Dollywood Turns 40! All About Dolly Parton’s Theme Park (and What History-Making Ride Is Coming Next!)

Not every celebrity has their own theme park — but Dolly Parton isn’t every celebrity.

The iconic country music star, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist has co-owned Dollywood since 1986 and has helped it grow into one of the most popular attractions in her home state of Tennessee.

During a March 2025 event celebrating the theme park’s 40th anniversary season, the famed country singer opened up about what she had hoped for Dollywood on its opening day.

“On opening day in 1986, I was just hoping that people would really want to come visit a theme park with my name on it,” Parton said to the crowd. “And even though I always try to dream big, I’ll admit I was a little bit nervous that first morning.”

She continued, “But people did come out to support us that first day, and I’m so proud to see that Dollywood has continued to grow through the years to become a place of fun and togetherness for everyone who has come to visit.”

Here’s everything to know about Dollywood ahead of its 40th season, and what Dolly Parton has planned for its future.

What is Dollywood?

Dollywood is a 165-acre theme park with over 50 rides and attractions like the 3,990-foot-long Big Bear Mountain Roller Coaster and the Wild Eagle, the first wing roller coaster to open in the U.S.

It’s also expanded to include a 35-acre water park, two lodge-style resorts and a wide range of shows, like the iconic Dolly Parton Stampede.

Dollywood has attracted over 2 million visitors annually, including a few celebrities. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban took a trip there to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2020, and five years later, Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes went on a double date at the park with singer Noah Kahan and his fiancée, Brenna Nolan.

Who owns Dollywood?

Dollywood is jointly owned by Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment, which purchased the park in 1977 when it was just a five-mile train ride dubbed Goldrush Junction.

That attraction had been operating since the 1960s and was initially called Rebel Railroad before it was taken over by the then-owner of the Cleveland Browns, Art Modell.

Herschend Family Entertainment rebranded the park as Silver Dollar City, Tennessee, and expanded it to include shops, rides and shows. In 1986, the group partnered with Parton and reopened the attraction as Dollywood.

Where is Dollywood?

Dollywood is located at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., not far from where the country star grew up. In a 2024 interview for National Geographic, shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Parton talked about how the surrounding landscape makes Dollywood so special.

“We’re lucky to be in the part of the world that I believe is just absolutely the most perfect place that God has created,” the “Jolene” singer told the outlet.

She continued, “We’re right on the front porch of the most-visited national park in the country, so we take what God gave us and use it to dream up the big dreams we want our guests to experience while they are here riding rides and making memories.”

When is Dollywood open?

Dollywood opens every year around mid-March and stays open through the beginning of January.

The theme park’s operating calendar can be found online on the Dollywood website, along with dates for special events.

What’s next for Dollywood?

During the 2025 season preview day in March, Parton and The Dollywood Company president Eugene Naughton announced that a new attraction was in the works, per WATE.

Though the pair said it was the biggest and possibly most expensive project the park had undertaken to date, they didn’t share many details about what guests can expect. A video for the attraction shared during the event only teased that it would go “up, over and through the Great Smoky Mountains and down to the heart of the ancient wildwood tree.”

During a celebration of the park’s 40th anniversary in May, Naughton said that the indoor attraction would be five stories tall and 44,000 square feet — and would open next year, WCYB reported. 

Read the original article on People