Silver Dollar City Tennessee
What was the official name of Dollywood from 1977 to 1985?
Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment . It is located in the Knoxville-Smoky Mountains metroplex in Pigeon Forge , Tennessee . Hosting nearly 3 million guests in a typical season – mid-March to the Christmas holidays – Dollywood is the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee . In addition to standard amusement park thrill rides , Dollywood features traditional crafts and music of the Smoky Mountain area . The park hosts a number of concerts and musical events each year , including appearances by Dolly Parton and her family as well as other national and local musical acts . It is also the site of the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame . The theme park is the anchor of Partons Dollywood amusement destination , which also includes the sister water park Dollywoods Splash Country , the Dollywoods DreamMore Resort and Spa , and the Dolly Partons Stampede Dinner Attraction . History . Rebel Railroad . The park opened in early 1961 as a small tourist attraction owned by the Robbins brothers from Blowing Rock , North Carolina . Named Rebel Railroad , it included a steam train , general store , blacksmith shop , and saloon . With a theme inspired by the centennial anniversary of the Civil War , the train ride let visitors experience attacks by Union soldiers , train robbers , and Indians . The train and its riders were protected by Confederates who fought off the attacks . The park was modeled after the Robbins brothers first successful theme park , Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock . Goldrush Junction . In 1970 , Art Modell – who also owned the Cleveland Browns football team – bought Rebel Railroad and renamed it Goldrush Junction . The park retained the railroad and added an outdoor theater , a log flume ride , and Robert F . Thomas Church . Silver Dollar City . In 1976 , Jack and Pete Herschend bought Goldrush Junction and renamed it Goldrush for the 1976 season . In 1977 , they renamed it Silver Dollar City Tennessee , making it a sister park to their original Silver Dollar City in Branson , Missouri . The Herschends spent about $1 million upgrading the park upon purchase and added other improvements over the years . Also in 1977 , the train ride added two new steam locomotives , the #70 and the #71 , from the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad . Dollywood . In 1986 , Dolly Parton , who grew up in the area , bought an interest in Silver Dollar City . As part of the deal , the park reopened for the 1986 season as Dollywood . In 2010 , Parton said she became involved with the operation because she always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do , that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great , something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area . Dollywood has approximately 4,000 people on its payroll , making it the largest employer in the community . From 1986 to 2010 , the park doubled in size to . On November 16 , 2010 , Dollywood earned the industrys most prestigious award , the Liseberg Applause Award , which was accepted by Dolly Parton during a ceremony at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010 in Orlando . Parton said in 2010 that she would like to open more Dollywood parks in the future . We definitely want to expand with new things every year , eventually with a resort , she said . We may eventually have Dollywoods in other parts of the country , where we can kind of be true to whatevers going on in that part of the world . On August 21 , 2013 , Parton announced Dollywoods DreamMore Resort and Spa , which opened on July 27 , 2015 . 1980s developments . On May 3 , 1986 , Silver Dollar City Tennessee reopened as Dollywood . The new Rivertown Junction area included Smoky Mountain River Rampage , a whitewater rafting ride ; Back Porch Theater ; Aunt Grannys Dixie Fixins Restaurant ; and Dollys Tennessee Mountain Home , a replica of the cabin that was Partons childhood home . Also new was Rags to Riches : The Dolly Parton Story , a museum displaying articles and mementos from Dollys life and career . The Butter Churn ( a Trabant ride ) was removed at the end of the season . Park attendance doubled to more than a million guests during the first season as Dollywood . In 1987 , the Daydream Ridge area opened and included the Mountain Slidewinder water toboggan ride , Mountain Dans Burger House , Sweet Dreams Candy Shop , The Rainbow Factory blown glass shop , and Critter Creek Playground . In 1988 , the 1,739-seat Celebrity Theater , featuring the Showcase of Stars celebrity concert series , was constructed adjacent to the entrance of the park . Five new childrens rides were added to the Fun Country area , including a Zamperla Balloon Race . The Dollywood Foundation was established to provide books and schools supplies to the children of Sevier County . Thunder Express , a steel mine train coaster , was built adjacent to Blazing Fury in 1989 . The ride was relocated to the park from Six Flags Over Mid-America . The 1989 season was the last for the National Mountain Music Festival , which was a carryover from the Silver Dollar City years . 