Admission to Sensory-Sensitive Hours is ticketed separately. You may choose to participate at one or both parks. Ticket purchase includes access to all rides, shows and attractions on day of visit.

At Dollywood, lunch is included. Games, merchandise and other dining options are not included.

Parking fees are required for both parks. For this special event, parking is discounted to $10 each day. (Standard parking is regularly $25.) If you are a Gold or Diamond Dollywood Season Passholder, parking is free. (Season Pass I.D. required)

To receive the parking discount, show the parking attendant your Sensory Sensitive Hours event ticket purchase in your email when you arrive at the toll booth on the day of the event.

In conjunction with the 2022 Autism Educational Conference, this exclusive event at Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country has limited capacity. We recommend you purchase tickets early. If tickets for the event at either or both parks sell out, we invite you to plan a visit at your leisure. Tickets may be purchased here.

We’re so glad you’re planning to visit us! Our website is a great resource when researching and planning your trip to Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country. We also recommend searching the Dollywood Blog and Dollywood Insiders blog for specific topics.

For Dollywood, we recommend you enter through the parking lot toll booths on the left. We recommend you park in Lots A or B and either walk or ride the tram to the main entrance. After you walk through security, look for the check-in tent. Someone will escort you to the event in The Village and Country Fair. Dollywood is a large park covering 160 acres. Comfortable shoes are a must. Rentals such as strollers, lockers and Electronic Convenience Vehicles are available. This event runs from 9 a.m. to noon in Country Fair with lunch beginning at noon. Normal park operation begins during lunch. Event attendees are welcome to enjoy the rest of the day at the park. Seats are reserved for the 2 p.m. Gazillion Bubble Show Aurora in Celebrity Theater.

For Dollywood’s Splash Country, we recommend you enter through the two parking lot toll booths on the right. After parking, walk through security and look for the check-in tent. Someone will escort you to shaded seats. The park opens at 10 a.m., but Mountain Waves wave pool, Downbound Float Trip and Little Creek Falls will open exclusively for Sensory Sensitive Hours 9 – 10 a.m. When the park opens, event attendees may enjoy the full park without music, waterfalls or waves. Everything will return to normal operation at noon. Event attendees are welcome to enjoy the rest of the day at the park. Water shoes are highly recommended. Lockers are available for rent.

If you have additional questions, call 1-800-Dollywood.

Dollywood offers a Ride Accessibility Center as a location to serve guests who have accessibility needs and questions. When you enter Dollywood, look for the Ride Accessibility Center adjacent to the Dollywood Emporium. Here, Dollywood hosts will provide detailed information about our rider requirements to help you make well-informed decisions to safely, comfortable and conveniently experience our rides.

While you’re at the Ride Accessibility Center, the host may give you a Boarding Pass. This “pass” is tailored specifically for you to include rides you will be able to enjoy. With this program, guests look for the accessibility entrance and present their pass to ride. The person with the Boarding Pass may bring up to five people in his/her party. Some rides require a boarding time based on ride wait times. Hosts in the Ride Accessibility Center explain this before you leave.

Dollywood created calming rooms for the purpose of helping our guests with special needs who may have a sensory overload while visiting our park. The Calming Room is a quiet, relaxing environment. It’s equipped with sensory items such as a weighted blanket, sensory activity panel and a teepee. To meet the needs of our guests, Dollywood is in the process of adding locations. To access The Calming Room, ask about it when you visit The Ride Accessibility Center.

Dollywood’s Splash Country also offers a Calming Area. To access this space at the water park, look for the entrance between Mountain Scream and Mountain Twist. The Calming Area is first-come, first-served.

Yes, Dollywood offers interpreters for shows. Please call 1-800-Dollywood at least two weeks before your visit to allow time to schedule this service.

The Dollywood Express is one of Dollywood’s most popular attractions. The authentic coal-fired engine uses a whistle to communicate its approach as well as a show whistle after it climbs away from the park. During Sensory Sensitive Hours, Dollywood will utilize additional hosts to cover each train crossing so the whistle doesn’t have to sound. The whistle will resume for train departures after noon. We recommend noise canceling headphones if loud sounds are a concern. Typically, the Dollywood Express leaves at the top of each hour from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Park guests will hear the whistle as the train departs and returns about 20 minutes later.

For Sensory Sensitive Hours, Dollywood is offering two train rides (9:30 and 10:15 a.m.) without whistles.

As part of our Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration, we’ll have big parachutes in The Village area of the park. This area is available exclusively for Sensory Sensitive Hours from 9 – 10 a.m.

For this special event, lunch is included with ticket purchase:
Mixed Greens Salad served with Buttermilk Ranch or Balsamic Vinaigrette
14-Hour Slow-Smoked Pulled Pork served with Brioche Buns (Gluten Free Buns available)
All-Beef Hotdogs
Roasted Garlic Red Potatoes
Hickory-Smoked Baked Beans
Unlimited Coca-Cola Products

If you have questions, please email dollywoodfoodquestions@dollywood.com.

Participants are welcome to purchase other options, if desired.

For this special event, Mountain Waves wave pool will be available without waves from 9 a.m. – noon. At noon, normal operation will resume which means a siren will sound to warn swimmers that the waves are starting. The waves are on for five minutes and off for five minutes in a continuous sequence. The siren sounds every 10 minutes. We recommend noise-canceling headphones if loud noises are a concern.

The waves are gentle and rolling. Lifejackets, tubes, accessibility tubes and water wheelchairs are available for use. (There is a limited supply of accessibility tubes and water wheelchairs available on a first-come, first served basis.)

Personal use Coast Guard-approved lifejackets and puddle jumpers are allowed. For safety reasons, no other floats are permitted. Dollywood’s Splash Country offers complimentary tubes and lifejackets for daily use.

Dollywood’s Splash Country offers options for many different palates. From a mac and cheese food truck, to fresh salads to pizza and burgers, you can visit several dining locations. We recommend eating early in the day (around 11:30 a.m.) to avoid longer lines. If you have questions, please email splashcountryfoodquestions@dollywood.com. Lunch is not included with this special event at Dollywood’s Splash Country.