# Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gaitlinburg TN



## TravelTime (Sep 20, 2021)

Has anyone been to this resort and/or part of Tennesse? I asked a friend who lives in Memphis and she said the town is nice. I did not ask her about the timeshare bc I doubt she goes to timeshares.


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## jwalk03 (Sep 20, 2021)

First timeshare I ever stayed at back in 2016.  It was a nice resort and has a very good location close to the National Park.  Westgate likes to nickel and dime non-owners staying there so they can talk about how great it is to be an owner.  There was a charge for Wifi and to use the onsite indoor waterpark.  The regular pools and fitness center and mini-golf were all free.  The onsite restaurants were mediocre but there is no shortage of options a short drive away in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge.


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## tschwa2 (Sep 20, 2021)

The Smoky Mountain National Park is beautiful but the reason it is the most visited national park is that it has no admission fee and is within a days drive of half of the US population.  It's nice.  Gatlinburg in general and Pigeon Forge can get quite crowded during the summer and during leaf season.  I was there in July and it was unseasonably hot (near 100 most days I was there) and the whole area was like a crowded Myrtle Beach boardwalk on steroids' without the ocean to cool off in.  I have no desire to back in the summer for at least another 10 years.


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## TravelTime (Sep 20, 2021)

tschwa2 said:


> The Smoky Mountain National Park is beautiful but the reason it is the most visited national park is that it has no admission fee and is within a days drive of half of the US population.  It's nice.  Gatlinburg in general and Pigeon Forge can get quite crowded during the summer and during leaf season.  I was there in July and it was unseasonably hot (near 100 most days I was there) and the whole area was like a crowded Myrtle Beach boardwalk on steroids' without the ocean to cool off in.  I have no desire to back in the summer for at least another 10 years.



I have early November reserved for 2022 because the girls get Veteran’s day off and probably a second day off that week. I hope the leaves are still changing and it’s nice.


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## eschjw (Sep 21, 2021)

The leaves in the mountains peak around mid October and the trees are bare by late October. The leaves around Gatlinburg usually peak late October and are usually still nice in early November. I will be there the first week in November this year. It would be unusual for there to be much left by Veteran's Day, but you never know.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 21, 2021)

Not sure that Gatlinburg is right for you, there won't be any hoity toity grapes and foot baths!  The place and its nearby town of Pigeon Forge is a traffic infested tourist trap. Think Ripley's museums and other skitchy museums you find in places like Niagara Falls and Orlando. And worse of all, a lot of country music.


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## Snazzylass (Sep 22, 2021)

TravelTime said:


> Has anyone been to this resort and/or part of Tennesse? I asked a friend who lives in Memphis and she said the town is nice. I did not ask her about the timeshare bc I doubt she goes to timeshares.


Stayed there years ago and thought the T/S was very nice. November will be off season, so there's that.
Are you flying in and renting a car?
I fell in love with the area as a kid. I love the mountain music and the crafts and the hiking.
I've taken my bike and rode through Cade's Cove. I took my kids one hot July and we went white water rafting.
My son and his wife were just there and reported that my favorite Alpine outdoor park is still there. There's a chairlift in town which is fun.
Actually, I think it's a fun place to take kids. We went there a few times for fall break in Oct and I've been there in March.

I would think the weather could really put a damper on things for you. I would guess it could be damp and gray and chilly. But, as I recall, you are from the East Coast? I had mentioned how much I love the area to a SoCal SIL years ago. Her eyes just glazed over as she was thoroughly a CA girl. Now she lives in Franklin, TN.


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## Gwendyc (Sep 22, 2021)

We really like Gatlinburg, but we live 5-6 hrs away and have only camped/RV camped there. The park is nice if you enjoy outdoor activities. Traffic in town can get bad. There is a lot to do, but many of the family activities (WonderWorks, mini-golf, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Ripley's Aquarium, Dolly Parton Pirate Dinner Show) can be found in other places like Myrtle Beach or maybe Orlando. There are a lot of dinner shows, too, kind of like Branson.


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## TravelTime (Sep 22, 2021)

dioxide45 said:


> Not sure that Gatlinburg is right for you, there won't be any hoity toity grapes and foot baths!  The place and its nearby town of Pigeon Forge is a traffic infested tourist trap. Think Ripley's museums and other skitchy museums you find in places like Niagara Falls and Orlando. And worse of all, a lot of country music.



I love country music and mountains but scared of the traffic and crowds.


