Pigeon Forge, TN - Monday

 

With better weather predicted, most of us arrived in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg KOA on Monday, 5/9th. Our numbers dwindled considerably due to other previous engagements or obligations. Present for this week were George/Vicki, Todd/Beth, Jim/Pat and Walt/Fran. This campground, in the heart of Dolly Land is huge with sites very tight next to and back to back in some cases. Kids are present in abundance and the entire community can be labeled one big tourist trap. There are tons of shopping, dining and entertainment venues. 

In 2012, Gaylord Opryland announced a partnership with Dolly Parton where she originally wanted her theme park. The $50 million project was slated to open in the spring of 2014. When Gaylord sold their holdings to Marriott International for $210 million, Dolly Parton withdrew her partnership and expanded her park in Pigeon Forge. Dollywood is now the biggest source of revenue and the largest employer in the community with over 4,000 employees. Those who attended Dolly Land tell me that 70% of the workers there are over 60 years old. Forbes recently named Dollywood among America's Best Employers for 2021.

Wasting no time, our first booking was for Dolly Parton's Stampede Dinner and Show.  Once again, I'll urge readers to check out the links in RED to the attractions our group attended.

I was able to see the Stampede and the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud

We sat on the left and represented the North

The setting was a huge arena, the seating in rows were long, the servers skilled and efficient and the food was very good...only a fork to be used.

The theme was a friendly North vs. South competition. Races with the Quarter Horses and Palominos as well as trick riding were performed by the very talented members of the company. Horse and rider worked as one and it was emphasized how the horses were trained and cared for. There were races with pigs and small ponies. They had long horned steers and bison running in the arena to be rounded up before exiting. The musical production had special effects, stunts and pyrotechnics that really made it a spectacular evening. In the end, all the races and competition wound up with the North winning six events to the South's four. One event was to have two children from each side of the audience try to chase chickens back into their pens.

But before the show, dinner was served, eaten and cleared away. The four course meals consisted of:

• A Mouth-Watering Tender Whole Rotisserie Chicken
• Delicious Hickory Smoked Barbecue Pork Loin
• Stampede’s Original Creamy Vegetable Soup
• Scrumptious Homemade Biscuit
• Hot Buttered Corn On The Cob
• Tasty Herb-Basted Potato
• Stampede's Very Own Specialty Dessert (Apple turnover)
• Unlimited Coca-Cola®, Tea Or Coffee

Our server has been doing this for twenty years.

That's a lot of people to serve

Two short samples of the entertainment included.

This young lady is now 76 years old.

A great evening. Next up, a trip into Gatlinburg tomorrow, Tuesday 5/10th, for breakfast, a stroll through the town, up to the Skywalk Park, a drive through the Smoky Mountain National Park and dinner at The Mill.