Dollywood – Your guide to making the most of your visit

Dollywood is a 160-acre park with more than 50 rides and attractions just outside Gatlinburg, Tennessee. These things to do in Dollywood article will help you start learning about the basic attractions, food, and rides the park has to offer. We went for the roller coaster but discovered that it is more than just a roller coaster park, it is a first class theme park. Dollywood is ranked sixth on the list of US theme parks, ahead of some Disney properties, and is the first entry on the list that is not from Universal or Disney.

They say that Dollywood is the friendliest park in America, and we have to agree with that. It included entertainment activities for all ages, with positive and encouraging messages throughout the park. We weren't bombarded with brands but were inspired to be good humans all around and celebrate life in the Smoky Mountains.

The 13 Best Dollywood Rides – Part 1

There are several criteria one can use to determine the “best ride” at Dollywood. However, we chose something very simple and straightforward. We include every flight with altitude restriction and a TimeSaver option (more on that later). It turns out there are only 13 such attractions at Dollywood, a manageable number. There are other quality rides in the park, like Dare Devil Falls and Blazing Fury, that are arguably some interchangeable on this list, but I've chosen my standards, and I'm sticking with them.

• Tennessee Tornado -The backstory behind this coaster is that it was a powerful tornado that tore down the old mine car roller coaster that occupied this spot. It's twisty, spinning fun that features a 110-inch inversion ring.
• Wild eagle – America's first “winged tent”, built in 2012. That year, it won Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for Best Ride. This is the flight you see in all the brand's images, and you feel like an eagle soaring over the Smokies.
• Fire Chaser Express – Steel roller coaster featuring forward and backward travel. The backstory is kind of fun about a volunteer fire station chief and a crazy gas station/fireworks stand operator (a bad business model, to be sure).
• Mysterious mine – In 2007, this was the park's largest single investment to date, featuring dark ride elements, special effects and the steepest drop of any roller coaster in North America at the time. Not only is it a high G game, it's also immersive with an elaborate backstory about traveling through a haunted and dangerous mine. Reviews were great, with Theme Park Insider awarding Mystery Mine as “Best New Theme Park” for 2007.
• Projection line – In many ways, the Drop Line is just another rappel ride, but you get amazing views of the Smokies before you descend more than 20 stories.
• dragonfly – Dollywood's newest roller coaster is based on the flight of a dragonfly. It's smooth and flowing with no big drops, loops or reflections and good clean fun all around. Individual seating offers great views of the park during your 'ride'.

The 13 Best Dollywood Rides – Part 2

• Thunderhead – A wooden roller coaster built in 2004 that includes 22 turns and 32 crossings. There's a certain quality to the rocking, rattle and roll of a wooden coaster that you either love or hate, so plan accordingly.
• Smoky Mountain River Rage – A water excursion guaranteed to get you wet based on a paddling trip through the Smokies. Every park has one, but Dollywood fits the park theme perfectly.
• Lightning rod – A hot rod coaster built in 2016. This was the fastest wooden coaster in the world, reaching speeds of 73 miles per hour. Over the years, improvements have converted over 50% of the track to steel, technically creating a steel coaster, which was good for us because it had a remarkably smooth ride compared to a wooden coaster. It features a magnetic release system, and won “Best New Ride 2016” from the Golden Ticket Awards. We thought it was the most exciting coaster at Dollywood with its many drops and turns.
• Barnstormer – A screaming hammock ride very similar to classic pirate ship rides. However, it's designed around brainstorming through the Smokies (which is what Jenn did during her romantic vacation to Sevierville). It gets high enough to give you a free-fall feeling and is worth it if the line is short enough.
• Dizzy disc – It's a turntable with seats around the perimeter, which moves back and forth on the track and makes you dizzy. I wish I could muster more excitement for this, but there are height restrictions and a time-saving option, so I'm putting it on the list.
• Skyrider -It's like Dizzy Disk in many ways. You're spinning in circles and feeling dizzy, but you're 70' in the air. It is also on the list for the same reasons.
• Swinger waltz– A flying seesaw ride with specially designed seats so that children can ride alongside their parents. This kind of sums it up, but it's included in the list due to height restrictions and TimeSaver.

