Thousands Stranded Outside Dollywood, Park Melts Down Amid Holiday Crowds

Fans of country music icon Dolly Parton and her expansive Tennesee amusement park, Dollywood, were disappointed this Thanksgiving holiday weekend when crowd levels reached an uncomfortable high. Some theme park guests took to social media to complain about the sheer volume of people trying to access the Smoky Mountain destination.

2025 will mark the 40th anniversary of Dollywood, which has been a staple in the Pigeon Forge area since its opening. Christmastime is notoriously one of the most popular seasons to visit as the theme park offers enchanting holiday decorations, entertainment, dining options, and more.

Of course, even more people flock to entertainment destinations when public schools and many employers offer time off for the Thanksgiving holiday. Kim Fox Walker attempted to visit Dollywood with her family on November 26 and shared her frustration with intense crowd levels on Facebook.

“Dollywood is super crowded,” Walker wrote alongside a photo of hundreds of cars waiting to enter the theme park’s parking area. “It’s taking an hour just get to the parking lot. It’s not a good week to visit.”

The post amassed thousands of likes and comments, many from other Dollywood guests. Many reported lengthy lines inside the theme park for roller coasters and other attractions.

“Definitely not worth the money,” one wrote.

“She gets richer and we get aggravated at ourselves,” another theme park guest commented. “Makes no sense.”

Others blamed guests like Walker for visiting during one of the busiest weeks of the year.

“You can’t go to a tourist attraction on one of the busiest weeks for a tourist attraction and complain that the tourist attraction is busy,” one Facebook commenter argued.

“That’s why you go at a better time of year,” said another.

Still, some Dollywood guests made the most of their Thanksgiving visits by arriving early and planning ahead.

“Me and my family went on Tuesday,” one guest wrote. “Got there an hour before the park opened got to ride all the rides and do shopping. It was a great time.”

Another said:

“Me and my family went yesterday got there drove right in to park walked over to the tram and hopped on and and was right on over to the entrance walked in without having to wait did have to wait on some of the rides later in the day but had a great time enjoyed the light’s.”

When is the best time of year to visit Dollywood? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!