TripAdvisor released their annual list of the world's top amusement parks, and one right here in Tennessee made the list...just maybe not the one you'd expect. The Island in Pigeon Forge ranks 9th on the list, just ahead of Disneyland Paris and behind Tivoli Gardens in Denmark.
Other American parks on the list include 3 Disney parks (Universal's Islands of Adventure, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom) plus Universal Studios in both Orlando and Los Angeles.
Europa-Park in Germany and Le Puy de Fou in France also make the Top 10.
The list honestly took me by surprise. Having been to Pigeon Forge a TON, we always drive by The Island but have never been super tempted to visit, especially with Dollywood (a much larger park) being just down the road.
But, according to TripAdvisor, the Top 10 list is based on customer reviews, not necessarily subjective criteria like quantity or quality of rides, cleanliness, etc.
So maybe the list should be "The Top 10 Amusement Parks That Customers Didn't Hate" or something like that. Either way, pretty impressive to see The Island mentioned in the same company as a bunch of Disney parks, so I'll probably check it out next time I'm in the Smoky Mountains.