Did you know an entire rentable Harry Potter-inspired village is hidden near Gatlinburg, TN?
In the Smokies, we have a grand tradition of thumbing our noses at things like laws. We have traditionally eschewed the idea that outsiders can come here and tell us what to do. Especially up in the mountains where we are free and hard to find.
So, I’m not particularly surprised that the billboard for Pirates Dinner Theater features a character not in the actual show. Specifically, someone who looks dangerously close to Captain Jack Sparrow. Similarly, the Ancient Lore Village – a place I love – has very carefully stepped around the landmines of creating a vacation getaway with the essence of the “Lord of the Rings” without attracting the ire of the famously protective Tolkien family attorneys, it seems.
And so, I’m also not surprised to see others playing in the same pond. Welcome to The Forgotten Forest which is not, to be clear, “Harry Potter” themed. However, it surely seems to be “Harry Potter” inspired. But that is not the only theme. The recipe for The Forgotten Forest is a dollop of “The Hobbit” a smidge of “The Wheel of Time” a pinch of “Narnia” and add a massive, heaping helping of “Harry Potter” and you’ve got a magical, one-of-a-kind getaway hidden in the hills of Sevier County.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What is The Forgotten Forest?
It is a magical, whimsical answer to vacation rentals. Visitors can live like Hagrid or Bilbo or Ernie & Stan Shunpike on the Knight Bus. The property is decorated with nods, hints and feints to the most deeply beloved fantasy classics. In addition to the various immaculately themed vacation rentals, the property is decorated with statues, relics and objects meant to heighten the sense of magical wonder. It’s cosplay-friendly. But no real weapons are allowed.Leave the swords at home, kids. There is, however, a 9-foot battle horn should you need to call your fellow vacationers to your aid.It is billed as a place to:
“… live like the halflings, witches, wizards, elves, and fairies of your favorite movies and books, Where every ride in the Magical Trolley leads to a land of castles, great halls, mythical creatures, burrows, treehouses, and many imaginative dwellings.”
It’s a fantasy getaway in Kodak, appropriately in the forgotten Sevier County community on Douglas Dam Rd near Exit 407 on I-40.
About the buildings
There are a variety of fantasy-themed options for your vacation stay. The Gamekeeper’s Hut – for instance – looks quite like a place where Hagrid would be comfortable mourning the death of a giant spider. The Wizard’s Trolly looks like just the kind of conveyance that might magically appear were you confronted by an Animagus. Perhaps whilst on your way to the Buc-ee’s. Other options include Shiner’s Shire, a dwelling in which Bilbo and Frodo would be quite comfortable even if the round door is bright blue instead of forest green.
There is a Mandrake Lodge, a First Love cabin with some of the angular architecture of the Weasley’s burrow.There’s an inn, a knoll, a hollow, a landing and a nest. And there’s a pirate ship, all themed to exist in a fantasy world.Some are more obviously themed than others. How heavy is the Potter inspiration? The Gamekeeper’s House and Wizard’s Trolley are pretty clear in their inspiration.
This summer, The Forest plans to open a pool. It will feature a magical waterfall, a basilisk water slide and a mermaid ready to swap fantastical tales.
How to book
It’s easy. Go to The Forgotten Forest website and click on the vacation rental that best fits your fantastical entrance. You will be magically whisked away – via the interwebs – to the Airbnb website where you can complete your booking.&;
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