Dollywood executives unveiled sweeping plans Tuesday to honor Dolly Parton across the Tennessee theme park she founded nearly four decades ago.
The announcement comes just over a week after the country music legend died Aug. 25 at age 80 following a secret battle with cancer, a diagnosis she had kept private while sharing broader health struggles since September. Parton, the “Jolene” singer and self-styled “Dreamer-in-Chief,” opened Dollywood in Pigeon Forge on May 3, 1986, building it into one of the most visited theme parks in the United States.
Eugene Naughton, President of Dollywood Parks & Resorts, shared in a press release that he and other executives had held extensive conversations with Parton through the years about how she wanted her vision carried forward. “Many of us had extensive conversations with Dolly through the years about how she would want us to carry her vision forward,” Naughton wrote.
“Dollywood will always be a place where families find fun, kindness and joy — a place where they can make memories that last a lifetime, just like she would have wanted. We will carry her dreams forward by continuing to grow, welcoming even more guests and sharing the warmth and hospitality of which she was so proud,” he continued.
The centerpiece of the new tributes will be a cascading mountainside waterfall constructed outside the Robert F. Thomas Chapel, designed to create what the park described as “a peaceful setting for guests to pause, reflect and enjoy the natural beauty” that shaped Parton’s life and work. The chapel itself will receive a new stained-glass window bearing the Bible verse Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” a passage the park said had “resonated deeply with Dolly” and her connection to the Smoky Mountains.
A new character called the Dream Maker will debut in 2027 at the Wildwood Grove section of the park, arriving with what the park calls her Dream Wagon. “The Dream Maker will encourage guests to dream big, believe in themselves and lift others up through courage and kindness,” the press release stated. Children will have opportunities to share their own dreams, hear stories inspired by Parton, and learn that dreams become more meaningful when shared.
Kiosks throughout Wildwood Grove will also collect guest stories about how Parton inspired them to pursue their ambitions. A redesigned entrance to The Dolly Parton Experience will greet visitors with celebrations of her life before they enter the attraction’s immersive collection of moments, stories and memorabilia.
Parton was laid to rest last Friday at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum beside her late husband, Carl Dean, who died in March. A memorial has remained standing outside Dollywood for fans wishing to pay their respects.
The “I Will Always Love You” singer’s death prompted tributes from across the entertainment world. Her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, “9 to 5” co-star Jane Fonda, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter were among those who publicly mourned her passing.
The park’s Tuesday announcement represents the most detailed roadmap yet for how Dollywood intends to preserve Parton’s legacy as both a tourist destination and a cultural institution rooted in her Appalachian upbringing and philanthropic spirit.
Dollywood’s 2025 season continues through early January with regular park operations in Pigeon Forge.