Great Wolf Lodge Reviews Please -- UPDATE

[crash2000]

Let me give a live review at GWL. 2nd stay here.

Things expected (from previous trip) -
1). Unfriendly staff (especially front desk), except Cub Club (really nice staff there)
2). Clean Room, well maintained (this time we got Majestic Bear Suite)
3). Bad and expensive food (not only from the restaurant) - this time we avoided the restaurant, but suffered (really!) from a really bad breakfast bruitto and cup cake
4). Long elevator wait - this time even worst - we are at 4th floor with no direct stairs to lobby
5). tiny towel at pool (better bring your own)
6). Noisy air-conditioning - the noise is comparable to POFQ air conditioning!!!

Unexpected (Surprises)
1). We can see fireworks from our room!
2). Supposed to leave today, but on the back of the bill they offered an extension of stay for $129/night - wait.... I'm paying $449/night for this room - and DD4 didn't want to leave.....so we take this deal!

I agree the aircondioner is horribly loud... i had to turn it off until the wife and kid fell asleep, then turn it back on...

the front desk staff was very nice to us, but 1 lifegaurd was an ***...

we also could see the fireworks from our room, and also received the $129 extra day deal

yes the towels are a joke.

would like to add, our room was at the rear of the resort, and we had our own elevator, never any traffic , just us.

we enjoyed the dinner buffet, and ate burgers at the pooldeck, and the wife had nacho's, we had no issues.

and we would go again, also.

 

[caniac27]

I live less than 20 minutes from GWL, yet we go as often as we can. It's got great atmosphere, and is a quick re-charge mini-vacation for us. We were there 2 weeks ago for 2 nights (Friday and Saturday). The indoor park was almost empty all day - everyone was outside! Never waited more than 5 minutes for a slide. Se eat off-site also in the summer. If you have a special event - like a birthday party - they make THE BEST birthday cake - and order pizza from room service - not pizza hut - it's way better! Only downside for me are the plastic bed protectors on the bed. While I realize this is a family resort with lots of kids peeing the bed - they could do a better job of covering up the plastic. I inevitably wake up drenched in sweat underneath - no matter how cool the room is. Oh, and as far as temp - I hate the cold - and in the winter i found the indoor park a little chilly, but this time it was great. Hope this helps someone else! Oh yeah - when you check in you can ask if they'll upgrade you from the family suite to something fun - if they have availability, and it might be pretty reasonable. Never hurts to ask right?

 

[brighteyes]

Well I think it will be just DS and I. I think my friend is going with her mom/dad & kids or the boyfriend.

I was hoping to get upgraded to the Wolf Den Suite or Cub Den or whatever, but don't want to pay too much. I think I will just bring stuff from home to eat for breakfast and snacks or do a Timmie's run. For the in room pizza delivery, is it expensive?

Thanks for all your replies, I am getting too excited now. Maybe if I get offered a 2nd night for 129*.00 I would stay there another night instead of booking a hotel on Clifton Hill and just go cruise the attractions in the evening.

 

[caniac27]

Sorry, not sure on the price - we had a large birthday party (8 adults and 9 children). We had pizza, caesar salad, and birthday cake. I remember it was very reasonable, but not exactly how much off the top of my head. But it was delish.....

 

[crash2000]

a medium pizza from the resorts "pizza hut express' was $18, add another for $11.99

 

[brighteyes]

Thanks so much for the informative replies. Now I just have two questions:

1) Do you think it is reasonable to expect the 129.00 offer for 2nd night on a Friday?

2) How much do you think it would be for an upgrade to a KidsKamp Suite or a Wolf Den Suite. Have any of you stayed in this suite or should I just stick with the family suite?

Thanks.

Stephanie

 

[crash2000]

1.) I doubt it as weekends would be there busy time...

2.) not sure and is it really worth it?, your sleeping, and changing clothes in the room thats it, who cares if the beds are themed???

