# Branson or Gatlinburg ?



## anteween

I am trying to plan my vacation for next summer.  I will have two male teenagers and maybe my brother and sister in law who have a 5 year old.

My son likes the amusement parks, and we have already been to Virginia and Florida.  So which area is better and will have more things to keep the teenagers busy?

I know both have amusement parks and waterparks so I guess it comes down to the activities at the resorts.  I plan on doing a request first at three different exchange companies.  I will use II since I already have a 2 bd week there on deposit.  And I will also use Daelive and SFX resorts.  

I am also open to any direct exchanges.


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## dougp26364

We've been to both and both are very similar in many aspects. 

Gatlinburg has the Great Smokey Mountain National Park and if you enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing and history that's what Gatlinburg has to offer over Branson. While Branson has many beautiful green hills, it's never going to be the Smokey Mountains.

On the other hand, if you enjoy boating, lakes and fishing, then Branson is your spot as it has three lakes within easy reach. Table Rock is a very large warm water lake that is very clear. Tanycomo, which is below Table Rock is a cold water lake that offers good trout fishing. There is also Bull Shoals lake but, I'm afraid we've never made it past Tannycomo and Table Rock so I can't speak to it's strengths.

Pigeon Forge Gatlinburg have a better variety of restaurants that are decent alhough not spectacular. Branson has a better variety of shows and shopping IMO. Branson has several outlet malls and now the has the Branson Landing. Gatlinburg is mostly filled with tourist t-shirt shops, fudge/ice cream shops and Ripley's attractions. 

Gatlinburg is essentially a one, short strip town (E. Parkway). Branson is a little more spread out but also has one main drag (76 country music Blv.) that works more like a rolling parking lot. 

Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge has a better amuesment park for teenagers IMO with Dollywood if you like thrill rides. Silver Dollar City does have some decent roller coasters but overall I feel it's more subdued than Dollywood's rides. SDC has several "water" rides that will get you wet (spalsh) and cool you off. Both Pigeon Forge and Branson have water parks but Branson also throughs in an amuesment park that is more like the county fairs/midways of old in Celebration City. You'll find a nice variety of rides that are similar in nature to the old state/county fairs with some larger rides (wooden and steel roller coasters) tossed in. Celebration City also has a great fireworks and laser show every night at closing. FWIW, Silver Dollar City and Dollywood are owned by the same family. In fact, Dollywood was apparently once called Silver Dollar City Tennesse before being renamed Dollywood. 

There are considerably more timeshares and choices in Branson than you'll find in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. Most resorts in Branson are on the upscale side compared to what we were seeing in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge. Both are drive to destinations and I suspect both have pretty large owner occupancies as neither region really has a major airport that's economical to fly into unless you're willing to drive 2 or 3 hours. However, since Branson has so many resorts compared to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, there seems to be a lot more deposits for exchange to choose from in Branson. I believe Branson will be an easier exchange with a larger variety to choose from. At least that's what we've found when searching both area. I can generally choose from 5 or 6 Branson resorts while Gatlinburg has offered only two, Gatliburg Town Square and Westgate Smokey Mountain. IMO, Branson has a better selection and better quality resorts from what we saw in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge.

In my signature below is a link to our Webshots page. I hae included pics of four of the timeshares we've stayed at in Branson and Gatlinburg Town Square were we stayed when in Gatlinburg. I've also included pics of Great Smokey Mountain National Park and some pictures from Silver Dollar City amuesment park at Christmas time (still gives you an idea of the park). 

Our slant is probably going to be a little more biased towards Branson as Branson is within a 5 hour drive from our home and we tend to visit it 2 to 3 times per year. We're more familiar with Branson than Gatlinburg. I've tried to keep my opinions as impartial as possible but that's not easy when you know one area so much better than the other. I can say that we plan to return to Gatlinburg and Great Smokey Mountain National Park in the future. Not that Gatlinburg itself was so great but, it's enjoyable and we love the National Park. Really, when you get right down to it there's not a tremendous difference between Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and Branson IMO.


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## gravityrules

I agree with dougp26364's assessment, Branson and Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge are similar in many ways.  Both are excellent family destinations.  The National Park/nature/scenery is a huge plus for Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, while the number and variety of shows and the lakes are a big plus for Branson.  IMO, the combination of Silver Dollar City/Celebration City in Branson is somewhat better than Dollywood in Pigeon Forge; the same company owns/manages these amusement parks.
I just recently made my first timeshare purchase (re-sale of course) and I was considering Branson or Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg.  I decided to go with a EOY Gatlinburg purchase even though Gatlinburg is a considerably longer drive for us ( 7 hours to Branson, 16 to Gatlinburg).  Branson seems to be one of the easiest locations to trade into or to find low cost timeshare rentals; I didn't see that being the case with Gatlinburg. As for visiting, I like both locations!


