Dolly Parton’s Legendary Luxury Tour Bus Is Now Open For Private Hire, But The Price Tag Is No Joke

Imagine working “9 to 5” before coming back to Dolly Parton’s motorhome! Two lucky guests can live the life of a showbiz icon, as part of their stay at the Dollywood DreamMore Resort & Spa in Tennessee. Used by Dolly herself over 15 years, this lavish, country-infused getaway on wheels is the ultimate treat for fans. Is it expensive? We’ll use some Straight Talk at this point… Yes siree!

Gypsy Wagon

The incomparable Dolly always has her feet on the ground. In fact, she’s so grounded she even hates flying. That’s how the 45-foot-long “Suite 1986” entered her life. Emblazoned with her signature in pink, Dolly’s preferred mode of transportation is the perfect reflection of her free-roaming spirit. She even calls it her “Gypsy Wagon!”

Step aboard

This unmistakeable ex-tour bus was a source of comfort and inspiration to the much-loved songstress and all-round talent. She reportedly wrote her album Backwoods Barbie here, together with the behemoth that is 9 To 5 the Musical. It’s the place she feels most comfortable, and she wants to share it with you. Ready to step aboard and become immersed in the land of Dolly?

Across North America

The Canadian-made Prevost bus transported Dolly to various destinations between 2008 and 2022. It’s taken her all across North America, stopping off at places such as L.A., and of course her home base of Nashville, Tennessee. In 2016 she embarked on the epic Pure & Simple tour. Her biggest for a quarter of a century, it comprised no fewer than 60 cities — and the bus was her home for that time. 

On-board kitchenette

Who drove this dream machine? That responsibility belonged to Tim Dunlap, who was also treated to some home-made meals from the country legend herself. Dunlap and personal assistant Judy Ogle reportedly ate sandwiches and other goodies, delivered fresh from Dolly’s on-board kitchenette. Not so much “Islands In The Stream”, as Thousand Island Dressing!

Parked up

While Dolly famously sings a number called “Tomorrow Is Forever”, sadly this amazing tour bus is no longer part of her future. She parked it up for the last time this year. How come? Well, a lack of touring led to her bidding farewell to the gypsy-inspired ride. Still, Dolly couldn’t bear to abandon the bus and it ended up at Dollywood.

Authentic experience

The resort opened in 2015 and is located at Pigeon Forge, TN. With the Smoky Mountains forming an impressive backdrop, you feel like you’re truly out in the American countryside. That said, you still enjoy some sizable home comforts. And they don’t come more comfortable than the chance to live in Dolly’s tour bus. It’s billed as a totally authentic, Dolly-oriented experience.  

Pigeon Forge

Can you believe that the “Dollywood” brand has been in existence at Pigeon Forge since 1986? Originally the attraction was called “Rebel Railroad”, a tourist site with a a Civil War theme managed by the Robbins brothers. They’d previously opened the “Tweetsie Railroad” park in North Carolina and these historical stylings continued before Dolly took an interest.

Old-West backdrop

By the time she acquired the attraction it had different owners and was called Silver Dollar City, delivering thrills and spills against an Old-West backdrop. Dolly’s motivations behind her theme park investment were simple. She grew up locally, and saw the opportunity to do something important. Dolly wanted to help local people get jobs and give something back to the population. 

Smoky Mountains

Dolly made good on her promise in spades. The park reportedly employs thousands, and what’s more it’s the area’s biggest source of work. Visitors enjoy not only stunning attractions but also shows featuring music from Dolly herself. For example, 2009’s Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke was set in the Smoky Mountains and showed the star’s true love for her community.

Spirit of adventure

It’s only right that “Suite 1986” ended up in Dollywood. Containing precious memories for its former occupant, the idea of it becoming an experience for fans was an inspired one. She’s described it as “my favorite home.” A gypsy to her core, she liked to “feel those wheels a’rollin’”. And while they don’t roll any longer, that spirit of adventure remains.

Signature pink

From the outside, you might be forgiven for thinking that this is just another regular high-end coach. But Dolly’s made sure you know who’s aboard, thanks to her signature splashed across the outside in — what other color — pink! The bus measures 45 feet, making it one substantial hunk of metal, although one with a decidedly feminine touch.

