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Congratulations on your upcoming trip. I grew up about 60 miles from that area, I've long since moved away but go back at least once every year. Depending on the weather over the next few weeks and what time in April you plan to visit, the Redbuds, dogwoods, and many wild flowers will be in bloom in the park; it should be a really good time to visit.
There is no shortage of RV parks in the area, and depending on what you are most interested in seeing might influence where you want to stay. If you are coming from I-40 eastbound, exit 407 will take you through Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg with numerous RV parks in all 3 places. You might be interested in going further east on I-40 into North Carolina where you will find many more parks. As Lynwood mentioned, the Blue Ridge Parkway is an absolutely beautiful drive.
Our favorite park is Pine Mountain RV Park in Pigeon Forge. It appears to be fairly new and has mature trees and landscaping. It's on the small side (a plus for me) with 62 full hook up sites. It's immaculately kept, and pricing is fairly reasonable for the area. There's a brand new Camp Margrativille in Pigeon Forge that I stayed at once during the grand opening; I'm a long time Buffett fan and just had to do it. They've since opened a few more sections. It will be really beautiful in a few years; all of the trees are recently planted and the tallest might be chin high. They are also quite pricey. Both of these parks are near the eastern end of Pigeon Forge and if you're going into the park, there's a bypass around Gatlinburg.
A park in Gatlinburg I've stayed at is Smokey Bear RV Park on hwy 321. It's a little older, also has mature tree canopy and only 46 sites. It's a really beautiful park. There are several parks along this highway, this is the only one I've visited.
Pigeon Forge is filled with outlet malls, Dollywood, numerous midway type rides, go karts, hotels, dinner theaters with many different themes, many restaurants, and a pancake house seemingly on every corner. It's highly commercial. Gatlinburg has numerous small and unique shops and restaurants. One of our favorite restaurants anywhere is The Peddler on River Road in Gatlinburg. There is no shortage of local and chain restaurants, diners, and deli's in Gatlinburg. There's also an arts and crafts loop near Gatlinburg. This is an area with numerous potters, weavers, wood carvers, painters; most of these folks are members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. This guild requires the artisan submit a sample of their work to a jury for admission; it's not just filling out an application and paying dues. They are very good at their craft.
I've never stayed at a park on the Carolina side, but do know there are many. Lynwood would be a better resource for recommendations there.
As far as tips, it seems that the first full week in April is a popular time for school spring breaks and will likely be pretty crowded then. This area gets a lot of weekend traffic year long; I've found if you check in on A Sunday, most of the traffic is going the opposite direction than you. If you choose to stay at a park in Gatlinburg, most tend to be along hwy 321, do NOT plan a route that requires you to pull your rig through downtown Gatlinburg. It's very narrow, many traffic lights, and usually pretty congested.
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