Grapevine, TX
You've
heard all about it. Your friends are
raving about it. So WHAT are you waiting for?!
It's time to plan a trip to Great Wolf Lodge - best known for their
massive, 84-degree indoor water-park!
(There are 11 locations nationwide but I'll be specifically reviewing
from Grapevine, TX.)
WHATCHA GONNA THINK: From the moment we drove into the parking lot, we knew
that the folks at Great Wolf Lodge have gone to great lengths to impress. Pulling in we were able to see several
water-slides that exit and then re-enter the building. One of those being the Howlin' Tornado, a
giant cylindrical structure that does not disappoint when it comes to thrills.
At the entrance we were greeted with towering wolf statues that stand guard
just outside the covered loading/unloading zone. We were immediately greeted by bellmen
offering valet luggage and parking service, but since we declined they kindly showed us where to find our own luggage cart so we could drag in all the
junk our family just HAD to bring
with us.
The wolf greeting us at the entrance.
Our first impressions really set the stage for what we were about to experience and every aspect of GWL held up to the same standard of excellence!
WHERE YA GONNA SLEEP: GWL offers a wide variety of rooms, accommodating couples on up to multi-families vacationing together (when making your reservation, a staff person will assist in choosing the best room for you. Understand that themed rooms will cost more and that non-themed rooms are available at a lower cost and will accommodate the same number of people). Since we were staying with my brother-in-law, along with his wife and two kids (that's a total of 4 adults and 4 kids), we chose the Loft Suite. This room has a base occupancy of 6 and a maximum occupancy of 8. We were totally comfortable with 8 of us in the room. We had 2 queen beds, and a full bath on the first level. Also on this level, a three-quarter wall created a semi-private living area with a full-size sleeper sofa. Upstairs (what kid doesn't love an upstairs!) featured a queen bed and half bath. Some special features we enjoyed were the 3 TVs (one upstairs and two downstairs), microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker, and the all important FREE wi-fi. To sum it up, the room was comfy, spacious, clean, up-to-date with "lodgy" furnishings, and came with all the necessities.
WHERE YA GONNA SLEEP: GWL offers a wide variety of rooms, accommodating couples on up to multi-families vacationing together (when making your reservation, a staff person will assist in choosing the best room for you. Understand that themed rooms will cost more and that non-themed rooms are available at a lower cost and will accommodate the same number of people). Since we were staying with my brother-in-law, along with his wife and two kids (that's a total of 4 adults and 4 kids), we chose the Loft Suite. This room has a base occupancy of 6 and a maximum occupancy of 8. We were totally comfortable with 8 of us in the room. We had 2 queen beds, and a full bath on the first level. Also on this level, a three-quarter wall created a semi-private living area with a full-size sleeper sofa. Upstairs (what kid doesn't love an upstairs!) featured a queen bed and half bath. Some special features we enjoyed were the 3 TVs (one upstairs and two downstairs), microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker, and the all important FREE wi-fi. To sum it up, the room was comfy, spacious, clean, up-to-date with "lodgy" furnishings, and came with all the necessities.
If you've
got the extra cash and really want to "wow" the kiddos, you're gonna
want to reserve a themed room. Of course
you're still going to get all the comfort, space, and necessities, but the kids
will have their own area with either a cabin, tent, or cave theme. It's totally awesome! They even have their own tv inside. Say
What?! And that means they won't be
watching your tv. *dancing around and humming a happy song* I promise they will love you forever...or at
least until the trip is over and you have to take them home, back to their
uncool room that's not all tricked out.
WHATCHA GONNA DO: Duh, you're gonna
go to the water-park and get wet! But,
once you've baked yourself long enough in the sun or white-knuckled enough
thrilling water-slides, you may want to dry off and try a few other unique
attractions GWL has to offer. (But first let me tell you about the park itself.)
Water-park - Multiple water
slides (ranging from toddler size on up to stomach-dropping, squealing fun), a wave pool, toddler pool and slides, lazy river, tree house with enormous
dumping bucket, and activity pool with basketball and agility challenge - and
that's only on the inside! More water
slides can be found outside along with another agility challenge, a wolf tower that sprays water every few minutes at the sound of a howling wolf, and a large zero-entry pool with pop
up-fountains that transitions very gradually to 4 feet (that means there is a
VERY large area for the little guys to wade around in without you worrying
about them going under). I'm so not doing the water-park justice with only
those few lines so check-out the website and prepare to be wowed! (link at the top of the page)
My littlest one having a great time in the toddler area.
Jumping some waves in the wave pool.
MagiQuest - It's a live-action
adventure game where kids explore an enchanted kingdom by traveling from one
hotel floor to another, wielding their magic wand in order to accomplish
multiple quests. Every year we see tons
of kids taking part in the MagiQuest, and not until this year did my
sister-in-law give in and try it for her boys.
I was still thinking it was a waste of money, but boy was I wrong. The kids LOVED it! And, it really helped pass some time when we
were done at the park for the day. I
figured it would only take a half hour or so to complete the quest, but wrong
again I was. There are nine quests
included and it probably took the kids a few hours to complete. I believe my sister-in-law said it cost
$70-$80 for two wands (and quests) and the Compass Quest (which is an
additional, more challenging quest once you've completed the MagiQuest). And, if you plan to return to GWL at a later
date, the wands are reusable. You just have to pay for the quest.
This is one of those things that is
completely unique to GWL, so if you're up to purchasing anything outside the
water-park this one will surely win you the "Best Mom EVER" award.
Scoops Spa - It's an ice
cream themed spa just for girls. I wish I could give you some exact prices but
we've never tried it. I'm sure it's
great (just like everything else at GWL), but I believe my girls are just a
little too young for this one.
Cub Club - Created especially for little wolf pups in
your party, it's packed with activities and crafts designed just for them.
