Wisconsin Dells sites?

[rw_hadley]

Since apparently we can't go to WDW every year (Boo!), we're thinking of spending a few days at the Wisconsin Dells in early June.
Does anyone know of any good websites with opinions on where to stay and what to do? Someplace with a message board like this one would be good, I'd think!

Our intrepid travelers from Minneapolis would be myself, DW, and DD (age 7).

TIA,

 

[stczt]

I am also beginning to plan a small trip to the Dells, Kids are off Presidents week so we are going to FIL's (Rockford) and we were thinking about going to the Dells for a couple of days. I did a yahoo search and found a forum on tripadvisor.com. It;s not nearly as good as the DIS and I still have questions but its a start. I just cant decide where to stay.

 

[sunlover13]

I was going to recommend tripadvisor.com also.

We went two summers ago in early June and stayed at Wilderness Lodge for $99 a night! The summer rates did not go up until the following week which was nice.

Wilderness Lodge was great! Ton to do and I like that it was spread out so you don't feel crowded or on top of people. We stayed at Glacier Canyon which was so nice b/c it was their newest building, very clean, granite countertops, bathrooms, etc.

Also, Culvers comes out with a free discount card that you can use for various Dells activities. If your Culvers doesn't have them, send them an email online and they will mail it to you.

Check out tripadvisor for reviews and the forum!

Have fun!

 

[X and G's mom]

In college I used to work in the Dells during the summers.

A vacation to the Dells can cost you what a Disney vacation can cost you!

My recommendations: (I've lived in the Dells and go there often in the summer)
Upper and Lower Dells Boat Tour The upper is way better! 3 hours and you get off the boat to see sights.
Tommy Bartlett Ski Sky and Stage show at NIGHT! The night show is the absolute best, a must see!
Noah's Ark waterpark (I was a lifeguard here and take my kids every summer)
The original Green and White Duck tours. There is a red, white, and blue duck tour, but the green and white one is way better.

Here are some websites:

http://wisdells.com/ This is the visitor's bureau website
http://www.dells.com/
http://www.wisconsindells.com/

If you have any questions, let me know!

I hear Mount Olympus is fun too. It's in the old Family Land Waterpark area.

 

[robinb]

The first week of June should be the best. Schools here in Madison get out on 6/11 so if you can go the week before it shouldn't be too crowded. That being said, early June can still be pretty chilly and you may want to book at one of the big indoor/outdoor waterpark resorts. I have only stayed at the Wilderness Resort because it's the cheapest one. It also has condo facilities available with kitchens and "lodges". We stayed in a 4-bedroom lodge with family and it had a full kitchen and laundry. It was great! Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Resort is also quite big. My DD swam at Kalahari with her camp last year and she liked it. I wouldn't book at Mt. Olympus. I went there a few years ago when it was "Family Land" and they did not heat their water inside or outside. BRRRRRR!! Chula Vista has a small indoor/outdoor waterpark which was okay for a day trip a couple of years ago. I have heard mixed reviews about their rooms.

I would recommend that you get on the mailing list at dells.com and also the mailing list for the individual resorts.

 

[X and G's mom]

Yes, early June is still quite cold. If you are planning on outdoor waterparks, then early June is not the best time to plan.

The absolute best time to go is the very end of August. At Noah's Ark, everything is walk-on that last week. (Meaning Mon-Thur before Labor Day) I took my dad there when I worked there and he was like a kid in a candy store This is the week I take my kids to the Dells. Most people are too busy getting ready to go back to school and a lot of prep sports have started. I get everything out of the way in early Aug so I can play the last week in August.

There are usually a lot of deals that run the first couple weeks of June and the last week in August. A couple years ago Noah's Ark did a free day in the park to anyone who donated 3 canned goods, the last week of August on a Wednesday. We were there

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Honestly, you can probably go to DISNEY for less money!!!
We like the "major" resorts in this order:
1. Kalahari (awesome surfing, roller-coaster water ride, great outdoor park)
2. Wilderness (way too big...lots of walking!!)
3. Chula Vista (Far from the main strip)
4. Great Wolf (small, geared more for much younger folks)

We go every summer for our daughter's birthday. We only live 2.5 hours away. It can get really expensive, so I am glad we only do it once each year.

 

[jme829]

I was going to recommend tripadvisor.com also.

We went two summers ago in early June and stayed at Wilderness Lodge for $99 a night! The summer rates did not go up until the following week which was nice.

Wilderness Lodge was great! Ton to do and I like that it was spread out so you don't feel crowded or on top of people. We stayed at Glacier Canyon which was so nice b/c it was their newest building, very clean, granite countertops, bathrooms, etc.

Also, Culvers comes out with a free discount card that you can use for various Dells activities. If your Culvers doesn't have them, send them an email online and they will mail it to you.

Check out tripadvisor for reviews and the forum!

Have fun!

We're staying at the WIlderness for spring break (ours is earlier than most...this year its mid March!!) Last year we did Kalahari and had a blast! Over the summer we used points to stay at the Holiday Inn Express, then did 2 days of Mt. OLympus (we got a great deal on passes-$25 pp for 2 consecutive days!).

