Dolly Parton is offering fans a sleepover inside her extravagantly decorated tour bus that’s fit for a country queen.
The tour bus, nicknamed Suite 1986, is at Dollywood DreamMore Resort & Spa in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and is now taking reservations.
“(I) decided to retire it because I wasn’t touring that much anymore and it just was sitting there,” Parton told the Knoxville News Sentinel. “And I thought this could be put to really good use.”
The customized tour bus sleeps two and will cost guests $10,000 for a two-night stay. The reservation also includes a DreamMore Resort guest room to accommodate up to four additional guests.
“If you’ve got money — and a lot of people do — they just want to experience that,” Parton said.
In true Parton fashion, a portion of the profits from every stay will be donated to the Dollywood Foundation and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The tour bus is parked inside a gated section at Dollywood DreamMore Resort & Spa in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAY
The tour bus sleeps two but the reservation also includes a DreamMore Resort guest room to accommodate up to four additional guests.Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAY
The “Gypsy Wagon” was ornamentally designed by Parton and her sister to accommodate the queen of country while she toured the country. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAYEveryone knows Parton loves a good makeover, and her tour bus was no exception. The 45-foot bus was customized to accommodate Parton while she toured 360,000 miles across the country in 13 years.
The bus was designed by Parton and her sister to give “an authentic look into her
colorful interpretation of life on the road,” according to a history by Dollywood.
Parton revamped the bus with a full-sized refrigerator, electric doors, a bathtub and a wig cabinet. She also had three of the bunk beds taken out and turned the section into a closet for her iconic, bedazzled wardrobe, including her Christian Louboutin shoes, sparkling gowns and butterfly jewelry — all of which are on display.
The queen of country requested special hand-painted murals on the walls and ceiling featuring wayfaring wanderers, wagons and crystal balls to honor her “Gypsy Wagon.” The paintings add to the floor-to-ceiling pink and purple ornamental decor that covers every inch of the space.
Parton wrote “Backwoods Barbie” and “9 to 5: The Musical” while riding around in the tour bus. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAY
She had three of the bunk beds removed to make more room for her fabulously iconic wardrobe. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAY
Every inch of the tour bus was customized by Parton, from the painted ceilings to the orange fringe trim in the bathroom. Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel/USA TODAYGuests of Suite 1986 will also get to enjoy special culinary creations, dedicated concierge service and exclusive Suite 1986 swag, the News Sentinel reported. The bus is parked in a gated space just outside the DreamMore Resort with easy access to Dollywood restaurants and amenities.
Parton preferred her bus to hotels or planes and often opted to stay in her mobile home.
“I have homes all over the United States, but my favorite place is the bus because that way I can just feel those wheels rolling; I’m a true gypsy at heart,” she said in a press release.
She spent much of her time writing on the bus and put together most of “Backwoods Barbie” and “9 to 5: The Musical” while onboard, but she also spent time making sandwiches for her entourage and talking with her best friend and personal assistant, Judy Ogle.
“We’ve had lots of wonderful memories of people that would come on the bus to visit when we traveled around, dignitaries, stars, everybody, but all the memories are special to me,” Parton told the News Sentinel.
The Backwoods Barbie is now welcoming fans to make their own tour bus memories.
