Boo Hooin' about Pigeon Forge

[ADisneyQueen]

We are going to Pigeon Forge for our family vacation in June. We just went to WDW in March. I hope this trip will be OK. IT will take us 11 hours to get there and we are not a great car traveling family. DH is excited b/c of the smokey mountains, but I can't get that excited. For the price of this trip we could go to Orlando. DDs are 7 and 11. Do you think this trip will be fun? HOw do you compare it to WDW? Oh, and we will be going to Dollywood and Splash Country. Is Splash Country really small?

 

[design_mom]

We are going to Pigeon Forge for our family vacation in June. We just went to WDW in March. I hope this trip will be OK. IT will take us 11 hours to get there and we are not a great car traveling family. DH is excited b/c of the smokey mountains, but I can't get that excited. For the price of this trip we could go to Orlando. DDs are 7 and 11. Do you think this trip will be fun? HOw do you compare it to WDW? Oh, and we will be going to Dollywood and Splash Country. Is Splash Country really small?

I don't think Pigeon Forge and the Smokies can "compare" to WDW, but you can still have a great time. My family used to go pretty often (more often than WDW). We never went to Dollywood. We would spend most of our time in the National Park, hiking, or driving around, or having picnics and wading in the mountain streams.

I loved our WDW vacations, but I have great memories from the Smokies, too. In fact, I was on a business trip last week and the voice actor for the recorded airline gate announcements was the same voice actor who did a recorded tour of the Smokey Mountains National Park that we used to listen to when we went. I had to call my dad from the airport to tell him. Memories!

ETA: Our favorite picnic spot was always Chimney Tops.

 

[Magic Mom]

I agree, you can't compare them. It's two totally different vacations. If you go with WDW expectations you will be disappointed. But that doesn't mean you won't have fun. My family loves the Smokies.
You mentioned a lot of theme park attractions but you didn't say if you would be spending time in the National Park itself. DD really enjoyed the auto tour of Cades Cove. We spent the whole day, had a picnic lunch, got to sit in on a few minutes of a primative Baptist church service (We aren't Baptist, but this was very neat, and visitors were allowed to come and go from the back pews to observe and sing if you wanted to.) We saw deer and bear. Did some short hikes...all from this auto tour loop.
Also, the is a geart hike to Grotto Falls right near the Gatlinburg entrance to the park. It's 2 miles round trip. The waterfall is well worth the hike. DD was 7 when we did that hike.
One more fun thing to see in the park during June are the "synchronous fireflies" in Elkmont Campground. This is the only place in the western hemisphere you can see this.
http://www.appvoices.org/index.php?...he_synchronous_fireflies_of_elkmont/issue/528
If you decide to go see this you can't drive your own car to Elkmont, you have to take a trolley from the visitor center, because the traffic was getting too bad.
http://www.appvoices.org/index.php?...he_synchronous_fireflies_of_elkmont/issue/528

Have fun you lucky duck! The Smoky Mountains are beautiful!

 

[4formickey]

We went last year and had a ball. It is more laid back than WDW but it is cheaper. Our kids 6 and 4 at that time loved it. We had a chance to see a black bear and we also saw Dolly Parton. Her parks are nice and a lot cheaper than Disney.The food in the area is very good, You must go to the Old Mill restaurant.They give you enough food to share.The comedy barn is funny and the kids get in free at a lot of place or they will eat free.

 

[mantaz]

We are heading up there the second week of June. It is our 10th anniversary. We got married on horseback in Sevierville. We are taking our 4yo DD to see where we got married, take her mining for gems, horseback riding and dollywood. There is a lot to do. I think you will have fun. You can always stop by the Disney outlet to do some shopping if you need the fix.

 

[SandrainNC]

We went last summer for a long weekend (we aren't that far away) and it was nice. And I agree, you cannot compare it to WDW. Nothing really compares to WDW.

We went to Dollywood but not the water park (be sure to ride Mystery Mine). We went to Ripley's Aquarium which is actually a town over. I second eating at the Old Mill restaurant. Go early. Also the Apple Barn restaurant was awesome at breakfast!!!!

Sandra

 

[daisylove]

We are going up the end of July and was wondering if Dollywood was worth it. Thanks for the info.

 

[mommytobug]

My dd is there now. She LOVES it. Cades Cove is fun, driving into the mountains and finding streams is fun. My dad loves the large knife store. We HATED Dollywood. Too much money for what you get in my opinion. We love the Dixie Stampede and loved the aquarium in Gatlinburg. I am shocked you think it will cost what Disney does. there are some great cheap places to stay. Are you going through Chattanooga to get there? If so, the aquarium, IMAX, Rock City are also fun.

