PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WOKI) – Dollywood Parks & Resorts has earned national recognition from TIME magazine, landing on the publication’s inaugural list of America’s Best Private Companies for 2026.
The Pigeon Forge destination ranked No. 49 overall among 500 privately held companies selected nationwide and was the only theme park included on the list.
TIME’s ranking evaluated companies based on two primary factors: employee satisfaction and company impact. The publication analyzed employee survey data and measured each company’s societal, environmental, health and knowledge-related contributions.
Dollywood also ranked fourth in the “Hospitality, Travel & Leisure” category, which included restaurants, hotels and other tourism-related businesses. Companies in the category included Great Clips, Chick-fil-A, P.F. Chang’s, Drury Hotels, Panda Express and In-N-Out Burger.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts President Eugene Naughton said the recognition reflects the company’s commitment to both guests and employees.
“Being included among these esteemed companies on TIME’s inaugural Best Private Companies list is a truly humbling yet proud moment for us,” Naughton said. “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.”
According to TIME, employee satisfaction rankings were determined using nearly 250,000 employee surveys from companies across the United States. Workers evaluated employers on workplace culture, compensation, working conditions, equality and overall job satisfaction.
Company impact scores were calculated using research from The Upright Project, which measures the societal and environmental effects of a company’s products and services.
The latest recognition adds to a growing list of accolades for Dollywood. In recent months, the company has been named to Newsweek’s lists of America’s Greatest Workplaces and Tennessee’s Greatest Workplaces. Earlier this year, Newsweek also recognized Dollywood as a Best Workplace for Women and a Best Workplace for Entry-Level Employees.
The park was also voted the nation’s top theme park by the National Amusement Park Historical Association and has consistently ranked among the country’s top attractions in national surveys and travel rankings.
Dollywood officials say employee-focused benefits have helped attract and retain workers. Benefits include free tuition through Herschend’s GROW U program, healthcare services, complimentary park admission for family members, childcare assistance and career development opportunities.
The recognition further solidifies Dollywood’s reputation as one of Tennessee’s premier tourism destinations and one of the nation’s most highly regarded private employers.
