.”

This week, Pirates of the Caribbean disappointed dozens more Disney Park guests. However, the incident had nothing to do with the ride’s content.

On Saturday, TikTok user @dubillgaming shared this video of his party stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean. They spent two hours trapped in the small boat with other families.

@dubillgaming When you’re stuck on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride for two hours #disney #disneyland #piratesofthecaribbean #family #passholderlife #disneylandcalifornia #disneylandtiktok #disneylandpark #kids #disneytiktoks #disneytiktokcommunity ♬ Titanic flute fail – kate dwyer

Fortunately, no guests in the video appear distressed, but they definitely don’t look amused!

It’s unclear why Pirates of the Caribbean closed temporarily, but the attraction was operating normally at the time of this article’s publication.

Should the Pirates of the Caribbean ride close forever? What would you change about the attraction? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.

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• Trump’s Gettysburg Address Featured a Pirate Impression

For many years, Donald Trump has been engaged in a posthumous, one-sided rivalry with Abraham Lincoln. Trump has repeatedly suggested that he might actually have been a better president than Lincoln, noting that his predecessor did not use the “art of the deal” to negotiate his way out of the Civil War and that he had lower poll numbers (though presidential polling didn’t exist in the 1860s).

Now, Trump has bested Lincoln once again — in a way. While Lincoln’s 1863 speech commemorating the Battle of Gettysburg remains one of the best-known in American history, Trump’s speech about Gettysburg features a pirate impression.

During an April 13 rally in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania — about two hours from Gettysburg — Trump regaled the audience with a retelling of the turning point in the Civil War. While Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle in the conflict, with more than 50,000 estimated casualties over three days, in Trump’s version, it was “so beautiful.”

“Gettysburg, what an unbelievable battle that was,” Trump said. “The Battle of Gettysburg. What an unbelievable — it was so much and so interesting, and so vicious and horrible, and so beautiful in so many different ways. It represented such a big portion of the success of this country. Gettysburg, wow.”

“Wow” indeed. Trump continued rambling about Robert E. Lee, lamenting that the Confederate general who fought to preserve slavery is “no longer in favor,” then suggesting that his men had screwed up Lee’s famous directive “Never fight uphill, me boys.” Explained Trump:

Robert E. Lee, who’s no longer in favor — did you ever notice it? He’s no longer in favor. “Never fight uphill, me boys, never fight uphill.” They were fighting uphill. He said, “Wow, that was a big mistake.” He lost his big general. “Never fight uphill, me boys,” but it was too late.

The problem with this account is that Robert E. Lee did not talk like Captain Jack Sparrow or the Lucky Charms leprechaun. The Confederate general didn’t give this command at the Battle of Gettysburg. And as historian T.J. Stiles pointed out on X, several months later the Union won the Battle of Missionary Ridge after soldiers charged uphill to overtake the Confederates.

Whatever, historian. Most Americans can’t remember what “four score and seven years ago” means, let alone actual facts about the Civil War. Wouldn’t it be more fun if we ditched the textbooks and let kids enjoy cool monuments to American traitors and run around shouting, “Never fight uphill, me boys”?

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Pigeon Forge Four-Course Feast

• Pigeon Forge
• Four-Course Feast

Ahoy, me hearties! Now that ye have discovered treasure aplenty at me Pirates Village and are comfortably seated in our incredible 30,000 square foot main arena, it’s time ye discover a feast as big as our main event! You’ll be served a full four-course meal meant to satisfy even the most hungry swashbucklers right as the action begins. We invite ye to take a look at our tasty menu. You’re sure to enjoy this mouth-watering four-course feast while the Crimson and Sapphire crews battle for lost treasure on land, on deck, in water and high above full-sized pirate ships in a 15 foot deep indoor hideaway lagoon!

Four-Course Feast Includes

• Voyager Creamy Vegetable Soup
• Buccaneer Biscuit
• Cracklin’ Pan-Fried Chicken
• Swashbucklin' Sugar-Cured Ham
• Cob-O’ Butter Corn
• Matey’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese
• Apple O' Me Eye Pie
• Unlimited Coca-Cola®, tea, or coffee

Me Hearties Vegan Feast Includes

• Fire Roasted Vegetables with Quinoa and Multigrain Rice
• Half Potato
• Vegetable Cup
• Walk the Plank Specialty Dessert

Me Hearties Vegetarian Feast Includes

• Cob-O' Buttery Corn
• Pirate Herb-Basted Potato
• Optional Addition: Voyager Creamy Vegetable Soup (Soup is made with chicken broth)

Me Hearties Gluten-Free Feast Includes

• Fruit Cup with peaches, pears, grapes, pineapple, & cherries
• Dinner Roll
• Baked Chicken
• Buttery Corn on the Cob
• Baked Potato
• Snickerdoodle Cookie

More Information

Delicious dairy-free meals are also available upon request. Please mention at the time of reservation.

“Coca-Cola” is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.

Menu items subject to change.

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