It was a jam-packed day at Dollywood last season. Our family had arrived about two hours after the park has opened, and we could already tell that today would be a BIG day within the hallowed grounds that Dolly built. My first order of business was to march directly to the TimeSaver location to secure a couple of invaluable TimeSavers. Upon arrival, I was greeted—very friendly I might add—by a Dollywood Host who shared the sad news that their TimeSavers had sold out for the day…SOLD OUT?!?!?

With this type of news, our family had to quickly pivot and re-plan our day on the fly. Of course, we selected the shows we wanted to see and made sure we had our times down for when to arrive for each of them. Since our kids aren’t the best at standing in lines and patience isn’t one of their gifts [yet!], we decided that this would be a ride-free day unless we spotted some of our favorite rides had dropped to a minimal wait. So, what to do?!?!

After a short parent deliberation and weathering of one pre-K meltdown (thank you, Dippin’ Dots) what we came up with was a “sign scavenger hunt” for the family – and it was the boys against the girls. We had never done this, but we thought it might be something different and a way to enjoy Dollywood in a whole new capacity. It was very simple in premise and turned out to be a very fun way to enjoy a busy day at the park. It turned out to be such a fun plan B, I wanted to share this idea with you.

Here are my “top five” signs found during our family scavenger hunt:

#5 – Rules for Teachers- Taken from 1901, it’s safe to say we have come a long way in 100 years!

#4 – Many Beat the Sack and Mean the Miller- My wife really liked this one. I’m not sure if I am supposed to play the part of the “sack” or the “miller” in this particular case.

#3 – Buckingham Fine Pork- There is a lot going on in this simple [themed] advertisement and one that makes me laugh every time I pass by it. Raring to jump into your skillet may be the best slogan we’ve never heard.

#2 Alexander Shott and John Nott- While a tad bit morbid, the play on words is fun enough to provide levity to an otherwise dire situation.

#1 Dr. I. B. Painless- This takes top billing on my list for its “dad joke” factor alone. Someday I’m sure I will have to explain to our children’s dentist and trusted oral care provider why they call them “Dr. I. B.”