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## gravityrules

duplicate message, sorry!


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## geekette

Great discussion!!

I've also been to both and agree with the other posters about similarities.  

While both areas have the tourist strip, it's the outlying areas that define the experience (for us).  Gat is much more than a strip, it's the gateway to The Smokies.  Branson also is much more than a strip with Table Rock Lake.   If it were me, I might find out if the group is more interested in mountains or boating.  

I don't necessarily agree that Branson has more upscale resorts.  Say what you will about Bluegreen quality, but I stayed in Mountain Loft in April and the unit we were in was VERY NICE.  Plush by my standards, and very well-appointed.  The gas fireplace was a great touch for our rainy spring trip.

You might let the exchange company requests make your decision for you, as the activities at either location are comparable.


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## wandering gnome

Collen,

Would you share your experiences with Daelive exchanging in the Midwest?  I have seen resorts listed on the coasts and I am curious about their availabity in the midwest.


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## dougp26364

geekette said:


> Great discussion!!
> 
> I've also been to both and agree with the other posters about similarities.
> 
> While both areas have the tourist strip, it's the outlying areas that define the experience (for us).  Gat is much more than a strip, it's the gateway to The Smokies.  Branson also is much more than a strip with Table Rock Lake.   If it were me, I might find out if the group is more interested in mountains or boating.
> 
> I don't necessarily agree that Branson has more upscale resorts.  Say what you will about Bluegreen quality, but I stayed in Mountain Loft in April and the unit we were in was VERY NICE.  Plush by my standards, and very well-appointed.  The gas fireplace was a great touch for our rainy spring trip.
> 
> You might let the exchange company requests make your decision for you, as the activities at either location are comparable.



It's not that Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge don't have nice resorts. It's that there's isn't a large number of them. We drove up to Bluegreens Mountain Loft and for the life of us couldn't figure out why it's not a 5 star resort with I.I. IMO the exterior of the resort was nicer than Gatlinbur Town Square, they seemed of have just as many amenities and the view from up on the hill/mountain was nicer that any view GTS could have offered. The units in GTS were not so nice that there could have been that big of a difference between the two. 

In Branson you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a 5 star timeshare that is really pretty nice. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge on the other hand just don't have as many timeshares, 5 star/gold crown or not, to compete. 

Gravityrules has noticed this when they mentioned Branson seems to be so much easier to trade into rather than Gatlinburg. There just isn't enough resorts in Gatlinburg to meet the demand. In Branson, there are more than enough timeshare units to meet the demand and their building more in several locations. Gatlinburg would have to be a pretty solid exchange week if you own a summer week IMO based on supply and availability.


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## gateacher

*Pigeon Forge is the way to go!!*

I vote for Pigeon Forge as your vacation destination.  Traveling with teenagers and possibly a young child, I think this is the obvious choice.  There are similar shows in both locations.  However, Dollywood is a great choice for families.  We are season pass holders and EVERYONE enjoys it.  It has the thrill rides for the teens and a great train for the little ones.  It is not your typical theme park.  It also has lots of interesting craft exhibits (glassblowing, quilting, etc.) that really interest the adults.  I've done the Florida themeparks, Six Flags, and Carowinds and Dollywood is my absolute favorite. I went there as a teenager and loved it. I'm now the mother of three--10, 7, and 3 and know that they love it. We gave them a choice of Pigeon Forge or the beach for our summer vacation and they chose to go back to Pigeon Forge. 

We went during Spring Break and stayed at the Fairfield Smoky Mountains in Sevierville which is 5-10 minutes away from Dollywood and is a great place to stay.  They had lots of activities on site and the accommodations were excellent.  It is a gold crown resort.  I hope this input helps a little.


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## anteween

Thank you all for your great recommendations.  I will talk some more to my husband and brother to see which one they prefer.  I am leaning towards Gatlinburg, only because of the Great Smoky Mtns.  I think this would be a wonderful opportunity for the kids.

II already has time available in a 2bd for the Westgate Smoky Mtn Resort at Gatlinburg.  It seems like a nice place to stay.  I do want to look into the Mountain Loft resort.

I was hoping to see if there were any exchanges into the Big Cedar Wilderness Club with DAE or SFX.  I still have time.


