going to Great Wolf Lodge, any tips?

[mdmbfly]

We are meeting friends at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA next week. We have never been to an indoor waterpark or to williamsburg with children (ages 2-12, 4 boys). Wondering if there are any tips to have at the Lodge or at Williamsburg? TIA

Also, anyone know of a great place to find swim shorts for a mom who wants to cover her back end?

 

[mom2dil]

You are going to have a BLAST! We just went to that Great Wolf back in Nov. Here are the tips I have for you...

-Bring your own snacks- the ones that they have in the shop are OUTRAGEOUS!
-If you are going to eat at the resturant then do it before the regular "dinner times" of 5-7, it seemed that the resturant was PACKED then and the service was slow.
- Bring your own towels if you like big towels, the ones that they have are small.
-Get there early and check in- you can still use the waterpark- just wear your suit under your clothes and if you wait to check in until 3 it will be crazy. Early check in will allow you to swim and then call the front desk on the phone in the water park to find out if your room is ready.
-You may want to think about bringing swimshoes
-Have fun- it is so much fun and the slides are so great! Enjoy!

 

[Annette_VA]

Oh, you'll have a blast! We've been 4 times in the less than a year it's been open

Get there at 1pm - you can check in & use the water park then, even if your room's not ready. Check-out day, you have to be out of your room at 11, but you can use the park all day (it closes at 10pm).

Check out the Cub Club - they often have crafts for the young ones (some at a fee). It's a nice break for some down time. There's also an arcade. Both are on the 1st floor (park level).

There's a Sonic right down the road from GWL - we tend to eat at least a couple of meals there because we love it & there's not one around here and because it's much cheaper! There's also a Wal-Mart and an IHOP nearby.

Can't really think of many "tips" but if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Oh, and check out Lands End for swim shorts.

 

[YesI'mObsessed]

You are so lucky! I am really jealous. We went back in June when they first opened, it was really fun! It's the perfects size because you can see everything and no one gets lost. It's also really warm in there, so when you do come out of the water, you won't freeze!
Make sure you check out the night-time show in the lobby with the storytelling, all free. My kids came down in their PJ's, it was really cute.
The only tip I have for you is if your kids aren't big breakfast eaters, like mine. I just went down to the buffet and asked for one meal to-go. I filled up the container and took fruit, cereal, etc... all for one price. The kids had a light breakfast and it didn't cost a fortune.
BTW, there is a Walmart right next door if you need any snacks or drinks.

Have a great time!

 

[skooniebird]

We are meeting friends at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA next week. We have never been to an indoor waterpark or to williamsburg with children (ages 2-12, 4 boys). Wondering if there are any tips to have at the Lodge or at Williamsburg? TIA

Also, anyone know of a great place to find swim shorts for a mom who wants to cover her back end?

We have stayed at the resorts in Wisconsin Dells many times. Along with being able to utilize the water park(s) as soon as they open the day of your stay, you can also use them until they close the day you check out. Most of the locker rooms have places you can dress and dry your hair etc. since you will have checked out of your room by 11 or 12. We wear surf socks when we go as most of the stairs to the slides and things are wood. My children had their feet cut open a few times before we got smart.

 

[MagicalMom]

We were there last month & had a ball! Have fun!

 

[OceanAnnie]

You guys are going to have a great time!

The only meals we've ever eaten there are breakfast and we had one meal poolside. They have a nice grill by the pool in the summer. There are small fridges & microwaves in the room. We used them quite a bit! We brought fruit, sandwich makings, drinks, chips, snacks and such. That worked out great for us. After a full day of swimming and water play, we were happy & beat. We just went up to our rooms to lounge, eat light and head back out (later after resting) for either more swimming, games, and/or sight seeing.

There is a really great BBQ place down the road. We've gone there a few times. Reasonable and generous portions.

The last time we were at Wilderness Lodge, we found out they had the lockers and a neat little swim suit vacuum machine. It sucks all of the water right out of the suits! That's nice to use for traveling!

Love the area shopping!

