It’s become a running joke at this point that Sam and I make it a priority to stop at smaller parks during our journeys just to grab an SBF Visa coaster credit. With one called Spinning Parrots sitting smack dab in the middle of Pigeon Forge, you best bet we were going. This wouldn’t be a new credit for me since I rode it back in 2019, but for Sam and Jen it would be. And this one called Spinning Parrots at The Island in Pigeon Forge would be Jen’s first-ever SBF Visa credit. She’s such a baby enthusiast!
There will be plenty more SBF Visas coming Jen’s way with all the trips we plan to do. Plus, one of these days I’m sure we’ll stop at Fun Land of Fredericksburg on the way down to Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW) or Kings Dominion. I’ve tried to fit that stop into several trips down to those parks, but it just never worked out. I honestly figured that would be her first SBF, but alas, it’s Spinning Parrots.
One & Done
Our final day in Tennessee was one that saw us trying to fit in stops at the Titanic Museum Attraction, Rowdy Bear’s Smoky Mountain Snowpark, Lost Mine Mountain Coaster, The Island in Pigeon Forge, Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, Goats on the Roof, the Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster at SkyLand Ranch, Wilderness at the Smokies, and another stop at Buc-Ees. We also wanted to eat at some point too, of course. So yeah, we had a jam-packed day and got things underway at 9 a.m.
With so much on our plate we decided to just ride Spinning Parrots and be on head on out. With that being said, I won’t be discussing any other rides at The Island. I was able to take some photos of those rides while Sam and Jen spent some time sampling some Moonshine at Ole Smoky Moonshine before we ate lunch at Mellow Mushroom. Be sure to check them out in the gallery at the end of this report.
There is a nice sampling of smaller rides here, some of which offer some nice levels of thrill too. I’ve experienced similar rides at other establishments and enjoyed them. If you have time, I think you’ll have fun hitting up some of this park’s other offerings too. It was just not in our schedule on this trip.
Spinning Parrots
I feel like I never know what to expect on these SBF Visa Spinning Coasters. There have been times where I don’t spin much and then there will be times like Myrtle Turtle at Pavilion Park in Myrtle Beach where we spin non-stop, even doing numerous rotations after the train has come to a stop in the station. That kicked both Sam’s ass and mine that day!
While boarding the three of us were split up into two different cars. Sam and I were placed in the back of one car and Jen sat in the front of the next. Sam and I had two people sitting in our car as did Jen. Since Jen didn’t have someone else sitting with her, however, that gave her car unbalanced weigh distribution, which usually results in more spinning. And from what I could see while doing some spinning ourselves, it did look like Jen was experiencing more spinning than Sam and I. I don’t think Sam minded though. I know I didn’t. With all we had left to do and an eight hour car ride home, a calmer ride was perfect.
There isn’t really too much else to get into here with the ride experience. For anyone who has experienced these figure eight layouts, they’re pretty basic. Go around a few times, spin however many times, and you’re done. If you’ve done one, you’ve done them all. Well, figuratively speaking. Sam and I are definitely trying to ride them all. I think we have quite a ways to go, but talk about a thoosie flex!
Final Ride Counts
Spinning Parrots (1)
Need More Time
Both times I have visited The Island in Pigeon Forge it was to ride Spinning Parrots. In 2019 I walked over, rode it, and left. This visit we did get to hit up a few shops and get eat before leaving. Still, I haven’t truly had a chance to enjoy this spot and would like to one day. Hopefully I’ll have more time to relax in future visits now that I’ve crossed off so many of the mountain coasters off my to-do list.
The Island in Pigeon Forge deserves some time, so if you’re planning to go, you might want to keep that in mind. There is plenty to do here between the rides, arcade, shops, restaurants, and other stand-alone attractions. It’s perfect when it comes to families, so if you have little ones, this might be a better stop than some of the others I’ve covered in recent trip reports from the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge areas.
The Island in Pigeon Forge Photo Gallery - October 21, 2024
If you would like to use any of the images in the gallery above for your commercial and/or non-commercial projects, feel free to do so. I ask that you credit We Were Inverted whenever they’re used. I also ask that you do not alter the image or remove the watermarks. If you need any images/video resized or without the watermarks, please contact me directly.
CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Sam
Admiral
New Credit(s): Spinning Parrots
Jen
Captain
New Credit(s): Spinning Parrots
