Wednesday, March 27
The plan for Wednesday was to go to Dollywood!! If you’re not familiar, it’s a major theme park owned by country superstar Dolly Parton and based around her life and roots in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains.
I wanted to go here for a few reasons. One, several people that I know who have been to the Smokies recently highly recommended it as a favorite activity. Two, I knew the boys would love a theme park visit. Three, I was there as a child but didn’t really remember much of it and wanted to go back. And four, I liked that it would be a unique/ new-to-the-boys experience.
I try to be very thoughtful when planning our family trips. Clearly the focus of Great Smoky Mountain National Park was going to be nature, scenery, hiking, the outdoors, etc. BUT, I feel like our trips are the best when there’s a nice balance to them.
I like to craft an itinerary that includes a variety of activities that will appeal to all members of our typically multi-generational crew. 😉 I also probably don’t want to do the same exact thing everyday (unless maybe beach or something, on certain relaxation trips.)
We all enjoy hiking a lot, but I wouldn’t say that we love hiking to the point that we would want to go to the Smokies, just hike every day for a week and then go home.
A day at Dollywood was a perfect addition for us! The boys definitely do LOVE roller coasters, so this was kind of a no-brainer and a guaranteed hit for them. (Dollywood has major thrill rides.) But there’s more than just rides. The feel or vibe of the Smoky Mountains culture permeates the entire (very beautiful) park.
Dolly Parton is also kind of a big deal, and there are dozens of great shows based on her life, her music and just bluegrass/country music in general scheduled throughout the day. (Which appealed greatly to my parents, who do not like roller coasters.)
I didn’t actually buy the Dollywood tickets until that morning online, but it just so happened that Wednesday was the day I had penciled in all along for Dollywood. And after the crappy weather Tuesday, Wednesday was gorgeous!!! An absolutely perfect theme park day. We really lucked out.
I did feel a little unprepared, though. I hadn’t bothered to do really any research into the specifics about the rides, shows, etc. And Dollywood is huge!!
We got there by around 10 am and there was a little flurry of confusion while we tried to navigate the map, download the “park app” (which gives you current wait times and other info in real time) and figure out how we should tackle the day.
(In comparison, when we went to Disney the first time, I had prepared lists of “Must Do” rides, “If Time” and “Skip”. I had labeled which were family friendly, which ones my parents wouldn’t like, which needed the Fast Pass thing, etc.)
Anyway, we winged it and it all worked out. 🙂
We decided to get in line for one of the major rollercoasters right away near the entrance, and my parents headed off to an upcoming show. They ended up going to I think every single show offered! One after another, almost all day! They said they were mostly all really great. 🙂
First up was Lightning Rod. I didn’t realize it when we first got in line, but it’s probably the most intense ride in the park. It has a 165 foot drop and goes up to 73 mph. It’s based on “hot rod” cars.
I was stupid scared to go on this ride!!! Historically, I am not a wimp about rollercoasters. I’ve always loved them. My sister and I couldn’t get enough every summer at Six Flags Great America.
However, I have noticed that in the last ~5 years or so, I’ve suddenly become a bit more tentative. The motion and the drops sort of “get to me” more than it ever used to. What the heck! Am I getting old?! 😩
I was especially nervous about the big 165 foot drop. I generally love the speed and I don’t mind going upside down at all. But that “stomach drop” feeling is the one thing I am no longer a fan of.
I am happy to report: I survived!! And it was actually AWESOME. Seriously, this is an amazing rollercoaster. (Apparently it is consistently ranked in the Top 10 Rollercoasters in the U.S.)
I’ll document one funny memory here:
We were seated in pairs on the ride- Ivan and Asher together, then me and Ethan. (Ethan requested to ride with me so he could “see my reaction”. 🤣) I was super nervous as we made our way up that huge first hill. If you know the feeling, you know. 😉 That anticipation!!!
Anyway, I assumed that as we rolled over the top of the ascent, we would then be immediately plummeting down the entire 165 feet. So I was all prepared- stomach clenched, heart beating fast, eyes squinting shut a little, ready to SCREAM.
