Waiting in line (especially with young kids) isn't as much fun as the payoff of getting to swoosh around on your favorite roller coaster. But, lines are a part of any theme park experience. So, let's chat about how to maximize your time RIDING! That way, you will get the most enjoyment from your next Dollywood visit. Here are some Dollywood tips that work great for my family of five:
- Go "left" after you enter the park. This sounds like a simple tip, but don't be surprised how many people will go to the right. You'll start with an advantage and avoid the natural congestion of typical park flow. Plus, there are epic roller coasters to the left like Thunderhead and Mystery Mine!
- Decide on the top rides to hit ahead of time. Head straight to that ride you are looking forward to the most. It takes a bit for lines to build. Arriving early and heading straight to your favorite is not a guarantee that you'll be the only passenger, but it definitely won't hurt to have a plan.
- Use the Dollywood app to know which rides have the shortest wait times. This is a huge help with creating the ideal route through the park. You can see what other attractions are just around the bend. Sorting the rides based on the closest to you is just one of the ways to filter through all the options quickly.
- Close the park down. During our family's many, many visits to Dollywood, we noticed that the last hour before closing is when people start leaving the park. While you may be thinking your day is over-if you can reach down deep-it's well worth the energy investment to stay until the end. One particular visit we rode four of the most popular roller coasters all within the last hour of park operation!
- Grab the Timesaver Pass. If you are the type of person who can't get enough ride time, do yourself a favor and get a TimeSaver pass! On popular days the park can get busy. This pass helps expedite time between the exhilaration of your last ride and the excitement of getting onto the next one by allowing you access to shorter wait times.
Wait times are not fully avoidable, but these tips will help you maximize your experience for flying around on the Dollywood attractions.
