
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 6, 1995                   TAG: 9508040018
SECTION: TRAVEL                    PAGE: F4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: PIGEON FORGE, TENN.                                 LENGTH: Medium

DOLLYWOOD EXPANDS TO TAKE NOSTALGIC LOOK AT '50S MOVIES

Dolly Parton plans to kick-off Dollywood's second decade with a bang, as the entertainment park unveils its largest expansion to date - a new area themed after Dolly's childhood vision of the glamorous movie stars.

Because of the tremendous popularity of the 1950s Jukebox Junction addition at Dollywood this year, Dolly Parton has decided to let people experience some of the action and glamour of the movies that she remembers from that same era.

"Everyone that visits Jukebox Junction just raves about it," Dolly said, "so I thought it would be great fun to share some of the glamour and excitement from the movies I remember during that same time."

The new section, appropriately named "Dollywood Boulevard," is an even larger expansion than Jukebox Junction, and to ensure that the entire area is ready in time for the 1996 season opening, construction began Aug. 1.

Dolly's movie memories seem to focus on stars, glamour, action and special effects, so her new addition has plenty of opportunities to experience all of that. "Some of my first movie memories were of great action films," Dolly recalled, "so we're going to have an action film ride simulator with a screen so big you feel like you're the star or at least a stunt man."

The area's dominant landmark will be the spectacular Empire Theatre, which will house a state-of-the-art ride simulator. Through the use of Cinemotion and stereo sound, up to 100 people will simultaneously become part of the movie's action on a screen more than 5 stories high and 7 stories wide, which literally projects the audience into the action on the screen.

"And since everybody always wants their picture taken with a movie star, we'll have some of the 'realest lookin' lookalike stars around so you can have your picture taken with them," Dolly said. Dollywood Boulevard will be a movie memory around every corner, as dining, shopping and browsing will all be filled with glimpses of bigger-than-life images from the silver screen.

The new area will include a themed restaurant, where the movies come alive through a menu of the favorite recipes of movie stars, the staff dresses in movie costumes, multiple dining areas are filled with movie memorabilia, and videos of some of the classic movies from Dolly's childhood are shown.

The new area is located adjacent to Dollywood's Jukebox Junction and will bring the investment in the Pigeon Forge entertainment complex to nearly $60 million since its opening in 1986.

by CNB