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## TravelTime (Sep 22, 2021)

Snazzylass said:


> Stayed there years ago and thought the T/S was very nice. November will be off season, so there's that.
> Are you flying in and renting a car?
> I fell in love with the area as a kid. I love the mountain music and the crafts and the hiking.
> I've taken my bike and rode through Cade's Cove. I took my kids one hot July and we went white water rafting.
> ...



I grew up in Miami from age 4+ and born in New York. Went back to New York for 4 years, then moved to California. Then back to Miami for 4 years and back to California. I have now lived in California a lot longer than the East Coast. I do like “diversity” so I have been wanting to visit Tennessee.


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## TravelTime (Sep 22, 2021)

I booked Nov 4-11 because a 2 BR was available. However, I see a 1 BR for Sept 30 - Oct 7. I really want to see the Fall change of colors on the leaves. Would that be a better week?

We are 2 adults and 2 kids so we could squeeze into a 1 BR.


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## TheTimeTraveler (Sep 22, 2021)

TravelTime said:


> I booked Nov 4-11 because a 2 BR was available. However, I see a 1 BR for Sept 30 - Oct 7. I really want to see the Fall change of colors on the leaves. Would that be a better week?
> 
> We are 2 adults and 2 kids so we could squeeze into a 1 BR.




The leaves will be 100% gone by November, so if you want to see leaves at all then go in October.   Plus, it will be a little warmer.

Enjoy your trip!



.


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## Snazzylass (Sep 23, 2021)

TravelTime said:


> I booked Nov 4-11 because a 2 BR was available. However, I see a 1 BR for Sept 30 - Oct 7. I really want to see the Fall change of colors on the leaves. Would that be a better week?
> 
> We are 2 adults and 2 kids so we could squeeze into a 1 BR.


It likely will not be the peak but you have a better chance of seeing leaves start to turn colors at the beginning of Oct. So, yes, this is a better choice to see the leaves. Hope it all works out well. I like you will like the temps better the first part of Oct, too.


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## TravelTime (Sep 23, 2021)

I contacted II and the resort about what kind of 1 BR we would get. I gave them the dates but II said unless I do an ePlus exchange, I will not know the code. I do not want to do an ePlus exchange to find out the code bc I only have two more exchanges left. Does anyone know how to find out the room code without making an exchange. I contacted the resort but they said contact II. II said contact the resort. If we would be place in the 500 sf 1 bedroom, I would not want to stay in it. That is really studio size. It would be too small for 4 people for a week.

Another question, if we keep our early November reservation, other than being too late to see the leaves change color, would we still have a lot of fun in spite of this? What would light hiking in the Smoky Mountains be like in early November? Are there enough evergreen trees that the mountains would still be beautiful?

Space is very important to me even for a week. I can‘t see being happy if we stay in the tiny 1 bedroom. I might be okay if we got the 700-800 sf 1 bedroom but even that is tight for the 4 of us. We live in a 5400 sf home so going down to a small unit on vacation can be a mental struggle.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 23, 2021)

The Unit Code should appear in My History.


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## tschwa2 (Sep 23, 2021)

I was told that an agent should be able to tell you the unit type (although II doesn't guarantee that the resort will honor it) but if you know that the particular resort does honor it then the info should be helpful.  I have a relative that I book a particular resort and she is very familiar with the resort and one of the one bedroom types is smaller and filled with oversized furniture that she can not maneuver her walker around and the resort only places guests in the unit type that was deposited with interval.  I usually grab the desired date knowing I can cancel within the 24 hrs if the non desired type comes through.  I did this once but it was within 7 days of check in and I found out that the 24 hr cancel does not apply and even though I called to cancel within the hour my only option was to add eplus and then use the retrades- (grrrrr- it will probably expire unused or I will have to get a cancellation replacement week).  I was told in the future to call and that an agent would be able to tell me the unit type listed (again stressed that the resort is not bound to honor that type) without having to actually book it or use an eplus.


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## eschjw (Sep 23, 2021)

TravelTime said:


> I booked Nov 4-11 because a 2 BR was available. However, I see a 1 BR for Sept 30 - Oct 7. I really want to see the Fall change of colors on the leaves. Would that be a better week?
> 
> We are 2 adults and 2 kids so we could squeeze into a 1 BR.


Westgate is located on the lower end of Gatlinburg. There is over a 5,500 foot elevation gain in the mountains. If you choose the one bedroom, the leaves around Gatlinburg will be green. The leaves in the park will be starting to change. The park will be very crowded.  If you choose the 2 bedroom, the leaves and crowds in the park will be long gone, but there is a chance for some colour around your resort. The colour peak at the lower elevations is usually around Halloween.


