SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – The region’s first full-service waterpark resort, Wilderness at the Smokies, celebrated the launch of the largest indoor waterpark in the southeast with a grand opening event highlighting the signature features of the facility.
Appropriately named the Wild WaterDome, the new indoor waterpark spans more than 60,000 square feet with a see-thru, energy-efficient Foil Tec roof that allows UV rays to permeate the structure so guests can tan indoors year-round. The waterpark is home to the Smokies SurfRider, the state’s only surfing simulator that uses 50,000 gallons of water a minute to create a continuously moving sheet of water on which people can surf or boogie board. “It’s like riding an ocean wave, but indoors,” says David McGregor, general manager of Wilderness at the Smokies, “Parents and kids alike will love the thrill of riding a wave in a safe and controlled environment.”
The waterpark also boasts the Storm Chaser, a four-person tube slide that begins with a 58-foot drop into a giant orange-and-white funnel where riders swoosh back and forth up the sides of the funnel, causing shrieks of delight and flip-flopping stomachs. Other activities at the Wild WaterDome, which is reserved exclusively for resort guests, include the Great Wave, a 10,000-square-
The event marked the resort’s opening of 472 multi-room suites conveniently connected to the Wild WaterDome. The units include three different floor plans ranging from one to three-bedroom layouts designed to accommodate up to 16 guests. “The enthusiasm for our resort has been tremendous,”
Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the scenic foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is establishing a new standard for family vacations to East Tennessee. Phase I of the resort opened in June 2008 with a 234-room hotel and outdoor waterpark adjacent to the 240,000-square-
