July 30, 2025
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Wednesday, July 30, 2025) — Dollywood Parks & Resorts has earned another top honor with Forbes placing the company on its list of America’s Best Employers for Women 2025. Dollywood Parks & Resorts is the only theme park company on the list. The award joins a growing list of honors bestowed upon the park this season.
America’s Best Employers for Women 2025 is based on data collected through online surveys over the past three years completed by more than 140,000 women working for companies and institutions in the U.S. with at least 1,000 employees. Dollywood was classified in the Travel & Leisure industry list.
According to Statista, the firm which conducted the survey, “The consideration of data from a three-year period allows a robust differentiation between organizations that consistently perform well from those that may only have had a single good year. The analysis is based on three criteria: personal evaluations, public evaluations and the leadership diversity index (based on the percentage of women among top executives and board directors).”
The full Forbes list can be viewed here. Dollywood earned a similar award from Newsweek earlier this year, being named to their America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women 2025 list in March.
“At Dollywood, we believe that creating an exceptional host experience starts with fostering a culture of respect, opportunity and belonging,” said Susan Loveday, Dollywood Vice President of Human Resources. “We are proud of the ways we’ve empowered women across our organization—from leadership development to flexible scheduling and mentorship programs. Being recognized by Forbes is an incredible honor and a reflection of our ongoing commitment to ensure every host feels valued and supported so they can provide the best possible experience for our guests.”
Pointing to Dollywood host job satisfaction, the Pigeon Forge park has long been considered as the friendliest theme park in the world. Last week, Tripadvisor named Dollywood the #1 theme park in the U.S. for the third time out of the last four years. The Tripadvisor honor is based on real reviews from actual guests who have visited over the previous 12-year period. The park also is the only park to win the Golden Ticket Award for Best Guest Experience, which factors friendliness of employees—along with cleanliness and value—into its selection consideration. The prestigious Golden Ticket Awards are given annually by industry publication Amusement Today. Last October, Dollywood was named the #1 theme park in the country on Newsweek’s 2025 ranking of America’s Best Customer Service organizations.
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 take part in Dollywood’s Park Perks program, which provides free or reduced admission to many 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.
Interested applicants may view opportunities, as well as job descriptions and basic requirements for each position, at dollywoodjobs.com. Applicants can signify their interest in a position by following the online instructions to complete the application process.
For information about Dollywood’s 40th anniversary season, season passes, operating calendars and more, please visit Dollywood.com or download the Dollywood app
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