Bear's Den's Log Cabin "Christmas 2008" Virtual Tour - Gatlinburg, TN

We invite you to enjoy the best the Smokies and Gatlinburg have to offer!

Remember . . The Bear's Den will be decorated for Christmas from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31!

We JUST had Matt Johnson of Ray of Light Media do a 360 degree virtual tour of the Bear's Den all decorated for the holidays. Click the virtual tour graphic below to launch it.

You can use your mouse to zoom around, up and down, and in and out. The interactive floor plan will let you click on any part of the room and the virtual tour will take you to that view!

It's ALMOST like being there!

Gatlinburg’s 32nd annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade is scheduled for Friday, December 5.

The City of Gatlinburg invites you to bundle up and generate a spirited dose of holiday cheer at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 5 in Downtown, with more than 100 parade entries including marching bands and giant helium balloons taking to the streets.

Santa’s Autograph Party cranks up at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Riverbend Mall, in the midst of a main viewing area for the Parade at Traffic Light #3 in front of the Gatlinburg Welcome Center. The parade begins at Traffic Light #1A on Hwy 321 and ends about an hour-and-a-half later at Traffic Light #10.

Jamming sidewalks and balconies along the parade route, a crowd in excess of 80,000 people is expected to soak up the illuminating festivities during this second phase of Gatlinburg Winter Magic, the City of Gatlinburg’s popular holiday lights program which is receiving a $1.5 million expansion.

To learn more about these and other events in Gatlinburg, call 800-56-VISIT (568-4748) or visit the Gatlinburg website at http://www.gatlinburg.com/.

Gatlinburg

BRrrrrrrr . . .It's Getting Cold! Warm up with the Bear's Den LAST MINUTE "Shoppers Special" Rates!

Once again the Bear's Den will be decorated for Christmas and ready for you and your family to enjoy a Smoky Mountain Holiday vacation! (December 1 through January 31st)!

To help you we're offering some LAST MINUTE SPECIALS! For arrivals from November 8 through April, you can stay 3 nights and get 50% OFF on your 3rd night . . .OR . . . 1 night FREE on 4 or more nights! Even BETTER . . .stay the week and get 2 nights FREE! Click here for details

The tree is UP (12/1) and the stockings are hung. All YOU have to do is bring the food and presents!

Snuggle up in this cozy log cabin and relax by the fire, play some games with the family, or kick back with a good book.

Our cabin is professionally managed for us by Jackson Mountain Homes of Gatlinburg. Call them TODAY! Toll Free (800) 473-3163 (until 9 PM) and ask for the Bear's Den or you can reserve your cabin 24/7 by using the on-line calendar!

All Aboard! The Polar Express 4-D Experience Joins Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival Lineup

www.Dollywood.com/ - The Polar Express 4-D Experience pulls into Dollywood's 19th annual Smoky Mountain Christmas festival Nov. 8, 2008 through Jan. 3, 2009, in the theme park's Imagination Cinema.

"This Christmas, I'm inviting families to take a spectacular holiday journey where dreams become real, and everybody knows I dream bigger than just about anybody else," Dolly Parton said. "On The Polar Express 4-D Experience, all you have to do is believe, and I sure do!"

This holiday season...What if there is a place beyond your imagination and to get there all you have to do is BELIEVE! Dollywood guests are invited to come journey to the North Pole where dreams become real and all of their senses come alive in this magical 4-D Experience. When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on an epic journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. The Polar Express 4-D Experience is based on the film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Shangri-La Entertainment, inspired by the beloved Caldecott Medal children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, and includes 3-D and 4-D effects that will make you BELIEVE.

SimEx-Iwerks is the worldwide exclusive distributor of The Polar Express 4-D Experience.





"The Polar Express is by far the finest magical cinematic experience of our lifetime," Mark Cornell, SimEx-Iwerks Vice President, Attraction Development said. "This iconic film is further brought to life with the perfected use of our own 4-D Special FX technology, and makes for an unforgettable multi-sensory adventure, leaving all who see with hair-raising goose-bumps!"

