Dollywood to install new park additions to memorialize Dolly Parton

Dollywood Parks & Resorts is taking the next step in memorializing its late Dreamer-in-Chief Dolly Parton. At a press conference Wednesday afternoon in the DreamSong Theater, Dollywood Parks & Resort President Eugene Naughton shared upcoming projects the Dollywood team has to keep Parton's memory alive in the park. Despite the sadness many have felt from her death, Naughton said he believed Parton would have wanted the team "to get back to work." "She knew what she wanted Dollywood to be," Naughton said. "She always wanted this to be a place of fun and togetherness. Most of all, as you know our love letter shows, she taught us here at Dollywood how to dream big." One of the projects being completed is to build a "portal" to the Dolly Parton Experience portion of the park. Naughton said the addition will give visitors a proper path into the experience and a look into Parton's life. Alongside the portal, Naughton said the Precious Memories exhibit in the DreamSong Theater will have an additional video added to its collection. In Precious Memories, Parton narrates six different videos about her family and livelihood. The seventh, said Naughton, will be narrated by Parton's family, who will talk about specific moments in her life. Wildwood Grove will also be gaining a few new additions. Special kiosks will be placed throughout this portion of the park for guests to share how Parton inspired their thoughts and ability to dream. Naughton said Parton's love of children was a prevalent part of her life, which will be honored by a new character that's meant to encourage guests to "dream big." "We're calling this new character the Dream Maker," said Naughton. "It will be a great chance for this new character to interact with kids of all ages and to really learn some of the foundational things Dolly talked about her whole life. She shared a great passion for dreaming big and telling stories." However, out of the assortment of projects being completed, Naughton said the "centerpiece" of what the park is doing will be completed at the Robert F. Thomas Chapel. The chapel willreceive new stained-glass windows that reflect the "seasons of life," with each one reflecting one of the four seasons. He also said the project will add a waterfall just outside of the chapel's front steps with a sculpted guitar at the bottom, providing a place for park-goers to take a moment to remember Parton's life. Naughton said the goal is to have the project completed by the park's next season opening in March 2027. "I hope this will turn out to be the place on the property that will give a chance for people to reflect on the impact that Dolly has had on me personally in the middle of all our fun," said Naughton. "It's really going to be a wonderful area of the park." A final project close to debuting outside the park gates is called "In Dolly's Footsteps," which is being completed through a partnership between Dollywood and the city of Sevierville. Naughton said the 11-marker project will highlight places in Parton's hometown that were influential in her life. "It's a story of her footsteps in life," said Naughton. "You're going to see them throughout some historical spots in our city that meant a lot to her, like the Pines Theater or the Red's Diner. Those are foundational stories in her life." When asked about Dollywood potentially changing with Parton's death, Naughton said the future was not something he was intimidated by because of the foundation Parton built and her memory staying alive. "I'm confident we're not only going to be the same, but if she were looking right down here on me with a lightning bolt, she'd be kicking my rear if I didn't say we're going to get better every day," he said.