If you like massive crowds of people, inflated prices on everything, traffic that moves at the speed of drying paint, lines that are longer than Godzilla's pecker, then Gatlinburg on the week of the 4th is place for you.
Other than that we had fun.

Then there is also the parking problem...its not a problem cause there aint no parking to be found anywhere.

There’s where you went wrong.
Go to Townsend and your experience will be in most ways completely different.

I’m headed up Monday….but I’ll be at Douglas Lake

went there for New Years, never again, place just isn't made for Holiday weeks lol.

I hate that place now.

People are undefeated. They ruin everything.

I view that place same as the Gulf Coast , just say NO!

Going to Dollywood next Thursday and Friday. I hate the traffic, but my kids love the rides at Dollywood. I’ll take that place a million times over Disney.

We got tired of the crowds and went to Blue Ridge Ga. Enjoyed it a lot more than gatlinburg.

^^This.^^

Cosby Tn. isn't a bad place either and I'm almost ok with Cherokee Nc. but not quite. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge doesn't really have much of an off season. Be glad you didn't go the last week of October or Valentines weekend.

Same here. Don’t care if I ever go back and still can’t figure out why so many people flock that place. I made the mistake of going up there on a 4th July wknd.

They had some big Patriot festival going on then.

Ya gotta choose the right area. Whether it’s the coast or the mtns, if you’re there for touristy shucks then expect all that traffic, whether it’s by boat or car. For an enjoyable and relaxing time, look outwards of those “gulf shores/gatlinburg” areas.

May see you there and agree

It’s crowded most anytime now and a real chit show on holidays. I stay out of town and get somewhere in the park as fast as I can and as far away from idiots as possible. I much prefer the Townsend area now. People just suck now for the most part. They are trashing the trails up this way bad in areas. Just seems like since Covid hit a switch flipped and people think they can do whatever they want with no rules.

buc ee's, is exactly the same way. Never seen so many people and mass chaos as what I saw at the Macon, GA location last week. First and last time I've ever been to one.

There's just too many people fighting for limited recreation. Every location only gets worse as more people get tired of going to the "in" place they start spreading to somewhere close but not as touristy and then ruin that place too.

Go to the national park. Walk about 3 miles up one of the hiking trails and you won't see anybody. They'll be a thousand people at the trail head, but they ain't getting far from the road

If I go anywhere that I have to stand in line to get in I ain't staying.