Ships fit for holding plenty of pirates’ loot have begun arriving in Pigeon Forge as Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show continues to take shape.
After eight weeks of construction by the creative team, everything is looking ship-shape and making its way to East Tennessee aboard 10 semi trucks. The first truck pulled into “dock” at the entertainment venue on April 2, and parts of the two 28-feet-tall pirate vessels have begun to be assembled as they arrive. The process will continue through most of April. After the enormous ships were designed, they had to be taken apart for shipping, then be reassembled inside the Pirates Voyage facility.
After assembly, each ship will be painted for its role during the dinner show as “home” for the teams of Crimson and Sapphire pirates. The large center platform in the middle of the lagoon is the final large piece of the floating pirate set, where much of the swashbuckling action will take place.
The lagoon from which these two ships will “set sail” also is in the midst of being constructed. The 15-foot-deep lagoon soon has begun to be filled with 300,000 gallons of water. Teams also are setting up the extensive rigging for the multitude of stunts performed throughout the show that will have audience members believing in magical mermaids and amazed by pirate feats. Another 10 trucks are beginning to deliver scenery pieces for the theater’s interior that will play an integral part in the adventurous ambiance of the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show.
“Our pirate set really is taking shape, and we can begin to see these pirate ships become ready for a family adventure with a dinner and show that will become a favorite for visitors to East Tennessee,” said Corporate Director of Marketing Steve Cruz. “After the set is finalized, we’ll welcome our cast of colorful pirates to begin their practices aboard ship in our lagoon. After extensive training in Myrtle Beach, they are excited to begin practicing the show and all the exciting stunts in this arena where guests will begin to see their performances late next month (in May.)”
Set to be complete in May, the construction phase is a $9 million project, in addition to the initial investment in the property for a total of $28 million.
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show located in Myrtle Beach, SC and Pigeon Forge, TN
It’s no secret when Dolly Parton puts her name on something, success follows. NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Tyler Reddick hopes the same holds true during Saturday’s Alsco 300 (TV coverage on FS1) at Bristol Motor Speedway.
For the event, the hood of Reddick’s No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro will be adorned with Parton’s likeness and her record company, Dolly Records, while the rest of the car prominently features the logos from each of Parton’s Pigeon Forge-area attractions. He hopes the addition of the entertainment icon to his car serves as catalyst to put him in Victory Lane for the first time in 2019.
“It’s an honor to represent Dolly Parton and her variety of businesses on our No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway,” said the California native. “Dolly is an icon and has had a lot of success in her career, which is something I admire while trying to build my own success in NASCAR. Hopefully, we can take Dolly and the No. 2 Camaro to Victory Lane this weekend in her home state of Tennessee. I think that would be really special for everyone who is a fan of hers.”
Reddick is the 2018 Xfinity Series champion and enters the event in Thunder Valley with RCR as the current series leader. He is fresh off a second place finish in last weekend’s event at Texas Motor Speedway.
The car, which appropriately is trimmed in pink, includes the Dollywood theme park logo on the rear quarter panels, with the DollyParton.com website across the rear roof. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library receive placement on the car’s rear fascia, and the logos of Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction, Dollywood’s Splash Country and the soon-to-open Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show each are included on the car’s deck lid. Saturday’s race marks the first time Parton and many of her businesses have been featured as a primary sponsor on a race car.
Dollywood theme park currently is celebrating its biggest season ever with the largest addition in the park’s storied history, Wildwood Grove, opening on Friday, May 10. The area features 11 thrilling new experiences for guests to enjoy together in the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Pigeon Forge Pirates Voyage is slated to open this summer; a sister Pirates Voyage is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Learn more about Dollywood’s 2019 season and the addition of Wildwood Grove, or call 1-800-Dollywood.com
[masterslider id="117"]
BMS Photo Credit: Bristol Herald Courier, David Crigger
Ahoy mateys! Dolly Parton is making good on staking her claim in Pigeon Forge with the construction of the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, her newest attraction in the Smokies, and the treasure – buried and otherwise – already has begun to arrive and take shape at the venue.
Construction on the Pirates Voyage building, located on the Parkway adjacent to The Island in Pigeon Forge, began the first week in January. The first – and biggest – task was to “build” the lagoon, the centerpiece of the set that will house the two pirate ships where the action of the entire show takes place. The digging of that foundation required removing more than 281 loads of dirt via dump truck for more than a month (that’s 4,500 cubic yards or 7,500 tons of dirt!); that part of the project was completed on Feb. 22. That 15-foot lagoon soon will hold 300,000 gallons of water. The installation and finishing of 600 cubic yards of concrete and 50,000 lbs. of steel in the 30,000 square foot arena began the week of Feb. 25.
