Great Wolf Lodge

[tchrrx]

Have you ever been to one? Is it worth it to pay more for one of the special 'kids' rooms? What additional purchases will I need to make besides the room? I think the waterpark part is free, but I'm not sure. Thanks for any hints/tips/discounts that you can share!

 

[fishynancy]

It is worth it ..

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We are thinking of going for DS's birthday in January.

The room includes water park tickets for as many people as are the "base occupancy" for the room. If you add extra people up to the maximum occupancy you have to pay $30 each for them, regardless of age. There are only 2 room categories that have 2 toilets - the Loft Suite and the Grizzly Bear. All of the others only have one bathroom.

DS is going to invite 5 friends, so I am definitely thinking I want 2 toilets! Me in a room with 6 boys and DH calls for 2 toilets!

 

[tchrrx]

Do you know of any codes or discounts? I'm thinking of staying at the GWL for 2 nights & then moving to a different hotel. Do you think that'll be plenty of play time?

 

[mommasita]

We did 2 nights in March, and we loved it. We got the regular room with 2 double beds. It was gorgeous, all themed. The one thing we did NOT do was eat there. I heard the food was , and the prices were VERY high. We had breakfast in our room, and ate lunch and supper at small restaurants nearby. The room had a microwave and a small fridge.

I think 2 nights was enough for us. We paid 199$ a night, and felt it was very worth it.

I have seen some post codes on the Budge Board, so perhaps try there?

 

[dimimi]

Have you ever been to one? Is it worth it to pay more for one of the special 'kids' rooms? What additional purchases will I need to make besides the room? I think the waterpark part is free, but I'm not sure. Thanks for any hints/tips/discounts that you can share!

How old are your kids? If they are young and not strong swimmers...use the life jackets. It is a lot of fun! Do a search for discounts. If your kids are good swimmers and around 8 and up....it will be great! The kids rooms are fun, but not necessary. You will be busy in the water park, then in the arcade. The arcade is another expense, but fun. Depending on which one you go to, you'll either have to eat in the resort or order pizza or go to a nearby restaurant. We even liked Kalahari resort more!

 

[KCmike]

It's fun. We took our kids several years ago when it first opened in KC. Now there is alot of competition in town just like this hotel/waterpark and next year we get a Schlitterbahn waterpark. It's sad because we were suppose to get a Legoland here but our local government rejected it.

Anyway yeah its alot of fun.

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

Never heard of this place... where is it?
Sounds interesting.

 

[Hillbeans]

2 nights is plenty.

In our experience, our kids enjoyed the wolf den room, however the bunk beds are pretty small and "short" and if your kids are older than maybe 8 or on the tall side, you'd do better with just getting 2 queen beds.

We have only been to the GWL in the Pocono's, and really have enjoyed our 2 visits there, but it is expensive since you eat on site, along with the arcade games, etc. I think including food and room it cost us close to $400 a night even with discounts and that was not on a weekend - we stayed on a Sunday/Monday night when the NJ schools had off for teacher conference.

Another fun thing is the night time story telling by the campfire!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Do you know of any codes or discounts? I'm thinking of staying at the GWL for 2 nights & then moving to a different hotel. Do you think that'll be plenty of play time?

We are local so we're just taking the boys for the one night.

Codes are out now through the end of December. 20% off if you book 2 or more nights, code ESCAPE for about $30 off one night, or there is another one for free breakfast. All of the codes are on the website under "special deals".

 

[mommasita]

Never heard of this place... where is it?
Sounds interesting.

Here is one to give you an idea..http://www.greatwolf.com/Locations/Niagara

 

[KCmike]

Basically its a themed hotel with a water park inside it. KC now has two competing hotels on each side of the city. For all you Texans we are getting a Schlitterbahn here next year. Is it as good as we hear?

 

[DancingBear]

We just spent two nights at GWL in Williamsburg. Weather for the first couple of days was a little chilly and rainy so having the indoor water park was great. We ate our meals off-site. Our 7yo son didn't want to sleep in the bunk bed the first night, so he slept on the pull-out sofa bed. The next night he slept in the bunk bed in his grandparents' room.

Be aware of all of the opportunities to spend additional money aimed directly at the kiddies. A huge arcade, Ninetendo in the room at $7/hour, trinkets on carts in the lobby, etc. Re the Ninetendo, be aware that although you can put on adult controls so you have to put in a password for them to play the game, once they you authorize them to start playing they can keep playing--it doesn't cut off after the first hour.

Another thing to be aware of is that you get wristbands which give you waterpark admission but which also are your room key AND you put money on them to use the arcade and even the vending machines. You have to wear the wristband the whole time you are there.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

It is a great hotel!!! We booked a regular room, went off season and when we got to the hotel I just asked if it might be possible for a free upgrade, so we got the kid room at regular prices!!!

 

[aprilgail2]

We have been to great wolf 5 times in the past 2 years- we love it. One night is not enough so we usually stay 2. Magic Quest takes up a lot of the time in the evening! We have eaten there and the food is ok-we do the early dinner thing around 3:00 and the prices are much cheaper.
They tell you that you can use the water park at 1:00 o the check in day but that is not the truth- we get there at 9am and register- the room is not usually ready but we get right in the water park and get a full day out of it. Rooms are iffy- sometimes we get it at 11 if the room was empty the night before but we have gotten our room as late at 6pm one trip- I hate that! They say check in STARTS at 4pm- meaning your room can be ready at 4pm- or 6pm- or whenever it is ready.
The magic quest comes to about 25.00 per child for a wand plus a game.
There is a big arcade and my daughter loves the kids spa there.

 

[mjkacmom]

2 nights is plenty.

In our experience, our kids enjoyed the wolf den room, however the bunk beds are pretty small and "short" and if your kids are older than maybe 8 or on the tall side, you'd do better with just getting 2 queen beds.

We have only been to the GWL in the Pocono's, and really have enjoyed our 2 visits there, but it is expensive since you eat on site, along with the arcade games, etc. I think including food and room it cost us close to $400 a night even with discounts and that was not on a weekend - we stayed on a Sunday/Monday night when the NJ schools had off for teacher conference.

Another fun thing is the night time story telling by the campfire!

We were just there this Sunday/Monday, and it probably cost about $1000 for 2 nights, including 1 meal in the restaurant, 1 pizza hut take-out, 1 magiquest wand for everyone to share, and about $30 at the arcade. And that was with a code! The kids love it, though.

 

[*Fantasia*]

We were just there this Sunday/Monday, and it probably cost about $1000 for 2 nights, including 1 meal in the restaurant, 1 pizza hut take-out, 1 magiquest wand for everyone to share, and about $30 at the arcade. And that was with a code! The kids love it, though.

wow! that's kind of steep! for about $1600, you can do wdw,value resort with park tickets for a week! getting there and food would extra.

 

[mjkacmom]

wow! that's kind of steep! for about $1600, you can do wdw,value resort with park tickets for a week! getting there and food would extra.

Yeah - welcome to the NYC metropolitan area - LOL! Of course, 7 flights from Newark to Orlando KILL our bank account!