I think I have Dollywood to thank for my job as a flight attendant. At my interview, thirty-two years ago, they asked: “If you could go anywhere, where would you go?” I said, “Dollywood!” Which surprised my international airline interviewer. Judging by her reaction, I don’t think she’d ever heard that answer. And because I’m sure she loved Dolly, as everyone does, she knew I was the woman for the job.
Thanks to my daughter, my dream finally came true this spring.
Was it everything I’d hoped it would be?
Even more. But let’s go ahead and get the elephant out of the room and compare it to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland.
Disneyland is in its own category. It is what all amusement parks aspire to be. It is just so good.
But Dollywood is something special. It is more than an amusement park. Dollywood celebrates a person, a region, a culture, and, please forgive me, the American dream. You may be rolling your eyes, but what amusement park has an original one-room schoolhouse in it?
Or a church?
With Sunday service at 11:30.
The rest of the week, they use the front porch as a stage. In fact, and no surprise, there are multiple stages throughout the park featuring live bluegrass and Appalachian Mountain music. Not to mention, several large indoor auditoriums with live musical shows. We chose to see her niece’s show: Heidi Parton’s Kin and Friends.
It was exactly the corny show you’d expect. But one of the reasons Dolly opened this amusement park was to offer employment to her very large extended kin and friends. And this show employs two nieces.
Another popular show is the bald eagle show. Unfortunately, we visited right after a terrible storm when several eagles went missing, so the show was canceled.
The one remaining eagle looked depressed with its back to the crowd.
This part of the park features regional crafts like glassblowing and a blacksmith area where you can get hands-on and make your own souvenirs. Speaking of souvenirs… There are many opportunities to shop for all things Dolly. And we did! Here’s our haul laid out on our Dolly-themed bed.
Before
And After
You may be thinking, “Are there any rides in this amusement park?”
Well, you’ll have to consult another blogger for that intel. We only rode the cars and the carousel, but I understand that the park is known for its 8 roller coasters. Not a fan.
I am, however, a fan of the food. As you can imagine, the park is full of good ol’ southern comfort food. We chose the delicious Aunt Granny’s Restaurant, which is an all-you-can-eat, sit-down buffet. The waiter brought our table-of-two: biscuits, fried chicken, sausage, pot roast, corn pudding (Dolly’s recipe), black-eyed peas, honey-glazed carrots, macaroni and cheese, apple cobbler, banana pudding, and sweet tea for $29 each. You won’t find that in Disneyland.
But as good as that meal was, I have saved the best for last. Hands down, my favorite part of the park is The Dolly Parton Experience.
Here, an exhibit called Songteller walks you through her life story. It takes you from a one-room shack in the Smoky Mountains to Nashville, to Hollywood, to a wall of gold records.
She is so sentimental about her childhood and hometown that even if you grew up a million miles away in an asphalt jungle, you can’t help but get sentimental too.
Not to mention, her story is inspiring. From patches to rhinestones.
The exhibit ends with a legacy she’s clearly and rightly proud of: her literacy work.
The Imagination Library is a program Dolly started over 30 years ago with her father to promote childhood literacy. Her father never learned how to read, so literacy is a cause she’s particularly devoted to. Each month, participating children aged 0 to 5 receive a book in the mail for free. To date, she’s put over 314 million books into little, small hands.
Another museum, Behind the Seams, houses some of her costumes, wigs, and 6-inch heels.
Although the wigs were all replicas, which I found interesting and puzzling.
But, in my opinion, the highlight is her tour bus.
Dolly doesn’t fly, so she tricked out this bus and toured in it from 1994 to 2009.
It includes a bathtub, a humidor for her wigs, and two bathrooms -one for the crew and one just for her.
Oh, and pink toilet paper.
Apparently, you can book an overnight in another one of her tour buses through the Dollywood Resort. If you can afford $10,000 a night. This Dolly Parton fan cannot. But maybe… if she starts offering stays in the one-room shack….?
If you haven’t already been, go to Dollywood. And go to the Smoky Mountains.
Just don’t wait 32 years to do it.