We had such a fun weekend last week traveling to Gatlinburg, Tennessee! We stayed in a fabulous AirBnB, explored Dollywood, had some great meals, and even stumbled upon Anakeesta, another super fun family theme park.
Our main goal though for the trip was visiting DOLLYWOOD! We had such a wonderful time, and what made it so wonderful was knowing some pointers from those with the inside scoop. Both locals and season pass holders were quick and generous to provide me with *all the things* we should know when visiting the park.
One friend in particular, was so helpful that I knew I had to compile all this information to share with all my friends with little kiddos wanting to make the trip as well…aka paying it forward.
Below, I have listed some tips and tricks that helped our family the most.
For reference, we have three children six and under (at the time of our visit), and we visited for one day.
- Get to the park early! The park opens at 10:00, but you can park earlier and get yourselves situated while you wait for rides and things to open! As with most places, the later it gets/closer to lunch time, the more crowded it gets. The hours of 11-3 are the busiest. And let’s be real-it’s also the hottest time of day! Our trip mid-September included temps of 89 and full sun each day. No complaints there, BUT it was hot. I regretted not bringing a hat for myself. Also, this is probably a good time to go ahead and tell you to wear your tennis shoes. There’s lots and lots of walking to do and many hills.
- Invest in paying for Preferred Parking if you have a stroller. We paid the $45 for Preferred Parking, and literally parked right outside the gate. This was the biggest blessing when we were leaving, because we were all POOPED. The thought of having to get on a bus to take us back to the lower parking lots would have taken some of the fun out of the day. We were tired and hot, and our car being so close was a treat.
- When you arrive, go immediately to have your child(ren) measured for the rides at the Ride Measuring Center. The attendants will measure your kids, and tag them with a special, colored wrist band to make choosing and boarding rides easy. No one had to be measured at each ride; we went right on the rides they were tall enough for.
- After getting your ride wrist bands, head LEFT. The rides for younger kiddos are all that way, with plenty of food and more adult rides too. My children 3-6 could ride most of the rides this way, and my husband had plenty to choose from too 😉 There is even an indoor playcenter if you need a break from the sun up this way!
- After we successfully tackled everything in Wildwood Grove, we head back down the hill (towards the entrance) to grab lunch in Show Street. We chose a sit-down restaurant so we could all enjoy some AC. The food was also more bang for your buck this way instead of just grabbing some food along the way…there were also healthier options offered at the restaurants. And let’s be real, it was also a good time for everyone to have a potty break and wash their hands.
- Speaking of food, you’re allowed to bring your own food in to the park! This is great for those who have small children #allthesnacks. The park also has water stations, so bring your water bottle and refill it throughout the day. This will save you from purchasing bottled water and/or soda. If you enjoy popcorn, they’ll also refill your popcorn bucket if you purchase a tub. Hello, wonderful snack for the ride home!
- After Lunch we continued through Show Street and Rivertown Junction which is mainly food places and shops (all are great!). It’s good to note here that the Park offers a Food Tasting Pass if you’re visiting during a Festival. We were visiting during the Fall Festival, so each specialty food item offered for this pass was Fall themed…mmm, delicious!
- There are lots of shows to pop in and see and also the Dolly Parton Experience. We only stopped to watch one show, and I want to go back when we have more time to visit the Dolly Parton Experience.
- I took the advice of a friend and chose the right side of the Park to do after lunch. If you’re keeping track, we first went left up to Wildwood Cove, then traveled back towards the entrance and had lunch in the Show Street/Rivertown Junction area.
- Next, we headed towards the train (located in The Village). It was a [controlled] ride the whole family could all do together. Check the times of when the train runs, and plan accordingly. The ride is 20 minutes, and it was a nice break and “rest” for the kids.
- We did the Country Fair next which had some rides for littles, but they were more for toddlers. There wasn’t as much to do for ages 3-6. My kiddos were too short for some other fun rides like the classic cars, but they all loved the Scrambler.
- My daughter loved the fair games, and enjoyed winning some prizes! We also got a sweet treat here too.
- The last thing I need to share was from a local and season passholder I met while waiting for my daughter to get her face painted. We were there on a Friday in September. She shared that Thursdays and Fridays in September were the best days to come. Are you curious as to why? Because of Football! Local and college teams playing as well as NFL games on Thursday nights keep people away. I thought that was so interesting that football had THAT much of an effect on the crowd at the Park. October includes too many school fall breaks, so weekdays do get busier than weekdays in September.
Some other things we enjoyed while in the area:
For food in the area, we really enjoyed the Local Goat in Pigeon Forge for an early dinner after leaving the Park. We were eager to get back to our house and make s’mores on the back deck, so we opted for a 4:45 dinner time. The food was so delicious, and they took reservations, so I could plan in advance, and we didn’t have a tired group waiting for an hour + (which was the average wait time in the area).
The next day, we really liked Crockett’s Breakfast Camp for the most delicious and gluttonous breakfast. They have an online waitlist, so I simply added us to the waitlist before we left our house, and our table was ready when we got there. Boom! A lot of restaurants in the area have the virtual waitlist option, so be sure to check that out and utilize it if you have a big party size.
Lastly, on a whim, we visited Anakeesta. We wanted to do something outside, but we didn’t think our kiddos could handle the hikes I had researched just yet. Maybe next year. Anakeesta is a mountain-top theme park with lots and lots of great food, sights, mountain coasters, and a huge play area for younger kids. The shops were really nice too, and the chocolate ice cream from the creamery was perfection! My kids loved riding the chondola up the mountain….I opted for the enclosed cabin for us, because my mama-anxiety can not handle my kids being too wiggly on an open ski lift seat all the way up the mountain. eep! Older children would be just fine!
Things that made our lives easier
We didn’t pack much that was out of the ordinary from other trips, but there were a few things that made our traveling lives a little easier (and more fun!):
- I made sure I had ponchos on hand just in case the weather turned…which it did, but for the better for us!
- I also gifted my daughter a kids travel journal the night before, so she could record her experiences along the way.
- Travel bingo was a hit! (Especially for winning the “tunnels” spot. There were a few tunnels to go through on our way to TN!)
It was a great mini-trip for our Sloop Troop, and we are excited to go back next year! I hope these tips help you enjoy your time in Dollywood and make some super sweet memories with your family!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
