Pigeon Forge theme park WildSide coming from creators of Anakeesta
The new Smoky Mountains outdoor theme park WildSide will feature bike trails and guided off-roading tours across 900 acres.
A new virtual reality experience will take you on a journey from the Garden of Eden to Pigeon Forge.
Truth Traveler is an immersive VR experience that will take guests on a virtual ride through the Bible, including scenes from Noah’s Ark, the Tower of Babel and the birth of Jesus Christ. And VR is only half of the attraction.
The $15.5 million, 26,000-square-foot facility also will feature a planetarium, which will show the scale of the universe.
The attraction is being developed by Answers in Genesis, the creators of the Ark Encounter in Kentucky.
Answers in Genesis President Joe Boone told Knox News the attraction will be a “fun, entertaining, engaging way to learn about biblical history.”
The attraction will be located at 2860 Parkway in Pigeon Forge.
What will Truth Traveler look like?
Guests will go into a bay that can hold up to 12 people. The bays will have VR headsets and benches that move through the experience, adding a layer of realism to the experience.
The ride will start by taking participants back in time to Genesis. You’ll see all of the Bible’s key events before returning to modern-day Pigeon Forge.
Truth Traveler will be able to accommodate about 100 people, Boone said, so that translates to about eight or nine bays.
The planetarium will take you on a trip through the cosmos in its massive 30-meter-diameter dome.
Food and beverages will be provided (Biblically themed of course), but the menu has not been finalized.
When can you visit Truth Traveler?
The attraction broke ground on April 22 and is expected to open in early 2025.
Ticket prices have not been determined yet.
To learn more, visit arkencounter.com/virtual-reality.
Silas Sloan is the growth and development reporter. Email silas.sloan@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @silasloan. Instagram @knox.growth.
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