Everything you need to know before planning your trip to Great Wolf Lodge
Great Wolf Lodge is an indoor family resort waterpark. There are many locations throughout the United States, and each varies in amenities, but all are fully inclusive resort waterparks. Our family has been three times over the last several years, all three of our visits being over a holiday! We’ve visited two of their locations and went from getting no add-ons at checkout to getting everything that’s worth it. We’ve gone alone as a family and with others. I want to share our experiences, what you can expect if you plan on visiting, what is worth the extra cost, and much more.
What’s included?
The basic package at GWL includes waterpark passes for each individual, lodging, and all the FREE activities. The free activities include crafts, storytime, dance parties, scavenger hunts, etc. If you are there on a holiday, GWL is decorated and themed for the holiday, and free activities include trick or treating, visiting Santa, etc.
Additional Packages
GWL offers packages that add much more entertainment to your stay. When you book online, they provide food packages, activity packages, drink packages, and so much more.
On our first visit to Great Wolf Lodge, we visited the Pennsylvania location in the Pocono Mountains. We stayed for three days and got the basic package without any add-ons. At the time, we had three children, all six and under. The first day was awesome because the kids played in the waterpark all day; we ate pizza for dinner and got a ridiculous amount of ice cream to bring back to our room for a family movie. The kids also enjoyed that day’s FREE dance party and story time activity.
On the second day, we spent most of the day at the waterpark, but it was hard not to explore the enormous resort. The only downside to exploring was that we wanted to buy extra games and activities for the kids to enjoy. We got arcade passes and enjoyed bowling, laser tag, and mini golf. All of these activities were extra!
As we were there on day two, we realized people were running around with wands, trying to complete missions. We discovered that the Pup pass, Paw pass, and Wolf pass were packages you could add for each kid that included different attractions. We were already far enough into the trip and decided not to get them, but we knew next time that was something we would look into!
We went out to dinner that night to explore the Pocono Mountains, and when we returned, the kids returned to the waterpark before it closed.
On our final day, we woke up and went to the waterpark until it was time to pack up and leave. The first trip was fun; my kids enjoyed it so much! My husband and I got to relax and enjoy each other’s company.
Passes
The passes were what we were missing the first time we went! If you plan on doing anything extra, getting the passes is worth it because they allow unlimited access to the bowling, mini golf, ropes course, etc.
The wolf pass offers the most amenities, while the pup pass includes the least. The second time we went, we had five children! We got all of them the wolf pass except for our youngest. She was only two years old, and we decided the pup pass would be best for her.
Included in the Wolf Pass and Paw Pass, The MagiQuest Adventure is one of the most memorable experiences at GWL. They really made a fun experience out of this amenity! Your child chooses a wand or belt and runs around completing missions using their wand or belt. They earn new missions to level up and get new abilities. This game is so fun for the older kids because they run around with all the other kids, completing these missions and getting advice from other kids, etc. If you visit more than once, bring your wand or belt back, and you can get extra accessories for them.
If you plan on staying more than one day and your child is older than five, the Wolf Pass is absolutely worth it.
Food
The food at GWL offers many options. There is candy, ice cream, coffee, fast meals, and sit-down restaurants. They have pizza, tacos, adult drinks, and chicken fingers. You will be able to find something everyone in the family will enjoy. However, the quality is what you would expect at any large chain restaurant. They aren’t serving homemade pasta like grandma makes! All the food is comparable to a hospital or school cafeteria. This doesn’t bother most people if they spend two or three days there, but the third time we went to GWL, it was for Christmas, and we stayed for five days! I knew I could not eat their food for more than a day or two.
One of the things I love so much about GWL is that you can bring food inside! While you can’t take outside food into the waterpark, you can bring outside food to your hotel room. We bring snacks, bread for sandwiches, and breakfast items for us and the kids. We also bring our own alcohol and drinks we plan on having throughout the day.
During our third GWL visit, we found a service that would bring us pre-made meals. My husband and I ate those for lunch to avoid the fried food in the waterpark.
We still purchased food and drinks while we were there, but our food costs were cut down significantly because we brought some of our own food! This only makes me want to support GWL all the more.
Yes, my daughter is crying in the top photo. She wanted to stand beside her friend, but I told her to stay where she was. Haha! This is funny for us to look back at now.
What to wear?
If you are wondering what to wear during your GWL stay, think of nothing beyond casual and comfortable. Other than a bathing suit, my kids ran around in their pajamas the entire time, and the adults wore casual attire. This wouldn’t be a vacation where you must have many outfits for one day. You will only want to be in comfortable loungewear or your bathing suit!
What to bring?
Other than your clothes, swimsuit, and toiletries, there isn’t much else you need to bring. The waterpark offers towels (which you must return) and life jackets, but you can always bring your own if that is more comfortable for you. They have a towel package option, too!
If you happen to forget your swimsuit or goggles, they have a store where you can purchase them!
Lodging
The rooms are so cute and memorable. All the rooms are woodland-themed, but some have extra bedrooms or sleeping areas for larger families or those who want extra space. When you check out, you can choose the room you want, but the larger rooms have an additional cost. We had a fridge and microwave in all the different rooms we stayed in.
Waterpark
The main attraction is the GWL waterpark. Although the Pennsylvania waterpark was not as large as Arizona’s, it was still amazing! The indoor portion has slides, ropes courses, wading pools, hot tubs, and a wave pool, while the outdoor portion features a pool and hot tub. You can rent cabanas for the day, but I have always experienced plenty of seating. However, I have never stayed at GWL during the summer! There are lifeguards on duty during park hours, and the indoor portion of the waterpark is nice and warm. They serve alcohol, drinks, and food inside the waterpark for easy lunch options for those who want them.
Overall, is it worth it??
We have loved each of our three trips to Great Wolf Lodge. Our kids always talk about these trips, and we still have the wands! It was so much fun going as a family the first time that we wanted to invite friends to enjoy the next few experiences with, which did not disappoint. The little staycation GWL provides is truly magical for the whole family. Because it is a family resort, kids are running around everywhere, allowing freedom to be a kid, run around, and explore! You meet other parents, your kids make weekend friends, and they have lasting family memories. GWL is absolutely worth it, especially if you are considering going during the holidays. Give the gift of experience and make lasting memories they will remember forever.
CONS:
Poconos trip: The food was my only complaint from our first trip! It tasted like cafeteria food and seemed overpriced. Anything else I didn’t like about the trip was our lack of experience with GWL.
Arizona trip: Honestly, no complaint! I already knew what to expect with the food.
TIPS:
Think about the time of year and the location you are going to. The Poconos are beautiful! Unfortunately, we planned our trip when it was too cold to explore, visit the hiking trails, and utilize the outdoor part of the waterpark. We went during my husband’s slow season at work, but had it been warmer, we could have gone outside the resort to explore and wouldn’t have needed to buy any extra activities.
Three days is long if all you plan on doing is the waterpark and you don’t plan on exploring outside the resort.
The extra activities we paid for helped fill the time, and I highly recommend the pup, paw, or wolf passes if you can afford them. If not, I would recommend a two-day max!
Plan meals if you want to save money on food. Bring in snacks, breakfast food, and stuff to make sandwiches, and then you only have to think about dinner.
