If you've ever been to Dollywood (jealous!), you've probably experienced some of the many attractions.
Whether it's the classics you'd find anywhere, like demolition derby, or the things that lean more to the history of Pigeon Forge, like the Mystery Mine, which features an abandoned coal mine, they really look like lots of fun!
But it turns out that some of these rides aren't Dolly-approved. Well, of course they are—she's been a co-owner since 1986, when the place opened. Surprisingly, she doesn't actually like to ride rollercoasters.
She's previously mentioned that she suffers from motion sickness. According to People, in a 2023 interview, she explained, "I don't like to ride the rides, everybody knows that about me. I have a tendency to have motion sickness. And then I'm a little bit claustrophobic. I don't like to be closed in. And I just think, 'Well, I just have too much to lose.'"
As someone who's claustrophobic myself, I get where she's coming from. The seats on rollercoasters can be pretty cramped.
She also revealed that part of her dislike of rides goes back to when she was a kid. In a March 2026 speech (funnily enough, at Dollywood), she said, "I used to get sick on the merry-go-round as a kid on the playground."
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But One Dollywood Ride Might Be Getting a Dolly Seal of Approval
After several times she's mentioned disliking rides, this is a pretty big shock.
But, as Dollywood prepares to open up its biggest attraction yet, Dolly is tempted. The $50 million NightFlight Expedition does look pretty appealing, especially to those who might not like rollercoasters.
The ride is uniquely on water and land—it seems to combine a lazy river and a roller coaster. A press release about the coaster explains it will "immerse guests in an extraordinary Smoky Mountains adventure". That involves a "whitewater rafting excursion" and "[navigating] a mysterious shimmering lake by boat", alongside a "mountain ridge on a rollercoaster".
Well, Dolly herself certainly seems tempted—she said in the attraction's announcement video that, "I usually don't ride the rides, but this one sounds so magical, I might just check that one out."
I would for sure check out a ride if it had Dolly's seal of approval—would you?
