Are you like me? Do you routinely walk (or drive) right by something so often that it becomes camouflaged? For years, I passed Lucky 7 Mine in Craftsman’s Valley without giving the shop a second thought. I was on my way to Blazing Fury, no doubt. But this is a good lesson to keep [...]
Dollywood’s chapel is an iconic fixture of the park. Think you know the Robert F. Thomas Chapel? Yep, there’s a weekly church service. And, yes, the building is named in honor of the doctor who delivered Dolly Parton. But there’s a lot more I bet you don’t know. I sat down with Dollywood’s Chaplain [...]
Do you love the details of Wildwood Grove? I sure do. And I love sharing what I learn along the way. Today I want to explain how it took several teams (with different talents) to create the stencil of mountains on Hidden Hollow. What you see on the exterior of this 4,000-square-foot indoor play [...]
Dollywood’s crafts and master craftsmen distinguish the theme park from other attractions in the industry. Sure, you may be able to hop on a coaster in another park—but, can you learn about the culture and trades of Appalachian people in the late 1800s? You may be able to find good food—but, can you make [...]
So, we did a thing here at Dollywood today, or rather Dolly did. She opened a little land called Wildwood Grove. Have you heard of it? And really, as I’m sure many of you know, it’s not a little land at all. Years of planning, months of hard work and $37 million later, Dolly [...]
According to Dollywood’s Chaplain Joey Buck, people come to Dollywood either because they’re celebrating or looking for escape. Whichever reason draws you to our park for your next visit, know that there’s a group of people who have prayed for you. One feature that makes us unique is that we have a chapel at [...]
What says summer to you? To me, it’s the experiences that delight my senses and remind me of my childhood when I played in the back yard at dusk: bare feet, the smell of honeysuckle, and chasing fireflies. Oh, the fireflies. If you’re not from around here, I’m going to give you a tip—a [...]
As we get closer to opening Wildwood Grove in May, we hope to share more and more peeks behind the curtain of this new land. When we invited the media to join us for a construction tour, Wildwood Grove’s Creative Director, Patrick Brennan, shared stories of how the details are coming together. And, when [...]
Despite the extremely wet weather, Wildwood Grove construction is on track for its scheduled May opening! I’ve said it before, but because it’s such a big deal, I’ll emphasize it again: this new land is the park’s largest expansion since Dollywood opened. Here and there we have given you a peek behind the curtain of [...]
It’s January. The trams are parked. The lots are empty. The only greeting you’ll get is a “Sorry, we’re closed” sign. Nothing happens at Dollywood in January. I’m being facetious, of course. We have 67 days (25 days in January, 28 days in February, and 14 days in March—but who’s counting?) to get all [...]
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