Dolly’s Imagination Playhouse, featuring the Penguin Players, brings many of the classic children's books from her Imagination Library to life. The first production was of "The Little Engine that Could," Dolly’s personal favorite and the first book mailed to children in the program. (more…)
Dollywood’s Splash Country celebrated its fifth season with the opening of the new $2 million Bear Mountain Fire Tower. It is an interactive, multi-level water-filled attraction built around a central play structure. The attraction features various water-based activities including a 1,000-gallon bucket situated on the highest level. After warning bells sound indicating that a fire has been spotted, the large bucket spills, setting off a chain reaction of subsequent, smaller buckets throughout the lower levels creating a four-alarm soaking for the entire family. Bear Mountain Fire Tower’s firefighting theme is complete with hand cannons, hoses, buckets, escape chutes and ladders.
Following a 3.5-acre expansion project, Country Fair, one of Dollywood’s most popular areas, welcomed 10 new family rides in celebration of the park’s 20th anniversary season. Dolly wanted to add rides for guests of all ages in the expansion.
New rides included the Lucky Ducky, Busy Bees and the bouncing Piggy Parade, all designed for small children. The expansion also included the Waltzing Swinger, the Amazing Flying Elephants and the Dizzy Disk along with more. These new rides increased the popular Country Fair area’s hourly capacity by more than 2,000 passengers.
The fifth annual Festival of Nations kicked off the 20th anniversary season at Dolly's Smoky Mountain theme park. Dollywood's six-week multicultural celebration featured music, dance, art and food from 10 countries. The Moscow Circus headlined this year's festival bringing the pageantry of 25 aerialists, singers, gymnasts, contortionists, clowns and folk musicians.
Other first-time Festival of Nations performers include the Russian Academic Band jazz band, a cappella children's choir Zambian Vocal Collection, Noticky, a children's ensemble and Ondras, a folk singer/dancer ensemble from the Czech Republic.
A 45-foot-tall, three-tiered Christmas pyramid—the country’s tallest—was the focal point of Dollywood’s 2004 Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. The pyramid is part of Dollywood’s An Olde World Christmas, the newest element of the theme park’s Christmas festival.
Standing 45.9 feet tall, the pyramid was located at the entrance to the park’s Craftsman’s Valley. It gently revolved, revealing intricate carvings depicting the Nativity. Measuring 20 feet in diameter, the first tier represented the magi keeping a watchful eye for the Christ child. The second tier revolved to reveal shepherds and sheep while trumpeting angels occupied the third tier.
This pyramid honors the rich heritage of Germany’s Erzgebirge region where miners first crafted the popular holiday icon. And, keeping with the German theme, Dolly said she looked forward to some traditional German specialties from the kitchen like Deep Dish Lasagna, German skillet cabbage, Olie Bollens, German tomato salad, Belgian waffles, strudel, bratwurst and mettwurst sandwiches and eggnog ice cream. She said,
“Christmastime in the Smokies reminds me of family gatherings, filled with good food, good times and laughter. I want families to experience all that and more at Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas.”