Culvers is always good eats and we LOVE Marleys! There is a TON of stuff to do, places to stay and eat in the Dells..you won't be bored!

 

[jme829]

Yes, early June is still quite cold. If you are planning on outdoor waterparks, then early June is not the best time to plan.

The absolute best time to go is the very end of August. At Noah's Ark, everything is walk-on that last week. (Meaning Mon-Thur before Labor Day) I took my dad there when I worked there and he was like a kid in a candy store This is the week I take my kids to the Dells. Most people are too busy getting ready to go back to school and a lot of prep sports have started. I get everything out of the way in early Aug so I can play the last week in August.

There are usually a lot of deals that run the first couple weeks of June and the last week in August. A couple years ago Noah's Ark did a free day in the park to anyone who donated 3 canned goods, the last week of August on a Wednesday. We were there

We did early August last year and froze our butts off...it barely hit 70 all week and the water (at Mt.Olympus water park ) was COLD!! like turn your lips blue cold!

 

[OhMari]

Honestly, you can probably go to DISNEY for less money!!!
We like the "major" resorts in this order:
1. Kalahari (awesome surfing, roller-coaster water ride, great outdoor park)
2. Wilderness (way too big...lots of walking!!)
3. Chula Vista (Far from the main strip)
4. Great Wolf (small, geared more for much younger folks)

We go every summer for our daughter's birthday. We only live 2.5 hours away. It can get really expensive, so I am glad we only do it once each year.

WI Dells is very expensive middle June to middle Aug. If you like camping, there are some great camgrounds, Yogi Bear Campgrounds have a water park also. They call WI Dells the Water Park capital of the world. Resorts are all trying to out do each other.

There is also a really nice outlet mall in the Dells, if you go downtown, there are some local bars that are fun. There is a nightly music/stage dinner show.

In the winter, I would be hesitant to go, unless you take your own food. I have no clue where they get the help, but maybe with the economy, people need the jobs and are willing to drive. WI Dells population is just over 1000 people, and have resorts that are pricery than WDW. We were traveling through the area, and decided to stop for pizza, and the manager was the only person working. He did orders and made the pizza's and did clean-up. This is when we realized the lack of workers there during the winter. In summer they recruit from Europe.

 

[daughtersrus]

There's a radio station out of Aurora, IL (WBIG 1280) that sells gift certificates for about 1/2 price. They have a lot of WI Dells attractions and some hotels. They have a list of the items on their website but it changes often.

 

[susykt4]

We went to the Dells at the end of August and the kids LOVED it! I have to agree it is incredibly expensive, though We stayed at Great Wolf Lodge. I agree it is geared toward the grade school crowd. My kids are 9 and 7 and absolutely loved it. There was only one slide with a 48" height limit. Otherwise there were lots of slides, a huge wave pool, and many specialized pools and a huge play structure for kids that age group. They had a nice arcade. DD9 loved MagiQuest- a "scavenger hunt" covering 5 levels you open treasure chests, make things light up, etc with a magic wand (way cooler than my description.) Oh, MagiQuest was part of Great Wolf Lodge. We rode the Ducks, played mini golf, rode go karts and shopped downtown. The kids have begged to go back ever since and even want to go to the Dells rather than Disney this year.

 

[golfgal]

Last time we were there (a year ago) we stayed at the Kalahari. They have since opened a HUGE indoor arcade/bumper car you name it kind of place. We got a good rate-went the weekend before Labor Day. The waterpark there I think is just OK. It got old fast and the indoor one isn't all that great, but it is more 'resorty" with activities around the hotel, etc. Our kids are older though, it is better for younger kids.

Wilderness Lodge has more and bigger water parks. It is huge but they have "shuttles" to take you around.

The rest of the "Dells" is pretty much a tourist trap but it is fun. They have a good outlet mall across the highway from the Kalahari by the Great Wolf.

If you are in the southern part of the metro area, it is worth taking the longer route through the LaCrosse area--it is just beautiful there-otherwise it is an easy drive over on 94.

 

[X and G's mom]

We did early August last year and froze our butts off...it barely hit 70 all week and the water (at Mt.Olympus water park ) was COLD!! like turn your lips blue cold!

Yes, last year summer skipped Wisconsin all together In 2008 the last week of August was warm.
I think there were all of 3 days last summer where the waterparks were a good choice

 

[robinb]

We did early August last year and froze our butts off...it barely hit 70 all week and the water (at Mt.Olympus water park ) was COLD!! like turn your lips blue cold!

Yeah, that's why I suggested that she stay away from Mt Olympus. Even the inside water park water was cold when I was there.

Contrast that with WDW, I was at Blizzard Beach two years ago and it was in the high 60's and the water was perfectly warm. Waiting for the pool slides was still chilly!

We have scrapped our plans to go to Italy for spring break (problems with frequent flyer miles) and we're going to the Dells for a couple days instead. Suffice it to say that my DD is thrilled!