Surrounded by daring pirates, glittering mermaids, dazzling pyrotechnics and special effects, Dolly Parton opened her new Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Florida’s Panama City Beach with swashbuckling charm and fanfare.
The new attraction, the largest single investment in Dolly’s dinner show lineup at $60 million, opened last Friday to the general public after a visit from Dolly Parton officially opened the Panama City Beach location to media and area VIPs.
Dolly told the assembled crowd that she has eagerly anticipated the opening of the dinner show in Florida’s Panhandle and is excited to share her show with the local community and with the multitude of visitors that visit Panama City Beach each year.
“I always find so much joy in developing entertainment projects that bring families together to create memories that will last long after their visit, and my new Pirates Voyage dinner show does that and more,” Dolly said. “Seeing my new show open here in Panama City Beach is another dream come true for me. I love going into new areas of the country and finding ways to bring truly world-class entertainment experiences to the folks there – and a great dinner feast, too! That would be my perfect way to spend a night out, especially at the beach,” she said.
“The excitement and adventure in Pirates Voyage is something I have loved being a part of, and I loved writing the song that our beautiful mermaids perform to – ‘Sail Away.’ Above all, I see myself as a storyteller, and this is an entertaining experience that combines so many elements in one show that people will want to experience it again and again. I know that I never get tired of seeing this show where you get to actually be part of the pirate crew – where else can you do that?! I hope everyone who lives here comes to visit and will join the fun with us – we’ll even teach you how to speak some pirate talk. Ahoy!” Dolly quipped.
The show itself combines sword fights, cannons and pirates scaling high above two full-sized pirate ships in a “fight” to win Davey Jones’ coveted sunken treasure. Captain Blackbeard and his quartermaster Calico Jack lead the Crimson and Sapphire crews in this battle for treasure on land, on deck, in water and high above each crew’s pirate ship in Buccaneer Bay, a 15-foot deep indoor hideaway lagoon located at the heart of the 60,000-square-foot indoor theater.
Mermaids perform high above the water before diving and disappearing back into Buccaneer Bay, while a couple of castaways that include a “Salty” sea lion win a battle with Captain Blackbeard through clever antics and pirate wit. At one point, the entire crew ventures a bit off course and find themselves docked in what they thought was a deserted South Pacific island, where a rhythmic celebration of powerful percussion, exciting vocals and even a fire dancer take center stage. Guests will feel the heat of the lagoon on fire and witness skeletons appear from the deep and from the sky.
“I promise that Pirates Voyage will be the most fun place to eat in Panama City Beach,” Dolly said. “Take it from me – every part of this pirate feast is delicious so be sure to come hungry!”
Dolly also noted that this area of the Florida Panhandle was the perfect location for her latest entertainment offering. “The atmosphere and the people here in Panama City Beach have been so welcoming and excited to have us here; it certainly reminds me of the other great family-oriented areas where we have my dinner shows,” Dolly said. “I love helping families make the best memories when they are on vacation, and that’s what everyone in Panama City Beach focuses on, too. To me, it has been the perfect place to open this new Pirates Voyage.”
