We chose the gondola because my mom can barely handle the ski lift at places like Six Flags, that just go in a circle. Going up the mountain would have killed her. The tram costs $10 for adults, $8.50 for ages 7-11 and under 6 is free. The tram can be done alone or it can serve as merely a gateway to the exhibits at the top of the mountain. Once you get to top, you find a mall with trinket shops, food, and an indoor ice skating rink. You will also be able to buy admission to all of the attractions on top of the mountain. The attractions include a small amusement park, animal enclosure, an alpine slide, and a "spider web" Tickets are $3.50 a piece or a book of ten for $31.50. Most of the rides takes 1 or 2 tickets or you can purchase an all day wrist band. The bands are offered either as an "all day pass", which includes all the outside rides for $20 for adults and and $16 for 7-11 or as an "all activity pass" which includes all the indoor and outdoor for $30 for adults and $25 for 7-11.
They also offer winter sports as weather permits. We, of course being that it is August, were unable to take advantage of those offerings. We chose not to do the ice skating, despite TB's protests because it was $9 per person and I can't ice skate to save my life. We did decide to do the amusement park things, which proved to be less than pleasant. Originally, it was promoted as being something small, maybe taking an hour to complete. After we got to the hotel, there were brochures that showed it to be a much bigger deal, so we allotted half a day for it. Sadly, it ended up more than we thought and less than we hoped for.
The major sticking point proved to be the fact that under 6 can do anything on the mountain, without charge, provided they do it with a paying adult. This is despite other height restrictions and allowances. This was the major issue with our visit because MT wanted to do everything and none of it was really worth the effort for me. They have 3 water slides, which I would have had to change into a swimming suit to do because I have wet clothes issues (totally my own issue). According to one sign, over 42 inches could ride alone. According to another, children had to be 6 to ride without an adult. We asked an employee, who told us the 42 inch was the limit and as long as she met that, she could ride. Hooray, we sent the kids to the top of the slide to ride together only to have TB come down the slide and MT come wailing down the stairs, telling us that the guy at the top told her she needed a parent. After some argument and insisting that a manager get involved, the guy at the bottom took the kids to the top and put them on a slide. They rode a second time and all was right with the world. TB rode one of the other slides a couple of times. He luckily found another boy his age to ride with because, unknown to those of us at the bottom, he had to have someone to ride with because it was a requirement that there were 2 riders per raft.
After that, it was time for a snack and a rest because despite a lovely mild summer back home, the average temps were running in the upper 80s and lower 90s while we were here. After our break, we finished up using our tickets on the bumper cars (small and rickety and crowded) and the pirate ship fun house (house and smelly and too scary for the kids) and hit the tram back down.
Overall, I felt things were poorly maintained, rules were poorly communicated, the rides were far too expensive for the amount of things they offered. This would be an ok attraction for kids in the 7-8 and above range but doesn't cut it for the under 6 crowd, unless you have a parent willing to endure the janky rides for the sake of their kids.
Ober Gatlinburg gets 2 stars as an attraction. The tram ride gets 4 stars, unless you are afraid of heights, then you should probably pass all together.
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