The Island in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is a shopping, dining, and entertainment oasis, spanning across 23-acres! Here, you will find over 80 shops, restaurants, and attractions located in this area, right in the heart of Pigeon Forge. There is a designated wheelchair accessible parking area nearest the bridge at the front of the other parking areas. From here, I found it easy to roll across the paved bridge and into the fun-filled environment. First, I rolled up to the Island Show Fountains, which boast with light and music year-round. It was relaxing to sit and watch the water as it danced to the beat of the tunes. This entire area is paved and easily rollable, as it is flat and smooth.
One of my favorite shops is the Beef Jerky Experience, where I found the most scrumptious jerky flavors and jalapeño pickled eggs. Another favorite is Ole Smoky Moonshine, where you can do a tasting experience for only $5 with nine samples of their flavors. Some of the flavors include Sour Watermelon, Peppermint, Apple Pie, Moonshine Pickles, and Orange Moonshine. I also loved the cookie tasting experience at Byrd’s Cookies. This store has some great flavors of cookies, but my favorite has to be the Key Lime Pie Cookies. They’re so delicious!
I also loved that I could remain in my power wheelchair and ride the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel at The Island. This 200-foot observation wheel can be seen all across the parkway in Pigeon Forge as it towers over the city. The Wheel offers wheelchair accessibility to enter the pod, by providing a ramp for easy entry. The seats inside the enclosed pod raise up to give easy access to enter in a wheelchair or to turn once inside to view the surroundings. There are spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains from here, and also a view of The Island and Pigeon Forge. Family or friends can ride with the wheelchair user and sit in the fold-down seat bench. When it was my turn to enter the pod, the worker stopped the ride to give me plenty of time to enter the pod, get positioned, and then closed the door. She happily laid down the ramp for me to both enter and exit the ride.
Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Supper Show
I figure anywhere named Paula Deen must be a feast for the tastebuds and combine that with a lumberjack show, and I knew it should be a lot of fun! So I purchased my tickets for Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Supper Show online, because I knew that I wanted to go. I found wheelchair-accessible parking near the entrance and proceeded to the ticketing office to pick up my tickets. The staff were very friendly and after locating my tickets, they directed me to the all-you-can-eat supper buffet, which was already set up. Here, I mounded my plate with barbecue chicken, chicken and dumplings, mac & cheese, strawberry shortcake, and more. The dining area is outdoors and covered with a plentiful amount of picnic tables on two levels. To get to the upper deck, you must be able to use the stairs, but staying on the bottom to eat was perfectly fine. I was close to the food and the drinks so that I could enjoy even more if I wished.
Once you’ve eaten, you can explore the shop to grab some souvenirs before the show starts, which is also outdoors and open-air. When it was time, the staff directed me to the wheelchair accessible seating area in the outdoor arena. It was on the very front row of the stadium styled seats, so I was very happy to see this. They also pulled up a chair for my mom, who was attending the show with me.
Being on the front row, I felt like I was right in the middle of the lumberjack feud once it began. I had great views of the chainsaws, without getting sawdust on me, and I could see the sweat dripping from the lumberjacks’ foreheads as they used their axes to chop the wood in the competition. One side of the audience is the Dawsons and the other is the McGraws. This gives a competitive vibe as the lumberjacks are racing against the other team to complete each of their tasks. The show is family friendly and lots of laughs are had throughout the feud. Seeing the lumberjacks run across logs in the water, and climb poles at the speed of light, was so impressive.
Dollywood
Knowing that the Flower & Food Festival was in full swing at Dollywood, I thought it would be the perfect time to visit. This festival runs from April 18 – June 8, 2025, and Dollywood is always a fun visit any time of the year. If purchasing a Tasting Pass for the festival, you will be given a lanyard upon entry that allows you to get up to 5 foods and drinks at a multitude of vendors, which is included in the price.
Near the entrance to the park, wheelchair-accessible parking is offered and if it is full, there is plenty of parking in the general parking areas with a wheelchair-accessible tram with a ramp to take wheelchair users to the main entrance. Once inside, I made sure to stop by the Accessibility Center to see what rides were offered that allowed me to remain in my wheelchair. After meeting with me and asking a few questions, the staff member offered me a Disability Access Pass that allowed me to go to an alternate accessibility entrance for each ride.
I was able to ride two rides and remain in my power wheelchair throughout the park. I rode the train, which goes all around the outside of the park. To board the train there is a ramped entry onto the last train car. Once onboard, the staff member secured my chair with a four-point tie down system. The train is open-air, so the breeze felt nice since my visit was on a really hot day. I was also able to ride the carousel and remain in my wheelchair. The worker put out a ramp that I was able to roll up onto the carousel and park in front of a painted bench with an open middle section for my chair to park. The staff member then restrained my chair with straps, and I was able to be securely seated as the carousel made several revolutions.
Thoughout the park, I found plenty of shows to see, as they are all wheelchair accessible with a designated accessible parking area. There was a plethora of great singers and dancers, and I was enthralled to see Dolly’s niece, Heidi Parton, as her vocals were on point. There were also some terrific foods and one of my absolute favorites that you don’t want to miss is the homemade Cinnamon Bread that can be purchased at the Old Grist Mill. It was so delicious! I also enjoyed Dolly’s museum, where I could see pictures and videos throughout her lifetime, and a collection of her gold records. From such a young age living in the Great Smoky Mountains, Dolly’s legacy is quite remarkable, and I truly enjoyed hearing her story be told throughout the museum.
Feel free to use my promo code: CORY to receive a Flower & Food Festival treat with your Dollywood Admission Ticket through June 8!
Where I Stayed: Compass by Margaritaville Hotel
This hotel offers a fresh and comfortable night’s stay in some of the cleanest and best wheelchair accessible rooms that I’ve visited in Pigeon Forge. Located on Teaster Lane, just a short drive from The Island, this hotel offers both wheelchair accessible parking near the entrance and valet parking if you prefer.
Upon check-in, I was offered a wheelchair accessible room with two queen beds and a roll-in shower. This was room number 407. Both beds sat at 21 inches tall and had space underneath to accommodate a hoyer lift. The balcony was also accessible with a smooth entry with views of the pool. The room included a mini fridge and was very spacious. The bathroom had a pull under sink and a toilet with grab bars beside and behind it. The roll-in shower had a rubber strip that blocked the water flow from spilling out into the bathroom, but it was very easily accessible with my rolling shower chair. There was also a fold-down bench seat in the shower and a hand-held shower wand. I was also happy to see that the faucet handles could be reached from the bench seat.
This hotel offers each room with free breakfast buffet, an outdoor pool with a lift, and an indoor pool with a lift as well. There is also a fire pit area, an indoor pool, an arcade, and a hotel restaurant and store.
As you can tell, Pigeon Forge offers a lot of fun-filled ways to spend a weekend that are wheelchair accessible. If I would’ve had more time to spend here, I am sure that this list would’ve been even longer. I can’t wait to return to Pigeon Forge and experience even more!