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## TravelTime (Sep 23, 2021)

eschjw said:


> Westgate is located on the lower end of Gatlinburg. There is over a 5,500 foot elevation gain in the mountains. If you choose the one bedroom, the leaves around Gatlinburg will be green. The leaves in the park will be starting to change. The park will be very crowded.  If you choose the 2 bedroom, the leaves and crowds in the park will be long gone, but there is a chance for some colour around your resort. The colour peak at the lower elevations is usually around Halloween.



Right now, I am learning toward keeping my early November week from Nov 4-11, 2022, because:

1) I can get the 2 BR which is over 1200 sf with a balcony
2) My kids would only need to miss 3 days of school since it’s Veterans Day week
3) It sounds like if I go the week of sept 30 - Oct 7, then I might also miss the change of colors bc it will be early and I will possibly end up in a small 500 sf one bedroom

If I could get a mid-October week in a 1 bedroom, it might be worth considering the risk of the small 1 bedroom if the change of colors is more guaranteed.

A question I have for folks who are familiar with the Smoky Mountains: Do all the trees lose their leaves and get bare or will there still be a lot of evergreen trees so at least there is some color in early November? Is there still beauty after the leaves fall?


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## Gwendyc (Sep 23, 2021)

TravelTime said:


> Right now, I am learning toward keeping my early November week from Nov 4-11, 2022, because:
> 
> 1) I can get the 2 BR which is over 1200 sf with a balcony
> 2) My kids would only need to miss 3 days of school since it’s Veterans Day week
> ...


I went in mid-March one time and I still thought we saw plenty of scenic sights. 

FWIW, we have a camping trip planned to be in the area the week leading up to Veterans Day. I'd rather have smaller crowds even if means missing peak leaf season (besides, we want to go to Dollywood Christmas).


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## TravelTime (Sep 24, 2021)

Gwendyc said:


> I went in mid-March one time and I still thought we saw plenty of scenic sights.
> 
> FWIW, we have a camping trip planned to be in the area the week leading up to Veterans Day. I'd rather have smaller crowds even if means missing peak leaf season (besides, we want to go to Dollywood Christmas).



Everyone is saying it is better to avoid the crowds. Thanks for mentioning Dollywood Christmas. I just looked it up and it sounds wonderful. The Christmas lights and the shows sound fun. This is a good reason to go in November instead of October.


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## jwalk03 (Sep 24, 2021)

I have been to Smokey Mountains like 8 times I think at various times of the year, and the absolute worst most crowded I have ever seen it was a week in Mid-October during leaf season! Significantly worse than any Summer week I have ever been there.  It wasn't even enjoyable to try and see the leaves because the traffic was bumper to bumper all the way up to Cligman's Dome and there was absolutely nowhere to park anywhere in the park.


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## LMD (Sep 24, 2021)

We stayed at this resort last February and will be going back in April over Easter break. We stayed in a 3BR and will have the same in April. The unit itself is nice. We were on the top of the mountain with a fantastic view. Our building was right next to the fire pit, pool and zip line.  We thought the resort was in a great location. It is close to downtown and about 5 or 6 miles from Pigeon Forge. There was a lot to do especially for the 9 year olds traveling with us. When we go in April we plan to do more hiking since it will not be quite as cold.


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## 2rebecca (Sep 25, 2021)

I live in NETN and have been visiting Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area at least once a year for the last 10 years.  I stayed at the Westgate resort in May/June of this year.  First I'll share my positive thoughts...It is located directly across from the park entrance, so if you want to visit the park the location is great.  The views at the top of the mountain are some of the best in the area!  It is the only resort I've stayed at in Gatlinburg where I've actually seen a bear from my balcony.  My kids loved the water park, but there is an additional fee.  (The fee wasn't terrible or we wouldn't have gone.)  The staff was friendly and came to the room immediately when we called with issues.    

The negative...Our 2 bedroom unit was comprised of a studio and 1 bedroom units with a shared foyer.   (There is one door to the outside that requires a key but has no deadbolt/chain since it is sometimes shared by different parties.  Then there are 2 keyed doors with deadbolts to each unit off the foyer.  The laundry is in the shared foyer too.)  This setup would be ideal when my parents travel with us since they would have their own space and could lock out the kids.  However, my boys (ages 9 & 10) were sharing the studio, so we couldn't use the deadbolts since I didn't want them locking me out at night or vice-versa.  The II confirmation says each bedroom has a king bed, but the studio only has a queen.  This became a bigger "problem" for us because the sleeper sofa in our unit was broken.  Maintenance came immediately and was very friendly, but couldn't fix it, nor would they let us move units.  They knew the sofa needed to be replaced, but they hadn't started renovations on our unit yet as there were supply shortages for sofa materials.  (They still rented/exchanged it as "sleeps 8" though!)  There were 5 of us, so we needed a sleeper sofa.  Fortunately, my daughter is young enough (age 8) that sleeping on a slope didn't bother her the first night.  After the first night she just slept on the couch because converting to a bed was a challenge.  And finally, while the resort offers plenty types of amenities, there just aren't enough amenities to accommodate the number of rooms/guests during peak season.  

