Wilderness at the Smokies officials announced that their indoor expansion/renovation of the Wild WaterDome waterpark is finished and the entire waterpark will be open for guests starting December 21.
New attractions include a three-story water coaster called the Ridge Runner. It features three steep drops, uphill blasts, high speeds and the premier of the world’s first slide with Reverse AquaLucent effects with colorful, spellbinding patterns.
According to Pete Tennis, Managing Director for Wilderness at the Smokies, “Guests are going to love this amazing water coaster! It starts with a heart-pounding 22-foot drop at 29 mph before propelling the riders up into a right hairpin turn inside the first Reverse AquaLucent section. A second drop follows into an open flume, followed by an uphill blast into a sharp left turn inside another Reverse AquaLucent tube with different patterns. For thrill’s sake, the coaster repeats a third time into a final set of patterns inside another Reverse AquaLucent tube. To round out the sensations, riders loop through a dark tube before finishing in an open flume.”
The waterpark expansion also includes Kaleidoscope Kavern Lazy River featuring a unique immersive tunnel inspired by the majestic Smoky Mountains where guests will experiences projection, dynamic kaleidoscope lighting and sound. Wilderness at the Smokies partnered with Moment Factory, who also designed the Enchanted Night Walk at Anakeesta, for this first-of-its-kind lazy river experience.
In addition to these two new attractions, the resort completely renovated the Snapping Turtle Indoor/Outdoor Play Lagoon area to include a new indoor/outdoor hot spa that offers the same seating as the old Magnolia Grove hot spa and a 1,055 square foot activity pool complete with a three-sided basketball feature in the outside area to “hoop it up” with friends.
If that’s not enough, the resort added 500 seats to the waterpark, six additional cabanas on the mezzanine level of the waterpark and three additional cabanas on the main level.
Coming March 2024
The waterpark’s new Lookout Lagoon roof top pool with a glass edge is anticipated to be completed by Mid-March 2024. The area will also be home to the Peak Rooftop Bar and Eatery, three rooftop cabanas and entertainment stage area.
Other new things at the Wilderness
This fall, the resort also announced that it is building six freestanding treehouse cabins, eight five-bedroom entertainment cabins and 14 four-bedroom cabins. All will be completed in 2024.
In addition to these new lodging options, Wilderness at the Smokies features 234 Stone Hill guest rooms; 472 River Lodge suites and 20 Villas; a newly expanded 84-degree, indoor waterpark; two seasonal outdoor waterparks; an indoor family entertainment center; a variety of dining and shopping options; a 36-hole championship golf course adjacent to the resort; and more than 200,000 square feet of meeting and convention space adjacent to Stone Hill Lodge.
It is owned by Wilderness Resort and Waterparks, a Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin-based hotel and hospitality development and management company which also operates Soaky Mountain Waterpark across the street from the resort as well Wilderness Resort, Glacier Canyon Lodge, Wilderness on the Lake and Sundara Spa all in Wisconsin Dells.
Wilderness at the Smokies has created hundreds of jobs in the greater Sevierville community, attracting year-round tourism, and having a major impact on sales tax and room tax generated for the City of Sevierville since opening its doors in 2008. For more information visit WildernessattheSmokies.com.
