Dollywood: Dolly Parton Tour Bus

Speaker 1:           Well, when I decided I had to come back down and do a tour of Dollywood, there was no other place I really wanted to be but the Dolly Parton tour bus. Let me introduce you to the most amazing woman, and the tour guide over here in Dollywood for the Dolly Parton tour bus. Ms. Betty, how are you?

Ms. Betty:           I’m doing great, thank you.

Speaker 1:           Okay. Tell us a little bit about the beginning, the story of Dolly Parton’s bus, when it came to, when did it start, and when was it out of commission?

Ms. Betty:           All righty. She bought the bus in 1994, and used it 15 years, and had it parked right here at Dollywood in 2009.

Speaker 1:           What are some of the best features that you love when it comes to the bus?

Ms. Betty:           Well, I love telling about her parents in her bedroom, that she had 12 chilldren, one died at birth, and she had 10 other siblings that she was raised with, and about her grandparents. Also, I love telling about her little bubble bath, that she loves to take bubble baths. So she ordered her a tub, and I call it a Dolly sized tub, because it is small, but it is still a tub. I love the expression of the host people when I show them the little hidden coffee maker in the cabinet.

Speaker 1:           One thing when I walked on, I immediately felt like I was home with Dolly.

Ms. Betty:           Yes.

Speaker 1:           Do people say the same thing when you do those little tours?

Ms. Betty:           Yes, sir. That’s exciting too, because they’re always saying, “Oh, this place smells like Dolly. Dolly sat here. Dolly looked in these mirrors.” That thrills me and I get so excited because I’m able to share this part of Dolly.

Speaker 1:           What’s your favorite part about doing the tours?

Ms. Betty:           The expressions on people’s faces, yes. Getting their reaction and just being able to tell a few tidbits about Dolly, their star.

Speaker 1:           Dolly is a legend and everyone loves her. I must say, when you’re working in here, what are some of the things that we might not see that you know?

Ms. Betty:           Well, I think it would be her kindness, her goodness, little things like I’ve heard she would get up in the middle of the night and get herself a snack, and offer the driver a sandwich. Things like that just make her so special.

Speaker 1:           I think that’s great. So what are some other fun things about the bus?

Ms. Betty:           Oh my goodness.

Speaker 1:           I see, as I said, there’s two toilets.

Ms. Betty:           Yes, and that’s something everybody says, “Dolly must’ve sat here.” I said, “Oh no, that’s the crews.” And then they say, “Oh, there’s two toilets.” So they had that covered. However, the drivers would get them a hotel, and Dolly would stay on the bus when they would get to their destination.

Speaker 1:           Oh really, she’d stay on the bus and everyone else would go into a hotel?

Ms. Betty:           Yes, because she has the bubble bath.

Speaker 1:           Oh, I understand. Now I got you. Okay. Now, this bus was put out of commission what year?

Ms. Betty:           In 2009.

Speaker 1:           Now, whenever Dolly travels now, is it by bus all the time?

Ms. Betty:           Yes, sir. In 2010 she got her new bus that cost $2.7 million.

Speaker 1:           Wow, that’s a big bus.

Ms. Betty:           Yes. Well, it’s the same size, but it has slide outs, and it has a large Wick closet.

Speaker 1:           That’s what we like to here. Now, when she’s in town, where does she normally park the bus?

Ms. Betty:           She parks in up at Dream More.

Speaker 1:           She normally stays on the bus there as well?

Ms. Betty:           Well, sometimes she goes to her suite on the sixth floor, and sometimes she stays in her bus.

Speaker 1:           Well, Betty, thank you so much, we love that little tour. We appreciate it.

Ms. Betty:           Thank you so much too. Merry Christmas.