Dollywood is a hot spot for celebrity sightings – here’s a roundup of some of the biggest stars known to frequent the park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding area are among the most visited tourist destinations in the world. In the mountains, there are surely few places that are more popular than Dollywood. I’ve watched over the last 40 years – first as a tourist, then as a resident, how Dollywood has transformed from a kitschy, second-tier theme park to one of the premiere amusement parks in the country. Through the partnership of local girl turned global icon Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment – owners of Silver Dollar City – Dollywood has become a bucket-list destination for many people including celebrities. Celebrities are people, too. And they love the mountains and enjoy a good amusement park like we do.
Celebrity sightings at Dollywood are not an everyday thing. But they do happen and often go unrecognized. On a recent tour, Mick Jagger, frontman for The Rolling Stones, made a point of going out before or after the shows and exploring the city where they were playing. While I am sure he had some security with him, Jagger, with no more disguise than a ballcap, moved around large American cities unbothered. So if you add the hustle and bustle of a popular amusement park on a busy day, how many of us could walk past a big-time celebrity and never know? These are the top 10 celebrities we can confirm have visited Dollywood:
1. Dolly Parton
Is it fair to include Dolly herself on the list? Maybe not. But she is likely the most famous person ever to step inside Dollywood, and she is the one you will most likely to see on your visit. The best chance to see Dolly is at the annual passholder’s day to start the season. She usually makes a presentation for the top passholders and media and can be seen around the park throughout the day. If the weather is accommodating, she’ll ride in a little parade through the park waving to the crowd like the queen she is.
Can’t make the opening day? Keep your eye out for major announcements. Is there a new ride? A new section of the park? Or a new hotel? There’s a good chance she will be on hand for the big celebration. Finally, you might get a little luck with the draw. Dolly might be filming something for one of her many TV or film projects at the park.
2. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
The Australian powerhouse couple of country music star Keith Urban and Oscar-award-winning actress Nicole Kidman posted a Valentine’s Day picture taken at the park. Urban has shared how much Kidman enjoys taking the family to the mountains.
3. Katy Perry
This is one of our celebs who visited not for a project but just to enjoy the park. A decade ago, Perry made an ‘‘unexpected’’ trip to the park. She rode rides, interacted with fellow guests and had a grand old time.
4. Morgan Wallen
As an East Tennessean, Wallen grew up in the area and continues to visit frequently. He’s been spotted in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and of course Dollywood. He was spotted in the park and took pictures with a few guests in December of 2023.
5. Miley Cyrus
Dolly’s famous goddaughter, former Disney TV star and Grammy-award winner, Miley Cyrus visited the area as a kid riding go-kart tracks and the like. More recently, she was at the park filming the 2022 movie Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas. It seems these days, if you were to see Cyrus in the park it would be for a project with Dolly, but at the same time, would you be shocked that she was in the area and decided to ride the Wild Eagle?
6. Jelly Roll
Now, this one is a little bit of conjecture. Jelly Roll is from Middle Tennessee, but like Wallen, is a massive fan of the Tennessee Vols. Jelly Roll recorded with Dolly on her recent rock and roll album and during press tours praised Dolly and the economic impact the park has had on the region. While I couldn’t find pictures of Jelly Roll in Dollywood itself, there are pictures on Instagram of him at Parrot Mountain, just up the road.
7. Carrie Underwood
It seems a natural fit. Nashville legend and country music superstar Carrie Underwood was seen at Dollywood with her family in 2022. On Instagram, she revealed the family spent a few days at the park and expected it to become a family tradition.
8. Jimmy Fallon
Dolly has always been a favorite guest of the late-night talk show hosts dating back to Johnny Carson. Her wit, charm and storytelling abilities make her a natural talk show guest. And so, when Dolly needed some folks to come down and film for her 2022 Mountain Magic Christmas, she called in a favor. Jimmy Fallon came to Dollywood and filmed a major segment of the show.
9. Warwick Davis
This is a new spotting. But it was massive for fans of the fantasy franchises of the last 40 years or so. Warwick Davis – who played multiple roles in Star Wars and Harry Potter films – was spotted at Dollywood in early October. What was he doing? Why was he there? It’s unclear. An X (Twitter) user got a picture with Davis and posted it online, but it is unclear if Davis was in the area for fun or was working on a project.
10. Joshua Carrott and Ollie Kendal
Josh and Ollie are two of the more famous people – at least on a worldwide scale – to visit Dollywood recently. Josh and Ollie operate a pair of YouTube Channels – the Korean Englishman and Jolly – which have roughly 10 million subscribers worldwide. Jolly mostly features videos of the two main characters in their crew trying amazing or unique regional food and restaurants worldwide.
During a tour of the American South from Texas to North Carolina, the Jolly crew stopped at Dollywood and filmed. What did they find? Of course, they raved about the cinnamon bread and enjoyed almost everything else. They marveled at the quality of food offered, saying theme parks in Great Britain come up short on that account. While they may not have the name recognition of others on the list, their Dollywood video picked up more than 1.3 million views in a month.
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