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Revision as of 02:36, 15 August 2007 by SB7177(talk | contribs)(Added Dollywood Foundation to timeline - 1988)
Dollywood hosts nearly 2.5 million visitors annually, many of them also visiting the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The theme park's operating season runs from early spring until around Christmas.
Dollywood is organized into nine themed areas. The Showstreet, Rivertown Junction, Craftsmen's Valley, Village, Country Fair, Timber Canyon, and Jukebox Junction areas reflect the historical eras and culture of east Tennessee, while the Dreamland Forest and Adventures in Imagination areas explore Dolly Parton's life and imagination. Many attractions at Dollywood preserve the history and culture of the Southern Appalachian region.
Rivertown Junction - Attractions include The Tennessee Mountain Home, The Back Porch Theatre, and the Smoky Mountain River Rampage whitewater rafting ride.
Craftsmen's Valley - Attractions include The Dollywood Grist Mill, The Valley Theatre, Eagle Mountain Sactuary, Wings of America Theatre, Robert F. Thomas Chapel, Calico Falls Schoolhouse, the Tennessee Tornado coaster, Blazing Fury coaster, Daredevil Falls flume ride, and craft exhibits.
The Village - Attractions include The Dollywood Express steam train, Heartsong, a Carousel, and the Magic Laughmaker.
The Country Fair - Rides include The Dizzy Disk, the Amazing Flying Elephants, Lemon Twist, Shooting Star, Sky Rider, Veggietales Sideshow Spin Kid's Rollercoaster, Waltzing Swinger, Piggy Parade, Busy Bees, Lucky Ducky, Dolly's Demolition Derby, The Scrambler, and the Wonder Wheel.
Jukebox Junction - Attractions include the Rockin' Roadway car ride and The Pines Theatre.
Dreamland Forest - Attractions include the Dreamland Forest interactive play area and the Mountain Slidewinder water-tobbogan ride.
Adventures in Imagination - Attractions include Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure simulator ride and the "Chasing Rainbows" Dolly Parton museum.
Dollywood timeline
2008: On July 20th it was announced that Dollywood will open a new interactive water ride called River Battle. It will open for the 2008 season. Plus, there will be a new walkway connecting the Timber canyon area with the Craftmen's Valley side.
2007: The new Mystery Mine, a Gerstlauer Eurofighter coaster with two vertical lifts, a 95 degree, 80 ft drop, a heartline roll, and a dive loop. It is heavily themed as an old abandoned mine.
2006: The Timber Tower ride, along with Lil' Loggers Landing, Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek Boat Float, and the Lumberjack Lifts, opened in a new area adjacent to Thunderhead.
2005: The Country Fair area is renovated to include 10 new rides: Dizzy Disk, the Amazing Flying Elephants, Lemon Twist, Shooting Star, Sky Rider, Veggietales Sideshow Spin Kid's roller coaster, Waltzing Swinger, Piggy Parade, Busy Bees, and Lucky Ducky.
2004: A new area of the park, "Thunderhead Gap", opens featuring the Thunderhead (roller coaster) a Wooden roller coaster. The construction of the new area opens up a new valley for the park to expand into. The Country Fair Falls log flume is demolished in November. Most of the Country Fair rides, including the Swingamajig, The Tennessee Twister, The Convoy, and The Barnstormer, are removed at the end of the season to free up space for new rides.
2003: Kidsfest, a new summer children's festival, premiers. Imagination Station is converted into Celebration Hall, a special events facility. 2003 is the final season for the "Showcase of Stars" celebrity concert series.
2002: Dollywood Boulevard is renovated into a new area, Adventures in Imagination. The Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure; a new simulator film, replaces Thunder Road. Chasing Rainbows, a new Dolly museum, opens in the building formerly occupied by the Silver Screen Café.
2001: The Festival of Nations international festival premiers in April. Dolly's Splash Country, a new 25 acre water park, is opened adjacent to Dollywood's parking lot. Admission is separate from Dollywood.
2000: The Daydream Ridge area is renovated into Dreamland Forest, an interactive children's area.
