Wild Bear Falls Water Park: tips, rules and planning
Wild Bear Falls Water Park at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park is an on-site indoor/outdoor water park whose admission is sold separately for most guests. It’s open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; riders must be at least 48 inches tall for the major slides and children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult.
In this guide
Quick planning checklist
Decide whether you’ll buy Wild Bear Falls admission separately—most room rates do not include water-park tickets. Owners and owner-guests may have complimentary passes up to their unit occupancy; check your booking details for owner access.
Pack appropriate swimwear and safety items (life vests are available on request). Bring a towel from the room or plan to use the resort’s towel policy if available—confirm at check-in.
- Confirm Wild Bear Falls hours (daily 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.).
- Plan to check in at 4:00 P.M. and out by 10:00 A.M.
- Bring a government-issued photo ID and the credit card used to reserve the room (reservation holder must be at least 21 to check in).
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Separate water park ticket | Most stays don’t include admission |
| Check-in/out times | Check-in starts at 4:00 P.M.; check-out 10:00 A.M. |
| ID for check-in | Reservation holder must be 21 with matching photo ID |
Wild Bear Falls hours, admission and owners’ access
Public hours for Wild Bear Falls are listed as 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. Tickets are sold separately for most guests, so budget for admission unless your reservation specifically includes it.
Owners and guests of owners sometimes have complimentary access (owners-only hours have been noted at 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and certain owner sessions); confirm eligibility and any daily occupancy limits with resort staff before arrival.
- Public hours: 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
- Owners-only hours have been listed as 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.; Friday nights may have restricted access (check current policy).
- Tickets usually purchased at the resort—ask the front desk or concierge for current pricing and availability.
| Who | Typical access |
|---|---|
| Most guests | Separate ticket required |
| Unit owners/owner-guests | May have complimentary passes (verify prior to arrival) |
| Children under 10 | Must be supervised by an accompanying adult at all times |
Rules, safety and what to bring
Wild Bear Falls enforces swim and conduct rules: proper swimwear is required, no sharp objects are allowed, no running/horseplay, and no spitting. Life vests are available on request for non-swimmers or those who want extra flotation.
Rider height restrictions apply: guests must be at least 48 inches tall to ride the main water slides; children’s pool slides are exempt from that height rule. An adult must supervise children under 10 inside the water park at all times.
- Appropriate swimwear required.
- No sharp objects, no running, no diving, no spitting.
- Life vests available upon request.
- Children under 10 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
| Rule | Note |
|---|---|
| Height requirement | 48 inches for major slides; children’s pool slides excluded |
| Pets | No pets allowed inside Wild Bear Falls |
| Weather policy | Park stays open during rain unless lightning/thunder is present |
Operating conditions, closures and weather policy
Wild Bear Falls will stay open during rain showers as long as there is no lightning or thunder nearby. If lightning or thunder is detected, the park closes and reopens only after a mandatory 30 minutes with no lightning or thunder.
Owners’ or special-hours scheduling and renovation/maintenance work can alter availability; if you’re traveling during a scheduled maintenance window or off-season, confirm water-park availability with the resort before you go.
- Open during rain unless lightning/thunder is present.
- Mandatory 30-minute closure after lightning/thunder before reopening.
- Check with resort for special hours, owner sessions, or maintenance/renovation notices.
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Lightning/thunder | Park closes; reopens after 30 minutes with no storm activity |
| Light rain | Park may remain open |
| Planned maintenance/renovation | Availability may be limited—confirm with resort |
Dining and quick bites near the water park
Several on-site outlets serve water-park visitors and resort guests. The Roaring Fork Snack Bar operates on the second floor of Wild Bear Falls and offers quick grill items during mid-day hours, while Mountain Pizza handles evening pizza pickup and delivery.
The Marketplace (grab-and-go grocery café) provides sandwiches, Starbucks beverages, groceries and snacks across from the water park—useful for snacks, kid-friendly lunches, or simple in-room meals.
- Roaring Fork Snack Bar: open daily 12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Mountain Pizza: open daily 6:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. (pickup/delivery).
- The Marketplace: Sun–Thu 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.; Fri–Sat 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (hours may vary).
- Southern Comfort offers lunch (12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.) and dinner service—reservations accepted.
| Venue | Best for |
|---|---|
| Roaring Fork Snack Bar | Quick park-side burgers, pizza, sandwiches |
| Mountain Pizza | Pizza pickup or in-room delivery after park hours |
| The Marketplace | Coffee, grab-and-go sandwiches and groceries |
Choosing a room and in-room tips
Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park offers villa-style lodging as well as Resort Select rooms; if you want extra living space for family time, look at Villa, 1 Bedroom and Villa, 2 Bedrooms or one of the Deluxe Villa options. Studios and Room (Resort Select) are smaller alternatives for couples or solo travelers.
All rooms include free Wi‑Fi and housekeeping on request; the resort charges a nightly resort fee that covers fitness center access, in-room safe use, pool access and self-parking. Remember the reservation-holder age rule at check-in.
- Room types to consider by name: Villa, 1 Bedroom; Villa, 2 Bedrooms; Deluxe Villa, 1 Bedroom (King); Deluxe Villa, 1 Bedroom (2 Full beds); Studio (Villa); Room (Resort Select).
- Resort fee applies per accommodation per night (covers fitness center, safe, pool access, self-parking).
- If bringing dogs, verify that your chosen room type allows pets and follow the property’s pet rules and fees.
| Room name | Beds (as listed) |
|---|---|
| Villa, 1 Bedroom | 1 King Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed |
| Villa, 2 Bedrooms | 1 King Bed, 1 Queen Bed and 2 Double Sofa Beds |
| Room (Resort Select) | 1 King Bed |
Getting around and nearby attractions
Westgate is on a Gatlinburg hillside at 915 Westgate Resort Road, minutes from downtown and attractions. A free Gatlinburg Trolley stop serves the resort (Purple Route) and runs along the Parkway; the trolley is free to ride year-round.
For other short trips, renting a car or using rideshare/taxi is common. Nearby attractions include Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Anakeesta, Ober Gatlinburg, Ripley’s Aquarium, and the Gatlinburg Parkway entertainment strip.
- Address: 915 Westgate Resort Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738.
- Free Gatlinburg Trolley (Purple Route) stops at the resort; trolley service is fare-free.
- McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is the nearest major commercial airport—roughly a 1-hour drive depending on route.
| Attraction | Typical travel time from resort (subject to traffic) |
|---|---|
| Wild Bear Falls Water Park | About a 1–2 minute walk (on-site) |
| Downtown Gatlinburg Parkway | A few minutes’ drive (varies by route) |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Under 10 minutes to park entrances (drive times vary) |
