Dolly Parton: Time amazes me

Dolly Parton is completely amazed by how fast the past three decades have flown by.

The 69-year-old I Will Always Love You singer-songwriter opened up her theme park Dollywood in 1986, a tourist attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

And although critics in the Eighties predicted Dollywood's swift demise, the recreational facility is still going strong.

"It's amazing how time goes by," Dolly told People magazine. "When I think 30 years, to me it seems like about 15 at the most. To think 30 years, and then I think how old I'll be in the next 30 years, I think, 'Let's not think about that.' But [the park] has not only survived, it's grown every year."

Dollywood has added a water park and will be opening the luxurious DreamMore Resort later on this year.

Dolly married Carl Thomas Dean in 1966 and she is eternally grateful for their strong union which, similar to Dollywood, continues to grow.

"He's a blessing to me," she gushed. "Not everyone is lucky enough to be with someone for 50 years, but I have been. He has been the love of my life and the life of my love."

Dolly appeared on the cover of People magazine in 1986 to promote Dollywood.

At the time adult tickets for admission sold for $14.20 each, with prices having risen to $59 a pop in 2015.

And during her 1986 interview, Dolly made it clear she wasn't interested in the exclusivity being a Hollywood celebrity affords.

"I still like to pee off the porch every now and then. There's nothing like peeing on those snobs in Beverly Hills," she told the publication at the time.