II lists this resort as "elite", but it is far from that.  It might have been elite when it was built but not now.  (At least our unit wasn't!)  Now, I'm not saying I wouldn't return here or that our stay was horrible.  It wasn't and I would definitely return, but it wouldn't be my top pick.  I prefer Bent Creek, but my parents own there and we stay in a cabin.  In the grand scheme of things, my "problems" weren't true "problems", but when a resort is listed as elite my expectations are higher!!  

As for time of year, I prefer November, but I grew up in NETN and took school field trips to Silver Dollar City (before it was DollyWood) every year, so I've seen this area in every season.  Now I prefer less traffic and less heat!  I second everything Tschwa2 said above and I'll add that, unlike Myrtle Beach, there isn't a grid of roads where you can turn the next block and eventually get out of the traffic!  In Gatlinburg, once you're in it, you're in it for the ride!  Dollywood is beautiful at Christmas time and I believe they start the season in early November but check their website.  HTH!


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## sfwilshire (Jan 17, 2022)

I'm a little late to the conversation, so let me know if I miss anything. I laughed about the reference to Memphis. I live in East TN and had a (remote) boss once who called and ask me if I could "run over" to the Memphis office for something. I had to remind her I live 400 miles from Memphis. We'd gladly let Arkansas have Memphis. It's not much like the rest of the state.

A lot of different comments about best time to see the leaves. It's complicated and changes every year. I try to get in one good drive into the mountains to take pictures and I never hit it just right. My wedding anniversary was planned around expected peak leaf color, which in 1984 was October 21 or so in the valley. It has gotten later every year. Peak in the valley is more like mid-November. Peak in the mountains, usually right at the end of October / beginning of November.

I live about an hour from Gatlinburg and own two weeks at a lovely timeshare there (Tree Tops Resort), but haven't been to Gatlinburg since two of my 30 something kids were in a high school band event there. Too many tourists for my taste. We quiet often got to Pigeon Forge (for Dollywood and to get doughnuts at the Apple Barn) and to Townsend (the quiet side of the Smokies, but Gatlinburg is as touristy as others report in this thread. Westgate is in an awkward place between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. It also got a lot of fire damage in the wildfires 5 years ago, but I'm sure it's fixed by now. Tree Tops and Oakmont or the Wyndham in Pigeon Forge would be good timeshare choices. There are probably others that I'm not aware of.

Favorite scenic drives are the Cherohala Skyway and the Foothills Parkway. Cade Cove is cool, but again, too many tourists. I was tempted last year until I heard that people were taking 6 hours to get around the loop. You can go in any direction from here and see mountains with leaves. The drive from Nashville to here or vice versa is pretty too if you're driving. The Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend is a real gem. They also have the best Santa if you're ever here at the right time of year.

2rebecca is correct that the Dollywood Christmas starts early in November. They usually close for a few days at the first of the month and then reopen. Definitely worth a visit. And if you'll be back, you can buy an annual pass for the following year and get the current year free. So November 2021 - December 2022 for a year's price. I don't ride coasters, but they have a pretty respectable set, some nice shows and lovely decorations. They even added fireworks at night this year, but it was only warm enough for us to stay that late once. 

Let me know if you have any other questions a semi-local may be able to answer. The Gatlinburg area survived the pandemic better than a lot of areas. There business ever slowed down significantly, even when things were closed down completely.

Sheila


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## ocdb8r (Sep 15, 2022)

Refreshing this thread as we find ourselves in a similar situation to the original poster.  We are west coast natives who now live abroad and are starting to think about plans for fall '23.  We have no exposure to the Smoky Mountain region and are bringing a couple of English friends who thought some "leaf peeping" and exploration of this area would be nice.  While we'd avoid many of the big tourist traps, we are interested in a couple of the dinner shows, perhaps a day at Dollywood if we can catch the beginning of the Christmas season there and would do a hike or two in the park.

So....any updated suggestions or thoughts?  We'd likely come in the last weekend of October.  I know that means leaves may have already dropped, but I figure we'll be mobile enough to move around the park or nearby to find any beautiful vistas that remain.  Any updated reports from the Westgate?