 

[mom2twinz3]

My dd is there now. She LOVES it. Cades Cove is fun, driving into the mountains and finding streams is fun. My dad loves the large knife store. We HATED Dollywood. Too much money for what you get in my opinion. We love the Dixie Stampede and loved the aquarium in Gatlinburg. I am shocked you think it will cost what Disney does. there are some great cheap places to stay. Are you going through Chattanooga to get there? If so, the aquarium, IMAX, Rock City are also fun.

I love the area. We will be in Gatlinburg toward the end of June. I can't wait. It isn't Disney, but you WILL have just as much fun in a different way.

Mary

 

[ADisneyQueen]

The reason it is costing as much as our last WDW trip is that we had leftover Disney tickets plus we are staying at a 2 BR condo at Pigeon Forge that costs more than our room at Disney. I guess I should have also added that this TN trip is longer than our DIsney trip.

 

[littleprissboutique]

I am not the one you want to talk to for sure. I live 30 min from Sevierville, and for what you are spending I would go to Disney. I hate Sevierville, --- tiny and cramped. DollyWood is a Joke when you have been to Disney. Splash Country is a Joke if you have been to Wet and Wild. Its ok for the mountains, but I have one of those in my back yard LOL.

BUT-- I would say the people who live at the ocean would tell you how it is not great. I love the ocean. So, if you dont live here you may like it. If you dont know the back roads you will hate the traffic for sure. There is only one main way in and out. Unless you know the secret back road. Check out mapquest

 

[littleprissboutique]

PS....

Dolly wood is about the size of Hollywood Studios....... Very small

 

[ehstrojette]

I for one love Dollywood. They added a new area in the past couple years with new rides and a awesome playground for the kids. Never been to Splash county but my hubby really liked it. Check out the Aquarium the kids have always loved it. Knoxville Zoo is really nice you can go there before the 2 malls they have there in Knoxville. Picnic at the Chimneys, kids will love the mountain stream they can play in or take in a tube ride near Cades Cove in Townsand. I live near the area and Camp there alot, Any questions about where to eat or anything just ask

oh go to the Apple Barn for apple turn overs with ice cream.. to die for....

 

[lindap1]

My brother lives in Sevierville and has lived there a long time. My sister and I go visit him for a weekend in mid june (this will be our third year). YES, the traffic is horrible, but lucky for us we park at bro's house and he drives while were there. We ALWAYS go to Pigeon Forge while were there and he takes us to all the huge flea markets around. Our first year there he took us to Dolly Parton's home where she grew up. Of course there is a fence all around the property with gates. I recommend the Country Legends (use to be Alabama Grille) restaurant. They have wonderful food and the atmosphere is great. Every once in a while a waitress will go on stage and start singing a country song. There are a lot of little souvenier shops and such everywhere. Next month were going to the christmas store when we go and I'll do some Xmas shopping for my sis in laws. The mountain view from my brothers house is awesome to see first thing in the morning.

 

[reginasue]

We took our kids for their first week long vacation to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area. They were 5 and 7 at the time. They loved it and still talk about it regularly. We of course went to cades cove and hiked up to a couple waterfalls.

We went to the aquarium and walked around the main strip. We also went to ober gatlinburg which has lots of activities. We went to the wonderworks museum and enjoyed the activities there. We also did some other things like horseback riding and went on a cave tour.

While it doesn't sound like as much fun as disney, these were activities we ended up enjoying as we don't have most of these things around our town.

Regina

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I could have written your post! I kept telling my DH that we could go to Disney just as cheap or cheaper than TN ... I found great flights and we could use DVC points to stay in a studio at Saratoga Springs. We already have AP's.

I was DENIED. DH says the kids need to see something besides WDW. So, we are off for a week in June. Like you, we are facing a 10-11 hour drive. Sigh.

I'm trying to get psyched up for the new experience.

 

[WINTER]

We are headed to the smoky mountains the first of July. We usually go to Disney but not this year. We have been before and it's true - you can't compare to Disney. They are 2 totally different areas. Go with an open mind. There are so many neat things to do and seeing the Smokies is breathtaking. We are renting condos in Gatlinburg and have reservations for the Dixie Stampede. We plan to see the Aquarium and do some river tubing . . . just some good family fun together.

Hopefully, back to Disney next year (if we can afford it)!