Dollywood
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- This page is about a theme park in the USA. The Bangladeshi film industry is here.
| Location | Pigeon Forge, Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Website | http://www.dollywood.com/ |
| Owner | Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation |
| Opened | 1961 (as Rebel Railroad) |
| Operating season | April through December |
| Area | 120 acres |
| Rides | 24 total
|
Dollywood is a theme park owned by country music singer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, just off US 441 between Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
The park first opened in 1961 as "Rebel Railroad," featuring a steam train, general store, blacksmith shop, and saloon. In 1966, Rebel Railroad was renamed "Goldrush Junction" and in 1970, the Cleveland Browns football team purchased the park. In 1976, Jack and Pete Herschend bought the park, and in 1977, renamed it "Silver Dollar City Tennessee" (not to be confused with Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, also owned by the Herschends). In 1986, Dolly Parton became a co-owner, and the park was renamed "Dollywood".In addition to standard amusement park thrill rides, Dollywood features traditional crafts and music of the Smoky Mountains area. Dollywood is affiliated with the adjacent water park, Dollywood's Splash Country, and the chain of Dixie Stampede dinner shows. In addition, the park hosts a number of concerts and musical events each year, including concert appearances by Parton, as well as other national and local musical acts. Dollywood hosts nearly 2.5 million visitors every year, many of them also visiting nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Dollywood is the site of the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Southern Gospel Music Association, an independent non-profit corporation.
The operating season runs from early spring until around Christmas.
[edit] Ride Areas of the Park
- Timber Canyon: Mystery Mine (New for 2007), Timber Tower, Thunderhead, and Lumberjack Lifts.
- Rivertown Junction: Smoky Mountain River Rampage.
- Jukebox Junction:Rockin' Roadway
- The Country Fair: Dizzy Disk, the Amazing Flying Elephants, Lemon Twist, Shooting Star, Sky Rider, Veggietales Sideshow Spin Kid's Rollercoaster, Waltzing Swinger, Piggy Parade, Busy Bees, Lucky Ducky, Dolly's Demolition Derby, The Scrambler, and the Wonder Wheel.
- The Village: The Village Carousel and The Dollywood Express
- Dreamland Forest: Dreamland Forest, interactive play area and the Mountain Slidewinder.
- Adventures in Imagination: Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure
- Craftsman Valley: Tennessee Tornado, Blazing Fury, and Daredevil Falls
[edit] Dollywood Timeline
- 2007: The Mystery Mine steel coaster, a Gerstlauer Eurofighter coaster with two vertical lifts, a 95 degree, 80 ft drop, a heartline roll, and a loop. It will be heavily themed as an old abandoned mine.
- 2006: The new Timber Tower ride, along with Lil' Loggers Landing, Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek Boat Float, and the Lumberjack Lifts, open in a new area adjacent to Thunderhead. Also new for 2006 was Dreamland Drive-In, performed daily in the Pines Theater.
- 2005: The Country Fair area is renovated to include 10 new rides: Dizzy Disk, the Amazing Flying Elephants, Lemon Twist, Shooting Star, Sky Rider, Veggietales Sideshow Spin Kid's roller coaster, Waltzing Swinger, Piggy Parade, Busy Bees, and Lucky Ducky.
- 2004: A new area of the park, "Thunderhead Gap", opens featuring the Thunderhead Wooden roller coaster. The construction of the new area opens up a new valley for the park to expand into. The Country Fair Falls log flume is demolished in November. Most of the Country Fair rides, including the Swingamajig, The Tennessee Twister, The Convoy, and The Barnstormer, are removed at the end of the season to free up space for new rides.
- 2003: Kidsfest, a new summer children's festival, premiers. Buddy Baxter's Bandstand USA also premiered in the Pines Theater.
- 2002: Dollywood Boulevard is renovated into a new area, Adventures in Imagination. The Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure; a new simulator film, replaces Thunder Road. Chasing Rainbows, a new Dolly museum, opens in the building formerly occupied by the Silver Screen Café.