"Upon your arrival at the North Pole...it actually begins to snow inside the 4-D Special FX Theater and when the conductor sings "Hot Chocolate" and the dancing waiters begin to pour, the audience can smell the delightful aroma of every cocoa cup!! The state-of-the-art 3-D Digital projection system allows you to see images virtually leap off the screen and when combined with 4-D FX, a blend of realism and fantasy unlike anything seen before is impeccably delivered. A must see for
the whole family!!"

In addition to a winter wonderland of more than four million holiday lights, Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas festival includes a lineup of award-winning entertainment. Dollywood's Babes in Toyland, highlighted by the march of the 21 toy soldiers and a spectacular surprise finale, won the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Honorable Mention for 2007 Best Overall Production. Rounding out the Christmastime entertainment lineup are Christmas in the Smokies, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, An Appalachian Christmas, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, The Victorian Melodies, O' Holy Night, Carol of the Trees plus the nightly Lighted Christmas Parade. All shows are included with park admission.

Families also can explore Santa's Workshop, a magnificent 500-square-foot home away from home featuring larger-than-life-sized toys including "Jumbo the Elephant," which measures
nine-feet-tall; a seven-foot-tall sailboat; a five-foot-tall tricycle; an eight-foot-tall dollhouse; a six-foot-tall View-Master(R) that displays a variety of holiday images and more. Dollywood is a 130-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and operates mid-March through Jan. 3, 2009.

Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region.

For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary. Source - click
here

BRrrrrrrr . . .It's Getting Cold! Warm up with the Bear's Den LAST MINUTE "Shoppers Special" Rates!

Once again the Bear's Den is decorated for Christmas and ready for you and your family to enjoy a Smoky Mountain Holiday vacation!

To help you we're offering some LAST MINUTE SPECIALS! For arrivals from December 12 through the 18th, you can stay 3 nights and get 50% OFF on your 3rd night . . .OR . . . you can now stay 2 nights at our ALREADY low regular rates!

The tree is UP and the stockings are hung. All YOU have to do is bring the food and presents!

Snuggle up in this cozy log cabin and relax by the fire, play some games with the family, or kick back with a good book.

Our cabin is professionally managed for us by Jackson Mountain Homes of Gatlinburg. Call them TODAY! Toll Free (800) 473-3163 (until 9 PM) and ask for the Bear's Den or you can reserve your cabin 24/7 by using the on-line calendar!

Dollywood Christmas 2007 - Be SURE To Take Your Camera!

Enjoy a family holiday like no other with a heartwarming lineup of Christmas shows, holiday foods, and thrilling rides. Make this a Smoky Mountain Christmas you and your family won’t soon forget!

We go every year and ALWAYS find something NEW! This year we particularly enjoyed the Appalachian Christmans show at the Back Porch Theatre. As ususal, I took along my tiny Kodak V570 digital camera to record a few memories in stills and short videos.

I took all of the photos below "hand held" as I did not want to be burdoned with carrying lots of "stuff" if we went on any rides. If YOU want to take photos there, be sure to learn the basics about your camera before you start shooting.

My Best PhotoTip: Turn OFF your flash . . .and raise the ISO (Film Speed) to 400. There's almost always enough stage lighting to get a decent shot with available light. AND the photos will look more natural than the typical flash shot.

A little girl looks for an angel; three shepherds follow a star. They all find their way to the heart of “The Christmas Story.” 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007. This is in an open air pavillion and it's easy to get up close for a nice picture.

Again . . .adjust your camera settings. Here we actually lowered the ISO (film speed) so that we didn't freeze the water coming off the old mill.

Celebrate an acoustic Christmas at the Back Porch Theatre with Appalachian Christmas. Let the beautiful sound of the music take you back to a simpler time. 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007

The Robert F. Thomas Chapel hosts worship services at 5:30 p.m. each Sunday throughout Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007

For more Dollywood Christmas photos (2006) - Click here!