I'd go with this.....
The entire place is a money grubbing tourist trap. If you must go, the Smoky Mountain Knife Works is worth seeing. So is the Ripley's Aquarium.
The big question is whether or not you are taking kids.
My folks retired there for years. Expect traffic. Some of the shows are good and not too expensive. I really second the Ripley's Aquarium because it's awesome, better than any I've been in. Be sure to take money to the knife works because you'll probably see something you like. Dollywood is a total anathema to kids and teenagers, but it's not bad for adults about ONCE. I mean they've got BROOM shops(?) One thing I did see there was the live eagle show with the rescued eagles. If you've got kids the go cart tracks are really cool.
Wonderworks is a humongous building that is built upside down. It's full of tricks, optical illusions, etc. and all of us enjoyed ourselves. If you haven't been in the park you should go. From Gatlinburg you can drive up to Newfound Gap and it's a good few hour trip and we stop at a few nature trails.
There are shows there for many tastes. Some are dinner shows. We saw a good magician show and took my Mom to see 'Elvis'. If you want a big night with dinner the 'Dixie Stampede' is worth seeing once. It's a real variety show. We thought the magic act with the wagons was really lame, but the ostrich races were funny.
Even though I've been to several Ripley's museums and they are pretty much the same, if you haven't been to one, try that in Gatlinburg. That's about all that's worthwhile in Gatlinburg, the place is a horrible tourist trap. Me and my son do share a laugh because when he was little we went on this horror subway thing that was so bogus we almost split our sides. If you ice skate Ober Gatlinburg has a good rink up a sky lift.
If you like carpet golf Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach are probably the biggest attractions in the world.

The one in PF with the 'volcano' that fires up every few minutes is pretty good.
I've been curious about the skydiving tower, but not that curious.
The Old Mill is worth a short visit.