Lengthy earlier than Dollywood opened its gates in Pigeon Forge on Could 3, 1986, Dolly Parton had designs on constructing a theme park within the Nice Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, the place she grew up.
A 2023 USA As we speak article quoted the award-winning singer-songwriter as saying that when she would go to the county truthful as a toddler, she thought to herself, “If I make it large, if I get wealthy like I used to be dreaming I’d, that I would like to do one thing particular, to come back again dwelling and construct a park of my very own.”
In a 1982 interview with Barbara Walters, simply 4 years earlier than the park opened, Parton shared that she dreamed of constructing “Smoky Mountain fairyland,” akin to Disneyland in East Tennessee, “one of the fantastic locations on this planet.”
Anybody who has adopted Parton’s illustrious profession is not going to be stunned that she made her dream of making a spot “the place the tradition and other people of the Smoky Mountains could be celebrated and loved by everybody” a actuality.
Now in its fortieth season, Dollywood has grown and adjusted an important deal since opening its gates, however one factor stays the identical — Dollywood nonetheless is and can all the time be a vacation spot the place households can have enjoyable and make reminiscences amid the pure great thing about the Smokies.
Here is a take a look at the park’s historical past and a peek at what’s in retailer for Dollywood’s future.
Earlier than Parton lent her moniker to the park, it operated below totally different names and possession for the reason that early Sixties. In 1986, the Herschend household (who additionally personal and function Silver Greenback Metropolis) offered a stake to Parton, upgraded a number of park parts and renamed it Dollywood.
Parton grew up only some miles from the park, and the partnership allowed her to meet her dream of bringing guests to the gorgeous Smoky Mountains whereas supporting her area people. Parton nonetheless co-owns the park with the Herschends.
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A number of of Dollywood’s opening-day sights are nonetheless in operation, together with the Dollywood Categorical steam practice, Dolly’s Tennessee Mountain Residence (a duplicate of the two-room cabin the place Parton grew up), Smoky Mountain River Rampage, Aunt Granny’s Restaurant, the Again Porch Theater and the Robert F. Thomas Chapel (named for the physician who delivered Parton), the place guests can attend a weekly Sunday service.
Just like the Dollywood Categorical practice, the park continued selecting up steam within the Nineteen Nineties.
Associated: The ten greatest rides at Dollywood for the entire household
Throughout this time, the park constructed a number of main expansions: the 7-acre Showstreet space close to the park entrance, the Nation Honest space with traditional rides and carnival video games like those that impressed Parton to open her theme park, and an space impressed by Parton’s hometown of Sevierville referred to as Jukebox Junction.
In 2001, Dollywood opened its water park, Dollywood’s Splash Nation. The water park is celebrating its twenty fifth anniversary season this 12 months.
A few of Dollywood’s hottest curler coasters opened within the 2000s and 2010s.
In 2007, Dollywood opened a curler coaster that turned my physique and my understanding of physics the other way up. When you’ve ever ridden it, you understand I’m speaking about Thriller Mine. This metal coaster has some gravity-defying maneuvers, together with a 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop, that left me speechless.
Throughout this time, the park additionally opened Thunderhead, a picket coaster; Wild Eagle, the primary wing coaster within the U.S.; and Lightning Rod, one other picket coaster with a prime velocity of 73 miles per hour.
In 2015, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa opened its doorways. DreamMore was the park’s first on-site resort, with a design that completely encapsulates Parton’s stardom and Southern attraction. This resort was joined by the once-in-a-lifetime alternative to remain in Parton’s former tour bus in 2022 and the opening of Dollywood’s Heartsong Lodge & Resort in 2023.
Associated: 11 greatest inns close to Dollywood
Additionally in 2023, TPG was available for the grand opening of Dollywood’s latest and longest curler coaster, Large Bear Mountain. Parton herself made an look (on this planet’s most endearing bear costume) to sing a music she wrote for the grand opening.
Final 12 months, the park opened The Dolly Parton Expertise, an interactive museum with reveals overlaying Parton’s profession. Guests will journey via Parton’s profession, costumes, household and extra.
The park has greater than doubled in measurement since opening in 1986 and hit document attendance numbers final 12 months. There are additionally rumblings that the park will develop once more in 2026. There aren’t many particulars but, however Dollywood revealed at this season’s grand opening media occasion that it is going to be a “revolutionary new expertise in contrast to something anyplace else on
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