 

[brighteyes]

Thanks Crash, you are probably right. But maybe it will happen. If not, I will just book a second room at the Days Inn on Clifton Hill.

Now off to find my big beach towels.

Stephanie

 

[Newcastle]

We stayed in a KidsKamp Suite last year. The problem is that there is little air circulation in the small room where the bunk beds are located and it can become quite hot and stuffy even with the air conditioner on. My kids refused to sleep there so in hindsight, we would have been better off to just stay in a family suite and save ourselves some money!

 

[brighteyes]

We stayed in a KidsKamp Suite last year. The problem is that there is little air circulation in the small room where the bunk beds are located and it can become quite hot and stuffy even with the air conditioner on. My kids refused to sleep there so in hindsight, we would have been better off to just stay in a family suite and save ourselves some money!

Great to know! Thanks I will put my money instead to hopefully a second night, if it's not too much.

Less than two weeks to go. It's still not the same as Disney.

Stephanie

 

[CdnMom2]

There is a pizzeria very close by (a couple minutes drive) that has delicious pizza & is reasonably priced. It doesn't look promising from the outside, but it is yummy -- Frank's Pizzeria 4854 Bridge St. I am in no way related to the business. We found out about it from other's who found out about it from others & found it very good & convenient when we went to Great Wolf Lodge in November.

I had heard only awful things about the quality & price of the food AT Great Wolf Lodge, especially the onsite Pizza Hut.

 

[Jenroc]

Last August we got a 45 % discount on a suite because my friend and her family had stayed there serveral times. They throughly enjoyed it but to be perfectly honest I would save the $$$ and wait for a better place to go. The food prices were horribly high and the quality wasn't the greatest. The suite was an alright size for 8 people but nothing to write home about. My kids (DS 12, DD9) have absolutley no interest in ever returning. They thought it was a cheap rip off of something you "might" see in Disney.

 

[brighteyes]

Hmmm... well ever have one of those days from hell?? Well work was craaaazyyy busy. I work in a medical clinic. Then afterward, in light of preparing for my trip on Thursday to GWL which I was sooo excited about I went to get my oil changed, etc, make sure the car was safe, had my tires checked etc. So after leaving I drive thru the Timmie's and am leaving the parking lot and got smacked on my back end spinning me 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

Of course, as the policeman said, due to the "Highway Traffic Act", I am at fault because I was exiting the driveway. So no matter how fast she was going or if she sped up or whatever, it is still my fault.

My whole back bumper was hanging by a thread, and I was hit right at my gas tank. to the point my reserve tank was dragging on the ground. Her car did not have nearly as much damage, and her car is an 1995 or so chevy and my 2005 LEASED Nissan is so broken.

So off to the Dr. tomorrow I am because I can barely move. Even if I get a rental I am really scared to drive now and make the hour or so trip.

So I am feeling sorry for myself but thankful no one was hurt, or that my DS was not in the car. And thankful for my friend who watched my son for me while I waited hours for the police, and for my dear friend who came to my side while I cried stupidly not realizing how lucky I was.

Thanks for listening, it's been a really CRAPPY day but it could have been worse I guess.

Stephanie

 

[Jenroc]

I am so sorry to hear about your accident. It just isn't fair that people who try and follow the rules end up getting the raw end of the deal. The person who hit you should be charged - what if a kid had been walking beside your car and she hit you ????? When will the world start thinking about their action and how they affect the rest of the people around them ??? Sorry about my rant but it is getting worse every day.
I really hope you are OK and try and enjoy your trip tomorrow.

 

[brighteyes]

I am so sorry to hear about your accident. It just isn't fair that people who try and follow the rules end up getting the raw end of the deal. The person who hit you should be charged - what if a kid had been walking beside your car and she hit you ????? When will the world start thinking about their action and how they affect the rest of the people around them ??? Sorry about my rant but it is getting worse every day.
I really hope you are OK and try and enjoy your trip tomorrow.

Thanks, alot. I am ok. Everyone is alive and not seriously injured. Thank goodness for that. well I guess I have to wait for Insurance to call me today, and go to the dr and I am sure I have whiplash, Can't really move my left side too much.

