Dixie Stampede - Pigeon Forge, TN

In this neck of the woods, there are shows and then there are THE shows. Dixie Stampede , Country Tonite, Blackbear Jamboree and the Hoot -N- Holler show seem to be the big names in regards to audience draw this year. Among these, no one has the pr and the money to promote and design like Dixie Stampede. It is part of a franchise that has three other locations around the U.S. and has its act down to an art form.

This time around, I am not going to write a lot about my thoughts nor will I give you a play by play. Rather, I thought I would present you with a list of whats good and whats bad about the venue. With these things in mind, perhaps you can make up your own mind if Dixie Stampede is the right place for you.

The Good:
- Well Rehearsed and well oiled machine. The show it automatic and doesn't have a hint of hokeyness to it.

- The preshow is very good. Honestly, it is my favorite performance.

- The food is good. While it doesn't set the standard, it gives you a choice, fills you up and doesn't require much thought.

- The theater itself is pretty big. Arguably the biggest "stage" area in Pigeon Forge. Enough room for horses, buffalo and a variety of other animals to go charging full steam around.

- The waiting staff is professional and friendly. Some of the best trained servers in the area.

The Bad:
- The Cost. Honestly, taking your family there could quite well be the ONLY thing you do attraction-wise depending on your budget. $42 a ticket may be standard in places like Vegas but Pigeon Forge has always been a family vacation spot. Got a family of 4? You do the math.

- The crowd. Despite the pice, it would seem many many people want to see the show and somehow it is always on the day you have tickets for. Expect to spend time looking for a palce to park, then sit for the preshow. My least favorite part is when the show exits. That is the real stampede part of the place. They funnel an enormous amount of people down this hallway, down these stairs and smack dab into a crowded giftshop. I felt like I was part of a herd of cattle. Try accomplishing this with two small children...

- The show gets bland at various points. Sometimes, I felt like I was watching a play that was done ala paint by numbers. Its safe, homogenized and generic fun. As I have been there on three occassions (many thanks to a local tradition called Sevier County Days), I also get the priveledge of knowing the majority of the jokes, skits, surprises and routines that Dixie Stampede will throw at me. Keep in mind, my earliest visit was about 8 years ago. Parts of the show are simply that old if not older.

- Despite what they claim, I have actually had dirt come up from the arena floor and land on my plate. Yummmm!

My personal opinion? If you know a way to get cheap tickets, get them and go. If not, take the money and either go to Dollywood or split it and get into two other theater shows for the price of one Dixie Stampede ticket.