Yearly Expansions

2007
The season unveils the largest capital investments at both parks. Dollywood’s $17.5 million Mystery Mine steel coaster occupies a one-acre expansion in Timber Canyon. Passengers encounter the ruins of an abandoned mine while traveling a 1,811-foot track which includes a hair-raising 95-degree, 85-foot vertical drop, just the first in a series of amazing maneuvers. At Dollywood’s Splash Country, relaxation and tranquility combine with adventure for The Cascades™, a new $2.8 million 8,000-sq.-ft. leisure pool. A rock grotto with intertwined slides, a geyser with 20-foot sprays, a 24,000-sq.-ft. tiered deck space and eight new Waterside Retreats make The Cascades a family favorite at the water park.

2006
Dollywood’s Timber Canyon area opens, welcoming Timber Tower™, the only ride of its kind in the U.S. Lumberjack Lifts, Lil’ Loggers’ Landing, Beaver Creek Boat Float and Beaver Creek round out the new ride and attractions offerings in the action-packed adventure area. In addition, the new 150-seat LumberCamp restaurant greeted hungry guests. New entertainment offerings include Dreamland Drive-In, a ‘50s and ‘60s musical review in the Pines Theatre plus the much-anticipated Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland, the centerpiece of the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. In addition, Dollywood launches its fifth festival—BBQ & Bluegrass featuring entertainment by Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, the Del McCoury Band and more.

At Dollywood’s Splash Country, Fire Tower Falls™ changes the water park’s landscape as the twin speed slides become the park’s tallest and fastest slides ever, rising 70 feet into the air.

2005
A 3.5 acre, $5 million renovation in Dollywood's Country Fair area brings 10 new family rides to the park. In addition, the park's fall season introduces the new National Music & Harvest Celebration featuring 38 days of free concerts performed by country, bluegrass, Southern gospel and Americana artists.

At Dollywood's Splash Country, a four-alarm soaking awaits guests at the new Bear Mountain Fire Tower™, a $2 million multi-level interactive water attraction.

2004
Dollywood welcomed its first wooden roller coaster-The Thunderhead. Billed as the "wildest ride in the woods," the $7 million Thunderhead anchors the park's newest expansion, the five-acre Thunderhead Gap. Two new shows, Country Crossroads and Randy Parton's Country Heart & Soul joined the entertainment lineup along with a cast of roving characters including the Rainmaker, Trapper & Bear, the Constable & the Robber and the Appalachian String Band.

Guests at Dollwood's Splash Country were taking the plunge-the Big Bear Plunge-on the water park's new $1.4 million extreme white water rafting adventure ride situated in the park's new Big Bear Ridge area.

2003
Dollywood introduced KidsFest, the largest children's festival in the South, which included two new stage shows for children-VeggieTales® and Garfield's® 25th Anniversary Birthday Party-and the Purina® Dog Chow® Incredible Dog Team and ASA Extreme Sports shows. The Buddy Baxter's Bandstand USA rock 'n' roll show premiered in the Pines Theatre on May 24 and Randy Parton starred in the new Randy Parton Country State of Mind country show in the Celebrity Theatre. Dollywood's Festival of Nation's returned with the addition of the Dollywood International Food Faire, 7,000 square feet of foods from around the world.

At Dolly's Splash Country, a $1.5 million, two-acre expansion called Raintree Hollow opened featuring Soaker Springs, a large interactive water attraction for children, and Mountain Twist, a multi-slide complex.

2002
Adventures in Imagination opens at a cost of $10 million. New attractions include Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure, the world's largest Turbo Ride® Action Simulator Adventure; Clovis' Wilderness Corner retail shop; Chasing Rainbows, a state-of-the-art interactive museum collection that chronicles Dolly rise to fame from her humble East Tennessee beginnings to her multi-faceted career as an award-winning singer, songwriter and actress; and the Doughnut Factory.

2001
Dollywood introduced its popular Festival of Nations, a monthlong celebration of dance, food and culture from around the world featuring more than 300 performers and artisans.

Dolly's Splash Country, a $20 million waterpark, opened on May 19. Situated on 25 acres near Dollywood on Middle Creek Road in Pigeon Forge, Dolly's Splash Country features a 25,000-square-foot wave pool, a family raft ride, a lazy river, an interactive children's area, multi-person tube rides, two "extreme" body slides, shaded lounge areas and a restaurant.

2000
Dreamland Forest opens. This $5 million attraction features 15,000 square feet of interactive games, gadgets, and gizmos for children of all ages including the world's largest interactive tree house; a three-story bee hive, a "wet and wild" area called Bullfrog Creek, Ranger's Cookhouse restaurant, and a nature-themed gift shop.