 

[java]

Oh you will have fun. Rule one do not I repeat do not eat at Great Wolf lodge- the food was expensive and bad and the service was sloooooooow. The waterpark is fun and easy to keep an eye on everyone(the one in PA is tougher to keep track of everyone) Yes on the Sonic nearby and I wanted to mention another yummy place- it is a BBQ place(I can't remember the name right now- but as you leave the hotel parking lot you turn right(everywhere else you go you will be turning left) and go about a mile and it is on your right. YUMMY!! and reasonably priced. They do take out too!One thing about the Lands End suits- I bought one with a skirt last year after having my baby- it was a tankini. the skirt was nylon though- and it had a zipper-If you thought pulling up a wet bathing suit is tough try zipping a nylon skirt zipper on top of it. They do sell one that is the same material as the bathing suit- get that one! LLbean also has a shorts/tank combo that looked not bad. Good luck and have fun. We stayed and did BG for 2 days and one day at Colonial Williamsburg. We were there in Sept.

 

[hubermom3]

I have never been to that Great Wolf Lodge but I have been to every waterpark resort in OH, and Great Wolf is one of my favorites. We go all the time, at least 2 or 3 times a year.

Tips:
- I can't remember how old the kids are but they will provide you with a life vest, at least the one in OH does. You are not allowed to use water rings or life vests on any of the slides.
-Although expensive we always eat there. Kids under a certain age are free.
-Every night there is a story time in the lobby.
-We always spring for the room with the bunk beds, I think it is called the Bear Den.

Have fun. I got my bathing suit with a skirt attached at Sears and I know the Targets around here have some nice suits out right now.

 

[Ozymoe]

Hi,

I'll be going there for two days (Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA) with my DDs who will be 17 when we get there. You are saying we can swim before we check into our rooms that day (while we wait for them to become ready). Will this be the case even if we arrive at 1pm...or earlier? Will the girls need any wristbands or id to do this?...after all we won't have our room key.

I'm just not sure how this will work and like to be prepared.

 

[Selket]

We've been a couple of times since November with my two sons (ages 4 and 8).

I can't remember what is the earliest time they'll let you in to swim on your check-in day but we've checked in at 1pm and got our wristbands - the rooms was ready around 3pm.

The restaurant has a dinner buffet on the weekends and we find it is really expensive ($27 per adult one time and $19 per adult the other) but we liked it alot. My younger son has type 1 diabetes and a peanut allergy and the restaurant was very helpful with checking things for us to make sure of the safety.

There is a shop on the swim park level that sells Krispy Kreme donuts, Starbucks coffee and other pasteries in the morning but they get wicked crowded. The donuts were almost sold out by 8 a.m. one weekend morning. There is also a walk-up Pizza Hut counter in the main lobby area - no seating there.

The changing/shower/locker rooms are also wicked crowded on the weekends. We usually check out of the room and put stuff in the car except for stuff we need to change into - goes in the lockers in the water park. But the wait to take a shower can be VERY long - like 30 mins - They only have 3 or 4 showers! I swear some people go in there and take a nap or something - it gets very slow.

The gift shop is a really nice one - they even sell Vera Bradley stuff.

The arcade is nice but pricey - my kids could blow $40 here in 30 mins if I gave it to them to spend (which I don't but still!).

The water park is not gigantic like some in the Dells - perfect size I think. Have fun!

 

[KarenAylwood]

The BBQ place a few people have mentioned is called Pierce's. Take a right out of the parking lot and it will be on your right. http://www.pierces.com/



There's also a Subway nearby- take a left out of the place, go around walmart/lowes, take a right at the light and it is right past the underpass of 199.

To get to the outlets from there take a left out of the place, go to the light I mentioned, take a right and take the ramp right under/after the overpass (199 towards Williamsburg/Jamestown). It will be your first exit off 199 for Rte 60. Take a right at the light and it will be about a mile down on your right.

 

[starwood]

We're going Thursday and Friday next week to the new one in PA. Anyone know how the food is there?

 

[Annette_VA]

You guys are going to have a great time!

