Dolly and Dollywood officials opened The Dolly Parton Experience to great fanfare during a special event for invited media and VIPs earlier this spring.
A multi-faceted experience, it is comprised of multiple buildings at the award-winning Smoky Mountain theme park.
“Our old museum really needed a facelift, but instead of a nip-and-tuck we just decided to start all over! There are a lot of interactive elements and technology all through the area, but luckily for all of you, there are no holograms of me in there anywhere. I think the last thing this world needs is a bunch of ‘Dolly-grams’ running around everywhere,” Dolly Parton said at its opening.
“Seriously though, I’m so proud of the work our people have put into this new experience to make sure it is something our guests will enjoy for many years. It’s been almost three years in the making, and it’s three times larger than anything like this we’ve ever created before, so it really is something! For me, the most special part is the area called ‘Precious Memories,’ because it’s about my family and everything they have done to support me through the years.”
The Dolly Parton Experience features a number of interactive elements to make guests feel as if they were alongside Dolly as she journeyed from Locust Ridge to stages around the world. The entire Adventures in Imagination area was completely transformed to create The Dolly Parton Experience.
Guests can peruse exhibits which span her unparalleled career and include a look at the inspiration behind and the results of her biggest dreams, detail the importance of her family, and highlight many of Dolly’s signature styles through the years. “I think we can all agree there is no one else in the world like Dolly Parton,” said Dollywood Parks & Resorts President Eugene Naughton.
“She is able to shine a light of positivity and inspiration that has influenced millions of people around the world. Our team has created a remarkable experience that shares Dolly’s inspiring story in an authentic, larger-than-life way. I think The Dolly Parton Experience is going to truly move our guests when they see it. We hope they take some of Dolly’s light and share it with the world just like she does every single day.”
In Songteller, guests trace Dolly’s roots from Sevier County to the bus she boarded to Nashville the day after her high school graduation. Several exhibits showcase some of Dolly’s favourite mementos from music, movies and TV shows, while one room is dedicated solely to her record-selling albums.
The centrepiece experience is a massive room which features a 360-degree, projection-mapped story that showcases how Dolly has become one of the most beloved figures in the world. Songteller also honours Dolly’s philanthropy efforts, including a live counter that tracks the number of books given to children through her Imagination Library program. As of opening day, the counter is nearing 240,000,000 books. Songteller is housed in the former Chasing Rainbows Museum.
At Behind the Seams, guests gain an understanding of how this Smoky Mountain girl’s iconic look comes to life, with a number of memorable wardrobes on display as well. To preserve these priceless pieces, Dollywood employed the same techniques used by the Smithsonian in their museums.
At the Precious Memories exhibit, located in the front of Dreamsong Theatre, honours Dolly’s friends and family and details how their support allowed her to spread her wings to unimaginable heights.
A new show, “Heidi Parton’s Kin & Friends,” also debuted today in the Dreamsong Theatre. The show features Dolly’s niece, Heidi Parton, and a cast singing songs and telling stories; and since Heidi wrote it alongside her aunt Dolly, it includes songs and stories that only family would know! Dolly made a surprise appearance prior to the first show and sat in the audience to see the entire performance.
Guests also can get a glimpse of Dolly’s time on the road as one of her former motor coaches also is available to tour in The Dolly Parton Experience. Dolly’s Home-on-Wheels has been a fixture of the park for several years with hundreds of thousands of guests stepping inside the 1994 Prevost each season. The coach is located adjacent to Behind the Seams.
Finally, guests can visit Dolly’s Fan Shop for unique items to remember their trip to The Dolly Parton Experience.
Images: Dollywood
