“Dad, how many people can ride on the Dollywood Express?”
“Dad, how many Christmas lights do they put up at Dollywood?”
“Dad, how tall is Drop Line?”
These were simple questions my inquisitive children asked during one of our recent family trips to Dollywood. These questions sparked my interest to discover the stats behind the stats—what are some of the intriguing numbers that make Dollywood…well, Dollywood?
All around park you can find a lot of things to count and numbers to overwhelm your senses. If there is one thing for certain about Dollywood, it is that there are surprises around every corner and numerous experiences that affect guests in unique ways. As I ventured out in search of interesting facts, I wanted to put some numbers together concerning how Dollywood operates and what the numbers look like in the grand scheme. Here are a few that I found interesting, and I hope you do as well.
5,000,000+ – Christmas lights for Dollywood’s award-winning Smoky Mountain Christmas
3,200,000+ – Attendance in 2019 for both Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country
2,200,000 – Gallons of water it takes to operate Dollywood’s Splash Country
1,234,800 – Approximate number of guests who took a train ride on the Dollywood Express in 2019
Insider Tip
963,000 – Ketchup packets used at Dollywood in 2019
529,200 – Approximate number of cinnamon bread loaves sold by the Grist Mill in 2019
500,000 – Plants and flowers coming to Dollywood’s NEW Flower & Food Festival in 2020
Insider Tip
272,000 – Pounds of french fries sold at Dollywood in 2019
30,000 – Square feet in the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, making it North America’s largest Bald Eagle Preserve
15,000 – Pumpkins, both live and ornate, used to decorate during Dollywood’s Great Pumpkin LumiNights
13,330 – Fireworks shot during Dollywood’s Summer Celebration in 2019
8,250 – Songs sung in 2019 by Dollywood’s award-winning resident Gospel Quartet, The Kingdom Heirs
6,773 – Guest parking spaces at Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country
Insider Tip
5,435 – Combined number of seats in the seven theaters at Dollywood
4,000 – Hosts employed at Dollywood, making it the largest employer in all of Sevier County, Tennessee
3,127 – Feet of track on Wild Eagle – the first B&M winged coaster to debut in North America
2,200 – Square feet in room 627 at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, the exclusive “Dolly Parton Suite”
1986 – The year Dollywood became Dollywood. You can learn more about the history of the park here: https://insiders.dollywood.com/how-dollywood-came-to-be-dollywood/
700 – Capacity for a single ride on the coal-fueled Dollywood Express (and the answer to my son’s original question)
650 – Butterflies beautifully and colorfully adorned upon the Wildwood Tree in Wildwood Grove
300 – Rooms available to book for a memorable stay at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa
Insider Tip
Staying at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa offers a plethora of incentives and special amenities, including a FREE TimeSaver passes, FREE transportation to and from the parks, and early access and entry into Dollywood every Saturday. (*Theme park ticket purchase required)
246 – Operating days you and your family, friends and loved ones have to enjoy Dollywood in 2020
230 – Height in feet of Dollywood’s tallest attraction, Drop Line
160 – Acres of Dollywood! Dollywood’s Splash Country sits on another 35 acres adjacent to the park
73 – Miles per hour Lightning Rod will reach at top speed, making it America’s fastest wooden coaster
50 – Countries represented since the debut of the Festival of Nations in 2001
40 – Whole apples it takes to create Dollywood’s iconic 25lb Apple Pie. Available at the Spotlight Bakery
Insider Tip
You can purchase the entire pie and have it shipped to your home (Lodge cast iron skillet included) or buy a single slice (weighing in at 3 lbs.) and share with family and friends.
35 – Years of operation for Dollywood – the park is celebrating the 35th Anniversary in 2020
11 – Themed and unique areas in Dollywood, all with their own story and specific characteristics
6 – Festivals on the Dollywood calendar: Festival of Nations, Barbeque & Bluegrass, Flower & Food Festival, Summer Celebration, Harvest Festival featuring Great Pumpkin LumiNights, and Smoky Mountain Christmas
4 – Number of courses served at Dolly Parton’s Stampede, including their world-famous, creamy vegetable soup
3 – Unique tours offered at Dollywood – VIP Tour offered year-round, Behind the Glow Tour for Great Pumpkin LumiNights, and Magic of Glacier Ridge Tour for Smoky Mountain Christmas
2 – World-class and award-winning parks: Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country
1 – Dreamer-In-Chief, the one and only Dolly Parton
Follow Us!