1990s developments . In 1990 , a 1903 antique Dentzel Carousel , originally built for Rocky Springs Park in Lancaster , Pennsylvania , was relocated to the park . Situated near the train depot , it took over the space previously occupied by the Silver Dollar Saloon . The 600-seat Gaslight Theater opened near the carousel . The Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival premiered in November , extending the parks operating season into December . Eagle Mountain Sanctuary , an outdoor aviary , was added in 1991 along with the Wings of America Theater , site of the Birds of Prey show , and the 300-seat Valley Theater . The Showstreet area was added in 1992 and included the Showstreet Palace Theater , The Butterfly Emporium , The Backstage Restaurant , The Spotlight Bakery , Friendship Gardens , and WDLY-FM , a working radio station . To accommodate the expansion , the parks main entrance moved from Rivertown Junction to Showstreet . The Barnwood Theater was converted into Imagination Station , an interactive childrens play area . Dollywoods annual attendance topped 2 million for the first time during the 1992 season . In 1993 , the Fun Country area was renovated and became The Country Fair with three new rides : The Wonder Wheel , a tall Ferris wheel ; Twist and Shout , a scrambler ride ; and Tennessee Twister , a tilt-a-whirl . The Balloon Race ride was relocated to the Daydream Ridge area to make room for the new attractions . Also new at the park was Sunset Musicfest , a summer music festival . A year later , in 1994 , the Gaslight Theater became the Heartsong Theater , named for the multi-media musical presentation that told the story of Dolly Partons life . In 1995 , the Jukebox Junction 1950s Main Street themed area was added and included Rockin Roadway miniature car ride , The Pines Theater , Reds Diner , and Cas Walkers Music Store . The Sunset Musicfest did not return for the 1995 season . The Dollywood Boulevard area was added in 1996 and included Thunder Road , a turbo-simulator ride based on the 1958 movie of the same name . Silver Screen Café , a 1950s cinema-themed restaurant , and Centerstage gift shop were also in the area . In 1997 , the U Pick Nick childrens show focused on themes from the Nickelodeon television network and played in Celebrity Theater . The Flooded Mine dark-ride was closed and demolished in October , and Silver Screen Cafe became DJ Platters in the Dollywood Boulevard area . Daredevil Falls , a new shoot the chutes flume ride , opened in the area formerly occupied by the Flooded Mine a year later in 1997 . At the time , it was billed as The Highest and Fastest Waterfall Ride in America with its drop . Thunder Express was closed in September and sold to Magic Springs Theme Park in Arkansas . The antique carousel was removed at the end of the season and replaced with a new Chance Rides carousel . In 1999 , the Tennessee Tornado , a steel looping coaster , opened in the area formerly occupied by Thunder Express . Also new was the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame , while the Balloon Race ride was removed . 2000s developments . The Daydream Ridge area was renovated and became Dreamland Forest , a childrens mountain-themed interactive play area in 2000 . The Festival of Nations international music festival premiered a year later in April 2001 . Dollys Splash Country , a new water park opened adjacent to Dollywoods parking lot . Dollywood Boulevard was renovated and became a new area , Adventures in Imagination , in 2002 . Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure , a new simulator film , replaced Thunder Road , and a new Dolly museum called Chasing Rainbows opened in the building formerly occupied by DJ Platters . In 2003 , summer childrens festival KidsFest premiered , and Imagination Station was converted into Celebration Hall , a special events facility . It was also the final season for the Showcase of Stars celebrity concert series . A new area of the park , Thunderhead Gap , opened with the Thunderhead wooden roller coaster in 2004 . The construction of the new area opened up a new valley for park expansion . The Country Fair Falls log flume was demolished in November , and most of the other Country Fair rides , including the Swingamajig , Tennessee Twister , The Convoy , and The Barnstormer , were removed at the end of the season to free up space for newer rides that were added for the 2005 season . The new rides included Dizzy Disk , Amazing Flying Elephants , Lemon Twist , Shooting Star , Sky Rider , Veggietales Sideshow Spin ( childrens roller coaster ) , Waltzing Swinger , Piggy Parade , Busy Bees , and Lucky Ducky . The National Southern Gospel & Harvest Celebration was also new in 2005 . In 2006 , the Timber Tower ride , along with Lil Loggers Landing , Beaver Creek , Beaver Creek Boat Float , and Lumberjack Lifts , opened in a new area adjacent to Thunderhead . The Barbeque & Bluegrass festival also premiered . The 2007 season included the addition of Mystery Mine , a Gerstlauer Eurofighter coaster with two vertical lifts , a 95-degree drop , a heartline roll , and a dive loop . The $17 million ( $ in dollars ) ride used an abandoned mine shaft theme . In 2008 , River Battle , an interactive water raft ride , was built in a new section of the park called Wilderness Pass that connected the Timber Canyon and Craftsmans Valley areas . Thunder Road returned to the motion theater ( Imagination Cinema ) and replaced Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure . Dellas Lye Soap shop moved from Craftsmans Valley to the Wilderness Pass area . A new exhibit housing the Wings of America show birds moved to its former location . The Polar Express 4-D Experience was shown in Imagination Cinema during the parks Smoky Mountain Christmas . In 2009 , Dollywood presented two new shows , Imaginé by Le Grand Cirque and Sha-Kon-O-Hey ! Land of Blue Smoke , which featured music written by Dolly Parton and told the story of the last family living in the Smoky Mountains at the time it became a national park . Imaginé headlined the parks Festival of Nations . Thunder Road was renamed White Lightning and then changed to a new attraction , , based on the 2008 film . SkyZip owned by Skyline Eco-Adventures of Maui , Hawaii , expanded to Dollywood and opened the first multi-line zip line tour inside a theme park . 2010s developments . The Adventure Mountain attraction opened at a cost of $5 million in the Wilderness Pass area in 2010 . It included three distinct adventure courses , Geyser Gorge , Black Bear Cliff , and Rocky Top , that ranged from easy to expert with 100 different rope features , swinging beams , suspension bridges , flying islands , and floating stairs . Adventure trails ranged from a few inches above the ground to more than in the air . The area also included a scaled-down play area called Camp Teachittoomee for younger children . Also for the 2010 season , Dollywood brought back Sha-Kon-O-Hey ! Land of Blue Smoke and changed its logo for the 25th anniversary . In 2011 , a new area called Owens Farm with a $5.5 million giant swing called Barnstormer replaced Dreamland Forest . The barnyard-themed area included a play area for younger guests . Christmas on Ice , a new ice skating Christmas show , premiered in DPs Celebrity Theater and headlined Smoky Mountain Christmas . Wild Eagle opened March 24 , 2012 and was the first Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Coaster in the United States . It was also the biggest investment in Dollywood history . Dollywood purchased SkyZip from Skyline Eco-Adventures , and Timber Tower was dismantled before opening in 2012 due to a lawsuit with the ride manufacturer . In December 2012 , the park announced that Adventure Mountain would be closing permanently following the 2012 season . Dollywood dedicated 2013 to encouraging families to spend time together . New shows for the season included Cirque Shanghai , Mystic India , and One World Party as part of Festival of Nations along with more than 50 new international food items . The park also introduced Great American Summer , a new summer festival that replaced KidsFest . It included the Great American Country Show , Gazillion Bubbles , The Little Engine Playhouse , and Salute to America . Dollywood extended its hours and added a nightly fireworks show . Smoky Mountain Christmas added a new show that was Dolly Partons version of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol . Dollywoods slogan for the year was Make Time for Happy ! Imagination Cinema became Dreamsong Theater and played Dollys My People , a show about Dollys family . In 2014 , FireChaser Express , a dual-launch family coaster , replaced Adventure Mountain in the Wilderness Pass area of the park . Dollywoods slogan was changed to Love Every Moment , and Smoky Mountain