Luxurious lifestyle

The smoked glass also suggests a luxurious lifestyle. Yet one look inside reveals that this is a very homely environment. We’ll be stepping aboard Dolly’s bus shortly to give you the grand tour, because we’re sure you’re intrigued. Though before we go in, let’s explore the exterior and background to what’s arguably the ultimate Gypsy Wagon…

Home comforts

Dolly may have loved life on the road, but one thing’s for sure… she isn’t exactly a petrolhead. An interview with fellow music legend Brian Johnson of AC/DC posted on YouTube reveals her lack of interest in the nuts and bolts of the operation. The country singer just needed to get from A to B in a style she found comfortable. For her, the experience was about home comforts, not burning rubber.

Country legend

Dolly’s passion for having her own space on tour probably stems from her partnership with country legend Porter Wagoner. It’s him we have to thank for bringing Dolly to national attention, after he hired her to perform on his popular TV show. She first appeared in 1967 and replaced his former co-star Norma Jean Beasler on singing duties.

Big shoes

Yes, Dolly had big shoes to fill, and you can imagine how tough it was for the young singer to walk into the spotlight in that high-profile role. The country music legend has spoken about the tensions between her and Porter Wagoner fans when she first stepped up to the microphone: she was keen for them to love her. When’s all said and done, how could they not?

Own place

Porter Wagoner also had affection for the young Dolly. This extended to the living arrangements whilst out on the road. Seeing that his co-star wasn’t comfortable getting up close and personal with the guys on tour, Wagoner fixed it so his friend had her own place to go to, enabling her to enjoy some well-deserved “me” time.

Not a palace

The deal included her own bathroom with sink and facilities, not to mention a bed and other essential areas. It reportedly wasn’t a palace, but then Dolly doesn’t strike us as the kind of person who’d want that kind of thing anyway. You can imagine how this could have inspired the singer when she put together the future Suite 1986.

Live as Dolly does

Now we’ve given you a background to Dolly as a true wanderer at heart, let’s go inside the classic tour bus and get an idea of what it’s like to live the way she does. Remember, the experience is described as completely authentic and you can rent the bus to find out for yourself. More on that later!

Free spirit

Dolly is a free spirit, and no one does transportation quite like this. While her bus features a lot of stuff you might expect to see in a vehicle of this kind, it also has unexpected stuff too! The music icon is a relatable and grounded person, but it’s easy to forget she’s also part of show business and the eccentricity that can often entail.

Inner sanctuary

Let’s start with when you walk in. Now, we’re thinking you no doubt have the whole place to yourself as paying guests. Still, the real inner sanctuary of Dolly is at back of the bus. The forward section is for entertaining, eating, drinking and most importantly work. This latter part is a big factor behind the layout. 

Fascinating and iconic

We’ll get into the specifics of Dolly’s work and how it connects to Suite 1986 in a moment. For the time being, we should show you the full interior of this fascinating and iconic bus. It’s fitted out with a kitchenette, plus a full-size refrigerator. Yes, we said full size, and making that happen proved to be surprisingly complicated!

Well-stocked

Can you believe that the front windshield of the bus needed to be removed, just so the refrigerator could be installed? Some acts are happy with a mini-fridge featuring a well-stocked drinks shelf. Dolly decided to go a little bigger. What used to be inside this jumbo-sized addition? For the most part, healthy food it seems: she followed a strict diet when on the road.

Stuffing her face

The country star may be as tiny as she was when she started out, yet watching her figure wasn’t her style at all. As she reveals to Johnson, she enjoys stuffing her face as much as the next person. It’s also a safe bet that the giant refrigerator contained ingredients for Dolly to make meals for her friends, family and guests.

Nearest and dearest

The bus has no fewer than three bunks aboard. Dolly was known to rest her guitar on one of the bunks when it wasn’t in use, though she typically liked her guests to make themselves comfortable and spread out here. She wanted a space where her nearest and dearest could flop as well as herself.

