Nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, Anakeesta is a mountaintop adventure park in Gatlinburg undergoing a remarkable transformation. Renowned for its blend of natural beauty and exhilarating experiences, the park is making headlines with an ambitious $100 million expansion set to unfold over the next five years. This investment marks the largest growth phase since Anakeesta’s debut in 2017 and signals a new era of innovation, designed to deepen visitor connection with the Smokies while enhancing the adventure and wonder the park is known for.
Bryce Bentz, Anakeesta’s President, speaks passionately about the park’s vision during this pivotal time: “(It’s) not just about growth, it’s about purpose.” He emphasizes that the expansion goes beyond mere physical enlargement, focusing on innovation that respects and celebrates “the spirit of the Smokies.” Bentz envisions Anakeesta as a multi-generational destination where families will “feel wonder, delight and connection at every turn.” This purposeful growth is underscored by thoughtful design and cutting-edge experiences that will gently elevate the natural landscape’s beauty and storytelling potential.
The first phase of the expansion, which kicks off in November, introduces a futuristic lift system—56 new glass-bottom gondolas offering panoramic 360-degree views and a swift four-minute ascent to the mountaintop. “The new lift will be faster and have a larger capacity,” taking visitors from the Parkway up to the park’s summit. Each gondola’s wraparound windows and transparent floors are designed to heighten the sensory experience, blending the thrill of speed with the serene majesty of the Smokies. During construction, guests can still access the mountain via the Ridge Rambler guided vehicle tour, highlighting the park’s commitment to uninterrupted visitor enjoyment.
Beyond the lift, the park is expanding its storytelling canvas with the Firefly Experience debuting in fall 2026. This immersive attraction uses lighting, art, and technology to recreate the mesmerizing natural phenomenon of synchronous fireflies—a rare spectacle many visitors miss due to its lottery-only access in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Firefly Village will be reimagined as a winding, nature-infused gathering space that includes flowing water features, new overlooks, and expanded canopy pathways. Visitors can explore deeper into the forest with additional towers and bridges on the Treetop Skywalk, enriching their physical and emotional engagement with the environment.
What sets Anakeesta apart in the context of nature-based immersive experiences is its deft blending of high-tech innovation and organic beauty. The new gondolas’ glass-bottom feature and panoramic design reflect a growing trend in immersive venues: using transparency and elevated perspectives to foster connection between guests and nature. These elements resonate with a global move toward experiential learning outdoors, contrasted with more traditional indoor fulldome theaters. In doing so, Anakeesta offers an alternative exploration model that is simultaneously thrilling, educational, and deeply rooted in place-based storytelling.
This expansion also reinforces Anakeesta’s role alongside the same creative team that developed MegaZip—the longest continuous zip line in the United States in nearby Pigeon Forge—and WildSide, an off-road mountain bike and adventure park. Bentz remarks, “Our goal has always been, from the very beginning, to really help people have an adventure and experience (the Great Smoky Mountains) in different ways.” This philosophy coalesces both the thrill-seeker’s appetite for adventure and the contemplative wanderer’s desire for immersive nature experiences, showcasing how innovation and environment complement each other.
Anakeesta’s multi-year growth strategy is a compelling example of how outdoor immersive venues can broaden the fulldome and immersive experience landscape by integrating natural elements with advanced technology. By prioritizing visitors’ emotional and sensory connection to the environment, the park contributes meaningfully to the evolution of immersive media and experiential design, expanding opportunities for creators and audiences alike.
For the global community of planetarium directors, immersive media creators, and educators, Anakeesta’s model demonstrates how adventure parks can evolve into dynamic storytelling hubs—engaging diverse audiences with a blend of spectacle, education, and reverence for nature. It sets a precedent for creating lasting connections between people and place through immersive experience, proving that innovation in the field thrives not just under a dome, but wherever imagination takes flight.
Originally reported by Charlotte Coates via eu.knoxnews.com on 2025-11-07 04:27:00.
Read the full original article here: eu.knoxnews.com