The only meals we've ever eaten there are breakfast and we had one meal poolside. They have a nice grill by the pool in the summer. There are small fridges & microwaves in the room. We used them quite a bit! We brought fruit, sandwich makings, drinks, chips, snacks and such. That worked out great for us. After a full day of swimming and water play, we were happy & beat. We just went up to our rooms to lounge, eat light and head back out (later after resting) for either more swimming, games, and/or sight seeing.

There is a really great BBQ place down the road. We've gone there a few times. Reasonable and generous portions.

The last time we were at Wilderness Lodge, we found out they had the lockers and a neat little swim suit vacuum machine. It sucks all of the water right out of the suits! That's nice to use for traveling!

Love the area shopping!

I love that water extractor! It's the neatest thing ever. I have a faille suit from Lands End & it takes forever to dry. I use that water extractor & it's practically bone dry. It's too cool!

 

[wooster5]

When you go to the lodge, make sure you ask for a free room upgrade.
This is very important on subsequent visits. The last time we went I asked and she said, oh this is your 5th visit (or third, I can't remember the number)
so you can pick any room you want for free. WOW. We stayed in a 400$
room for 159$.
Great fun!! There are also other freebies for every visit, but you have to ask when you check in. Free tokens, meals etc...

 

[OceanAnnie]

I love that water extractor! It's the neatest thing ever. I have a faille suit from Lands End & it takes forever to dry. I use that water extractor & it's practically bone dry. It's too cool!

So that's what that thing is called! I heard this noise and watched these two young girls use it. It is cool! Their suits looked dry as could be when they took them out.

 

[fivefordisney]

Just subscribing! We got a postcard last year from the Great Wolf Lodge (no specials, just an ad) and I always wondered about it. Has anyone been to the GWL in the Poconos?

 

[BeccaGrace]

I'm so jealous...we're less than an hour from the one in the Poconos but dd-5 is terrified of water ( ) so we won't be heading there for a few years

 

[kahluacream]

We were at GWL Williamsburg for Snowland in December... The lodge was decorated beautifully for Christmas, the water park was empty (more guards than guests!), and our kids had a blast. Everything there is centered around children... It's kind of like a paradise for them!

Besides the waterpark and arcade, my boys enjoyed the "Wolf Walk" in the morning which was a cute nature program. They loved the Clock Tower show and pajama storytime, too.

When you check in, you'll get a schedule for crafts in the Cub Club. They do a different craft every half hour or so... Some are free, others cost $2-3 each. We went the club expecting it to be a little more organized than it was, but the kids made some cute Christmas ornaments and snowmen there.

As other people have mentioned, the food at GWL is HORRIBLE!!! They hyped a breakfast buffet with Wiley the Wolf at the pj storytime, so we went there the next morning thinking it would be fun. Don't be tempted! There was NO Wiley and the buffet was really, really bad. There are tons of family-friendly restaurants on "Restaurant Row" just a couple minutes down the road... You could probably get a much better meal there. If you really don't feel like venturing out in the morning, though, Starbucks and pastries at the BearClaw cafe are a good bet for bfast. Pierce's BBQ is great for lunch. We also like Sal's Italian and Shacklefords (spelling?)for family-friendly dinner food in Williamsburg.

One thing I'd recommend is renting one of a waterproof cameras from the gift shop. They take great digital pictures, and you can wear the camera with the attached wristlet right into the pool. We got so many good shots with ours. Before we checked out, we just had them loaded onto a Great Wolf Lodge CD in the gift shop. I'm sorry I can't remember the cost, but this was a great souvenir. The CD has all of our photos in a digital slide show set to GWL music and my kids have watched it again and again.

If you like doing pressed pennies, there's also a pressed penny machine in the lobby like they have in Disney. These also make fun souvenirs.

This is probably way more info than you wanted, but we were there so recently that it's all still pretty fresh in my mind. Hope you have a great time!

 

[imamicki2]

I want to go so bad. It looks so awesome, but the rates are pretty high. Any cheap times of year to go? I was thinking Thanksgiving weekend? My family is out of town anyway and would spend the holiday with just the kids and Hubby. This may be a huge surprise. We are closer to the poconos one. Anyone been there? Their website has a lot of pictures to see...