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## anteween

wandering gnome said:


> Collen,
> 
> Would you share your experiences with Daelive exchanging in the Midwest?  I have seen resorts listed on the coasts and I am curious about their availabity in the midwest.




Yes I will let you know what I hear from them.


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## geekette

anteween said:


> I was hoping to see if there were any exchanges into the Big Cedar Wilderness Club with DAE or SFX.  I still have time.



I doubt you will find a Big Cedar summer deposit anywhere.  These are typically used or rented out.  They are too valuable to deposit.


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## teachingmyown

It's been more than a decade since my last visit to Branson so I'll have to let others speak about it.  Gatlinburg/PF is like "home away from home" to our family.  With two teenaged boys you might not be interested in Outlet Malls, but if you are, you'll find plenty in Pigeon Forge, about 5 miles outside of Gatlinburg.

If they are like my boys they'll be more interested in adventure than shopping.  In Gatlinburg you'll find a great aquarium, a Ripley's Believe it or Not, lots of mini golf and a tram that will take you up to Ober Gatlinburg, which in the winter is a small ski resort but in the summer offers ice skating, and mountain sliding. (You ride the ski lift to the top of the mountain -- beautiful views -- then sit on a little sled in a trough and SLIDE down the mountain side.  TOO MUCH FUN!!!  There is also a bungie bounce and gyroscope ride thingy there.  (Pretty sure they are still there) 

If you enjoy history, then touring through Cades Cove is very interesting and driving over to Cherokee NC to the reservation is very cool also (but if you are there for a native presentation caution the 5yo that the chiefs have no patience for noisy children)

Hiking?  Then up Mt LeConte if you're serious hikers and up Clingman's Dome if you're casual hikers.

The Smokies offer great hiking, some very COLD swimming holes (far enough off the beaten path that though you won't be alone, they won't be crowded and if you don't mind the rocks and lack of lifeguards they make for a very cool way to spend a summer afternoon), trout fishing in the streams, wading, and more.  It's the only National Park in the system with no entry fees so "nice" guests are really appreciated!   (nice = don't litter, respect flora/fauna, drop some money  in the box at the visitor's center, etc.)

My boys love Pigeon Forge for the go kart racing, the mini-nascar racing, the many arcade areas, etc.  We like "The Track" and the Nascar center right down from the Fairfield.  (The Track has on-line offers and the Fairfield usually has discount offers for Nascar)  There is also an indoor sky-diving experience, and lots of putt-putt.  The Dixie Stampede is a favorite show as well, especially if it's been a while since we last visited.  (You don't want the front row  )

I know that Branson offers a lot, but you won't go wrong if you choose Gatlinburg.


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## JLB

I sense an undercurrent of the stigma Branson has as being an old folks destination, not fun for youngins.  Anyone here right now would testify that the youngins are winning out.

We do have an old folks season, every time but summer, but in the summer this is probably in Midwest's most popular family destination.

Many of the things being mentioned for the other area also have a comparable sustitute here.  In fact, the company that owns Dollywood and Dixie Stampede is headquartered here.  The Herschend family owns Silver Dollar City, Whitewater, Celebration City, the Branson Belle, and Dixie Stampede here.  Seems like they migh have an interest in the Ducks, too.

I know what Doug is trying to say, that Branson has more than 25 TS resorts, almost all of them much above average, so the odds of getting a nice one are great here.  I searched Summer, 2008, for someone recently and there were 18 resorts available.


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## falmouth3

JLB said:


> I sense an undercurrent of the stigma Branson has as being an old folks destination, not fun for youngins.



Exactly what my husband said when I asked him if he wanted to put Branson on our list of places to visit.

Any comments on Cabins at Green Mountain in the Branson area?

Sue


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## dougp26364

JLB said:


> I sense an undercurrent of the stigma Branson has as being an old folks destination, not fun for youngins.  Anyone here right now would testify that the youngins are winning out.





falmouth3 said:


> Exactly what my husband said when I asked him if he wanted to put Branson on our list of places to visit.
> 
> Any comments on Cabins at Green Mountain in the Branson area?
> 
> Sue



In the summertime Branson is DEFINATELY a family vacation destination and not a retirement home setting. Spring and fall might tip a little more towards the "blue hair" crowd but there's still plenty of families with young kids and teenagers running about and plenty for families of all ages of things to do and see.

