Pigeon Forge TN has a lot of things to experience. There’s Dollywood, of course. And no less than 3 dinner theaters (Dolly Parton’s Stampede, Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud, and Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show). There are also several miniature golf and go kart attractions to choose from, plus a plethora of shopping and dining opportunities. To say nothing of individual activities like the Titanic exhibit, Wonderworks, Pink Jeep tours, and the list goes on and on.
Many of the attractions in Pigeon Forge are things you’ll see in any tourist town. However there’s one thing there that’s only available in 4 cities in the U.S. (Pigeon Forge, Wisconsin Dells, Amesbury MA and Roundtop Mountain Resort in Lewisberry PA), and just 14 countries around the world (Canada, the Czech Republic, Estonia, India, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the U.K. and, of course, the U.S.) It’s called Zorbing.
According to Wikipedia, Zorbing is also known as globe-riding, sphereing or orbing. It’s the recreation or sport of rolling downhill inside an orb, typically made of transparent plastic. But a whole lot of people say it’s like being in a human sized hamster ball. 😉
Here’s how they describe it on their website:
The Experience!
Get ready for an exciting zorbing adventure that comes with a refreshing twist- You will get soaking wet! Dive inside an 11 foot orb with 10-15 gallons of temperature controlled water! Slip n’ slide into your next adventure with 3 different courses!
Water temperature varies between 70°-95° based on seasonal weather
Our Tracks:
- Red: • Most Popular• Up to 3 Riders • Zig-Zag + Drop •
- Purple: • Fast Track •Up to 3 Riders • Straight Drop • Up to 25 MPH
- Orange: Extreme Track •Solo Rider Only • Continuous Zig Zag • Requires one course to be ridden prior!
How Rolls Work!
You’ll need a roll per person, per track they ride, regardless of sharing an orb! A party of 10 will need 10 Rolls total for the entire group to ride once, 20 Rolls to each ride twice, or 30 Rolls to all ride all 3 courses.
Online Rolls- $20
Walk-In Rolls $25 (subject to availability)
Spectators- Free (Do not include with amount of guests)
Anyway, the four of us, Sharon, Joe, and our friends Norman and Samantha, agreed to try this Zorbing thing. We made our reservations a couple of days before, and off we went.
Normy said in the car ride there that he wasn’t going to ride; he’s got a bum knee from when he was in the Army and doesn’t do anything that could mess it up more than it already is.
Joe is generally a scaredy cat (that’s a direct quote. How I’ve gotten him to go spelunking and do stuff like Tilt is beyond me) and I knew his participation was iffy at best.
But we got there and then Joe (a.k.a. “Mr. Safety”), made the mistake of actually READING the waiver they make you sign. The one that mentions you’re going to participate in a dangerous activity that could cause the possibility of serious injury or death. From their waiver:
I know and fully appreciate that by utilizing the OGP Pigeon Forge LLC dba Outdoor Gravity Park facility, I am subjecting myself to the risk of injury (including, but not limited to, bumps and bruise, tissue sprains and strains, fingernail and toenail damage, cut, dislocations and broken bones from falling or sliding inside or outside of the OGO during entry or exit from the OGO; collisions with other participants inside or outside the OGO, acts of negligence by other participants, or any other injury in any other way) AND EVEN DEATH (as a result of, but not limited to, spinal cord injury, broken neck, and other serious injuries if falling inside or outside of the OGO, or as a result of amy other injury caused in any other way).
They also specify that SHOULD you get injured or die, they carry no insurance that will cover you. AND that, if you sue them, you agree to pay the Zorbing people $50,000 per each named defendant, plus their actual attorney fees.
- People who developed rashes and blisters because the Zorb balls were filled with “abnormal levels of bacteria”
- Broken limbs ad nauseum
- Zorbs that got picked up by wind and carried the people way off course
- A guy in Russia who died while Zorbing
I’m much more of a risk-taker than Joe is, but yeah…I was out, LOLOL!
That left Samantha, and even after reading the waiver, she was still ready, willing and able to go Zorbing. She had read on the waiver that, if someone doesn’t want to sign it or use the Zorb after reading all the warnings, they could get a refund. She had paid for the 4 of us, but told them she wanted a refund for 2 of them (she planned to go twice). The kid at the front desk said they could give her credit for future rides but she said no, she’d rather get the refund they offer. So they did.
Joe, Normy and I got comfy on a picnic table to watch all the action.
Sam got on line to take the bus to the top of the hill and after 2 or 3 busloads (the place is popular and the bus only takes a handful at a time), it was her turn.
The first hill she took was the red one; it’s the one that has a path that zigzags.
Here’s what it looked like from the inside (they give you a GoPro and you have the option to buy the video):
When she got out of her Zorb, Samantha came back to us and told us it was SO MUCH FUN! She said it felt like she was riding on a wet, cushioned seat on a bumpy road.
She asked if I wanted to give it a try and I did consider it for a second, but I still had the dead Russian and all those broken bones on my mind ;-). So I said no.
Sam’s next ride was the orange “extreme track.” It’s a little steeper (so it goes faster) and has a few more zigzags in it. Here’s her GoPro video:
Once again, she had a blast.
They tell you to bring a change of clothing, so once Sam was done, she got out of her bathing suit and put on her dry clothes. After she paid for her GoPro footage (they emailed her a Dropbox link), we were on our way to our next adventure.
We really enjoy the Pigeon Forge (and Gatlinburg area) and wind up going every 2 or 3 years. Assuming the 4 of us go back again, I miiiiight give Zorbing a shot next time. I understand the people in suits make places list every possible outcome. I also realize the chances of anything bad happening are pretty remote. And Samantha looked like she had a WHOLE lot of fun. So next time? Yeah, maybe.
*** Many thanks to Norman and Samantha for being our travel buddies, and a special thank-you to Sam for sharing her experience with us chickens 😉
Feature Images: Outdoor Gravity Park, Pigeon Forge, TN
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