A QUIET DAY
If you'd been here on a day like this,
you'd have walked on most rides.
May 21, 2026 hit a 2/10, one of the quietest days we've recorded at Dollywood this season. Crowds dipped to a 1 out of ten for 2 straight hours between 1 PM and 3 PM.
PLANNING A TRIP?
Pick your dates on the crowd calendar
and we'll show you how this day compares to your window.
2
/10
Quiet
Quiet
AVG WAIT12m
PEAK40m
RIDES OPEN14/14
WEATHER–
The day, hour by hour.
1
11 AM
4
12 PM
1
1 PM
1
2 PM
2
3 PM
1
4 PM
1
5 PM
4
6 PM
11 AM to 10 AM
Rope-drop the headliner anyway
Thunderhead held strong all day. The first hour was the only time it ran shortest.
11 AM to 1 PM
Eat early, ride during lunch
Crowds dipped to their low around 1 PM. Lightning Rod + FireChaser Express walked on.
1 PM to 3 PM
Knock out the rest of your list
The quietest stretch of the day starts around 1 PM. Thunderhead fell to its low for the day.
8 PM to 6 PM
Last lap and re-rides
A small closing-hour bump is normal. Re-ride Thunderhead now with a fresh queue.
Every ride, by average wait.
Thunderhead
peak 40m · 91% uptime
Lightning Rod
peak 30m · 94% uptime
FireChaser Express
peak 25m · 99% uptime
Blazing Fury
peak 20m · 100% uptime
Tennessee Tornado
peak 20m · 100% uptime
Dragonflier
peak 20m · 69% uptime
Mystery Mine
peak 20m · 91% uptime
Smoky Mountain River Rampage
peak 10m · 92% uptime
Big Bear Mountain
peak 10m · 94% uptime
Whistle Punk Chaser®
peak 10m · 34% uptime
Wild Eagle
peak 10m · 98% uptime
Daredevil Falls
peak 5m · 100% uptime
Drop Line
peak 5m · 29% uptime
The Waltzing Swinger
peak 5m · 96% uptime
Barnstormer
1 ride was closed all day
Barnstormer
FOR YOUR TRIP
This is the day,
but live, in your pocket.
Days like this are why people swear by going off-peak. Ride Ready spots them in advance, then turns the forecast into real-time recommendations the moment you walk through the gate.
WHAT YOU'D HAVE GOTTEN ON THIS DAY
10:42a Drop alert: Thunderhead 27m to 15m
1 PM Walk-on window: Lightning Rod + FireChaser Express
4:08p Smart pick: Thunderhead is short right now, go
6:30p Dinner spike flagged, sit it out
4 drop alerts · 3 picks · 1 skip suggestion