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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDollywood is adding a new ride! What’s your favorite one right now?<\/p>\n
In 2026, Dollywood will add a new ride to these popular offerings at the park. Here’s what we know about it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/story-highlights> The time has come for Dollywood adults to have their fun! While the actual kids are back in school, the big kids can head to amusement and water parks<\/a> to ride out the rest of the summer season.<\/p>\n Mid-August is about the time when Dollywood becomes less crowded compared to the rush during schools’ summer break. And with smaller crowds comes shorter wait times for popular rides<\/a>\u00a0like Big Bear Mountain and Lightning Rod. You also can get your fresh cinnamon bread and other Dollywood treats more quickly.<\/p>\n Kid-free adults should visit strategically, though. Crowd sizes typically peak again during early fall and around the holidays, especially as the theme park\u2019s fall seasonal festivals kick off.<\/p>\n Aug. 17 is when crowd levels at Dollywood are expected to dip to around 40% of capacity or below this year,\u00a0according to queue-times.com<\/a>, which tracks wait times and crowd data for theme parks around the world.<\/p>\n Except for Saturdays, the reduced crowd-level trend continues through Sept. 30, with the weeks of Sept. 7 and Sept. 14 statistically having the smallest crowds.<\/p>\n Crowds during the month of October are comparable to spring and summer attendance as the Harvest Festival is in full swing. Other peaks occur during the days and weeks surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas.<\/p>\n Regardless of the month, Saturdays and Tuesdays tend to be the park\u2019s busiest days of the week, queue-times.com notes. Thursdays and Fridays often have shorter lines compared to other days of the week.<\/p>\n So, when you\u2019re at Dolly Parton\u2019s theme park with a group of grown friends<\/a>, what do you do? We got a few insider tips from Dollywood.<\/p>\n Adults tend to opt for the thriller roller coasters and attractions that younger kids might not be able to enjoy because of height requirements, spokesperson Wes Ramey said.<\/p>\n They also spend more time at park restaurants and trying different food options. Wilderness Pass Restaurant is the park\u2019s newest restaurant<\/a> and introduced rotisserie chicken to Dollywood for the first time this season.<\/p>\n Just because the kids aren\u2019t at the park doesn\u2019t mean their rides can\u2019t be enjoyed. There are two rides that every Dollywood adult should try.<\/p>\n \u201cBig Bear Mountain is a thrilling roller coaster despite its low height requirement, and The Mad Mockingbird is a fun experience that allows you to control the fun via the rudder on your flying scooter,\u201d Ramey said.<\/p>\n Take a break from the rush of coasters to enjoy a live stage show or music performance. \u201cWe are Dolly Parton\u2019s theme park, so our entertainment team prides itself on offering an industry-leading product,\u201d Ramey said.<\/p>\n Some of the entertainment shows include \u201cPlay On,\u201d a retrospective show celebrating Dollywood\u2019s 40 seasons; \u201cFrom the Heart,\u201d a Broadway-style show, and \u201cHeidi Parton\u2019s Kin & Friends,\u201d which is headlined by Heidi Parton, Dolly\u2019s niece.<\/p>\n A daily schedule of stage shows and music performances is available at dollywood.com\/themepark\/entertainment<\/a>.<\/p>\n For adults, Dollywood is all about rides, food and shows, according to Ramey. \u201cMy wife would add shopping,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n The park has a variety of stores that offer handmade craft items, home d\u00e9cor, boutique clothing and exclusive Dolly Parton-themed items that can only be found at Dollywood.<\/p>\n Dollywood is closed on these days:<\/strong><\/p>\n Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email\u00a0devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n
When is Dollywood best for adults?<\/h2>\n
How do you enjoy Dollywood as an adult?<\/h2>\n
Popular Dollywood attractions for adults<\/h2>\n
Embrace being a big kid at Dollywood<\/h2>\n
Underrated or hidden gem Dollywood experiences<\/h2>\n
What is the overall Dollywood adult experience?<\/h2>\n
What are Dollywood\u2019s hours?<\/h2>\n
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