When Dolly Parton opens her new Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Pigeon Forge later this spring, the fun and adventure starts when guests first arrive at the entertainment attraction. The elaborate exterior of the building gives people just a small glimpse of the excitement that awaits during the show, which includes magnificent pirate costuming and special effects. Visitors will walk underneath a waterfall on their way to pick up their tickets to begin their Pirates Voyage.
[su_youtube url="https://youtu.be/iSiQzF3xr88" height="440"]
An extensive nationwide talent search began as soon as this entertainment project was announced last fall, and the cast of 20 has already begun show rehearsals and intense training for the acrobatic and diving skills required of pirates and mermaids alike in this show. One of the most anticipated phases of construction will happen in late March when the exterior starts to take shape and the large Pirates Voyage sign is placed outside the building.
“Among our ‘pirates crew’ here for our new Dinner & Show, we like to say that we are going ‘overboard’ with the details as we prepare everything – from the show elements to the new four-course menu to the exterior,” said Corporate Director of Marketing Steve Cruz. “This is going to be a show that guests to our Smoky Mountain area are not going to want to miss. People have been asking for details, so we thought now would be a good time to share some of those.”
Set to be complete in May, the construction phase is a $9 million project, in addition to the initial investment in the property for a total of $28 million. Now Booking Online for all 2019 shows. Guests can also call 865-505-AHOY (2469).
Follow Pirates Voyage on Facebook for the latest updates!
Keep an eye to the spyglass, mateys; Dolly’s pirates will be searching for treasure in the Great Smoky Mountains, next summer!
After nearly a decade of rave reviews and financial success on the Carolina coast, Parton’s newest Pirates Voyage dinner attraction is slated to open in the spring.
“The show has been so successful in Myrtle Beach that we kept looking at Pigeon Forge and wondering why we didn’t already have a Pirates show there,” Dolly said. “We have the perfect location, in one of the hottest areas of Pigeon Forge, and the time is now for my pirates to stake claim to the Great Smoky Mountains!”
When complete, the 21,000 square foot arena, adjacent to The Island in Pigeon Forge, will be the stage for Crimson and Sapphire pirates to battle on deck, in the water and in the sky above their full-sized pirate ships in a 15-foot-deep indoor lagoon. Spectacular acrobatic competitions, live animals and an original music score by Dolly Parton and Mark Brymer creates an immersive adventure experience all while guests enjoy a spectacular five-course pirate feast.
“We’re glad we can finally share Dolly’s exciting news,” Jim Rule, World Choice Investments CEO said. “For some time, we have been working on set and costume designs, unique show elements for this theater and animal and staff training. We’re all looking forward to opening in 2019.”
Additional details about the project will be released soon. Site construction is slated to begin in early January with an opening projected for spring.
This holiday season, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show brings a perfect pirate Christmas to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Opening on Thurs., Nov. 1 and running through January 5, 2019, crews of all ages are invited to experience festive entertainment, swashbuckling fun and a four-course feast fit for celebrating the season.
The yuletide adventure begins in the Pirates Village, where an interactive experience awaits with a pirate holiday sing-a-long. Kids also can be “transformed” into pirates and mermaids at the Village’s “Join the Crew” area, while several crew members spread Christmas cheer. Then, guests are invited into the Buccaneer Bay arena for the main holiday show, a thrilling spin on “A Christmas Carol” with Captain Scrooge that requires all hands on deck.
“We invite adventurers of all ages to start a new Christmas tradition for the holidays like no one else can offer,” said Paul Brown, General Manager. “At Pirates Voyage, families can experience a treasure chest full of fun together creating memories that will last long after the holidays are gone. Guests will travel to Christmas past, present and future through a classic holiday story with its own special pirate twist, while camels and angels help tell about the true meaning of Christmas in our Nativity.”
[su_youtube url="https://youtu.be/1u-u5rJTtwg" height="440"]
Captain Scrooge takes guests along as he travels through time with the Mystical Christmas Spirit to find the true meaning of Christmas, including a “dream” where giant toys come to life and perform amazing acrobatics high above in Buccaneer Bay. A comical Christmas castaway and her companion add to the jolly adventure; then, the pinnacle of the Pirates Voyage holiday experience is a live Nativity featuring the three wise men on live camels and an angel with a very special message.
At “Myrtle Beach’s #1 Choice for the Holidays”®, guests will continue to be thrilled with an epic battle between the crimson and emerald pirates. The competition between the two pirate crews unfolds on land, on deck, in the water and high above two full-sized pirate ships for the coveted Christmas treasure.
During this swashbuckling Christmas spectacular, guests are served a fabulous four-course holiday feast straight from Captain Scrooge’s galley. The meal begins with voyager creamy vegetable soup and buccaneer bread. Next, guests receive “half o’ roasted cackler” (chicken), Captain’s barbeque pork, cob o’ buttery corn, and a pirate herb-basted potato. Apple o ’me eye pie and unlimited Coca-Cola® products, tea or coffee complete the meal. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available by request.
