Dollywood rival theme park sparks outrage over 'truly disgusting' comment following country icon's death at 80
A rival theme park to Dolly Parton's Dollywood has sparked outrage online over a comment shared to a thread memorializing the star.
Parton's family announced the sad news of her passing at the age of 80 this week, in a statement shared to her social media pages.
Tributes to the widely adored singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist began to pour in, praising Parton's music, character, wit, and her many projects supporting ordinary people, from helping finance the Moderna vaccine during the Covid-19 pandemic to sending children's books to young families to encourage a love of reading in children.
Among the many tributes was one fan who took to X to share a post about Dollywood, the 165-acre theme park in Tennessee, co-owned by the country icon.
Advert
The fan praised Parton for keeping the single-day admission price to Dollywood at $99, writing: "And she kept the prices reasonable in this economy."
'A TACTLESS post'
However, an account belonging to another park, Hersheypark, responded: "Our summer tickets are $49.99."
The comment was swiftly deleted, but not before many outraged users had taken screenshots of it, with one demanding: "Are you guys going to offer an official apology for this TACTLESS post or keep on ignoring it?"
Another took to social media to slam the park as 'truly disgusting'.
Hersheypark, which is located in Pennsylvania, made an initial public response after screenshots of the post began to circulate, saying that the post had been intended for another conversation and they had not seen the 'context'.
"We certainly respect your concern," it wrote. "A reply clarifying our ticket price in another conversation was posted without seeing the context of the chain, so we removed it quickly to avoid any confusion or insensitivity over intent. We absolutely apologize for the error."
Other users continued to criticize the park, with one commenting: "This is such a big yikes…. like I'm shocked."
Hersheypark's response to the criticizm
Hersheypark replied to this comment, saying that they 'honor our industry icons' and that this was 'absolutely not the intent'.
Following the backlash online, the park shared a longer statement in which it explained and apologized for the post, as well as paying tribute to Parton.
Hersheypark said that they had seen information about their pricing online which was incorrect, and had intended to respond to clarify it.
"We join the millions mourning the loss of Dolly Parton, whose generosity, talent and spirit touched so many," it said in a statement.
"A member of our social media team noticed inaccurate pricing information about Hersheypark within a post and intended to respond directly just to that individual to correct it, not realizing the reply would appear as a response to a conversation about Dollywood. It was removed as soon as we recognized the context. We sincerely apologize for any insensitivity."
'Dolly’s wish was that Dollywood always remain a place of joy, hope and togetherness'
Following the news of Parton's passing, Dollywood issued the following statement: "With heavy hearts, the Dollywood family mourns the passing of our beloved Dreamer-in-Chief, Dolly Parton. Everyone at Dollywood shares the sorrow of countless people around the world touched by Dolly’s warmth, wisdom and generous spirit.
"Dolly’s heartfelt wish was that Dollywood always remain a place of joy, hope and togetherness - a space where families and friends could honor her memory, not with silence, but with laughter, music and shared dreams."
Eugene Naughton, Dollywood Parks and Resorts President, added: "The greatest privilege of my life has been helping Dolly bring her dreams to life at Dollywood.
"Dolly’s heart was as vast as the mountains she cherished, and her compassion knew no bounds. She inspired generations to dream boldly and love deeply. While we grieve her loss, we are honored and committed to carry her light forward. Her legacy will continue to shine in every melody sung, every smile shared and every dream kindled within these gates."
The statement continued: "Dolly’s enduring legacy extends beyond her music and generosity to her remarkable work ethic - an inspiration to people everywhere. In her spirit, Dollywood will be open Wednesday as Dolly wanted, always reminding everyone with her signature sparkle -- 'the show must go on'.
"Together, we honor her by carrying forward her message of love, perseverance, and hope."
A timeline of Dolly Parton's charity work
The country singer has been fondly remembered for her generosity and how much she gave back to local communities across the United States, as well as contributing to education, welfare and animal rights. Here's a list of everything she did to help others:
The Dollywood Foundation
In 1988, Parton originally launched the organization in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee, with the goal of decreasing high school drop out rates. She then launched the Buddy Program, which saw Parton give every seventh and eighth grader who finished high school $500.
According to the organization, the initiative was successful and the dropout rate declined from 35 percent to just 6 percent.
Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood
In 1991, the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee partnered with the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) to open a 30,000-square-foot aviary that sheltered the largest collection of 'non-releasable' bald eagles.
This partnership 'helped introduce millions of Dollywood guests to America’s national symbol and to the importance of protecting bald eagles and other birds of prey', according to the AEF's website.
Imagination Library
In 1995, the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library was founded and inspired by Parton’s father, who was unable to read. It began sending one book per month to each enrolled child in Sevier County from birth until their first year of school.
In 2025, it was announced that the Imagination Library gifted more than 40.3 million books, bringing the program’s total books gifted since its launch to more than 304.5 million.
The Dolly Parton Scholarship
According to the Dollywood Foundation, the scholarship - an annual award granting $15,000 each to five high school seniors in Sevier County, Tennessee - is awarded to those who 'have a dream they wish to pursue and who can successfully communicate their plan and commitment to realize their dreams'.
My People Fund
After previously working hard to aid wildfire relief in Tennessee in 2016, Parton launched the My People Fund, which provided $1,000 a month for six months to families whose homes were completely destroyed by the fires.
The fund also donated around $8.9 million to those in need.
$1 million donation to a children’s hospital
In 2017, Parton made the staggering donation to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in honor of her niece, who was treated for leukemia at that hospital.
She made another $1 million donation to the same hospital in 2022, this time aiming to help pediatric infectious disease research.
Covid-19 vaccine donation efforts
Parton donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Tennessee flooding relief
$700,000 was raised by Parton and her Smoky Mountain businesses in 2021 to help residents impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Middle Tennessee.
Dollywood education coverage
In 2022, the Dollywood Co. announced that it will cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for any employee who is furthering their education.
The program is available to all seasonal, part-time and full-time employees at Dollywood Parks & Resorts.
$1 million donation to the Salvation Amy
In late 2023, the singer donated another generous $1 million to the Salvation Army, with the money going towards food and grocery programs in the US.
$2 million donation toward Hurricane Helene relief
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024, which affected areas across Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Parton donated $1 million from her own funds for the Mountain Way’s Foundation, which provides assistance to flood victims.
Her East Tennessee businesses and the Dollywood Foundation also pledged an additional $1 million.
Topics: Dolly Parton, Social Media, Twitter, US News
Kit Roberts