Dolly Parton Says Dollywood Inspired by ‘The Most Perfect Place’ God Created
Movieguide® Contributor
Dolly Parton opened up about the inspiration behind Dollywood, her theme park in Tennessee.
“Well, 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, so we just look outside the window and those big, beautiful Smoky Mountains provide all the inspiration we could ever dream of finding,” the Grammy winner said, per PEOPLE.
National Geographic reported, “Millions of fans flock to her Tennessee birthplace—though not many of them were born ‘in a little one-room shack on the banks of the Little Pigeon River,’ as the singer-songwriter and tourism titan was.”
“The Smokies—and the wonderful people who work here—are what make Dollywood so different than many of the other theme parks around the world,” 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.”
Movieguide previously reported on the new lodge Parton built at Dollywood:
She chatted with Knox News about the lodge in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and how she wants to be a “light” and an encouragement to those around her. This comes as a timely statement amidst the forest fires in nearby East Tennessee.
“I try to find the good in everybody [and] everything,” Parton told Knox News. “I try to do as much good as I can in the area that I’ve been confined to, and if I’m a light, I hope so, because I ask God to let me shine. Let me do and say things that would be uplifting.”
“I think we all have our own little light. Some of us don’t get a chance to let it shine, but I try to keep mine shined up and polished up and do as much good as I can,” she said.
Parton is an honoree for National Geographic’s 2024 Travelers of the Year. She revealed her one golden rule when it comes to personal travel.
“Treat others the way you want to be treated. Whether you’re hosting someone in your home—we call our Dollywood employees hosts because they are hosting our guests every single day in our ‘home’—or you’re a guest in their home, you should always treat them with love and compassion whether you’ve known them for 50 years or 5 minutes,” Parton revealed. “I also think everyone should enjoy the journey. That’s where some of your best memories are created and you usually find the inspiration for your next big dream!”
Parton and her husband are avid travelers, and while they don’t have as much time for it as they would like, the two still enjoy the time away.
“Carl and I used to take our RV all around the country when I had more free time, but I stay so busy these days with my movies, my new Broadway play about my life and all of my music opportunities, that we just don’t have the chance to do that as often,” she said.
“I love traveling on the road because you’re able to see and experience places you might not be able to see when you’re flying over it all,” Parton added. “Flying, of course, gives us an opportunity to visit so many different places that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise, but for me, just taking a good old-fashioned road trip really just gets my mind flowing.”
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