Christmas added a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer meet-and-greet called Holly Jolly Junction . Dollywoods DreamMore Resort and Spa opened adjacent to Dollywoods Splash Country in 2015 . For the 30th anniversary of the park , the park redesigned the entrance for resort guests and added two new shows to Festival of Nations called Rhythm of the Dance and Timber . Cas Walkers was demolished to make room for a new attraction , and six new shows were added to Great American Summer along with the revival of the Showcase of Stars concert series . Also new was Rock the Smokies , a Christian music festival , and Rudolph and friends returned to the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival . Lightning Rod , a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coaster , opened on June 13 , 2016 . It is the worlds first launched wooden coaster as well as the fastest wooden coaster in the world . A year later , in 2017 , a freefall ride called Drop Line , which replaced Timber Tower , opened along with a junior roller coaster called Whistle Punk Chaser . Two new seasonal events debuted , and Dollywoods Splash Country added the TailSpin Racer mat racer slide complex . Sideshow Spin and River Battle were removed . In 2018 , the former River Battle site was transformed into the Plaza at Wilderness Pass , a new open space with covered seating for relaxing and enjoying seasonal events . With the debut of the Spring Mix three-week music series , the 2018 Season of Showstoppers also marked the parks largest investment in entertainment in Dollywoods history . The 2018 Festival of Nations includes three headliners that are new to Dollywood : Flamenco Kings starring Los Vivancos ( Pines Theater ) , National Dance Company of Siberia ( Celebrity Theater ) , and Ladysmith Black Mambazo ( Showstreet Palace Theater ) . The first Summer Celebration event includes various performances and attractions , including DRUMLine Live ! in Celebrity Theater , a show that focuses on the musical styles of marching bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities . It uses technology , including video screens and special effects , to enhance soul , R&B , country , and other types of music . Renovations included upgrades to Aunt Grannys and re-branding and renaming of two shops . Work began in October 2017 on Wildwood Grove , adding eleven new experiences to the park . Attractions include a suspended family coaster ( Dragonflier ) , a restaurant ( Till & Harvest ) , an indoor play area ( Hidden Hollow ) , an outdoor splash pad ( Wildwood Creek ) , a swinging boat ride ( The Great Tree Swing ) , and a 50 ft tall tree with a canopy covered in butterflies ( The Wildwood Tree ) . The $37 million 5-acre development , described as a land built from Dolly Partons dreams , opened May 10 , 2019 . It was part of a $300 million 6-year expansion project . 2020s developments . In October 2019 , it was announced that the park would add its first new festival in 14 years . Dollywoods Flower & Food Festival will feature 10 to 15 feet tall topiaries based on Dollys songs like Coat of Many Colors , colorful photo opportunities , a rainbow sky over Showstreet , and delicious eats . The festival was to have commemorated the parks 35th season and run from 8 May to 14 June 2020 , but was deferred to 7 May to 13 June 2021 . Dollywood filed plans in October 2019 for a new resort adjacent to Splash Country and DreamMore Resort . It is planned to feature a 310-room hotel , a 325-seat restaurant , and a conference space . The plans indicate the resort will create 100 jobs . Areas of the park . Dollywood is organized into 11 themed areas : Showstreet , Rivertown Junction , Craftsmans Valley , The Village , Country Fair , Timber Canyon , Wilderness Pass , Jukebox Junction , Owens Farm , Adventures in Imagination and Wilwood Grove reflect the historical eras and culture of East Tennessee , while Owens Farm and Adventures in Imagination explore Dolly Partons life and imagination . Many attractions focus on the history and culture of the Southern Appalachian region . - Showstreet – Attractions include Showstreet Palace Theater , Celebrity Theater , and Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame . - Rivertown Junction – Attractions include Dollys Tennessee Mountain Home , Back Porch Theater , and Smoky Mountain River Rampage whitewater rafting ride . - Craftsmans Valley – Attractions include Dollywood Grist Mill , Valley Theater , Eagle Mountain Sanctuary , Wings of America Theater , Robert F . Thomas Chapel , Calico Falls Schoolhouse , Tennessee Tornado coaster , Blazing Fury coaster , Daredevil Falls flume ride , and craft exhibits . - The Village ( formerly