PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee— (Nov. 10, 2026) — Newsweek has named Dollywood Parks & Resorts as the #1 theme park company in the United States for customer service. Following a recurring trend for the Smoky Mountain family destination, the award follows several recent honors that have recognized the park and its resorts as the best-of-the-best. Dollywood also ranked #9 on the entire list of brands across more than 190 categories.
The America’s Best Customer Service 2027 ranking is based on an independent survey of U.S. customers who have either made purchases, used services, or gathered information about products or services in the past three years. Organizations do not pay and cannot apply to appear in the rankings.
Fifty percent of the ranking is based on the results of more than 200,000 evaluations of brands that were collected from customers who were asked a number of questions about their interactions with the companies. Consumers were asked whether they would recommend brands to friends or family. The other 50% of the ranking comes from feedback of brand assessments in the areas of quality of communications, professional competence, range of services, customer focus and accessibility. Results were provided for 190 categories, with the top 3-5 brands recognized in each category.
Dollywood received a score of 92.31 out of 100, placing it atop the Amusement Park Experience category. The top five were Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Disney Parks & Resorts, Universal Parks & Resorts, Busch Gardens Theme Parks, and SeaWorld Parks. Interestingly, Dollywood’s 92.31 overall score ranked it #3 out of the entire Transportation and Travel category which includes airlines, car rentals, cruise operators, luxury hotels, premium hotels, and spa resorts & retreats, vacation rentals, music festivals, gas stations, rideshare companies and more. The Top 10 in the category are The Ritz Carlton 92.65), Costco (92.56), Dollywood (92.31), Royal Caribbean (92.28), Four Seasons (91.85), Viking Cruises (91.47), Waldorf Astoria (91.17), Homewood Suites (91.00), Hilton (90.93), and Disney Parks & Resorts (90.63).
“These awards are a meaningful recognition of the people who make Dollywood Parks & Resorts such a special place,” explained President Eugene Naughton. “Our hosts work hard every day to create experiences that go beyond our guests’ expectations, and the welcoming atmosphere they provide is often what our guests remember most.
“We’ve always believed that we don’t do the work we do to win awards; we do it because taking care of people is the right thing to do. While we’re grateful for this recognition, our greatest measure of success is what guests take home with them—the memories they’ve made, the connections they’ve strengthened and the time they’ve shared with the people who matter most. If guests leave with those things, we know we’ve done our job well.”
Dollywood Parks & Resorts’ score also ranked it #9 out of the more than 700 brands across 190 categories represented in the survey. The top 10 companies on the overall list are MDLive, Ameriprise, Edward Jones, LongHorn Steakhouse, Dickies, Ritz-Carlton, Costco, Whataburger, Dollywood, Royal Caribbean.
According to Newsweek, “With more choices available than ever, consumers increasingly judge businesses not only by what they offer, but by the experience they provide. Exceptional customer service helps build trust, strengthen loyalty and turn one-time customers into long-term advocates. Whether resolving issues, answering questions or simplifying complex interactions, companies that consistently deliver reliable, responsive and personalized support stand out in a competitive marketplace where customer expectations continue to rise across every industry.
To view the entire list, please visit rankings.newsweek.com/americas-best-customer-service-2027
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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 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