Nicole S.
Yelp
If you're visiting The Island and you have kids with you, get the unlimited rides wristband! Your kids are going to ask to ride every ride they see, and if you have a wristband, then they will be able to ride as many rides as they want.
The wristband allows you 48-hour access to unlimited rides on the carousel, Happy Swing, Thunderdome, the giant ferris wheel that they call the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, and a dozen other rides and attractions. For $10 more, you can add the ropes course, too.
My children really liked the ropes course! It's challenging for older kids, but it also has a lower-to-the-ground area for younger kids. The piece de resistance of the ropes course is the free fall area, where you jump from a high point all the way to the ground. The ropes course doesn't have a time limit, so you can explore as long as you want. My kids spent about 20-30 minutes here.
We also really liked the big ferris wheel: the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel. This ferris wheel is huge, and when you're at the top, it seems like you can see all of Pigeon Forge.
The Island is like a big outdoor mall, with lots of shops and restaurants, but it's also like a mini amusement park because of all the rides. You could spend a good chunk of the day here, just riding rides and walking around. There is a lot to see and experience at The Island.