It's Splash Time!
By Leif Palmer
Posted on May 21, 2019
It's hard to believe, but it's already time to go swimming in the Smokies! We're coming up on Memorial Day weekend, and the temps are well up into the 80s, so the conditions are just right for Smoky Mountain visitors to get their splash on. And as of last weekend, one of the area's most fun places to get wet has opened its gates for its 19th season.
Dollywood's Splash Country kicked things off on May 18, giving guests plenty of ways to stay cool and have a big time in the process all summer long, through Labor Day. New features this year include more picnic tables and shaded areas as well as a 6,000-square-foot shaded area near the wave pool deck, which will also feature live bands every Saturday in July and August as well as on Tuesdays in conjunction with Hot 104. 5.
Also new this year is Picnic In The Park, a feature that allows guests to place a meal order before they visit the park, so that the food is ready for them to pick up at a specific time. That will save folks a lot of time spent waiting in lines when they could be taking advantage of all the slides and water attractions the park has to offer.
Similarly, the park's TimeSaver H2O program gives guests four different options for spending less time waiting in line. Depending on the level purchased, this wristband technology can allow participants to cut their wait times as much as 90 percent.
Of course, there's all the fun stuff that's made Splash Country the area's number one water park attraction for nearly 20 years. The 35-acre park features dozens of individual and group water slides as well as a wave pool, lazy river, kids' play area and other cool water-themed attractions that are designed to keep guests cool, wet and happy.
There are plenty of places to lay out your towel and get some sun, and as we mentioned, there are more shaded areas this year in addition to a selection of rental cabanas that give guests a little more privacy along with a few more amenities. Multiple merch shops and food vendors are located throughout the park as well.
No matter where you stay in the Smokies this summer – whether it's The Lodge at Five Oaks in Sevierville, Cherokee Lodge in Pigeon Forge or Greenbrier Campground in Gatlinburg, you won't be too far from Splash Country. And if you're spending any time in Gatlinburg, you can park in one of our lots and take a trolley to Dollywood and Splash Country. We offer some of the most competitive parking rates in Gatlinburg.
About Leif Palmer
Leif Palmer loves residing in Gatlinburg. He is an avid outdoorsman: rowing for exercise on the lake, trail hiking, and free climbing rocks in the mountains. He indulges his arty side by periodically beating up pieces of marble by sculpting. He is always frustrated by his inability to sink long putts, and hates his curly hair (but his wife loves it). Leif has been known to muster enough courage to change a diaper, and hopes his son will become a chip off the old block.