PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee – (April 30, 2026) – Dollywood Parks & Resorts has earned a number of accolades following the recently announced 2026 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence & Industry Awards. The company received an impressive seven awards for the employee culture at the Smoky Mountain vacation destination.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts were honored with awards in the following categories:
- Work-Life Flexibility Top Workplaces
- Leadership Top Workplaces
- Purpose & Values Top Workplaces
- Employee Well-Being Top Workplaces
- Professional Development Top Workplaces
- Top Workplaces for Appreciation
- Hospitality Top Workplaces
All Top Workplaces awards are based solely on employee feedback. There are no subjective elements to the process, making Top Workplaces the most credible, authentic employer recognition program because results are not derived from judges, voting or paid advertisements. Top Workplaces are determined on quantitative employee feedback, as well as the statements and demographic information collected within the Workplace Survey. Energage, the company behind the survey, has collected data from more than 23 million surveys at over 70,000 organizations.
“It is humbling to earn these recognitions,” said Susan Loveday, Dollywood Parks & Resorts Vice President of Human Resources, “because they signify the appreciation our hosts have for the place they work. Dollywood is special, and we’ve earned a number of awards that tell us our guests feel the same way. The thing that makes it so special is the guest experience we provide to our visitors every single day, and it’s the people who work here that make that experience the best in the industry.”
Dollywood Parks & Resorts has earned an unprecedented list of workplace awards already this season. In February, Newsweek named the company a Best Workplace for Women, followed by an award in March from Newsweek listing Dollywood as a Best Workplace for Entry Level Employees. In October 2025, Dollywood was named #50 on Forbes’ Best Customer Service 2026 list. The company was the second-highest in the hotels/recreation category.
Those looking to join the award-winning team can visit dollywoodjobs.com to learn about available positions across all Dollywood Parks & Resorts properties.
Dollywood Parks & Resorts employees receive a variety of unique benefits including 100% free tuition through Herschend’s GROW U. program, access to the Dollywood Family Healthcare Center, along with complimentary Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country admission for family and friends. Hosts are provided a free lunch every working shift and also take part in Dollywood’s Park Perks program, which provides free or reduced admission to a large number of regional attractions, theaters and experiences. A comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision, is available for qualified full-time employees. Dollywood also pays a portion of childcare costs for hosts whose children are cared for at an Upwards-affiliated provider. Numerous opportunities also are available to help employees develop leadership skills, including an apprenticeship program in conjunction with Walters State Community College.
For more information, please visit dollywood.com or download the Dollywood app.
–Dollywood2026-
About Dollywood Parks & Resorts: A highly awarded and widely recognized leader in the amusement industry, Dollywood Parks & Resorts consists of the 165-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and two award-winning resort properties: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on May 3, 1986, and earned the theme park industry’s highest accolade, the Applause Award, in 2010. Dollywood has earned 67 Golden Ticket Awards and 28 Brass Ring Awards for live entertainment. In 2022, 2024 and 2025, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has been recognized as a top U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides, attractions, shows and crafters inspired by and authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and Tripadvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to mid-September. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort provide guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. For more information, visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Director, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]
Ellen Liston: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]
Jennifer Webb: Sr. Publicist, (865) 428-9602, (865) 323-7584 or [email protected]
Sophia Nieves: Publicist, (865) 428-9456, (256) 631-5413 or [email protected]
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room