Dolly Parton jointly owns Dollywood alongside Herschend Family Entertainment
Country singer Dolly Parton has announced plans for the US$37m expansion of her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
To feature new rides, live entertainment and dining experiences, the Wildwood Grove expansion will open to the public in 2019.
“When I’d be out exploring in the hills around our home in the Smoky Mountains, I’d let my imagination roam free,” says Parton. “I’d pretend that the frogs and butterflies were my friends. I’d imagine what it would be like to fly with a dragonfly or to follow a bear family through the woods. Now all these things are coming true for our guests in Wildwood Grove.”
Visitors will enter Wildwood Grove through the trunk of a giant fallen tree, emerging into the imaginative land envisioned by Parton. At the heart of the land, a 55ft-tall (16.7m) tree grows from a cluster of natural rock and boulders, offering a natural platform for live performances from the park’s entertainers.
At night, the tree will come to life, with a show featuring “butterflies glowing in a kaleidoscope of spectacular colour.”
The main attraction will be Dragonflier – a suspended family rollercoaster. Joining it will be the Treetop Tower, Black Bear Trail, Mad Mocking Bird flying carousel, Sycamore Swing swinging ship and the Frogs and Fireflies carousel.
A 4,000sq ft (371sq m) indoor play area is also included in the plans. Called Hidden Hollow, the space is a climate controlled area with climbing structures, slides and games. A second play area, called Wildwood Creek will offer an outdoor playspace featuring pop jets and splash pools. The space will also feature a set of instruments available to play.
“This area is going to give families a place to explore, play and imagine together, but more importantly, it’s a place where they can spend more time together,” Parton says.
“I believe everyone has a song in their heart that needs to be set free. Wildwood Grove will be a place where families can learn together about what their heart song truly is.”
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Analysis: TEA/AECOM Theme Index 2017
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operators had an outstanding year, while stabilised global
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for the global attractions industry going forward
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Dolly Parton jointly owns Dollywood alongside Herschend Family Entertainment
Country singer Dolly Parton has announced plans for the US$37m expansion of her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
To feature new rides, live entertainment and dining experiences, the Wildwood Grove expansion will open to the public in 2019.
“When I’d be out exploring in the hills around our home in the Smoky Mountains, I’d let my imagination roam free,” says Parton. “I’d pretend that the frogs and butterflies were my friends. I’d imagine what it would be like to fly with a dragonfly or to follow a bear family through the woods. Now all these things are coming true for our guests in Wildwood Grove.”
Visitors will enter Wildwood Grove through the trunk of a giant fallen tree, emerging into the imaginative land envisioned by Parton. At the heart of the land, a 55ft-tall (16.7m) tree grows from a cluster of natural rock and boulders, offering a natural platform for live performances from the park’s entertainers.
At night, the tree will come to life, with a show featuring “butterflies glowing in a kaleidoscope of spectacular colour.”
The main attraction will be Dragonflier – a suspended family rollercoaster. Joining it will be the Treetop Tower, Black Bear Trail, Mad Mocking Bird flying carousel, Sycamore Swing swinging ship and the Frogs and Fireflies carousel.
A 4,000sq ft (371sq m) indoor play area is also included in the plans. Called Hidden Hollow, the space is a climate controlled area with climbing structures, slides and games. A second play area, called Wildwood Creek will offer an outdoor playspace featuring pop jets and splash pools. The space will also feature a set of instruments available to play.
“This area is going to give families a place to explore, play and imagine together, but more importantly, it’s a place where they can spend more time together,” Parton says.
“I believe everyone has a song in their heart that needs to be set free. Wildwood Grove will be a place where families can learn together about what their heart song truly is.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
People profile: Anton Vidal
Anton Vidal is director general of Poble Espanyol which has completed a 10-year, €10m improvement plan
Interview: Coen Bertens
Fairytale theme park Efteling has
gone from strength to strength
during its 65-year history, enchanting
more visitors last year than
ever before. We talk to COO Coen
Bertens about its success
Promotional feature: EAS - Learning curves
This year’s Euro Attractions Show promises to
be the biggest in the history of the event, with
a brand new schedule of seminars to match
Aquariums: High Waters
We visited the brand new Aquatis
Aquarium-Vivarium in Switzerland
for a journey through our planet’s
freshwater environments
Promotional feature: nWave - The big picture
With more than two decades
of experience creating high quality
original content, nWave looks
ahead as it continues to produce
its own industry-leading creations
Analysis: TEA/AECOM Theme Index 2017
The TEA/AECOM Report 2017 shows major theme park
operators had an outstanding year, while stabilised global
economies and strong investment planning bodes well
for the global attractions industry going forward
Analysis: EMEA Focus
Margreet Papamichael, founder of CLEAR Associates about what The TEA/AECOM Report 2017 means for the EMEA region
Review: MuseumNext
Intellectuals from across the
museums sector gathered recently for
the European edition of MuseumNext
Theme parks: Playing the Looney Tune
As new and exciting leisure opportunities
increase in the Middle East, Yas
Island welcomes the US$1bn Warner
Bros World Abu Dhabi. We speak to
the two key members of the team
behind the landmark project
Museums: License to Thrill
A brand new James Bond visitor attraction,
nestled snugly inside a mountain peak
in Sölden, Austria, opened this July. We
talked to the operator and architect
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
