On a Monday in early spring, there were no crowds. We had a blast on a beautiful warm day. Water rides get you soaked here. The train ride on the historic train was great and good fun for all.
The terrain is relatively flat with some small hills. Trees provide some shade.
A nice tip for those on a budget is to take the trolley from behind the Old Mill area just off the strip. It costs $.25 per person each way, but you don't have to pay to park in the lot at Dollywood and it drops off/picks up right at the entrance to the park.