I don't know if I will have a rental or not, and even if I do, I am kinda scared to drive on the highway since this accident only happened coming out of a parking lot. Oh well we will see.

Somehow someway someday I will get to GWL.


Stephanie

 

[Jenroc]

Don't let someone else's lack of consideration ruin a family event. Wish I could drive you there so you could enjoy yourself. Good luck at the Dr.'s today.

 

[jmtf2004]

well I guess I have to wait for Insurance to call me today, and go to the dr and I am sure I have whiplash, Can't really move my left side too much.
I don't know if I will have a rental or not, and even if I do, I am kinda scared to drive on the highway since this accident only happened coming out of a parking lot. Oh well we will see.

Somehow someway someday I will get to GWL.

This is such a shame about the accident. Sending and a big that you feel better soon, the insurance works out quickly, and your trip to GWL is great. My family really enjoyed GWL, I'm sure yours will too. As far as getting back to driving...be cautious, of course, but also realize that the chances of another accident are very slim. If you end up really being fearful of driving maybe you could take a defensive driving course? If I were you, I would switch to another Tim's though

 

[puppyears]

Yes, sorry to hear about your accident, very scary!!

The only thing I have to say about our stay at Great Wolf Lodge is:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!

And that is all I have to say about that (thanks Forrest).

 

[brighteyes]

Well the trip would not have been that expensive. I had a great rate of 139.00 and was splitting with my friend. So really, it would have cost me 70.00 for the night plus food. I think I will postpone the trip and do it in August when I am not so sore and am a little more relaxed about driving now.

I will never again go to that gas station again. It has always freaked me out trying to get out of that gas station. Or at least, I will be turning right. Even while we were waiting for police and tow, in about 3 hours we witnessed 5 more almost accidents. I guess I was just the lucky one of the day.

I think tomorrow will be just an intown adventure that has me laying by a lake. But the insurance will pay for my physio. Now just waiting to hear if the car is a write off.

Thanks for all your good wishes. I will let you know if I am brave enough to venture tomorrow to GWL or if I will wait a bit.


Stephanie

 

[brighteyes]

Just to update you all on my trip. I did not end up making it for my reservation due to my car accident. I did not have a rental and did not know how I would feel about driving, and also was not sure how my body would be feeling.

I urged my friend to take her children and I would still pay my half of the room, they said not without us.

My son did not want to be in any car, even though he wasn't with me for the accident, so the morning of I called Great Wolf Lodge to cancel my reservation.

I was hoping for some sort of compassion on the part of GWL for not being able to come due to car accident. First t hey told me to call Ratestogo and cancel through them and the cancellation policy would be up to them. Which o n their website states 30.00 fee for cancelling or changing dates.

So after calling ratestogo the evening before and them being closed??? weird for a website customer service, so called back the day of, and they told me it is GWL policy for cancellation to charge the full rate of the room (ratestogo price). They told RTG rep that I could rebook for a 5.00 fee and pay the FULL rate at GWL rates. I said no thanks, and thanks for the compassion and expected my card to be charged for my non stay at GWL.

I never did cancel though because I was h oping one of my friends could go and stay in the room or by some miracle at the last minute my insurance comppany would call me last min to approve a rental, and that my son would want to go.

I know I callled last minute but I thought maybe they would have some sort of compassion and maybe charge me half the rate or something?? So I told the lady at GWL if you charge my card, I will not ever rebook with you, I will pay more money to go to Fallsview. I hung up feeling like the worst person, thinking I ruined a mini vacation for my friend, her 2 girls, my son and myself.

And so angry that if they charged my card for a night we did not even go, that with paying my deductible to fix my car, that we would not be able to afford to go.
BUT they have not charged my card!!!

Now with some crafty saving maybe we can still make it there by end of summer as long as my physio helps the back spasms Ive been having.

They had compassion after all, YEAH

Stephanie