Dollywood to Celebrate Dolly Parton With New Installations & Experiences: ‘We Will Carry Her Dreams Forward’
"She taught us here at Dollywood how to dream big," Eugene Naughton, president of the park, said.
Dollywood is preparing to honor the late country icon Dolly Parton with a series of new installations and experiences at its theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Following Parton's death on August 25, the park's president, Eugene Naughton, announced plans to celebrate her life during a press conference on September 2. Parton's legacy is already being honored through various projects, including a "cascading mountainside waterfall" installed outside the Robert F. Thomas Chapel.
The waterfall, which features a sculpted guitar, will provide a space for visitors to reflect and enjoy the nature that inspired Parton. The chapel itself will also feature new stained-glass windows that depict the changing seasons, showcasing Parton's love for the Great Smoky Mountains. A new character, called the Dream Maker, will be introduced in Dollywood's Wildwood Grove in 2027, encouraging guests to dream big, believe in themselves, and lift others up through courage and kindness.
The Dream Maker and her Dream Wagon will give children the opportunity to share their own dreams, hear stories inspired by Parton, and see how sharing dreams can make them even more meaningful. Additionally, the park will feature a new grand finale to the I Will Always Love You room in the Songteller experience, new kiosks for guests to share how Parton inspired their dreams, and a new entrance celebrating the park's Dreamer-in-Chief and her life and work.
The city of Sevierville, located near Dollywood, will also introduce "In Dolly's Footsteps," a walking tour with markers indicating locations significant to Parton's life. Naughton stated that many of these projects are already underway and will be ready for the park's reopening in March 2027. He emphasized that Dollywood will continue to provide families with fun, kindness, and joy, carrying on Parton's dreams by growing, welcoming even more guests, and sharing the warmth and hospitality she was so proud of.
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- Dollywood Developing ‘Several New Experiences’ to Honor Dolly Parton rollingstone.com