But they tricked us! There was really only a very small initial descent, and then another short ascent before the huge drop came right after. From where we had waited in line, we couldn’t see the other side of the hill.
So as we went down the first little hill, I shouted loudly, “That wasn’t it! That wasn’t it!!!” (referring to the big drop). 😂😂😂 A second later of course we were actually flying down the big drop, all screaming our heads off in terrified glee.
For some reason, the boys thought that me yelling that out was totally hilarious, so the rest of the day they kept randomly laughing and going, “That wasn’t it! That wasn’t it!!” Lol!!! Just a fun/ silly memory that makes me smile. 🙂
Fortunately, I found that I was indeed still able to handle the big rollercoasters after all, so I relaxed from there on out and wasn’t really scared anymore.
Basically we spent the rest of the day making our way through the rest of the park! It was just a beautiful day. Flowers and trees were blooming all around, which was a welcome sight to this Wisconsin girl.
The lines were fairly long- we waited 45-75 minutes at several of the big ones. But all in all, considering it was Easter week/ spring break, I didn’t feel like the lines were any longer than I’ve normally experienced at theme parks in the past.
We seriously had so much fun. There’s something really special and cool about flying down hills and just screaming with your teenager next to you. I guess at these ages, there aren’t as many things that they find “purely fun” like this anymore- especially things that we can do together. I mean, they don’t want me to push them on the park swing anymore, you know? So if you like rollercoasters at all and have a teenager, I highly recommend getting to a theme park, stat! 🙂
The one ride that I am a hard pass on though are those “giant drop” rides. I have never liked these, though I’ve ridden them many times. (Looking at you, Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…). I dislike the feeling of my stomach absolutely dropping out from under me!!
Ethan doesn’t really love this one either, so he and I sat out while Ivan and Asher rode this one quickly.
This Wild Eagle rollercoaster was another awesome (and intense) one! You sit with your feet dangling, and from the top of this hill, you look out over the mountains in the distance. It’s supposed to feel like you’re an eagle soaring over them.
At 5:00 I took a brief break from the rides to meet up with my parents for a 50 minute show all about Dolly Parton and her life and legacy. I really think the boys and Ivan would have liked this too, but they were pretty adamant about wanting to go on Lightning Rod again. So they rode that while my parents and I went to the show. It was excellent!
We stayed until they closed at 8:00. In fact, we squeaked into line on our last ride just before 8, so we didn’t actually leave until well after 8.
A super fun, long, exhilarating day!!
The park is located in Pigeon Forge, so we stopped at a restaurant nearby for a late dinner before heading back to our resort in the Gatlinburg area.
I feel like this amusement park day was a super fun mid-week “break” from hikes and scenic views! 🙂
Do you like rollercoasters?? Anyone else think it’s the perfect family activity with teenagers?! (I was real time texting with SHU and Coco from the park and was sad to learn they are both “Team No Rollercoasters”! Come on blogosphere, there have to be some other daredevils out there?)
GRATEFUL KAE 
I am NOT a rollercoaster person. My husband LOVES them (the bigger and more intense the better; and he always wants to buy FastPasses so he can fit in as many as possible in a day), and so does our daughter (she takes after him in so many ways); our son is NOT a fan, so I see us splitting up in the future at theme parks. I’ve done some really big ones in Canada, but have never been to Disney and have zero desire to go…maybe in large part since I don’t love rollercoasters. Or crowds! Or how much money it seems to cost. I am such a party-pooper 😦
But it sounds like a perfect day for your family and I love that your parents were able to carve out great stuff for themselves, too!
