Summer 2018 Wishlist for Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg

As I have been writing about Pigeon Forge attractions, I can’t help but think about the things I still want to do, or do again. Below is my wishlist for Summer 2018 in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

RE-RIDE ROWDY BEAR ATTRACTIONS

I’d love to re-ride the Rowdy Bear Mountain Glider in Gatlinburg since I know now what to expect. I think I’ll enjoy it more the second time around. And while I’m there I might as well re-ride the mountain coaster as well. Since my roller coaster friend wants to go too, that seems imminently doable.

Cost for Glider and Coaster: $32

Rowdy Bear Mountain Coaster at night
via TripAdvisor.com

RE-RIDE SMOKY MOUNTAIN ALPINE COASTER

Because it’s the bestI always want to ride the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster in Pigeon Forge, and with Groupon, it’s a pretty cheap option too.

Cost for Alpine Coaster: $20 for two rides or $10 shared (via Groupon)

Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster
via TripAdvisor.com

VISIT ANAKEESTA

High on my to-do list is to visit the new Anakeesta park in Gatlinburg, just down from the Rowdy Bear and across the street from the Aquarium of the Smokies.

Anakeesta Chondola
via TripAdvisor

Included in the basic ticket is a Chondola (chairlift + gondola) ride up to Firefly Village, a shopping and dining area. There’s a Tree Canopy Walk, a connecting series of sky bridges 40-60 feet off the forest floor. The Forest Memorial Interpretive Trail is a meditative walk through a section of charred forest that honors local heroes from the devastating 2016 fires. A fire pit, amphitheater, children’s treehouse playground, and available gem mining round out the options. 

Anakeesta Tree Canopy Walk
via Anakeesta.com

Season passes are available for less than the cost of two trips, and if you enter after 3 pm, you get the whole next day free! That’s my favorite old Dollywood discount!

For an extra fee, there is a dueling, 2-stage zip line where you and a friend can take a controlled descent side-by-side. And coming in Summer 2018, a unique single rail mountain coaster will occupy the top of the mountain. And of course, I want to try both of those.

Anakeesta Duelling Ziplines
via Anakeesta.com

Here’s a fun map of the area.

Cost of basic ticket: $20 adults, $16 children 4-11, $18 seniors 60+ (3 and under are free)
Duelling Zip Line: $30 adults, $26 children 4-11, $29 seniors 60+ (minimum age 7, 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult 18+)
Rail Runner Mountain Coaster: cost TBA

DOLLYWOOD’S SPLASH COUNTRY

Since I’ll need to wait until the summer for Anakeesta’s mountain coaster to open, I would love to include a trip to Dollywood’s water park, Splash Country. For all of my wandering around Dollywood, I have never made it over to Splash Country, and they have a water coaster! So that needs to happen.

Splash Country ticket: $50

Dollywood River Rush
via Businesswire.com

In Conclusion

Assuming that the new Rail Runner coaster sticks to similar pricing as other Gatlinburg mountain coasters (i.e. ~$15), this weekend could cost about $160 plus food and lodging. That’s not particularly cheap in my book at this time, but I think it would be a really fun couple of days!

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    Sara Beth Written by:

    We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. – Jawaharlal Nehru

    2 Comments

    1. Katie Spell
      April 11, 2018
      Reply

      Sounds like fun! Now we just have to figure out when to go and how to afford it! 🙂

      • April 11, 2018
        Reply

        Yes we do! I’d like to wait until the Anakeesta mountain coaster opens, whenever that will be. It’s currently just “summer 2018.”

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