Village Square ) – Attractions include the narrow gauge Dollywood Express steam train , Heartsong Theater , Village Carousel , and Costner and Sons Magic Shop . - Country Fair ( formerly Fun Country ) – Rides include Dizzy Disk , The Amazing Flying Elephants , Lemon Twist , Shooting Star , Sky Rider , The Waltzing Swinger , Piggy Parade , Busy Bees , Lucky Ducky , Dollys Demolition Derby , and The Scrambler . - Timber Canyon ( formerly Thunderhead Gap ) – Attractions include the Mystery Mine coaster , the Thunderhead coaster , Drop Line , Whistle Punk Chaser , and Lumberjack Lifts . - Jukebox Junction – Attractions include the Rockin Roadway car ride and Pines Theater . Also featured is Lightning Rod , which holds the record as the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world . - Owens Farm ( formerly Daydream Ridge 1987–1999 , Dreamland Forest 2000–2010 ) – Attractions include Barnstormer , a barn and plane styled giant swing attraction . It also includes soft play areas and a splash pad . - Adventures in Imagination ( formerly Dollywood Boulevard ) – Attractions include Dolly Partons My People ! show at Dreamsong Theater and the Chasing Rainbows Museum . - Wilderness Pass – Attractions include the SkyZip zip line attraction , The Plaza at Wilderness Pass , Wild Eagle – Americas first winged coaster – and FireChaser Express , a dual-launch coaster that launches forward and backward . - Wildwood Grove – Opened in 2019 ; attractions include the Dragonflier,a suspended family coaster , The Mad Mockingbird , a swing ride , The Wildwood Tree , a lighted tree , and Till and Harvest , a Mexican-inspired restaurant . Festivals and annual events . Dollywood hosts six of the Souths largest festivals between the months of March and December : - Running normally from mid-March to mid-April , Festival of Nations offers cultural events by performers from around the world . - From late April until mid-May the Barbeque & Bluegrass presented by Bush Brothers and Company is a bluegrass music and barbecue festival . - Starting in 2021 ( originally 2020 ) , and scheduled to run from mid-May and running until early June , is the Flower and Food Festival . - Summer Celebration ( formerly Great American Summer ) includes Night of Many Colors , a nightly fireworks display set to music ; Night Experience , night performances and rides in the dark ; and new shows , such as DRUMLine Live ! and iLuminate . - Harvest Festival presented by Humana features Southern Gospel music , professional craftsmen , and Great Pumpkin LumiNights . - Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana is a nine-time award winner of Golden Tickets Best Christmas Event and features seven holiday performances , 5 million Christmas lights , Glacier Ridge ( in which part of the park has frozen over ) , and a nightly parade . Rankings and awards . In 2017 , Dollywood won Golden Ticket awards from Amusement Today for Friendliest Park , Best Christmas Event , Best Food and Best Show . In 2018 , Dollywood received a Golden Ticket award from Amusement Today – a leading trade publication for the amusement park industry – in the Best Food category , marking the parks fourth win in seven years . In addition to three dinner show options , more than 25 vendors serve meals and snacks , ranging from barbecue ribs , pizza , corn dogs , and pork rinds to cinnamon bread , funnel cakes , cotton candy , and banana pudding made using Dollys recipe . The park also received Golden Tickets for Best Shows , Friendliest Park , and Best Christmas Event and was ranked the third best park in the world . In the 2018 USA Today 10Best Readers Choice Awards – awards voted on by the general public – Dollywood was ranked as the sixth Best Amusement Park in the U.S . Additionally , Dollywoods DreamMore Resort and Spa was ranked first in the Best Amusement Park Hotel category , and Aunt Grannys Restaurant was ranked first in the Best Amusement Park Restaurant category . DreamMore focuses on the themes of family and storytelling and has a zero-entry ( beach-style ) pool , transportation to the park , and a splash pad . Aunt Grannys opened the first year the park operated as Dollywood . It uses an all-you-can-eat buffet format with comfort foods like chicken and dumplings , tacos , and steaks along with a salad bar and health-conscious choices . Dreamland Drive-In was ranked third in the Best Amusement Park Entertainment category , and Dollywoods Splash Country was ranked sixth in the Best Outdoor Water Park category . In 2019 , Dollywood won Golden Ticket awards for Best Kids Area , Best Guest Experience , and Best Christmas Event of 2018 . Lightning Rod won the Wooden Coaster of the Decade in 2019 .