Hersheypark issued a public apology on August 26 after a social media post compared its ticket costs to those of Dollywood. the blunder occurred immediately following the death of country music legend Dolly Parton on August 25.
The $49.99 ticket reply that sparked outrage
The controversy began on the platform X, where a fan shared a photo of a $99 single-day ticket for Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The user praised Dolly Parton for maintaining reasonable pricing in a difficult economy. According to the report,Hersheypark responded to this specific thread by stating, "Our summer tickets are $49.99," effectively attempting to market its lower prices during a conversation about the singer's legacy .
This interaction occurred on Tuesday, August 25, the same day Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80. The timing of the post led critics to describe the move as "tactless," as the global community began mourning the loss of the country music icon.
Dolly Parton's 1983 vision for Pigeon Forge tourism
The backlash against Hersheypark is amplified by the deep community ties Dolly Parton established through Dollywood.. founded in 1983,Dollywood was designed to stimulate tourism in the Smoky Mountain region where Dolly Parton grew up. As the report says, Parton maintained co-ownership of the park with Herschend until her death, ensuring the venue remained a symbol of her hometown roots.
Beyond the theme park, Dolly Parton's influence extended into massive philanthropic efforts, including the creation of the Imagination Library. her commitment to public service was formally recognized in 2022 when she received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. This history of generosity makes the corporate price-comparison by Hersheypark appear particularly tone-deaf to the public.
Hersheypark's explanation of the August 26 social media error
In a statement released on Wednesday, August 26, a Hersheypark spokesperson claimed the post was a clerical error. The park asserted that a member of the social media team had seen inaccurate pricing information about Hersheypark in a different post and intended to correct that specific individual. The spokesperson stated that the employee did not realize the reply was being attached to a conversation regarding Dollywood.
Hersheypark emphasized that the post was removed as soon as the context was recognized. The park's leadership expressed deep regret for the insensitivity , stating that they join millions in mourning the spirit and talent of Dolly Parton.
The missing details behind the Hersheypark X account
While Hersheypark has provided an explanation, several specific details remain unverified. The report does not clarify whether the "social media team" mentioned consists of in-house employees or a third-party marketing agency, which often manages corporate accounts via automated tools or rapid-response scripts. Furthermore, it remains unclear how a pricing correction for one conversation was accidentally routed to a thread about a celebrity's death.
Because the current narrative relies entirely on the statement provided by Hersheypark, there is no independent verification of the internal workflow that led to the error . It remains to be seen if the park will implement new oevrsight protocols to prevent similar lapses in judgment during sensitive global events.
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