1999: The Tennessee Tornado; a steel looping coaster, opens in the area formerly occupied by Thunder Express. Also new is the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame. The Balloon Race ride is removed from the park in October.
1998: Daredevil Falls, a new shoot the chutes ride, opens in area formerly occupied by the Flooded Mine. Thunder Express is closed in September and removed from the park. It is sold to the Magic Springs Theme Park in Arkansas. The antique carousel is removed at the end of the season and replaced by a new, Chance Rides carousel.
1997: The Flooded Mine dark-ride is closed and demolished in October. "U Pick Nick", a children's show featuring themes from the Nickelodeon television network, plays in the Celebrity Theatre during the summer.
1996: The Dollywood Boulevard area is added, featuring "Thunder Road", a turbo-simulator ride based upon the 1957 movie of the same name. The area also featured the Silver Screen Café; a 1950s cinema themed restaurant, and the Centerstage gift shop.
1995: The Jukebox Junction 1950s themed area is added, featuring Rockin' Roadway; a miniature car ride, The Pines Theatre, Red's Diner, and Cas Walker's Music Store. The Sunset Musicfest does not return for the 1995 season.
1994: The Gaslight Theatre becomes the Heartsong Theatre, featuring "Heartsong", a multi-media musical presentation that tells the story of Dolly Parton's life. File:Dollywood.JPGLandscaping within Dollywood.
1993: The Fun Country area is renovated into The Country Fair, featuring three new rides: The Wonder Wheel; a 60ft tall Ferris wheel, Twist and Shout; a "Scrambler" ride, and the Tennessee Twister; a tilt-a-whirl. The Balloon Race ride is relocated to the Daydream Ridge area to make room for the new attractions. Also new at the park this season is the "Sunset Musicfest", a summer music festival.
1992: The Showstreet area is added, featuring the Showstreet Palace theatre; The Butterfly Emporium; The Backstage Restaurant; The Spotlight Bakery; the Friendship Gardens; and WDLY; a working radio station. To accommodate the expansion, the park's main entrance is moved from Rivertown Junction to Showstreet. The Barnwood Theatre is converted into Imagination Station; an interactive children's play area. 1992 is the first season Dollywood's annual attendance tops 2 million.
1991: Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, an outdoor aviary is added. Also new is the Wings of America Theatre, featuring the Birds of Prey show, and the 300-seat Valley Theatre.
1990: A 1920 Antique Dentzel Carousel, originally built for Rocky Springs Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is relocated to the park. Situated near the train depot, it takes over the space previously occupied by the Silver Dollar Saloon. The 600-seat Gaslight Theatre opens near the Carousel. The Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival premiers in November, extending the park's operating season into December.
1989: Thunder Express, a steel mine train coaster, is built adjacent to Blazing Fury. The ride had been relocated to the park from Six Flags Over Mid-America. 1989 is the final season for the National Mountain Music Festival, which had been carried over from the Silver Dollar City years.
1988: The 1,739 seat Celebrity Theatre is constructed adjacent to the entrance of the park. The theatre features the "Showcase of Stars" celebrity concert series. Five new children’s rides are added to the Fun Country area, including a Zamperla Balloon Race. The Dollywood Foundation is established to provide books and schools supplies for the children of Sevier County.
1987: The Daydream Ridge area opens, featuring the Mountain Slidewinder water toboggan ride; Mountain Dan's Burger House; Sweet Dreams Candy Shop; The Rainbow Factory blown glass shop; and the Critter Creek Playground.
1986: Silver Dollar City Tennessee reopens as Dollywood on May 3rd. The Rivertown Junction area, new for 1986, features the Smoky Mountain River Rampage, a whitewater rafting ride; The Back Porch Theatre; Aunt Granny's Dixie Fixins' Restaurant; and the Tennessee Mountain Home, a replica of the cabin where Dolly grew up. Also new is "Rags to Riches: The Dolly Parton Story"; a museum featuring articles from Dolly's life and career. "The Butter Churn" (a Trabant ride) is removed at the end of the season.