Metal boxes

Just as the bus windshield had to be removed for the fridge, so Dolly’s bunks made their own impact on the layout of the bus. You can’t have failed to notice the exterior of the vehicle, where prominent metal boxes seem to indicate where the bunks lie. Another feature that altered the shape of Suite 1986 is Dolly’s wardrobe.  

Big wardrobe

Surely this is less of a surprise, what with Dolly’s reputation for dazzling outfits? Rhinestones are just part of her ensemble, though she joked with Johnson about what a relief it was to throw them off after a long show onstage! A big star requires a big wardrobe — one so large that the washer/dryer once installed aboard had to be taken out to make room. 

Carefully crafted

Dolly’s wardrobe is designed by her long-time creative director Steve Summers. He’s on record as saying that he carefully crafts her every appearance. Even when she’s off-duty! The life of a celebrity is non-stop, particularly these days, so you can see why the music icon craved her own retreat on wheels. 

Talking point

Those staying aboard may get a hair-raising surprise into the bargain. Showcased on the bus is Dolly’s impressive collection of wigs. She really is enthusiastic about revealing the day-to-day life of a glamorous country queen, warts and all! The sight of wigs on mannequins’ heads makes for an amusing and one-of-a-kind talking point.  

Gypsy-themed artwork

Another noticeable thing about the bus interior is how artistic it is: the singer commissioned gypsy-themed artwork for the walls. Perhaps the most attention-grabbing example is this incredible portrait of a young Dolly in flowing garb — an image that wouldn’t look out of place in a Disney cartoon! Whenever her thoughts become crowded, she can look at these painted people and dream.

Classic movies

We’re now going to the back of the bus, and the place that was most private for Dolly. Over her bunk is a TV. We can only speculate as to what she liked to watch. She could put on one of her classic movies, such as the unforgettable 9 To 5, or possibly one she may have wanted to forget, like Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone.

De-stress

She also had her own tub, the details of which we won’t dwell on! It stands to reason, though, that if you fancy a soak then this is the place to do it: the ideal area to de-stress. In Dolly’s case, she was probably unwinding after a songwriting session.

Serious-minded person

As we said earlier, Dolly’s tour bus isn’t simply a place where she grabbed some R and R. She’s a serious-minded person who likes to work hard and create new projects. One of these was the epic 9 To 5 The Musical, which to date has earned a bus-load of box-office dollars since its first spectacular performance in 2008.

Full-blown experience

Based on the classic movie about female empowerment in the workplace, 9 To 5 took things to a whole new level. Dolly created new music and lyrics to go alongside her popular title track from 1980. Patricia Resnick supplied the book, after co-writing the original screenplay for the film. The musical isn’t just an extension of the story but a full-blown experience in itself. 

Cup of Ambition

Dolly wrote 9 To 5 The Musical on this very bus. As with the live show, you might want to pour yourself your own “Cup of Ambition” and enjoy some refreshment as you take in the view. In fact, you might be in danger of becoming a recluse! Easy to forget, perhaps, that there’s a theme park and resort just outside the vehicle.

Dolly's values

But Dollywood — which promotes Dolly’s values of fun, friends, and family — offers food, dinner shows, adventure tours, and more. Plus, any other guests you bring will want to join the fun: we’re thinking they won’t be content to just sit in their opposing suite staring at Dolly’s bus all day!

Intimate chapter

Ultimately, Suite 1986 forms a memorable part of Dolly’s legacy. What other iconic singer would share such an intimate chapter of her life with her fans? Some choose to divulge everything on social media, but Dolly has a different way of showing people how she lives.

Minimum rate

Of course, it all comes at a price. The minimum rate for a two-night stay is — and you may want to find a Dolly-themed cushion to sit down on for this — $10,000! Yes, it's a real bank-account drainer, but please do try to keep your wig on! Can you put a price on happiness? In this case you can. There’s a form to fill in on the Dollywood website that takes you through the basics and can help ensure you get maximum satisfaction from your stay. 

“Memories in every nook and cranny”

Taking to Twitter, Dolly stated that she missed her old bus, but that the new accommodation offers “memories in every nook and cranny”. And Suite 1986 is certainly a feast for the eyes: if you can afford it and are so inclined, saddle up and climb aboard. Just remember to leave that no-good “Jolene” at home…