LAST night the world was hit by the tragic news that western icon Dolly Parton has died aged 80 after a short battle with cancer.
While fans around the world mourn the 9 to 5 singer, bookings for the star’s theme park, Dollywood, have surged.
The theme park’s website went down yesterday after people rushed to the site shortly after the news of her death broke.
Dollywood spans 165 acres in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, boasts more than 50 rides, including rollercoasters like Big Bear Mountain and Mystery Mine.
There’s also Dollywood’s Splash Country – an outdoor waterpark.
Originally set to open on August 18 but now set to fully open on August 30, there will even be a new rollercoaster called NightFlight Expedition.
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The $50million (£36.7million) ride incorporates four thrilling experiences in one, with an indoor coaster section that takes riders over the Smokies at night, then there is a whitewater rafting excursion where riders head up and over a mountain ridge before plunging down into a lake.
The theme park also hosts events throughout the year including Run Dollywood, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival and Neon Lights at Splash Country.
Coming up, the theme park will host a new nighttime event called Harvey’s Boo Bash on October 16, 23 and 30.
The event is hosted by the park’s pumpkin character called Harvey.
There will be Great Pumpkin LumiNights too, every evening between September 14 and October 31.
Across a wider 10-year plan costing $500million (£336.7million), there are plans to add three new resorts which will make the park have five resorts overall.
There are also plans for a ‘unique experience’ that the park previously teased could be camping ‘Dolly style’.
By 2050, the destination aims to have all five resorts open, each with 300 hotel rooms and the outdoor resort as well.
The park which opened in 1986 has a 20-minute ride on the Dollywood Express steam train as well.
You can also stay at the park too, at either Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa or the HeartSong Lodge & Resort.
Day tickets to the theme park cost as little as $29.99 (£22) per person.
And if you do visit the theme park it is also worth exploring wider East Tennessee, as it was recently named one of the 14 “best places to go in the US in 2026” according to Conde Nast Traveller.