How to avoid lines at Dollywood

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but then again, this is a beginner's guide to Dollywood, so there you have it. Here are four simple strategies to avoid lines at Dollywood:

• Start early (and hit the “big four” first) – get to the park before it opens and be one of the first people through the gate. Go up the hill and ride the “Big Four” roller coasters first (Tennessee Tornado, Wild Eagle, Fire Chaser Express, and Mystery Mine).
• Use the Dollywood app To check the wait time – This is a great way to see if a ride with long lines (looking at you, Lightning Rod) has a reasonable wait. In fact, go ahead and check out the lines on the Lighting Rod and Thunderhead once you've finished the “Big Four” and decide accordingly.
• Get Time saving pass -For around $45 per person, you can get a ticket that lets you skip the lines at up to 8 attractions. It's also included with your stay at the Dollywood Resort, which is a pretty cool perk. If you really like the games, start early and get in a couple of rounds before the lines form. This way, you can save your 8 for scans later in the day.
• Avoid weekends and summer holidays – if there are fewer people in the park, you will have shorter lines. It's a simple calculation.

Best food in Dollywood

Dollywood has all the food you could hope for at a theme park, but two dining options stand out above the rest – the cinnamon bagel and Aunt Granny's buffet.

• Cinnamon bread – Simply put, this is a big loaf of the sweetest, most delicious cinnamon rolls you can imagine. Super crave worth! When there are food shirts, it's something special. You can get it at Grist Mill or Spotlight Bakery, but the lines are shorter at the bakery.
• Aunt Grandma's Buffet – An all-you-can-eat, family-style restaurant serving country favourites. It's a great deal for the mid-$20 price tag, considering it's located in an amusement park and includes unlimited drink refills. The quality of the food is good enough to win Amusement Today's 2017 Golden Ticket Award for Best Amusement Park Food And made USA Today Top 10 existing. The only knock is the long wait, but you can put your name on the list and explore until they text you, so it's not bad. Just make sure you go before you get completely hungry.

Crafts and History at Smoky Mountain at Dollywood

No trip to Dollywood would be complete without immersing yourself in the Smoky Mountains experience. The park is so immersive that it's bound to happen. However, there are three Smoky Mountain attractions you should check out.

• Jarst mill -You've already seen this entry for Cinnamon Bread, but did you know that this was the first operating grist mill built in Tennessee in over 100 years?
• Ride the Dollywood Express – A World War II-era coal-fired steam engine as you travel through the park and back in time. Make sure to check the departure schedule as there are long gaps between flights.
• Visit the Valley of the Craftsmen – Sure, you'll probably pass through this place sooner or later, but take the time to look into the blacksmith and foundry shop, the candle shop, the leather shop, and the wood carver, and you might see craftsmen plying their trade.

Dolly parton attractions at dollywood

It's hard to separate Dolly from Dollywood, and why would you want to. Her music fills the air, as does her unbridled optimism. There are three “must-see” Dolly attractions in the park.

• Dolly Tennessee Mountain Home – Visit a replica of Dolly's childhood home that her mother decorated.
• Rainbow Hunting Museum – Learn about Dolly's rags-to-riches story through interactive exhibits and behind-the-scenes collections.
• Dolly Home on Wheels – Take a ride through the old Dolly tour bus and imagine what life was like on the tour.

Parting thoughts on things to do at Dollywood

Well, we've reached the end of the things to do in Dollywood guide and touched on the cool stuff Dollywood Resorts, Amazing offersOr even the attached water park (Splash District at Dollywood).. With all these activities and more, it's easy to imagine coming back and spending more time at Dollywood. If you're planning a vacation to Dollywood, other nearby activities include:

• Walking tours Gatlinburg
• Hiking in the Smokies
• Visit Falls near Gatlinburg
• Touring Cades Cove Loop

The Smokies are America's most visited national park. Why not add a trip to one of America's best theme parks while you're in town?

Read more from Coleman Concierge:

We will introduce you to the best and most amazing waterfalls in Gatlinburg Tennessee. Plus, with the included waterfall map and hiking description, you'll have everything you need to lace up your shoes and hit the trail.

12 Dramatic Waterfalls in Gatlinburg Tennessee You Must See

The complete guide to the Cades Cove episode

Cades Cove Loop is an 11-mile, one-way trail that surrounds one of the most beautiful valleys in Great Smoky National Park. Whether you bike or drive, Cades Cove is the perfect place to see historic cabins or see wildlife, take daily hikes, see waterfalls, ride horses, and camp overnight. Join us for the complete guide to Cades Cove.

The complete guide to the Cades Cove episode