Hersheypark has issued an apology after its social media team posted a comparison of ticket prices to Dollywood on the same day country music legend Dolly Parton died.
The incident occurred on August 25, the date of Parton's death at age 80. A fan had commented on X, formerly Twitter, praising Parton for keeping Dollywood's prices "reasonable in this economy" and pledging support to her estate. In response, the official Hersheypark account posted, "our summer tickets are just $49.99," highlighting that this price was lower than Dollywood's $94.99 one-day pass.
The comment, which has since been deleted, quickly drew backlash online, with users deeming the response "tone-deaf" and "insensitivite." Many speculated that the social media team might have been unaware of Parton's death at the time of the post.
Hersheypark addressed the backlash in a reply on X, stating that the ticket price clarification was posted "without seeing the context of the chain so we removed quickly to avoid any confusion or insensitivity over intent." The park added, "We absolutely apologize for the error."
Following Parton's death, Dollywood management announced that the Tennessee theme park would remain open the following day. A statement on Facebook shared that in Parton's spirit, "Dollywood will be open Wednesday as Dolly wanted, always reminding everyone with her signature sparkle — ‘the show must go on.’" The announcement also conveyed Parton's wish for Dollywood to remain "a place of joy, hope and togetherness—a space where families and friends could honor her memory, not with silence, but with laughter, music and shared dreams."