Pigeon Forge, TN: Part 4 (Moving and Great China Acrobats)

Today, we moved out of the cabin in the morning and into the "Presidential Suite" of the Family Inn of America (FIA). My advice to you: Do *NOT* stay in the Presidential Suite at the FIA. In fact, it's probably better that you don't stay at any of the FIA brands. If you decide to visit Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge one day, I would recommend that you do NOT stay at the FIA Twin Malls. The list of infractions are too numerous to mention here, but you can rest assured that I jotted them down and gave to Grandma to present to their "management." You are better off staying at one of the other name brand hotels. The Marriott and Holiday Inn looked especially good.

The Free Continental Breakfast was coffee, orange juice / fruit punch that was ONLY plugged in during the breakfast hours (6.30 AM - 10.30 AM EST) and glazed donuts. The free Breakfast Special was at another hotel called The Grand Hotel 10 minutes away. We went there and discovered that the free breakfast was either pancakes or biscuits and gravy. This did not include the drink. Here is the stickler: You had to pay for a drink to get either pancakes or biscuits and gravy for free. You could have upgraded to the breakfast bar for $ 4.00 and had some lovely canned fruit cocktail (ala Sysco), burned up hockey pucks (err, sausage) and limp pancakes. As Minnie sang later, "The Grand Hotel is not very grand." Indeed.

We convened a short family meeting and opted to go elsewhere. We decided to go to Shoney's, and interestingly enough, most of the waitstaff and managers were Polish natives. A lot of them were going to university or just finished their studies.

After Shoney's, we unpacked at the Presidential Suite and prepared to go to the Great China Acrobats show down the road. Michael's sister and her family went when they were in Gatlinburg, and it sounded like great fun. We went to the 3.00 PM show which lasted two hours with a fifteen minute intermission. The performances were outstanding overall, and the kids even had an opportunity to meet, shake hands and get autographs of the performers.

Of course, I know what you're thinking.... "What the hell are they doing in Pigeon Forge, TN?" You and I are thinking along the same lines, and I am not sure why they selected Pigeon Forge, but I do know that a lot more folks are more educated as a result of watching the show.

After the show, we had dinner at the Mandarin House. We received a 10% discount with a ticket stub. My only gripe about this buffet is that there was no dim sum or sushi. Oh well, it was fairly good for a Chinese buffet. Enjoy the pics!


The kids outside on the deck of the cabin helping us move out.


The kids with first group of the Great China Acrobats troupe.


The kids with the second group of the Great China Acrobats troupe.


The kids with the last group of the Great China Acrobats troupe. Michael said that he saw a number of them leave from the back entrance in street clothes pretty quickly!