Zoey Goto visited Dollywood in 2024 for The Independent and dubbed it America's coolest theme park. In light of Dolly Parton's death at the age of 80, this is her review.
Topping up my plastic cowboy boot-shaped cup with yet another glug of sweet tea, the server is curious about my accent. “You’re from England?” he hazards a guess, raising an eyebrow. “That makes sense. We’re getting a lot more Brits coming to the Smokies. They mostly come for Dolly,” he concludes with a deep Southern twang, dropping a glistening rotisserie chicken onto my plate. All around, the arena jostles with 1,000 Parton fans squeezed thigh-to-thigh onto wooden benches, hungry for both the boot-stomping entertainment and the four-course barbecue feast currently being dished out.
