Pirates Voyage, along with Dixie Stampede, donated to Dolly's Imagination Library.
“This is an investment in the future,”
says Larry McCoy, Director of Marketing at Pirates Voyage.
“With this donation we help build a community of strong readers, who will grow up to be strong leaders.”
Dolly shares the gift of reading with children through her book gifting program that delivers free books to kids from the day they are born until they turn five years old.
Dolly's Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge invites all seniors to a special Senior Day dedicated to health and wellness. For one price, seniors attend a health and wellness fair, which includes complimentary health screenings such as sleep analysis, eyeglass cleanings and special offers from local retailers. Dolly said,
“We truly love everyone in our community. We want our seniors to stay healthy and active, and we want them to have some fun all at the same time! This gives them some great health information before they attend our dinner show and get to act like kids for a while!”
Seniors also get the opportunity to see Dolly's Dixie Belle Saloon Show and Dixie Stampede Main Show with a four-course feast.
Dixie Stampede opened its doors in 1987, as one of the first dinner show attractions of its kind. Dolly was quoted as saying,
“I just thought it was a great show idea and no one was really doing anything like it when we started. It sounded like a lot of fun and a great way to tell a story.”
Twenty-five years later, her Dixie Stampede is still a standout among dinner shows and attractions.
From a larger-than-life picture that smiles down on guests as they leave the Dixie Stampede, to souvenirs, and her easily recognizable voice, Dolly’s image is stamped on her dinner show attraction. Most notably, however, might be the show's finale—a blend of pageantry and patriotism set to Dolly's "Color Me America!"
Part of Dixie Stampede's appeal over the years has been its ability give the audience what it knows and loves, while also bringing something new to the table. Dolly works with her production team to decide what parts of the show stay, and what elements might work well for the dinner show attraction. Dolly says she loves this show and guarantees,
“It’s the Smokies’ Most Fun Place to Eat!”
In 1986, Dolly met with Fred Hardwick to discuss the concept of a dinner attraction that would become the Dixie Stampede. Twenty years later, this popular and unique theatre had expanded to three locations and reached another major milestone— 20 million visitors.
Two years after the initial meeting, Dolly and her team of developers opened the first Dixie Stampede Pigeon Forge, Tenn. That was 1988. Four years later, in 1992, Dolly’s plans for growth began to take off with the opening of a Dixie Stampede in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Three years later, in 1995, Dolly opened her third Dixie Stampede location in Branson, Mo.
Dolly's Dixie Stampede is a unique experience. It begins with an open air Horse Walk, where guests can learn more about the stars of the show—32 magnificent horses. Visitors are then ushered into a saloon, where they enjoy specialty drinks and snacks, as well as, some entertainment to prepare them for the main show. In a 35,000 square foot arena, guests are treated to a four-course meal, as they are thrilled by top-notch trick riding, singing, dancing and comedy.
On June 18, 2004, Dolly, Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, Barney, the purple dinosaur, and about 1000 children and parents gathered at Dollywood to celebrate Gov. Bredesen’s pledge to provide Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program to every child under five across the entire state. For the first time, an entire state guaranteed that every child within its borders will have access to quality books and the joy they inspire.
During this year, many discussions about a statewide Imagination Library took place in several communities and the number of participating Affiliates continued to rise. Books could potentially be mailed to eligible children in all 50 states, and ideally, entire states would replicate the program beyond their current communities. The monthly book ordering process was also vastly improved and social awareness about the program was buzzing.
A new database system was eventually designed, creating a much easier way for Affiliates to add children’s registration information online. The combination of technological improvements as well as the generosity of Dolly herself, Dixie Stampede, Dollywood and all corporate sponsors meant that communities would only continue to pay for just the cost of the actual books and postage.
By the end of 2004, 375 communities in 39 states were providing Imagination Library books to the children in their coverage area. In December, for the first time ever, the number of children receiving books each month surpassed 100,000 and brought the yearly total of books to 980,000.
