America’s Sweetheart Dolly Parton Announces Closure of Tennessee Theme Park
Three days into a brand-new season, Dollywood is already sending guests home early.
Weather Forces an Early Exit
Dollywood posted an Instagram story on Monday announcing that the Pigeon Forge theme park would close at 5:00 p.m. on March 16 due to deteriorating weather conditions. The park’s statement read:
PARK UPDATE.
Due to current weather conditions, Dollywood will close at 5 p.m. tonight, March 16.
Dollywood will open tomorrow (3/17) with regular operating hours as scheduled.
The park had been scheduled to operate until 8:00 p.m., making Monday’s closure a three-hour cut. The disruption appears to be limited to one day; Dollywood is expected to reopen on Tuesday on its normal schedule, with the “I Will Always Love You” Music Festival continuing without interruption.
Dolly Made Sure the Season Started Right
The early closure lands just days after one of Dollywood’s most emotional season openers in recent memory. The park welcomed back its 2026 season on Friday, March 13, and Dolly Parton was there for all of it, riding in the opening-day parade as the park’s Dreamer-in-Chief:
Happy Opening Day from our Dreamer-in-Chief, @dollyparton 🦋
View this post on Instagram
Parton has pulled out of multiple scheduled performances and public appearances in recent months while managing ongoing health concerns, making Friday’s opening-day parade particularly meaningful for fans. The icon spoke openly about a year that brought significant personal loss, including the death of her longtime husband, Carl Thomas Dean.
“I’ve had a few little health issues,” Parton told the crowd, sharing that her focus has been on healing “spiritually, emotionally and physically.”
Still, she left no room for concern about what comes next: “All is good,” Parton said.
Has inclement weather ever impacted your theme park vacation? Disney Dining would love to hear about your experience in the comments!
