40 seasons of fun: A look back at Dollywood's history

Long before Dollywood opened its gates in Pigeon Forge on May 3, 1986, Dolly Parton had designs on building a theme park in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, where she grew up.

A 2023 USA Today article quoted the award-winning singer-songwriter as saying that when she would visit the county fair as a child, she thought to herself, "If I make it big, if I get rich like I was dreaming I might, that I'd love to do something special, to come back home and build a park of my own."

Related: Dolly Parton shares her vision for the future of Dollywood, aka her 'Tennessee mountain home'

In a 1982 interview with Barbara Walters, just four years before the park opened, Parton shared that she dreamed of building "Smoky Mountain fairyland," akin to Disneyland in East Tennessee, "one of the most wonderful places in the world."

Anyone who has followed Parton's illustrious career will not be surprised that she made her dream of creating a place "where the culture and people of the Smoky Mountains would be celebrated and enjoyed by everyone" a reality.

Now in its 40th season, Dollywood has grown and changed a great deal since opening its gates, but one thing remains the same — Dollywood still is and will always be a destination where families can have fun and make memories amid the natural beauty of the Smokies.

Here's a look at the park's history and a peek at what's in store for Dollywood's future.

Before Parton lent her moniker to the park, it operated under different names and ownership since the early 1960s. In 1986, the Herschend family (who also own and operate Silver Dollar City) sold a stake to Parton, upgraded several park elements and renamed it Dollywood.

Parton grew up only a few miles from the park, and the partnership allowed her to fulfill her dream of bringing visitors to the beautiful Smoky Mountains while supporting her local community. Parton still co-owns the park with the Herschends.

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Several of Dollywood's opening-day attractions are still in operation, including the Dollywood Express steam train, Dolly's Tennessee Mountain Home (a replica of the two-room cabin where Parton grew up), Smoky Mountain River Rampage, Aunt Granny's Restaurant, the Back Porch Theater and the Robert F. Thomas Chapel (named for the doctor who delivered Parton), where visitors can attend a weekly Sunday service.

Like the Dollywood Express train, the park continued picking up steam in the 1990s.

Related: The 10 best rides at Dollywood for the whole family

During this time, the park built several major expansions: the 7-acre Showstreet area near the park entrance, the Country Fair area with classic rides and carnival games like the ones that inspired Parton to open her theme park, and an area inspired by Parton's hometown of Sevierville called Jukebox Junction.

In 2001, Dollywood opened its water park, Dollywood's Splash Country. The water park is celebrating its 25th anniversary season this year.

Some of Dollywood's most popular roller coasters opened in the 2000s and 2010s.

In 2007, Dollywood opened a roller coaster that turned my body and my understanding of physics upside down. If you've ever ridden it, you know I am talking about Mystery Mine. This steel coaster has some gravity-defying maneuvers, including a 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop, that left me speechless.

During this time, the park also opened Thunderhead, a wooden coaster; Wild Eagle, the first wing coaster in the U.S.; and Lightning Rod, another wooden coaster with a top speed of 73 miles per hour.

In 2015, Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa opened its doors. DreamMore was the park's first on-site hotel, with a design that perfectly encapsulates Parton's stardom and Southern charm. This resort was joined by the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay in Parton's former tour bus in 2022 and the opening of Dollywood's Heartsong Lodge & Resort in 2023.

Related: 11 best hotels near Dollywood

Also in 2023, TPG was on hand for the grand opening of Dollywood's newest and longest roller coaster, Big Bear Mountain. Parton herself made an appearance (in the world's most adorable bear costume) to sing a song she wrote for the grand opening.

Last year, the park opened The Dolly Parton Experience, an interactive museum with exhibits covering Parton's career. Visitors will journey through Parton's career, costumes, family and more.

The park has more than doubled in size since opening in 1986 and hit record attendance numbers last year. There are also rumblings that the park will expand again in 2026. There aren't many details yet, but Dollywood revealed at this season's grand opening media event that it will be a "revolutionary new experience unlike anything anywhere else in the world."

Parton did much more than lend her name to Dollywood. From the local artisans demonstrating their expertise and selling their wares inside the park to the nods to her childhood and star-studded career, Parton's life and legacy are built into the DNA of this beloved park.

"On opening day in 1986, I was just hoping that people would really want to come visit a theme park with my name on it. And even though I always try to dream big, I'll admit I was a little bit nervous that first morning," Parton shared during the 40th season opening event. "But people did come out to support us that first day, and I'm so proud to see that Dollywood has continued to grow through the years to become a place of fun and togetherness for everyone who has come to visit," she added.

Parton may have been shocked by Dollywood's early success, but anyone who has visited this gem of a theme park isn't at all surprised that it has become one of the country's premier family travel destinations.

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