Dolly Parton's Dollywood to introduce new installations to honour late star

Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park is to have new “experiences and installations” to honour the singer following her death.

The Jolene star’s passing was announced on August 25 by Dolly’s nephew-and-head of security, Bryan Seaver, with the country singer’s nearest and dearest gathering for an intimate funeral at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum three days later.

Now bosses at Dolly’s world-famous namesake theme park in Tennessee have revealed plans to permanently honour the late star - with new “experiences and installations that honor [Dolly’s] remarkable contributions, enduring values and love for the people and places of the Great Smoky Mountains”.

The press release continued to say that visitors will be given various “meaningful opportunities to reflect on Dolly’s life, her faith, and her influence while experiencing the joy, imagination and togetherness that have always been at the heart of her vision for Dollywood”.

Among the new additions will be a waterfall, which will be at the centre of a large reflection area, situated near Dollywood’s Robert F. Thomas chapel.

Bosses hope that the waterfall will create “a peaceful setting for guests to pause, reflect and enjoy the natural beauty that inspired so much of Dolly’s life and work”.

While the chapel itself will get “new stained-glass windows commissioned to reflect Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV), the Bible verse that resonated deeply with Dolly: ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.’”

There will also be “special kiosks” constructed in the Wildwood Grove area of Dollywood, where guests can have a “place to share their own thoughts and notes about how Dolly inspired them to dream their own big dreams”.

And a new character called The Dream Maker will be introduced to the theme park, as well as a new footpath which will be constructed near the entrance of the Dolly Parton Experience museum.