Dollywood has added another prestigious honor to its growing list of accolades.

The East Tennessee destination has been named to TIME’s inaugural list of America’s Best Private Companies 2026, earning the No. 49 spot overall among 500 privately held companies across the United States. More notably for the attractions industry, Dollywood was the only theme park to make the prestigious ranking.

The recognition highlights companies that excel in both employee satisfaction and positive societal impact, reinforcing Dollywood’s reputation as one of the nation’s most respected hospitality brands.

A standout in hospitality

Within TIME’s Hospitality, Travel & Leisure category, Dollywood ranked fourth overall, finishing alongside well-known brands including Great Clips, P.F. Chang’s, Chick-fil-A, Drury Hotels, Panda Express and In-N-Out Burger.

According to TIME, the rankings were based on two equally weighted criteria: employee satisfaction and company impact. Nearly 250,000 employee surveys measured workplace culture, compensation, equality, working conditions and overall employee recommendations. Company impact was evaluated across four areas—society, knowledge, health and the environment—using independent data from The Upright Project.

“Being included among these esteemed companies on TIME’s inaugural Best Private Companies list is a truly humbling yet proud moment for us,” said Dollywood Parks & Resorts President Eugene Naughton.

“Every day, our aim is to make our guests feel like family. We deeply value their feedback and ideas, and we use those insights to guide our decisions. I believe that dedication is a big part of why we were honored with inclusion on this prestigious list.”

Another award in a remarkable year

The TIME recognition continues what has been an impressive run of national honors for Dollywood.

In recent months, the company was named to two Newsweek Greatest Workplaces lists, earned recognition as one of America’s Best Workplaces for Women and Entry-Level Employees, and was voted the nation’s top theme park by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.

Dollywood also continues to receive high marks from guests. It was ranked America’s No. 1 theme park by Tripadvisor in 2022, 2024 and 2025, finishing second in 2023. Last fall, Forbes also included the company on its Best Customer Service list.

The steady stream of accolades reflects a business strategy that extends beyond attractions, emphasizing guest service, employee development and community impact.

Investing in employees

Dollywood’s workplace culture has become one of its defining strengths.

Employees receive benefits that include 100% tuition coverage through Herschend’s GROW U. education program, access to an on-site healthcare center, complimentary admission for family and friends, free meals during work shifts, childcare assistance and professional development opportunities, including apprenticeship programs.

Those investments have helped position the company as one of the tourism industry’s most sought-after employers while supporting the guest experience that continues to earn national recognition.

Dollywood’s latest honor further demonstrates that the destination’s success extends well beyond award-winning rides and entertainment. By placing equal emphasis on its employees and guests, Dollywood continues to set a standard not only for the theme park industry, but for American hospitality as a whole.

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(Photo Dollywood Parks & Resorts)