northernravens
We really looked forward to this tour, booked in advance and were genuinely excited. Everyone was nice, but from start to finish our tour was only 40 minutes which included the video. We felt very rushed and not able to observe all the interesting work going on. We were pushed through from start to finish and shown the door without any opportunity to ask questions.This plant is a big part of the community and what they do is world scale. It is too bad they do not want to take the time to share it with a classy tour. We don't know what has happened since the previous reviews, but Nissan should be embarrassed.We don't like to write poor reviews but this was so disappointing we had to.
sStone0508
Everybody knows that Nissan's are dependable and long lasting, same goes for their factory tour. Tours are Tuesdays and Thursdays and you must call ahead to make a reservation however this is definitely something to see and is a no charge attraction. It takes a couple of hours to see what they permit you to see but it's a couple hours well spent. When you first arrive, you park in the employee parking lot, only after your are confirmed and buzzed in. Once you find parking you can begin the trek to the plant. If you're someone who is not very mobile or is restricted in mobility, this tour is not for you. You must walk quite a ways in/out and some during. Once inside you will watch a short clip on how Nissan got it's start. You will then be provided a hard hat, ear plugs and safety goggles where you will then be loaded onto an open trolley of sorts that will shuttle you around the plant. You see really neat things while on this tour from the paint department to the assembly and stamping. You will also receive a lot of information and statistics pertaining to the Nissan brand and the plant via provided headphones. You cant imagine what hard work goes into making each and every car on the market. You can even see what parts are made by humans and which are made by robots. I believe there may be an age limit when reserving plant tours, I know we saw no children and I wouldn't advise taking yours, this is definitely a tour for the mature. You will be really close to welding, grinding/stamping machines, we even had a really large crane hoisting things over our heads while on the tour, I remember thinking this hard hat seems silly when watching the million tons relying on a mechanical crane being hoisted over my head, lol. Overall, highly recommended tour, I've been on no other like it.
MojoDad
My sons are big fans of shows like "How It's Made", "Factory Made", and the like. So when we were planning a trip to Nashville, we decided to look into a tour of the Nissan plant in Smyrna. It is a rare opportunity to see something truly impressive and is well worth the time. Everyone, including mom, LOVED IT!It starts with a 20 minute video in a theater and then you're taken on a guided tour via tram through the plant, driving through all of the activity. You will get to see the sheet metal stamped into fenders and doors, the body welded together by robots, workers assembling the chassis, etc.Here are a few facts that it took time to root out while making plans:1. Tours are only available Tuesday and Thursday at 10 am and at 1 pm.2. The tour takes about an 1 1/2 hours, including the video.3. BOOK IN ADVANCE. 2 weeks is not enough in the summer (it was 2 MONTHS...)4. Tour Phone Number: 1-615-459-1444 (There is an answering machine that asks you to leave a message to book.)5. Tour E-Mail: NissanSmyrnaPublicTours@Nissan-USA.Com (which is stated in the message).There were 60 spots available when we went and summer camps seem to take up most of them. We actually had to e-mail a week before and ask to go on "stand-by" (which I suggested - they obliged but it's not their normal procedure), with no guarantee of getting on the tram. The friendly folks at Nissan accommodated us and we were fortunate to be able to participate because not everyone shows up.If you go, note that it's roughly 30 to 40 minutes south of Nashville off I-24. There is a main entrance gate to the parking lot that has a buzzer to be let in. When you go into the lot, drive straight back towards the fence and look for the signs on the fence that point you to the rally point for the tour. The personnel gate that you enter is pretty much in line with the parking lot entrance. A tour guide will come to get you at the gate when its time to go, they'll check your name against the roster and will then escort you in, maybe 10 minutes before the scheduled tour.And for all of that, it's FREE!ENJOY!
shafaul
This is a very informative and interesting tour. You need to book ahead because there can be up to a two week wait. It's a fast moving tour riding on trams, each with it's own tour narrator who explains through your headsets what you are seeing as it can get very noisy. Lasts about an hour and there is no walking involved on the tour itself, except through a very small gift store if you choose to check it out. Come early! Parking is likely to be away from the entrance gate. No photos or phones allowed--they are serious about this. Either leave them in the car or you will hand them in before the tour and retrieve them after. You couldn't use them during the tour anyway.
csblinky
We've scheduled a factory tour several times as a homeschooling family and this place is super cool. The technology they use, the sheer size of the place, and the manufacturing processes are awesome to learn about and your kids will remember it forever.
Kcbandjac98
I think it's pretty good, I wish the trams would slow down just a little so you could see more. But it's very interesting.
DebiY_12
The plant is amazingly clean and modern. I was surprised that a factory could employ so many people with smiles on their faces.....Must be a great place to work!
larryw4405
It is amazing how robots are assembling our vehicles. Another good class trip for Jr. High Students.
Marykayeee
On my third trip to Nashville, I was looking for something different to do and came across the Nissan tour that is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays (must call ahead). It was awesome to see almost every stage of the manufacturing process of a car or truck. When you get there, and you must be there 15 minutes ahead of time or you probably will not get in, you sit in the conference room for a 9 minute video overview of what you will see on the tour. Then you are led to a tram where you put on headphones and a very capable tour guide drives you through the plant for almost an hour. The plant is 5 million square feet! You see doors being stamped out of a piece of metal, robots welding the car together, people putting in wiring, seats, carpet, tailgates, etc. etc, etc. You cannot see the paint process as the environment is sterile, of course, but you see the new cars coming off the line, being tested, etc. I cannot imagine anyone not being amazed by watching this process. Very professionally done. Kids over age 5 welcome, I believe.