What better way to spend a birthday during the summer months than a day at Dollywood’s Splash Country? To top the excitement, add in a retreat and a birthday party package as the cherry on top.
A birthday celebration at Dollywood’s Splash Country has become our latest tradition for my son’s birthday. I am here to tell you all about our experience. 
Why we love this option
Our son has a physical disability, so a lot of fun birthday party places are not an option for him. We can’t go to bounce places, trampoline parks or similar places. My son loves everything about the water and swimming, so Splash Country is a perfect place. Splash Country offers fun activities for ALL ages. My son is still young and spends a lot of time in the Cascades. He also enjoys the wave pool which isn’t always my favorite. Other party attendees are free to roam the park and go on all the slides. Everyone is free to do their own thing. We agree to meet up for lunch and cake. Summers can also be unpredictable when it comes to weather. Luckily, this year this wasn’t an issue, but last year there was a brief time we had to clear the water for a storm. We hung out in our retreat. It was a perfect place to wait for the weather to clear. Then it was back to playing.
If you are going to Splash Country with anyone with a disability, know there are many things they offer to help create a wonderful experience. They offer tubes with bottoms (we always take advantage of this), aquatic wheelchairs, and calming areas for those that may get overstimulated. 
What is offered
We always go with the Standard Retreat because of their location. They also offer Deluxe Retreats that offer a little more and Canopies if you’re looking just for a place to escape the sun. The Standard Retreat we select offers a perfect view of the Cascades play area. It has a dinning table with six chairs, four lounge chairs, a tv and secure storage cabinet for belongings. Each retreat has a latch gate to add a little more seclusion. ADA retreats are also available. No outside food is permitted in the retreats, but the Standard Retreat and Deluxe Retreat offer food delivery by using the phone located in the retreat.
The birthday package is an additional service offered for both the Standard and Deluxe Retreat. This includes an adorably decorated retreat with streamers and a happy birthday banner. They also bring a Splash Country themed birthday cake and are willing to sing happy birthday (we don’t usually have them do this). They also offer a present for the birthday child and favors for up to eight guests. The birthday party package must coincide with an existing reservation for either retreat. 
The cost
Of course, like everything, there is a cost. Here are the pricing options:
- Canopies (the smallest option): $75/day
- Retreats (what we did): $230/day
- Deluxe Retreat (the biggest option): $350/day
Birthday Party Package:
- For Retreat and Birthday Party: $400
- For Deluxe Retreat and Birthday Party: $520
These experiences are booked on a first come first serve basis. They tend to book up quickly, so if you want to do this, make sure you book in advance.
