Dixie Stampede is a dinner theater with two locations in the Southern United States. Dixie Stampede is owned by Dolly Parton and The Dollywood Company, a branch of the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation.
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The first location opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in 1988, just outside the entrance to Parton's theme park, Dollywood. A Myrtle Beach, South Carolina location opened in 1992 but changed themes after 2010. A Branson, Missouri location opened in 1995.
A fourth location, in Orlando, Florida, opened in June 2003 and ceased operations in January 2008 when the property was sold to the outlet mall across the parking lot so they could expand. However, the sale never went through. The building is still owned by "Dixie Stampede LLC". The company is currently looking for a new buyer for the property, as they have received many offers throughout the years. Dolly said that they were looking for a new location in Orlando to rebuild. Although, it has now been said that the company will not relocate the Orlando version.[1]
One hour prior to the main dinner and show, guests are seated in a "Carriage Room" where they view an opening act. Each location has a different opening act; in Tennessee, there is a live band, Mountain Ruckus, playing bluegrass and country music. Some members of Mountain Ruckus have included Gary "Biscuit" Davis who was Dolly Parton's band leader and produced her cd's The Grass Is Blue and Live and Well, and Youtube Celebrity Kata Hay.
At show time, all guests are escorted into the arena, where the Dixie Stampede dinner and show begins. Although the attraction bears her name, Parton doesn't appear in person.
The performance is essentially a modern-day Wild West revue, pitting sections of the audience against each other in a good-natured way as "the South" and "the North" battle to win various horse riding competitions.
Each location features a show with 32 horses, dozens of cast members, pig races, and chickens. Seating varies by location. There are Quarter Horse and Palomino breeds plus Appaloosa and Paint breeds.
After the show, everyone exits through a souvenir shop. Outside the complex is the Horse Walk, where visitors can meet the animal stars of the show, as well as their keepers.
The meal, which is made fresh daily and baked on property, consists of a whole rotisserie chicken, hickory smoked barbecue pork loin, creamy vegetable soup, homemade biscuit, corn on the cob, herb-basted baked potato, an iced apple turnover, and unlimited Pepsi, tea, or coffee. The vegetarian option is identical, except that the meats are replaced with 'Country Garden Vegetable Pasta'.[2]
The meal is served without dining utensils.[3]
On September 22, 2010, Parton said she would change her Myrtle Beach theater after 18 years. After the Christmas show, the Myrtle Beach location shut down. The animals were moved to the other Dixie Stampede locations or sold.[4][5][6] Starting in June 2011, Pirates Voyage Fun, Feast & Adventure, "a watery wonderland with an indoor lake where pirates will roam", featured a pirate fight along with a five-course meal.[6] Parton appeared for the June 3, 2011 opening "clad in pink-sequined pirate's garb",[7] and the South Carolina General Assembly declared June 3, 2011 Dolly Parton Day.[7]
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