May 5, 2014–Pigeon Forge, TN.
New 306-room property features a variety of room types and spectacular views with areas and activities devoted to family togetherness.
In a special ceremony to bless the site of Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in the Great Smoky Mountains, Dolly Parton unveiled her first four personal items earmarked for the property’s new Dream Box display.
Parton’s Dream Box, which will be showcased in the resort for families to view, features the first personal mementos, each representing people and moments in the entertainment legend’s life that inspired her to make her own dreams come true.
“Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort opens in the summer of 2015, just as my Dollywood theme park celebrates its 30th anniversary,” Parton said. “My new resort is a dream 30 years in the making, and the items I picked for my Dream Box are closely tied to special people who encouraged me and certain events in my life where that encouragement paid off. My dream is that families who stay with us will be reminded that encouraging and loving each other is a powerful way to connect with one another.”
The items selected by Parton are:
· a copy of her 2012 Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You which expands on the popular 2009 commencement speech that Parton delivered at the University of Tennessee;
· a piece of wood from Parton’s Tennessee Mountain Home’s front porch, a favorite gathering spot for her family and where she sang as a child growing up in the Smoky Mountains;
· a song written by Parton for the future to be released in 2045 that shares her hopes and dreams for the future;
· a sealed mystery box made of chestnut, the contents of which are known only to Parton and are to remain unopened until 2045. The box honors Parton’s uncle Bill Owens who, early on, recognized his niece’s talents and helped her career take flight. Owens’ work with the American Chestnut Foundation helped develop a blight-resistant American chestnut tree, restoring it to the woodlands of the Eastern U.S.
Parton also welcomed Dollywood Chaplain Joey Buck who presided over a blessing of the resort followed by the beloved man of the Cherokee nation Elder Jerry Wolfe who conducted a traditional Native American smudging in keeping with the resort’s close ties to the land in the Smoky Mountains.
For the first time since announcing the resort on Aug. 21, 2013, Parton revealed new conceptual renderings which offer glimpses of the property’s interior and exterior spaces, including:
·A king-sized guest room which features bunk beds;
·An exterior view of a stunning two-story architectural window which creates a focal point for the property’s rear elevation;
· The resort’s three-story lobby which looks out onto the sprawling property where families can explore and relax. The three-story lobby window frames a magnificent view of Mt. LeConte in the distance;
· An exterior view of the resort’s various front porch areas, filled with rocking or “dream” chairs where families are invited to spend time together relaxing and sharing stories;
The 230,000-square-foot Dollywood’s DreamMore resort offers 306 guest rooms. In keeping with the Southern charm and hospitality that has welcomed millions to her award-winning Dollywood theme park since 1986, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort features a variety of different room types to accommodate families of all shapes and sizes including:
·King rooms with bunks;
·Extended suites;
·Double queen rooms;
·King rooms with sleeper sofas;
·Reunion suites which link adjoining rooms to create extended, connected family space.
The various room types and features allow families to maximize their time together. Families will discover special areas throughout the property’s spacious grounds such as an outdoor “story spot,” a casual area to sit and enjoy a story during the day or lawn areas to gaze at the star-filled sky at night.
“I want folks who stay at Dollywood’s DreamMore resort to experience the same heartfelt hospitality that they’ve come to know at my Dollywood theme park,” Parton said. “While we’re treating you like family, we’re going to create lots of simple ways for families to spend time together and really enjoy one another. All of this, plus being surrounded by views of the Smoky Mountains, folks are going to know that they are truly somewhere special when they stay with us.”
Located just a stone’s throw from Dollywood, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort will be situated on 100 acres. Guests will enjoy views of the Great Smoky Mountains which have inspired Parton throughout her career and were immortalized in the song In My Tennessee Mountain Home which she wrote.
The resort celebrates the iconic Southern gathering spot, beckoning to a time when families and friends sipped iced tea, enjoyed homemade ice cream and socialized. Centered on the rich traditions of storytelling, family and togetherness, the resort will feature many special touches including family sanctuaries like fire pits, swings and hammocks plus story spots scattered throughout the grounds.
Showcasing design features and décor elements that celebrate the area’s natural beauty, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort includes an indoor and outdoor resort pool complex, a spa, and a full-service farmhouse-style restaurant. With an emphasis on encouraging family bonding time, the resort also features a family activities center where guests can secure reservations for a variety of adventures centered around wholesome fun, including hikes in neighboring Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort is the second capital investment in a 10-year plan that includes more $300 million in future developments for Parton’s Dollywood properties, located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
For more information about Dollywood’s DreamMore resort and to be among the first to obtain updates and reservation information, please visit http://www.dreammoreresort.com and become a member of the Founders Club.
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By Deborah Fitts
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