Dollywood Announces New Experiences Honoring Dolly Parton’s Legacy

Dollywood has shared plans on how the theme park will honor and celebrate the life of Dolly Parton — also known as Dollywood’s “Dreamer-in-Chief” — with new experiences and installations inspired by her legacy.

The new additions and experiences below will roll out over the coming months and into 2027.

Robert F. Thomas Chapel

The Robert F. Thomas Chapel, a one-room chapel named after the doctor who delivered Dolly, will receive several additions reflecting Dolly’s faith and connection to the Smoky Mountains.

A new mountainside waterfall will be installed just outside the chapel’s front steps, creating a peaceful place for guests to stop, reflect and take in the natural surroundings.

The chapel will also receive new stained-glass windows inspired by Ecclesiastes 3:1, a Bible verse that held particular meaning for Dolly: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

The windows will depict the changing seasons of the Great Smoky Mountains, representing both Dolly’s love for the region and the many seasons of her life and career.

A new entrance to The Dolly Parton Experience

The Dolly Parton Experience will also receive a new entrance, creating a new gateway into the attraction’s collection of memorabilia, stories and immersive experiences celebrating Dolly’s life and career.

The attraction originally opened in 2024 and has become one of the most significant tributes to Dolly inside the park. The new entrance is intended to provide a fitting arrival into an area dedicated to Dollywood’s Dreamer-in-Chief.

A new Dream Maker joins Wildwood Grove

A new character called the Dream Maker is coming to Wildwood Grove in 2027. Dream Maker will encourage children to dream big, believe in themselves and lift others up through courage and kindness.

The Dream Maker will arrive with her Dream Wagon, where children can share their own dreams and hear stories inspired by Dolly. Interactive experiences will reinforce the idea that dreams can become even more meaningful when they’re shared with others.

The addition is particularly fitting given Dolly’s connection to children’s literacy through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has distributed more than 330 million books to children around the world.

Wildwood Grove will also receive special kiosks where guests can leave their own thoughts and notes about how Dolly inspired them to dream.

Dolly Parton Memorial Inside Dollywood

Additionally, a memorial stands in Dollywood’s welcome plaza for guests who wish to remember and celebrate Dolly. The memorial provides a place for guests to pause, reflect on her life and recognize the impact she had on people around the world.

“In Dolly’s Footsteps” Comes to Sevierville

Dollywood also shared that the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce will soon debut “In Dolly’s Footsteps,” a new walking-tour program highlighting locations throughout Sevierville that Dolly and her family frequented during her youth. Markers placed throughout the community will tell the stories behind these locations and provide visitors with a closer look at the places and experiences that helped shape Dolly Parton.

“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,” said Eugene Naughton, president of Dollywood Parks & Resorts.

“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.”