Cabins at Green Mountain is one of the few non-five star resorts in Branson. They are now owned by Festiva and sit across the road from French Quarter resort. Those that have stayed at Cabins at Green Mountain have only had favorable things to say about the resort. All I can say is it has a nice "town" location with easy access to the traffic relief routes. It is right next door to Celebration City but it's on the back side and would probably still be a very long walk to the front gate. 

On other thing to mention that maybe hasn't been brough up. In Branson, they do not charge for parking at the amuesment parks. At least there is no charge for Silver Dollar City or Celebration City. We've never been to White Water so I can't speak for that park but I would assume parking is free there also.


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## falmouth3

dougp26364 said:


> Those that have stayed at Cabins at Green Mountain have only had favorable things to say about the resort.



Yes, it has good ratings on TUG, but not many reviews.  There's one for sale on eBay and it seems very inexpensive, so I was wondering why.  I am a member of RCI and apparently it's not an RCI resort so I couldn't get any additional info there.

Thanks,
Sue


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## Mom2MNEm

I sense an undercurrent of the stigma Branson has as being an old folks destination, not fun for youngins.  Anyone here right now would testify that the youngins are winning out.



LOL--we went to Branson Last year--in August. When we went to check in to our room--at Palace View--all I could remember thinking was that everyone waiting to check in was older than my parents. My kids didn't meet too many other kids and the ones they did meet were vactioning with--their Grandparents. Not too many youngins on the Branson Belle either.
Despite all of the gray hairs  --we had an awesome vacaion!

Lisa


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## dougp26364

falmouth3 said:


> Yes, it has good ratings on TUG, but not many reviews.  There's one for sale on eBay and it seems very inexpensive, so I was wondering why.  I am a member of RCI and apparently it's not an RCI resort so I couldn't get any additional info there.
> 
> Thanks,
> Sue



Branson is pretty overdeveloped. Most units go for very little money on E-bay and if they're not 5 star they sometimes go for almost nothing at all. Cabins at Green Mountain is a Festiva resort. Here's a link to Fesiva's page on Cabins at Green Mountain. They have a virtual tour of the resort that might be of some help to you. http://www.festivaresorts.com/greenmountain.html

I thought I had done pretty well purchasing a 1 bedroom unit at Grand Regency Resort in Branson for something like $285. I've since seen a few 2 bedroom units go for even less.


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## geekette

I thought the Cabins themselves were very nice - loved the hot tub on the porch!

What I didn't like about the resort is that it's basically built on asphalt, adding some trees to make it seem like a remote location.  The unit we toured was right below a parking pad.  I was not thrilled with the prospect of enjoying the hot tub with cars coming and going all the time right above us.


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## acesgame

*my two cents*

If you like music shows then Branson is the clear winner.  We love both places but we really like live music and Branson is a driving vacation so it is cheaper by 2 flights and a rental car.  That will buy alot of show tickets  

If you are going to Gatlinburg you should stay at Westgate Smokey Mountains.  They have opened a very large enclosed(the roof opens in summer)water park with lazy river etc. they also have hiking, fishing, horseback riding activities on property or leaving from the property.  That would eliminate the need to go to a water park and spend extra money.  We are going in september and will write up our evaluation (last time the water park wasn't built).  

As far as amusement parks go, if you are spoiled to a six flags type park, both SDC and Dollywood will be a let down.  They are theme parks not amusement parks so there are less rides and more shows and crafts.  I love it but I might not have as teenager.  If they aren't too spoiled, they can make it fun no matter where they are.  

Remember that in Gatlinburg (you will have a car because the airport is 1.5 hours away) you are not far from some fun stuff in North Carolina (gambling, the biltmore estate, kayaking etc).  Also, It is cooler in the mountains so in the heat of the day there is still a respite among the trees though I have never been there in the dead of summer.


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## gravityrules

_As far as amusement parks go, if you are spoiled to a six flags type park, both SDC and Dollywood will be a let down. They are theme parks not amusement parks so there are less rides and more shows and crafts. I love it but I might not have as teenager. If they aren't too spoiled, they can make it fun no matter where they are._

As an amusement park enthusiast, I rank SDC/Dollywood as a higher quality experience than even the best SF parks (SFOT and SFFT for example).  I think even teenagers can appreciate quality, well run rides.  Of course you're giving up some 'quantity'.  If you're only about the coasters, SFOT has 12 'coasters' of some type, SFFT has 7, SDC and Dollywood have 5 each.  Personally I'd rather re-ride a good coaster (like Powder Keg or Wildfire at SDC) than survive a not so good coaster (like Texas Giant or Flashback at SFOT).


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