Reading this thread made me a bit depressed and hesitant.


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## Talent312 (Sep 18, 2022)

We'll be there 10/7 - 10/14 (in about 2+ weeks).
We'll stop in Atlanta on the way up from Florida.

I've been sentenced to a lifetime of 1x a year trips,
as DW has relates who live in nearby Knoxville with
mandatory visits.

We prefer mid-October to see the leaves changing.
Cases Cove and driving to Bryson City, NC, is a treat.
.


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## eschjw (Sep 19, 2022)

We went to Cades Cove on November 2nd last year and the leaves in the lower elevations of the park were just past peak, but there was still some nice color to be seen on the drive. In Gatlinburg where the Westgate resort is located, the leaves were peaking that week. Dollywood was closed after Halloween for several days while they were redecorating for Christmas.  I would highly recommend doing Dollywood at the end of October (it closes on October 30th this year - reopens on Novenber 5th) and visiting the park on a weekday.


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## dsmrp (Sep 30, 2022)

Hi, we're thinking of e-plus exchanging into this resort for early May 2023 due to the hurricane destruction in Florida.
1. What's it like in the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge area in May?  Hopefully not crowded as summer since school's still in session?
DH likes walking, and doesn't mind elevation gains, so it looks like a good place for him.

Is there high pressure from Westgate to attend a presentation?
We have absolutely no interest in any presentation. It doesn't matter if they assign us a crummy unit, we won't attend.
I read one recent Marketplace review who said they didn't have any pressure. All the other reviews were from 5-7 years ago and mentioned
more pressure sales tactics.

What sections of the resort do II exchanges usually get assigned to?

Thanks for your answers.


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## Bunk (Oct 30, 2022)

@TravelTime 

DW and I just booked a week next year beginning November 3 as opposed to mid October because we want to maximize our enjoyment of the National Park.  We'd rather deal with less crowds, even if it means we'll be there after the foliage has peaked.  I think your logic is pretty sound.  One suggestion I have is to be prepared for cold weather, and make sure you have layered clothing


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## Laurie (Nov 1, 2022)

I'm late to add my 2 cents, but I'll pipe in. A few years ago we finally made it to Gatlinburg and Smoky NP for a week, since we've already visited most NP's and wanted to visit this very popular one, closer to home. It was last wk of September, and was early for leaves, except at highest points. Frankly the town of Gatlinburg with its tourist excesses depressed me, and I wouldn't go back. The park was nice but didn't really wow me.  However for leaf-peeping and just mountain viewing, walking and hiking, there are many timeshare choices in western NC, near enough to the Blue Ridge Parkway (which I believe is actually the most visited NP, since it includes people just driving on it point to point). The parkway on the peakest of leaf weekends, literally with bumper to bumper traffic, is still spectacular (no problem to drive slowly to ooh and ah), with so many walks of different lengths right off the parkway. If you're a week or 2 early or late for peak leaf, you can almost always reach other altitutes for better and even peak color. I especially love Banner Elk and Blowing Rock areas. So it might pay to widen your searches.


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## dsmrp (Nov 18, 2022)

Talent312 said:


> We'll be there 10/7 - 10/14 (in about 2+ weeks).
> We'll stop in Atlanta on the way up from Florida.
> 
> I've been sentenced to a lifetime of 1x a year trips,
> ...


Hi, I read somewhere that Westgate charges exchangers for WIFI. What were you charged for your week's stay? 

Also what did Westgate charge at checkout for state or city lodging tax? What size unit were you in?  I just want to estimate expenses for friends who might be sharing our 2bdrm unit with us. 

Thanks!


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## noreenkate (Nov 18, 2022)

dsmrp said:


> Hi, we're thinking of e-plus exchanging into this resort for early May 2023 due to the hurricane destruction in Florida.
> 1. What's it like in the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge area in May?  Hopefully not crowded as summer since school's still in session?
> DH likes walking, and doesn't mind elevation gains, so it looks like a good place for him.
> 
> ...



I live in Nashville and head up to Dollywood several times a year…Dollywood is beautiful decorated several times a year and worth popping over for the Fall Harvest Festival at night when it’s all lit up

Late October is the best time for leaf peeking  IMO-

also I always like to recommend for the mountain views 








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## Timeshare Von (Nov 28, 2022)

I love the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . . . and dislike Gatlinburg (and the surrounding towns) due to the high volume or tourists and car traffic. I've stayed at a couple of the timeshare resorts in the area (Wyndham Smoky Mountains and Skyview Resort) . . . both were nice and a little bit away from the main strip and people.


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