Some of our best days of summer are spent at various water parks, pools, and splash pads. My son loves water and so does my niece. In the wintertime, it can be hard to find activities that keep these kids entertained. It wasn’t until recently that we found the perfect place for wintertime water fun.
For my niece’s 6th birthday, we went to the Wild Water Dome located in the Wilderness at the Smokies resort in Sevierville, which is an indoor waterpark that can satisfy the need for water slides in the winter months.
When you first walk in, it may seem like a smaller space, especially if you tend to frequent the outdoor waterparks in the area. But, after spending time on the many attractions, you’ll find that it is small but mighty.
There are activities for every age group.
There are two zero depth splash pad style areas. One is designed for very small children and is equipped with small slides, cute animals, and baby seat bouncers which my son just loved. The bigger splash pad area is made for slightly bigger kids. It includes moderately bigger slides and a bucket full of lots of water to dump from overhead. The wave pool is a lot of fun, but could definitely be a bit intense for little kids. The water slides were tons of fun and the best part was that they had a very small line. We waited five minutes at most for each slide. I have wanted to go on the giant funnel ride at other water parks, but have not been able to because of the lines. I finally got my chance. The slides I went on were so much fun!
The highlight of the trip, however, was the surf rider body surfing attraction.
It was a favorite for my niece and of course the big kids (my brother-in-law, dad, and husband) had to join in too. If slides and wave pools are not your thing, they have a normal pool with a swim through curtain that takes you to a bigger pool with basketball hoops. The bigger pool is in an area which I assume is open air in the summertime.
There is plenty of opportunity to sit and relax. There was definitely no shortage of seating. Tables allowed for families to sit together and enjoy snacks, while the individual seats allowed for seating at all the different attractions. This was perfect for those of our group who weren’t too keen on getting in the water.
Even though it is an indoor water park, it is important to remember sun protection should still be worn. It is easy to forget when you’re inside, but the full window ceiling still lets in plenty of sun.
When all the water fun is done or you just need a break, there is a cafe with burgers, pizza and frozen yogurt. There is also a cute little candy shop with some really enticing treats. With current renovations, it will only get better. We were told future plans include more slides, a lazy river, a lot more seating, and more. It’s projected to be finished this fall, so it will be the perfect activity for next winter.
There is so much more this resort has to offer that we did not get the opportunity to take advantage of. They have a ropes course, indoor mini bowling, a rock climbing wall, laser maze and more. Even if you don’t plan to stay, they offer day passes on a lot of activities.
The Wild Water Dome is a hidden gem of so many fun things to do. I think this may have to be where we have our next staycation — it’s Thompson family approved!
