PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the latest research*, 705 million vacation days go unused annually in the U.S. The city of Pigeon Forge (Tennessee) has several new reasons for workers to spend those hard-earned vacation days in the family-friendly destination located in the Great Smoky Mountains.
“What better way to spend vacation days than with family and friends, sharing great times and memories,” said Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism Executive Director Leon Downey. “With the wide variety of attractions and entertainment that Pigeon Forge offers for all ages, including lots of new ones this year, folks should get their calendars out now and start planning to come see us!”
Pigeon Forge always delivers on the promise of something new for visitors to see and do each year, and 2019 is no exception.
Dollywood theme park’s Wildwood Grove, opening this spring, features 11 new experiences for guests, six of which are ride attractions, including a suspended family roller coaster called the Dragonflier as well as a 55-foot-tall Wildwood Tree, live entertainment, the Till & Harvest restaurant, and various indoor and outdoor play areas including Hidden Hollow, a 4,000-square-foot indoor play space. Dollywood.com
The Island, a retail, dining, lodging and entertainment complex, has added Yee-Haw Brewing Company, a production brewery and taproom that offers ales and lagers, including Yee-Haw’s World Beer Cup award-winning Dunkel, as well as seasonal and high-gravity beers. Visitors also can enjoy the Spinning Parrots family coaster; RideMakerz, an immersive remote-control car customizing experience; and the Savannah Bee Company which sells specialty honey and honey-based products. TheIsland
Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Show is the centerpiece of the new Lumberjack Square, which also is home to Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Adventure, a ropes course, extreme zipline, roller coaster, an 80-foot-tall jump tower, a multi-level lumberjack-themed adventure park and an aerial kids’ playground. The show features 11 competitive lumberjack events including axe throwing, chopping, sawing, speed climbing, and log rolling in a 350-seat climate-controlled outdoor venue where world-class lumberjacks square off daily from spring through December. LumberjackFeud
The new Rocky Top Mountain Coaster sits on more than 20 acres and takes riders on a nine-minute journey that traverses multiple 360-degree turns, four tunnels, thrilling curves, and daring hairpin turns, all propelled by four uplifts and four drops, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour. Able to accommodate riders as young as three years of age (with minimum height requirement), it is another family attraction.
Other attractions opening this summer include Titanic Museum Attraction’s collection of Titanic lifejackets, the world’s largest ever assembled since the ship’s maiden voyage. Only 12 lifejackets are known to exist, and beginning July 1, seven from collectors worldwide will be on display through November 2019 in Pigeon Forge for the first time in history. TitanicMuseumAttraction
The 200-foot-tall Mountain Monster three-in-one thrill ride anchors the Tower Shops at Mountain Mile, a 180,000-square-foot multi-purpose retail, dining and family entertainment development that spans 174 acres. Mountain Monster, opening this summer, will offer guests a drop ride, a dive ride and a swing, all in one attraction. MountainMilePigeonForge.com.
Uncle Lem’s Outfitters, a soon-to-open 4,580-square-foot retail space, supports and encourages a love of the great outdoors by supplying enthusiasts with the necessary gear. Uncle Lem’s takes advantage of the area’s natural setting and plans to offer the services of hiking, fishing, bicycling, and outdoor adventure guides. It will open with paddle board and kayak rentals with bicycle rentals to follow.
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, a Dolly Parton Company, will be located adjacent to The Island in Pigeon Forge in a 21,000-square-foot arena. Crimson and Sapphire pirates battle on deck, in the water, and in the sky above their full-sized ships in a 15-foot-deep indoor lagoon. The show also includes a four-course pirate feast.
Pigeon Forge offers more than 14,500 overnight accommodations, ranging from hotels and condos to cabins and campgrounds. Joining the lineup this year are the 200-room Ramsey Hotel & Convention Center; the 108-room Fairfield Inn & Suites; and the 102-room Tru by Hilton.
For more information about what’s new for 2019 as well as existing favorites, please visit MyPigeonForge.com or call 1-800-251-9100.
*Research from the U.S. Travel Association’s ProjectTimeOff.com.
About Pigeon Forge:
Pigeon Forge is located in East Tennessee, approximately 35 miles from Knoxville and McGhee-Tyson Airport. Two-thirds of the nation’s population east of the Mississippi River lives within a day’s drive, making it an easily accessible family vacation destination. The city’s neighbor is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the U.S. It also is home to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park, Tennessee’s most-visited ticketed attraction. More information about all aspects of Pigeon Forge are available at MyPigeonForge.com or toll-free at 1-800-251-9100.
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