- 2001: The Festival of Nations international festival premiers in April. Dolly's Splash Country, a new 25 acre water park, is opened adjacent to Dollywood's parking lot. Admission is separate from Dollywood.
- 2000: The Daydream Ridge area is renovated into Dreamland Forest, an interactive childrens's area.
- 1999: The Tennessee Tornado; a steel looping coaster, opens in the area formerly occupied by Thunder Express. Also new is the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame. The Balloon Race ride is removed from the park in October.
- 1998: Daredevil Falls, a new shoot the chutes ride, opens in area formerly occupied by the Flooded Mine. Thunder Express is closed in September and removed from the park. It is sold to the Magic Springs Theme Park in Arkansas. The antique carousel is removed at the end of the season and replaced by a new, Chance Rides carousel.
- 1997: The Flooded Mine dark-ride is closed and demolished in October. "U Pick Nick", a children's show featuring themes from the Nickelodeon television network, plays in the Celebrity Theatre during the summer.
- 1996: The Dollywood Boulevard area is added, featuring Thunder Road; a turbo-simulator ride, The Silver Screen Café, and the Centerstage gift shop.
- 1995: The Jukebox Junction 1950s themed area is added, featuring Rockin' Roadway; a miniature car ride, The Pines Theatre, Red's Diner, and Cas Walker's Music Store. The Sunset Musicfest does not return for the 1995 season.
- 1994: The Gaslight Theatre becomes the Heartsong Theatre, featuring "Heartsong", a multi-media musical presentation that tells the story of Dolly Parton's life.
- 1993: The Fun Country area is renovated into The Country Fair, featuring three new rides: The Wonder Wheel; a 60ft tall Ferris wheel, Twist and Shout; a "Scrambler" ride, and the Tennessee Twister; a tilt-a-whirl. The Balloon Race ride is relocated to the Daydream Ridge area to make room for the new attractions. Also new at the park this season is the "Sunset Musicfest", a summer music festival.
- 1992: The Showstreet area is added, featuring the Showstreet Palace theatre; The Butterfly Emporium; The Backstage Restaurant; the Friendship Gardens; and WDLY; a working radio station. To accommodate the expansion, the park's main entrance is moved from Rivertown Junction to Showstreet. The Barnwood Theatre is converted into Imagination Station; an interactive children's play area.
- 1991:Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, an outdoor aviary is added. Also new is the Wings of America Theatre, featuring the Birds of Prey show, and the 600-seat Valley Theatre.
- 1990: A 1920 Antique Dentzel Carousel, originally built for Rocky Springs Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is relocated to the park. Situated near the train depot, it takes over the space previously occupied by the Silver Dollar Saloon. The 800-seat Gaslight Theatre opens near the Carousel. The Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival premiers in November, extending the park's operating season into December.
- 1989: Thunder Express, a steel mine train coaster, is built adjacent to Blazing Fury. The ride had been relocated to the park from Six Flags Over Mid-America.
- 1988: The 1,739 seat Celebrity Theatre is constructed adjacent to the entrance of the park. The theatre features the "Showcase of Stars" celebrity concert series. Five new children’s rides are added to the Fun Country area, including a Zamperla Balloon Race.
- 1987: The Daydream Ridge area opens, featuring the Mountain Slidewinder water toboggan ride; Mountain Dan's Burger House; Sweet Dreams Candy Shop; and the Critter Creek Playground.
- 1986: Silver Dollar City Tennessee reopens as Dollywood on May 3rd. The Rivertown Junction area, new for 1986, features the Smoky Mountain River Rampage, a whitewater rafting ride; The Back Porch Theatre; Aunt Granny's Dixie Fixins' Restaurant; and the Tennessee Mountain Home, a replica of the cabin where Dolly grew up. Also new is "Rags to Riches: The Dolly Parton Story"; a museum featuring articles from Dolly's life and career.
[edit] External links
- Dollywood (Official Website)
- Herschend Family Entertainment
- Themepark Timelines
- Dollywood Discussion Forums
