Here’s what you need to know

*Disclaimer* This was a hosted experience, but all opinions and experiences expressed here are my own.

Here we go!

I grew up semi local to Dollywood. Being from Asheville I knew tons of people who had been. From what they said I was under the impression the majority of the park was thrill rides.

I’m thrilled to report that nothing could be further from the truth. Dollywood is so much more than rides and there was no shortage of activities for Sharkie.

Ride measuring station

The ride measuring station is the most genius thing I’ve ever seen, and I’ve only seen it at Dollywood. Once inside the park head to your left. Just past the Emporium gift shop you will see this area.

An attendant will measure your child and provide them with a color coding wristband. This completely eliminates measuring at the beginning of each ride. Saving so much time and toddler sanity.

Sharkie’s wristband

The bands are color coordinated so you know exactly which rides to look for. The attendant also gave us a chart to carry around with us so we knew where everything was.

I kept this with me all day. Helped me make sure we didn’t miss anything.
Did you know Dollywood has an app?

I didn’t! We downloaded the app when we got there and from ride times to food options it was super helpful! Don’t worry about battery drainage. There are tons of recharging stations throughout the park!

Black Bear Trail

Let’s talk about rides. There were so many options for Sharkie, but her favorite area was Wildwood Grove so that’s where we stayed.

Themed to nature and the mountains the entire area was geared toward younger children. Sharkie who measured in the lowest (grey) height category could do almost all the rides in this section.

  • Treetop Tower
  • Great Tree Swing
  • Black Bear Trail
  • Frogs and Fireflies
  • The Mad Mockingbird

Sharkie’s top 5 recommended rides. The wait times are very toddler friendly as well. We didn’t wait longer than 10 minutes for anything.

Don’t worry if your little isn’t ride ready yet. There is plenty of other stuff to do. There are a couple of options to get wet throughout the park like the Wildwood Creek area so I recommend bringing a swimsuit or a change of clothes.

Have an animal lover?

Sharkie loves birds, so Eagle Mountain was right up her alley. She’s enjoyed looking at all the beautiful birds.

I’m pretty sure “Tuck” posed for us.
So many fun photo opportunities!

While not ever toddler can enjoy a museum, Sharkie who is a fashion lover, loved the Chasing Rainbows exhibit.

I’m pretty sure she loved all of Dolly’s Costumes.
50’s themed yes please!

We chose to eat at Red’s for dinner and this was the one experience we had that was lacking. The service was average. 3/4 of the soda fountains were broken. The condiment bar was empty. We were pretty disappointed by our dinner, although the food was decent I can’t recommend this restaurant.

We did enjoy the classic cars though!

You can’t take a toddler to a theme park without getting a little treat and a souvenir or two. We finished our day with a visit to the candy shop and it didn’t disappoint. I came home with a bag of taffy.

Chocolate covered Oreos: beautiful and generous with the chocolate. We gave them a 9/10!
When we didn’t find a plush Dolly doll, Sharkie went with the obvious second choice: a pop gun. She was thrilled.

I was pleasantly surprised with the gift shop prices! Very affordable for a theme park!

I hear the cinnamon bread is out of this world. We didn’t try because of my GF diet, but I can vouch that it smelled amazing.
For my nursing mamas: the nursing station is at the front of the park.
Sharkie had a great time! She’s been talking about it for days.

I’m so glad we got the chance to experience Dollywood. It’s not just for the thrill rider. It’s for anyone in your family and it truly is a blast! We recommend going if you get the chance.