About a week ago, my family had the opportunity to go on a media trip with Great Wolf Lodge and we absolutely fell in love! We had been wanting to take the girls for a while now, but honestly I didn’t know if they were old enough for all of the fun! I’m so glad we went (they are 2 and 4)! We had the best time! I wanted to share a few tips if you’re looking for a great weekend trip for your family and feel like Great Wolf Lodge might be a good fit!
We visited Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, but they actually have 18 properties across the US and Canada! We drove in on Friday afternoon and the fun started as soon as we arrived and didn’t stop until leaving on Monday! The girls are already planning a trip back; they LOVED it!
What to Pack
We packed for a normal vacation! I of course threw in a few extra swimsuits as well as sunscreen, but you won’t need floats, life jackets or towels! All of that is provided! If you forget something, there is a store on property available for anything and everything you may have forgotten!
What to Do
What isn’t there to do? Upon arrival on Friday, we went exploring and then quickly found our spot at the water park! The girls found their favorite slides in the kiddie area! They didn’t need floats or life jackets for this, but they are fairly good swimmers. I stayed in the water with them, and it’s appropriate for ages 0 (with a parent) to 5! I even saw some bigger kiddos in there with siblings.
Ages for Activities
All Ages – Water Park, Story time, Dance Parties, Arcade, Kids Spa
0-2 – Water Park, Kid Play Area
2-5 – Cub Club where you have daily activities for kids designed to enlighten and entertain, hands on activities, custom souvenirs, colors & crafts.
5-7+ – Spa, Arcade, Laser Tag, MagiQuest® is an interactive and live action adventure game, Compass Quest™ – an interactive, scavenger hunt adventure game, ShadowQuest® an action adventure entertainment game.
Waterpark Info
Fort Mackenzie – Four story, 12 level, interactive tree house water fortfeaturing suspension bridges, cargo nets, web crawls, more than 60 guest activated water effects and a nearly 1,000 gallon tipping water bucket
Coyote Cannon – 40 foot drop into a cannon bowl
River Canyon Run -Family raft ride
Howlin’ Tornado – Six story funnel slide
Alberta Falls – Two fully enclosed tube slides
Totem Towers – Two three story body slides
Whooping Hollow – Kiddie slides exclusively reserved for guests under 48” tall
Snap Tail Pond – Gigantic wave pool filled with more than 112,000 gallons of water
Crooked Creek – Endless, winding lazy river
Cub Paw – Zero depth entry children’s pool
Chinook Cove – Activity pool
Big Foot Pass – Balance on and try to cross floating lily pads
North and South Hot Springs – Two whirlpools; one for 18 and over and another for the wholefamily
Raccoon Lagoon – Outdoor pool is open during the summer months. Featuring a zero depth entry to four feet deep and includes water basketball, kiddie activities, floor geysers and spray features, as well as heated water. All surrounded by a patio area with tables and chairs.
Where to Eat
Grizzly Jacks Bar & Grill – Great for outdoor poolside and lunch
Wood Fired Grill – Something for everyone! Order a steak or a grilled cheese. This is the restaurant that you’ll want to make reservations.
Loose Moose Cottage – All you can eat buffet open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They even have a special “kids only” buffet with all of the good stuff!
Character Breakfast at Loose Moose – Definitely plan for this one of the mornings you are at Great Wolf! The girls LOVED it!
Hungry as a Wolf – THE BEST poolside pizza and salads! You can also get a liter of coke to share with your family!
Bear Paw Sweets & Eats – We had ice cream and sweet treats here during our breaks from swimming!
Safety
I was so impressed with the safety that Great Wolf Lodge provided. There are well-trained lifeguards every where you look, and I never felt uncomfortable even when the girls would get out of arm’s reach. They also make sure that guests staying at Great Wolf Lodge are the only people allowed into the pool areas. There are birthday party package exceptions, but mostly everyone was staying at the hotel and it felt very safe.
Tips for Your Trip
- I would definitely purchase the Paw Pass, Wolf Pass or Pup Pass which allows your kids to do all of the fun activities without you carrying around your wallet! You also save money by buying as a package.
- Add a credit card on file so that you can use your wrist band for everything. This is SO helpful. Your wrist band actually allows you into your room as it acts as your room key. We saved so much time and hassle searching for wallets and room keys by just having the wristband on.
- Visit the hot spots early in the morning to avoid lines.
- Take advantage of the Starbucks on property (ya feel me, parents!? #givemecaffeine)
- Upgrade to the KidKamp Suite if you have 2 or more kids and they would enjoy bunk beds. Having the space for them with a TV and space for parents is life-saving. It kept our sanity by putting them to bed and having some quiet time for ourselves.
- If you or your child has any food allergies or sensitivities, Great Wolf Lodge actually will accommodate and avoid any allergens. Just email or call the property prior to arrival to make arrangements! This is amazing as I nursed two babies with gluten, soy and dairy intolerances so this would have been so helpful!
- Opt for late checkout on your last day. Late checkout is at 2pm, but you can stay to play until 7pm. Essentially, you’re getting an extra day for free!
- Make time to see Wiley and his pack for photos and fun! The girls really loved seeing all of the characters!
- Take a camera or phone for LOTS of photos and videos! You will want to remember all of the sweet memories you make with your family!
If you have any other questions, visit the website’s FAQ or don’t hesitate to reach out for my personal experience/opinion!
What are your thoughts on family vacations? Have you been to a Great Wolf Lodge? We were hesitant taking the kids this young, but I am so glad we did! There is a little bit for everyone if you have a 6 month old all the way to teenagers. I mean, adults could even have a fun weekend away here!
Thank you to Great Wolf Lodge for hosting our stay and for the wonderful accommodations! We hope to come back soon! Thank YOU for supporting the brands who choose to support Little Lovelies. As always, content and opinions are that of my own!
Can you please share where your seersucker bathing suits are from for you and your girls? Thanks!