1999
Dollywood adds the $8 million Tennessee Tornado, the world's first spiral-loop coaster featuring back-to-back 360-degree loops. Dollywood also became headquarters for the Southern Gospel Music Association's Hall of Fame and Museum honoring the genre's legends with interactive displays, more than 350 artifacts and a recording studio.

1998
Paradise Road: The Life and Songs of Dolly Parton, a major Broadway-style show chronicling the superstar's amazing career, debuted on April 18. Dollywood's 13th season also marked the addition of Daredevil Falls, a unique waterfall ride featuring a 63 mph free fall.

1997
Additional entertainment offerings marked Dollywood's 12th season with the addition of American Dream, a country music show starring Randy Parton; Country Treasures, a dynamic production show highlighted by performances by Grand Ole Opry legends; Shenani-Guns, a comedy show and U Pick Nick, a Nickelodeon®-themed high-energy kids show. Imagination Station introduced one of the world's largest LEGO® play areas. In the fall, an expanded Harvest Celebration and Southern Gospel Jubilee opened.

1996
Dollywood Boulevard, an $8 million expansion, anchored the park's 11th season. Based on the classic 1957 Robert Mitchum film, Thunder Road, a $5 million state-of-the-art simulator ride, was added and at the time, was the world's largest Turbo-Ride® Action Adventure featuring a contour-flair screen measuring 55 feet high and 70 feet wide. A themed restaurant and merchandise attraction completed the area. Also in 1996, Dollywood introduced the popular Southern Gospel Jubilee during the park's fall Harvest Celebration. The country's largest Southern Gospel event featured gospel greats J. D. Sumner & The Stamps, the Lewis Family, Kirk Talley, and the Kingsmen.

1995
Dollywood unveiled Jukebox Junction, a $6 million, seven-acre 1950s themed area featuring the 1,000-seat Pines Theater, Red's Diner and the Rockin' Roadway, a ride featuring classic replica cars. Entertainment included Let the Good Times Roll, a tribute to rock 'n' roll. A variety of merchandise locations offering classic memorabilia and nostalgic items completed the area.

1994
Heartsong, a film narrated by Dolly, debuted in the Heartsong Theater. Conveying Dolly's fond memories and feelings for the Smoky Mountains, Heartsong's powerful story is driven by Dolly's music. Incorporating 70 mm film and specially created animation, Heartsong provides unique outdoor sensory experiences through theatrical lighting, sound and special effects.

1993
The Country Fair area opened, adding a new feature to Dollywood's skyline with the 60-foot Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel. Other popular modern-day midway rides were added including the Tennessee Twister (also known as the Tilt-a-Whirl) and Twist and Shout (also known as the Scrambler). Nostalgia-themed additions included old-time games and a variety of "blue ribbon" foods.

1992
Dollywood's seventh season welcomed Showstreet, a seven-acre, $6.5 million expansion including the 1,000-seat Showstreet Palace Theatre featuring the new show Fire on the Mountain; WDLY, a fully functional radio station; Friendship Gardens and Starwalk, a gardenscape area featuring more than 35,000 flowers and plants; a full production bakery plus a variety of entertainment, food, attractions and merchandise.

1991
In 1991, Dollywood welcomed the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, a 1.5 million-cubic-foot natural outdoor aviary, home to the largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles. Also added next door was the Wings of America theatre and the Birds of Prey Show. The 400-seat Valley Theatre also opened in Craftsman's Valley providing yet another stage to showcase entertainment.

1990
Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration debuted during November and December of the fifth season. Festive holiday entertainment, attractions and foods all set against a backdrop of more than two million twinkling lights. Also added this year was Imagination Station, an interactive children's play zone in the Country Fair area.

1989
The $8 million Thunder Express roller coaster was added for the fourth season. (Thunder Express was retired in 1998, making room for the Tennessee Tornado which opened in April 1999.)

1988
The new 1,739-seat Celebrity Theatre opened its doors and the first Showcase of Stars concert series debuted featuring performances by the biggest names in country music. (In 1990, the Country Music Association named the Celebrity Theatre Theater of the Year.)

1987
Dollywood introduced another major ride, the Mountain Slidewinder, a water toboggan thrill ride (named the best non-roller coaster ride in the country by Amusement Business magazine). Daydream Ridge, themed around an 1890s logging community and featuring a children's play area, was introduced this year featuring a toy shop, a playground area, the Daydream Diner, the Rainbow Blown Glass Shop and the Sweet Dreams Candy Shop.

1986
In its first year of operation, Dollywood unveiled an entire new area called Rivertown Junction featuring the park's most-visited restaurant Aunt Granny's (named for the nickname by which Dolly's nieces and nephews call her); Dolly's Tennessee Mountain Home; the 450-seat Back Porch theatre (home of the popular Kinsfolks Show); and the Smoky Mountain River Rampage, a thrilling white water rafting adventure ride.