Dolly Parton Misses Dollywood Ride Opening Amid Ongoing “Health Issues”: “See You Down The Road”

As Dollywood opens its latest attraction, NightFlight Expedition, Dolly Parton is contending with ongoing health issues.

On Friday, the 11x Grammy winner virtually greeted guests of her Nashville park to let them know that her doctor “clipped my wings” and advised her against attending the opening of the new coaster in the Tennessee theme park.

“Well, hey Eugene. I’m right here… Well, kind of. Sorta,” she told Dollywood President Eugene Naughton in a pre-recorded video during the dedication ceremony, which was shared by Knoxville News Sentinel. “I’m still in Nashville, and I’m sorry about that. I was supposed to be there in person like I planned.”

Parton added, “Now, I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I’ve had a few little health issues. And sometimes, I get a little dizzy and I get dehydrated, and I’m dehydrated. And so, my Nashville doctor has kinda clipped my wings, saying, ‘You ain’t traveling this week.’ So I guess, if your doctor tells you, ‘you ain’t traveling this week,’ you ain’t traveling this week. But I like to keep all of you in the loop, like I said I would, on everything.”

Raving about the “great new ride,” Parton told guests, “You have fun, and I’m gonna see you down the road.”

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Last September, Parton postponed her Las Vegas residency due to “health challenges” before ultimately canceling the stint in May while taking “meds and treatments” for her condition. Her health issues come after the death of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, on March 3, 2025.