Dollywood Named Only Theme Park on TIME’s Best Private Companies 2026 List

[DonHelbig]

TIME has named Dollywood one of America’s Best Private Companies for 2026, ranking it No. 49 overall—and it’s the only theme park to make the prestigious list. Find out what helped Dollywood earn the distinction and why it continues to set the standard in the theme park industry. 

FULL STORY: https://themeparksbydon.com/dollywood-time-best-private-companies-2026/

[brenthodge]

Interesting that it is Dollywood specifically NOT Herschend. I know they are intertwined, but it will be interesting long term to see if Herschend's growth and expansion affects the experience negatively (I propose that it has a bit), and the muscle the Dollywood Company has in the relationship to drive decisions in their favor. Dollywood in many ways "made" Herschend the company it is today. There is no way, had she followed through with the purchase of the land in Gatlinburg and launched the oark on her own, that a little company that owned Silver Dollar City in two tourism areas would be the major player it is today without her influence and celebrity in that region as well as the world. I would think Herschend would be a bit "scared" of doing anything long term to affect DW's stellar reputation. Not sure how easily the deal could be undone if it ever came to that, but HFE still needs Dollywood more that they need Herschend.