What? There is no way you can manage to get your family packed up and on a plane this winter? But you're still desperate to put on a bathing suit? Great Wolf Lodge is the perfect escape that let's you pretend you are heading someplace warm and toasty.
How does 84 degrees sound? That's the temperature inside the enclosed water park that is the heart and soul of Great Wolf Lodge. And the water is a balmy 82 degrees, the same temp as the water in Aruba in July.
We arrived on a cool January Friday, along with about half of the tri-state area. But the check in was smooth as the desk staff stood at the ready, shoulder to shoulder, and we were checked in with efficiency. Great Wolf Lodge has been described as a cruise ship on land, that is everything is self contained: entertainment, activities, lodging, and dining are all there. So it's easy to imagine yourself on a warm weather getaway. Families were cruising the lobby in bathing suits and pajamas, and barefoot or in flip-flops adding to the tropical aura.
The rooms range from typical hotel rooms, to large suites, but the most popular rooms have cabin or wolf den themes with bunk beds for the kids (another cruise ship theme). But you're not there to spend time in the room, a weekend's worth of activities await.
The highlight is the 70,000 square-foot indoor water park with multiple slides, pools (including a wave pool), water features and a lazy river. The slides range from mild to wild, the favorite for our pack was what we called "big blue", a raft ride with up-hill conveyor belts that was like roller coaster meets water slide. We hit the water park as soon as the doors opened at 9:00AM. If you don't like to wait for rides, this is a great tactic. We were able sample six water slides in the first 40 minutes or so.
While the water park is pretty big, we felt comfortable letting our kids go off on their own at times and we relaxed. After a few hours of sliding and splashing, the kids had their fill, and they were anxious to get to MagiQuest.
MagiQuest is Great Wolf's proprietary fantasy game where kids (and a few intrepid adults) buy magic wands and embark on quests that take them across several floors where the wands activate various animated features such as treasure chests, paintings and statues. There are many quests and adventures to keep the kids busy and they can spend hours running around the hotel's center. We counted that our kids climbed about 40 flights of stairs over the course of one day.
There are several other activities including an arcade, a kids' spa ('tween girls in fluffy pink robes having their toes done), a mini-bowling alley (half the size balls, pins, etc...all the fun), and a teen hang out area with XBox, Wii, and movies on a big screen. These activities have been relocated to a new Main Street area and Great Wolf seems to be putting a lot of effort into enhancing the "dry" activities.
After a full day of activities, one does work up an appetite, and the buffet restaurant fits the bill. The food is not gourmet, but it is varied and there is something for everyone. Of course, there are kid-friendly options: hamburgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese, and the adult fare ranges from grilled chicken and asparagus, to a pasta station, prime rib, and of course a dessert bar with two dozen options.
Other dining options include the poolside snack bar, Starbucks (thank god), two pizza options and more. Needless to say, no one goes hungry there. Meals are not included and they do add up. If you feel like heading out, there are plenty of restaurants in the surrounding area, and right outside the entrance is the Scotrun Diner, an easy breakfast choice.
Even though there are 11 Great Wolf Lodges around the Country, they do a good job at making it friendly and providing a welcoming guest experience. The staff was always pleasant and though the place was completely full when we were there, we never felt overwhelmed. If you feel the need to beat the winter blahs and get a taste of warmth (and who doesn't), take a few days and take the kids to the nearest Great Wolf Lodge.
