A recent article in the Mountain Press stated the Dollywood’s new ride, the “Barnstormer”, should be ready by opening day. The ride is reminiscent of the stunts preformed by 1930s bi-plane pilots.
The new ride will accommodate 32 riders at one time and reach a height of 81feet with speeds up to 45mph. The ride is also ADA accessible as Dollywood has taken great strides to ensure those with disabilities can elect to enjoy the park. The “Barnstorms” is the fourth attraction that Dollywood has had manufactures modify so that it would be ADA accessible.
Season pass holders will have the opportunity to try the new ride March 25, with it opening to the general public on the park’s scheduled opening day March 26. Season pass holders will also be able to ride the “Barnstormer” one hour prior to the parks normal opening time in April, as it will be the parks featured attraction that month.
This year The Resort features a synchronized Christmas light display for this year’s Winterfest. The computer generated display, about 18 minutes in length, begins each evening at 6PM and then runs every half hour with the final showing at 9:30PM.
The display is the work of two brothers Nick & Alex Miller. Nick is a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, and Alex is a senior at Pigeon Forge High School. Nick handled the computer programming and assisted Alex, who has been the troubleshooter for the project, with set up.
The display is free to guests and the general public, with ample parking nearby.
Just minutes from Sevierville in what was the community of Harrisburg sits a 135 year old covered bridge. According to the TN. Department of Transportation the Harrisburg Covered Bridge is just one of four remaining in the state. The other three bridges are located in Bible, Parks and Elizabethton. The Harrisburg Bridge was originally the McNutt’s Bridge, which was destroyed by flooding in 1875. Early Brothers, who relocated to the area after the Civil War, rebuilt the bridge which spans the East Fork of the Little Pigeon River. After many years of being in a state of disrepair the county, with both federal and state funding, repaired and reopened the bridge in December of 2004.
The Harrisburg Covered Bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Shadrack Watersports & RV will again host its Christmas Wonderland at TN Smokies Stadium in Sevierville. This honored Christmas LED light show, synchronized to music of the season, is something for the whole family to enjoy.
Enjoy this nearly one mile long exhibit from the comfort of your own vehicle. Guests will be instructed to tune their radio to the local broadcast as thousands of lights blink to Christmas music. The entire display takes about 20 minutes to view. Christmas Wonderland at Smokies Stadium will open Nov. 12 and run through January 2nd, hours are 6-10PM. For further information, schedule, and rates go to shadrock.com.
Five Oaks Riding Stables, located in Sevierville across from Tanger Five Oaks Outlet Center, is in the process of adding zip lines to go along with the stables. Installation has already begun as the towers, manufactured off site, are already at the location. Construction is scheduled to be completed in June and the attraction will change its name to the Adventure Park at Five Oaks.
Putt-putt and go carts a little slow? Need an adrenaline rush? The Resort and Zorb Smoky Mountains have teamed up to provide you with an exhilarating thrill package.
Select our two night Zorb package in either a one or a two bedroom condominium and receive Zorb-tri-riffic tickets for 2 people allowing 3 rides, select either the Zydro (wet) or the Zorbit (dry) or any combination of the two.
Zorb is an 11 foot high inflatable transparent sphere in which you ride inside racing downhill as you watch the ground and the sky go racing by. Zorb Smoky Mountains is located minutes from The Resort in nearby Pigeon Forge.
Pigeon Forge’s newest attraction Titanic is scheduled for its grand opening April 8th. Billed as “The World’s Largest Permanent Titanic Museum Attraction”, the permanent three-story museum is shaped like the original Titanic. The reported $25 million attraction is built half scale of its namesake and towers 100 feet above the Parkway in Pigeon Forge.
The museum will house over 400 artifacts and personal items in 20 different rooms. Visitors upon entering the exhibit will be given a boarding ticket that will have a story of an actual passenger and be able to follow their unique story throughout the exhibit. Guests will be able to view life onboard as they see replicas of first class staterooms and third class cabins, plus many more displays and activities. Regis Philbin, TV host and personality, will be on hand to “christen” the Titanic Museum at 10AM on April 8th. The christening and grand opening events, which take place outside of the Titanic Museum attraction, are free and open to the public.
The Resort has added a two night stay package including 2 tickets to “Cirque de Chine” at the Smoky Mountain Palace. “Cirque de Chine” is an extravagant display of grace, dance, skill and illusion reminiscent of the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Bejjing Olympics. Two of the shows favorite acts are the Jung Jo Drums, an all girl ensemble, and the 5 Flying Motorcycles that race around inside a 26 foot metal ball.
A show you would expect to see in Las Vegas is right here in the Smoky Mountains located right next door to The Resort. For more information go to our specials page and for show time and dates go to the Smoky Mountain Palace web site.
Dollywood’s newest attraction, Adventure Mountain, is scheduled to be completed for the park’s opening on March 27. Due to the economy the attraction was delayed until this year.
Adventure Mountain is billed as the largest challenge course in the country. There are four separate courses with 46 different elements plus a children’s area. The themed attraction will have much of the look and feel of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its early years.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies announced Thursday an expansion that will include a habitat for about 20 African penguins. The new multimillion dollar exhibit is scheduled to open in mid-March and is located at the site of the former Veranda Restaurant.
The black footed African penguins average about 2 feet in height and weigh around 5 to 9 pounds. The African penguins, with shorter feathers than the Antarctic penguin, are from a warm climate that will allow for them to be displayed in an indoor-outdoor facility.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, located in downtown Gatlinburg, was named the top aquarium in the nation last year by Trip Advisor, the online travel website.