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That’s fun that John is so into roller coasters! I’m glad A likes them at least so they can partner up! I hear you on the crowds, lines, cost, etc. I think for the 6 of us for entry + parking it was $650! Not to mention overpriced food and drinks too. BUT, I think it’s a really fun thing to do on occasion. And Disney is just magical in my opinion. I will never forget our first Disney trip with the boys when they were about 6 and 8. So special!!! There’s something about Disney that is unlike any other typical theme park. Perhaps it has to do with the nostalgia piece from growing up watching all those Disney movies. But maybe that’s just my opinion! (Trying to say… don’t rule it out?! There’s also so much to do at Disney that does not involve “roller coasters”. I’d say the majority of the rides are family friendly and so wonderful and entertaining! We aren’t crazy big Disney people (some people are obsessed) but have been there 3 times over the years with the boys. And they’ve been asking when we can go back! I am hoping my sister might plan a trip with her kiddos sometime soon and maybe we could meet up. It would be fun for me to see the wonder of Disney through my younger nieces eyes!)
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I mostly love roller coasters! We were in Disneyland in February and it was so fun to ride with my big kids. My 16 yo stayed in the park alone and was the last one on Space Mountain on our last day.
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Ooh that must have been so fun for your 16 year old!! I love Space Mountain too. Thanks for commenting- it’s now me and you on Team Rollercoaster. And Elisabeth’s husband. 😅 Hopefully we’ll get some more. Haha!
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You are so brave! I’d be teasing you too with that wasn’t it! Hahahaha so funny. None of us except Sofia seems to like the rides, she’ll have to ride by herself while I do mini rides with Lizzy in Disney. Sounds like a fun and exciting day. Never heard of the Dollywood, how creative.
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I used to LOVE rollercoasters. Now… I get motion sick pretty easily (nooooooooo!) I know, I feel like I’m getting old. If I found myself at a theme park I would definitely try one again (maybe that was just a phase???) Anyway, this park sounds really fun. Back in the day, I wanted all the scary, swoopy rides, and I wouldn’t have wanted to go to a show either! And, this was the perfect activity- you can’t hike all day every day (especially with kids.) It’s nice to do something different, and this theme park seems pretty unique.
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I feel like I thought you’d be a rollercoaster gal!! I think you should try again. 😉 My dad gave me a tip once that if you clench your stomach muscles tight on the downhills it removes that “stomach drop” feeling. I tried it and it works! The speed and the rest are all great fun-I just don’t like that stomach drop feel. So I think so long as I stick to doing that, I’m good!
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I’m dying to go to Dollywood and would’ve definitely been team shows with your parents, Kae! My kids aren’t quite old enough for big roller coasters (6 and 9) or at least they haven’t asked enough that we’ve taken them on any. So I have no idea how I’d handle it in my “elder years” now vs when I was a teen and loved them. We’re doing to Disneyland for the second time next week and that is really magical for our family. It’ll be interesting if they get bored with the relatively tame rides there this year vs last year….
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I think by 9 you will be surprised that your older one should be tall enough for almost all the big Disney rides!! I don’t recall the heights being as tall there as compared to some of the REALLY big rides at other theme parks. I feel like if they show an interest, let them try! It’s really great fun for kids if they DO/can handle the big rides, but if they never try, they’ll never know! 😉 I suppose if they’re super timid and have zero interest, that’s another story. My little nieces are 8 and 6 now and they are TOTAL daredevils, which is hilarious because they both look like the most innocent kids you can find and are both very petite- you’d never guess. But on our cruise last summer they were both all about the biggest baddest water slides they could get on.
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I would not have expected Dollywood to have such great rides! I am glad that you had such a fun day together! I did not like rollercoasters as a child/teen but in my 30s I came around to them and now enjoy them. They still terrify me but I can handle the fear, I guess? Phil and I went to the local amusement park with another couple almost 10 years ago and had the best time. We went on Labor Day so it was very quiet since school starts the day after Labor Day across Minnesota (for the most part). It was a very fun way to spend the day and I would do it again but we are a ways from that with the age of our kids. Paul is NOT a thrill seeker so I will be shocked if he ends up liking rollercoaster. I’m going to guess Taco will because that just fits his personality but we’ll see how they turn out.
I love Dolly so would have enjoyed the show you went to. She is such a cool person and has done so much – like she gives away so many books through her free book program.
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I know you would have loved the Dolly show! It was so nice. Such a great overview of her life and she narrated the whole show. There was also an adorable (and highly impressive) little girl actor/ singer/dancer who couldn’t have been more than 8 years old who played “young Dolly”.
