Why I Burned More Calories in Dollywood Even Though I Had the Same Step Count in Disney World

In case you didn’t know, there is an absolutely gorgeous theme park hidden in the Smoky Mountains, and it’s owned by Dolly Parton!

Showstreet!

Yes, we’re talking about Dollywood! We recently stopped by this theme park to check it out, and it’s safe to say we’ve fallen in love. There are tons of things to enjoy about the theme park, like that iconic cinnamon bread, but there’s also one major warning you need to know about before heading into the park!

There are so many things we love about Dollywood. The classic, kind atmosphere, the amazing employees, the delicious food, and those exciting rides all come to mind. That being said, there’s one thing about the park that most people struggle with and don’t love, per se.

Welcome to Dollywood!

That would be the hills. Dollywood is located in the Smoky Mountains — literally! As you explore the theme park, you’ll go up hills, down into valleys, and more. Dollywood is approximately 160 to 165 acres. For comparison, Magic Kingdom is roughly 142 acres, so not a massive difference! You might think you can handle a 10-mile day in Dollywood easily, because you’ve done it in Magic Kingdom. Trust us when we say it is much harder in Dollywood!

Dollywood tickets

The theme park’s beauty does rely on its natural surroundings, so we love the fact that it’s in the mountains. That being said, it can be pretty difficult if you haven’t walked up hills in a while. Most of the lands try to do their best to keep things flat once you’re in them. It’s getting to and from each land can be difficult.

Showstreet!

The most difficult part of the walk around Dollywood is easily getting into Timber Canyon. Dollywood is laid out kinda like a circle (with a few areas that branch off). When you first enter the park on Showstreet, you can turn left and go straight to Timer Canyon. This is easily the highest hill in the park. Midway up, you realize just how steep this path actually is. If you’re a big coaster person, going left is a great option to get to a majority of the roller coasters in the park, but it can be difficult if you’re not prepared.

Timber Canyon

You can always go right and end your day at Timber Canyon so you can go down the hill rather than going up it, but that does mean most of the park’s roller coasters might have a longer line by the time you get there. If you’d like to go to the County Fair or into The Village, you’ll also find some steep hills to get there.

You can see the hill here at the end of Showstreet!

We aren’t joking when we say the beautiful rolling hills are unavoidable throughout the park. Some are worse (like getting into Timber Canyon) than others, but they aren’t totally avoidable. If you’re someone who has trouble getting around theme parks and you’ve used a wheelchair for assistance before, consider trying out an ECV rental. It would take some serious muscles to push an adult in a wheelchair around the parks. This is also a good reminder to not weigh down your stroller too much, either, unless you’re looking for an excellent arm workout.

So beautiful!

If you’re someone who loves burning calories or just staying extra active, you will love this aspect of the theme park. If you like a more leisurely stroll, you might want to practice a bit before you go into Dollywood. The water park, Splash Country, also has the same issue, so bring some good shoes for lots of support.

The park is so beautiful

We truly enjoyed our time in Dollywood, and we already can’t wait to go back! This time, we might start hiking in advance to stay prepared. Be sure to keep following DisneyFoodBlog for more theme parks, tips, and tricks.

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