Great Wolf Lodge Question

[pklein09]

We're considering going to the GWL in the Poconos from Dec. 30 -Jan 1. There are 6 of us. I've read great reviews and I've read terrible reviews. If I'm plunking down $1200+, I don't want to have a bad time. I've heard about noise in the hallways in the wee hours. I read about ridiculous crowds and moldy/rusty pipes. DH thought the wand game looked neat, but our kids are 10, 12, 13, and 14. Is it too babyish for them? I also have a feeling we're headed off site for food because I'm not eating Pizza Hut Express or a lousy buffet for dinner.

Your thoughts? We're in Central Jersey....do you have any other suggestions? BTW, we're not a skiing family. I personally don't like to be cold, and can't wait to move to FL (which is probably 15+ years away, but I'm dreaming about it now!!!).

TIA!
--Michelle

 

[mommyof2princesses]

As you plan it is important to know that all that is included in price is your lodging and swimming. The magiquest game is extra, and your kids ages are perfect. They will love it. But it can get costly for each kid to play. You pay for the wands and the game play. Easily $25 or more for each kid. The arcade has lots of great games that cost lots of quarters! Their is a preteen/teen room that costs extra but if you are staying for a few days is worth it. It has tons of video games like x-box and Wii and tvs and usually on the weekend they have a dance type party. During the holidays it is vry pretty and some locations have pictures with Santa.

The hallways can get noisy if your room is at the end of a corridor because magiquest is played at the end of room corridors. They turn it off usually around 10 or 11, so noise should die down by then.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

We were at the GWL in Mason Ohio for New Years a couple years ago.

Just so you know the place WILL be sold out , so yes there will be plenty of people. I can't comment on the Poconos location itself since we've never been there.

My kids had a ball though.

 

[soonerfan2008]

Never been to that particular GWL, but we've loved our trips to the one in Williamsburg and will be going to the WA one at Christmas. My 8 year old SS declares it equal to Disney. He likes Magiquest, but we see a lot of older kids playing, too.

I've never had an issue with noise during our stays, and we usually do the breakfast buffet once during our stay. I didn't mind the dinner buffet either, but we usually go somewhere else at least once.

I also think two nights is about the max I'd stay.

 

[mousebymarriage]

We went to GWL in the Poconos in August and we had a great time! It was me, DH, DD14, DS9 + DCousins family (cousin, her DH, her DS7, her DS5 and her DD2). we had 2 seperate rooms. As for the noise level we heard absolutely nothing after 11pm or so, plus the kids were so exhausted from the waterpark that they were out cold immediately. We didn't do the buffet or restaurant at the lodge. We did have pizza hut (which was no different than any other pizza hut), and we also had chicken fingers and burger inside the waterpark itself (they were fine). For breakfast we brought bagels, muffins etc. from home. Each room has a fridge and a microwave. For dinner we ordered take out, there are some menus in the room (the binder that has all the hotel info-it is on the table in your room). I will say the take out was from an italian place and it took a looooong time to arrive. The rooms, hotel and waterpark were very clean, no mold or rust issues either. I do have to say that the staff at the pizza hut express was very rude and super slow.

Don't worry about the kids not having fun, they will have a blast. My kids and my cousins kids asked if we could go back this winter because they loved it.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I gotta say I'd never spend that kind of money at GWL Poconos. We went once, yes the boys had a great time and if that is your whole point in going, go for it. We didn't see the rusty, moldy anything. However we did have many issues and won't return. And we were there in a slow time, (February, really can't say on the noise issue, then) best time to go, really the only thing that made the trip not a waste. You could not pay me to go if it were a busy time.

In the water park we had trouble with the people working there. Never been to a water park before, totally clueless. Their website had been worthless. DS2 at the time climbed all the steps to go on the slides with us... yes we saw the signs about something, I remember we weren't totally clear on whether or not he was going to be able to go on. So we get to the top and they let us take him on, WITH me in a tube. After several trips down several different slides, one person on the bottom of the slides hollers at me that he can't be on! I was so mad. If you would know DS you'd understand. It was not good. I'm not faulting that person but the ones on top that said yes he could go on and yes in a tube with me holding him.

We would never had paid for the restaurant. I don't remember, it was at least $25 per person, $12 for the kids (even 2yo) I can't afford that! We did their Pizza Hut. Food was fine and all but way too expensive even for that. And the very few tables there to eat at were all filthy. The garbage was piled high in the cans we had no where to put our garbage, and there was no one around eating! Really, they can't empty garbage? And as PP said they were not the friendliest people. No one there really was.

Our room was not what I'd have called clean. I can't really explain it, but it didn't "feel" clean... musty maybe. The couch in the room was lumpy and the arms were all collapsed in. Really pathetic.

So again, I'd never give them my any more of my $$. I ran across this one when we were looking:

https://www.splitrockresort.com/waterpark/waterpark-overview

I have no info on it, whether it's good or not, but I'd try this if I were wanting to go to another park.

 

[pklein09]

Thank you all! I will check out Split Rock as well. I would pay this kind of money for Disney in a heartbeat, but I know exactly what I'll get. It's a lot of money, and I don't want the room to smell musty (which doesn't surprise me if there's a huge water park in the building).

ETA: Split Rock is booked. I'm looking at Hershey now. Here's another question/concern: We've been to arcade-type places for birthday parties (i.e. Fun Plex), and it's just a mad house. Parents do NOT supervise their children. I can not stand to be in those places. My concern is that will be what the Great Wolf Lodge is like.

 

[Melrosgirl]

I'll be there this month and looking forward to Magiquest myself. I could play that all day. It's expensive, but it's fun.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

Can't help ya with the arcade, my boys have a rule anywhere we go, no arcades... too expensive! It was a bit crazy there what we saw, kids unsupervised all over, so I'd assume the arcade will be the same.

I agree, I'd spend the $$ on Disney any day, but not here.

Good luck in your searching... even if you do go the kids will enjoy it, this is what keeps us from being upset about the $$ we spent.

 

[DisneyDreams4]

We go to the poccono location atleast once a year

never saw rusty pipes or mold

the kids love the magi quest.

the food is expensive but fine. since you have your car there are alot of resturants outside. steak houses, seafood, red robin and tons more

the water park i found is always clean and kept up

the game room is great and the workers are friendly and if you game does not give out tickets they gave my son 100 on time.

i love the gwl it is my second favorite vacation spot after disney.

check out on the boards for any discount codes.

enjoy your trip