And yep- this was a totally legit theme park with all the “big boy” rides. You know where else also has crazy big rollercoasters and surprised me- SeaWorld in Orlando!
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How fun that you all rode the rides together! I went to Universal Studios with my Dad when we were both working in Florida (I would guess he was in his late 40s and I was in my late 20s) and we had so much fun riding the rides together! I hope that I can continue to do that with my friend’s kids for a while as I always loved riding the rides when I was younger. I also think that is great that they have an app for the wait times as obviously that is the least fun part about going to a big park. I think we went to Disneyland when I was maybe 12 and all I remember is long lines (and the Matterhorn and the Pirates of the Caribbean).
Also, thank goodness you got good weather! It has been snowing on and off in CA and OR and I think this weekend we are in for more of the same. I would really love it if it just was 50 degrees for a while with NO precipitation (of course, I would take 60s/70s too but I don’t want to push my luck too much!)
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Yes, it was really so fun!! And that sounds awesome to ride with your dad. My dad went on a bunch of the rides at Disney with my kids a few years back yet but this time didn’t really want to, as most of these rides are BIG. Whereas at Disney, some of them are still fast but a little bit more moderate. He is 73 though now so I suppose maybe you do eventually reach a point when these just don’t sound fun anymore! I snapped a pic though of this older couple going on one of the biggest rides- both had grey hair, I’d guess at least 60s if not more. I was like, wow!
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OMG DOLLYWOOD! I would love to go there. I love rollercoasters, the bigger the better. That said, I think I passed out on the Hulk rollercoaster in Universal Orlando. That’s not an exaggeration, I think I passed out for a minute. Anyway, this looks super fun.
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HAHA, I have never ridden the Hulk ride at Universal!! It looks badass though! The boys were too short when we were there. They’ve been teasing to go back to Universal at some point in the near-ish future though because of that very reason. So maybe I’ll get to try it out! EEK!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed Dollywood so much! We love that area and have two rental properties, one in Gatlinburg and one and where is valley just outside pigeon Forge. We’ve been to Dollywood three times and agree, it’s just incredible. It is clean, beautiful, wholesome, and so much fun! Thank you so much for for sharing your vacation. It’s fun to see!
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Yes, I remember seeing you post about going to the Smokies I think this past fall!! That is so awesome that you go there frequently. Especially because you probably know all the ins and outs and best places to visit. Dollywood was such a blast! At first I was on the fence because I wasn’t sure if we should take a whole day away from the national park, etc but I’m really glad we did it.
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I like certain roller coasters – mostly the ones that go fast, but not too high. My 12 year old loves them too, but no one else in the family does, so we go together, which is nice – I think roller coasters are more fun when you go with a buddy.
I’m enjoying reading about your vacation!
We went to Townshend for Spring Break in 2022 – we wanted to go to a National Park because our oldest was in 4th grade at the time and had that free Parks Pass they give to all 4th graders. Of course, Smokey Mountain National park is free, so we didn’t actually get to “use” the pass, and I felt a little cheated by that, even that was irrational. We had a great time – I guess Townshend is considered the quieter side of the Smoky Mountains, which is what we wanted. We went on lots of hikes, visited the nearby caverns, and mostly just relaxed in our Airbnb. It was so beautiful and quiet there.
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DEFINITELY more fun with a buddy. That’s cute that you and your 12 y/o are roller coaster buddies!
And yes, Townsend is a much quieter area. We ended up retreating out there on our first full day there to get some lunch and stop at a visitor center for maps that wasn’t overflowing with people. I think that would be a great location to get a cabin or Airbnb for people who have zero interest in the Gatlinburg mess. We did actually enjoy being close enough to Gatlinburg because we like to go out at night- but fortunately our resort was on one side and there was a great brewery right on the very edge of town. That made it easy to sort of just dip our toe into the very edge of Gatlinburg and enjoy those couple of restaurants, without getting caught up in traffic jams or mobs of people.
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