You're kiddos will enjoy free crafts and activities and if you so desire can
create custom souvenirs (ranging from $5 - $15). It's a great diversion that
will give those cute, pruney little hands a break from the water park fun.
Be sure to also check out the Northern Lights Arcade, Laser Frenzy (an arcade-style lazer maze), and Howleywood (a motion simulated thrill ride).
Story time - Finally,
something totally free!! Every evening
kiddos are encouraged to wear their pj's for the Clock Tower show followed by
Story Time, located in the main lobby of the lodge. My girls love this! And our whole family sings the theme song for
weeks after our trip...*sung in deep voice* "There's nothing to be scared
of here. Trust in Mother Nature..."
We usually howl for a few weeks too cause there is a lot of that going
on at story time. Afterwards, Wiley the Wolf made an appearance for
hugs and pictures. It was the perfect
night-cap for our little ones.
Hugs from Wiley after Story Time.
It will
be no surprise to you that all of these things line the long walkway that leads
you from the elevator to the water-park.
It's the only way in and the only way out, so be prepared! And even more importantly, prepare your
children. Otherwise, they will be
begging for every sparkly thing they see.
Even
though the lodge offers PLENTY to do for a weekend/short stay, it's worth
noting that the town of Grapevine is loaded with fun things to do as well. A quick internet search will supply you with
all the info you need, but a few kid-friendly things the town boasts about are:
Grapevine Vintage Railroad, Lego Land, and the Aquarium (all within just a
couple miles of GWL).
WHO'S GONNA LOVE IT:
- TODDLERS - YES!
- SCHOOL-AGE KIDDOS - YES!
- TEENAGERS - YES!
- PARENTS - YES!
- GRANDPARENTS - YES!
- those traveling with fido - NO!
- those who like to keep face/hair dry - NO!
- those wanting peace and quiet - NO!
WHAT'S IT GONNA COST YA: Two arms, one leg, your first born, and the equivalent of
one-third your mortgage. I'm kidding friends - totally kidding. But it may feel that way if you haven't done
your homework and made a budget...so get to work!
Room prices will seem outrageous at first glance (you're looking at approx. $400-$500 and up a night for a family of 4...DURING THE SUMMER), but remember that includes your water-park passes each day, along with early entry on day of check-in AND all-day entry on day of check-out. That means once you have checked out at 11am you are free to stay the rest of the day.
Room rates are extremely reasonable
during the non-summer months (as low as $199 a night) and of course your best
rates can be landed during the early half of the week (Monday and Tuesday
especially) instead of on a weekend. Check out the "deals" tab on the
website to find out how to save the most.
Now here's where it's gonna add
up...all those fun things I told you about in the "Whatcha Gonna Do"
section...they all come at a price and while some are quite reasonable (like
the hair extensions, glitter tattoos, crafts at the Cub Club, and story time
*this one is free*), others are gonna make you cringe as your youngster tugs at
you while pleading about how much they NEED
each and every one. Have I not warned
you to make a budget? And I'm giving you
permission right now to say 'No' when the budget has been maxed out. My children are frequently reminded of the
privilege of simply being there and I will reassure you that they are both
still alive and didn't die like they thought they would when we said 'No' to a
spa treatment for our 6 and 3 year olds.
This time around they were each treated to one hair extension (only
about 8 bucks for both) and one glitter tattoo (about 15 bucks for both). And, they got to run around with their
cousins on the MagiQuest and thankfully they have really sweet cousins who
shared their wands once in a while so they could work their own magic a few
times.
WHATCHA GONNA EAT: Maybe a little, maybe a lot. The good news is you've got options. Personally, this isn't the place where I like
to splurge on food, but that's only because I'm wearing a swimsuit for nearly
10 hours of the day and I'd rather not have to worry about sucking in my gut
while trying to avoid looking like I'm 5 months pregnant. So, we eat pretty light and thankfully GWL
gives us that option along with some healthy choices.
Here's
what we like to do in order to spare the waistline and save a bit of dough:
first, we pack our own breakfast since it's usually not a huge meal for us
anyway. This includes: cereals, milk,
fruit, yogurt, and oatmeal, along with disposable bowls and spoons. We also pack lots of healthy snacks, mostly
fruit. Since a lot of these foods need
to be refrigerated, we tote along a large wheeled ice chest and once in the
room we store it all in the mini fridge.
For lunch, since we are usually at the pool at this time, we just hop
out and dine in our swimming attire at the Spirit Island Snack Shop. The name is a bit misleading as this is way
more than a snack shop. There are
burgers, sandwiches, and wraps, plus a whole lot more. The prices here are very reasonable, the food
tastes great, portion sizes are plenty big, and they offer a fair amount of
kid-friendly options. Sometimes we even
have dinner here if our appetites aren't too great. Other times at dinner we
order a couple of meals to-go from Camp Critter Bar and Grill and then
split them. The prices here are a little
higher, but you can expect the same excellent quality whether you order a
specialty burger or traditional sandwich or salad.
Maybe
your family loves the dining experience and you want to taste it all. Then for breakfast you'll want to load up
your plate at the Loose Moose Cottage buffet. I believe the price per person (for anyone
over age 3) is $13 and you will have plenty to choose from in order to get your
moneys worth. And I would bet your
pallet will be pleased as well. During
the summer months, Loose Moose also offers a dinner buffet.
Another
breakfast option is Wake Up With Wiley at Camp Critter Bar and Grill
(think Disney-style character breakfast) where you and the family eat breakfast
with Wiley the Wolf and friends. Adults:
$17.99 Children (4-12): $14.99. Reservations are suggested as space is
limited and be sure to call ahead, especially during non-peak months, to verify
which days of the week it is offered.
And there
are still more options: How about Pizza Hut Express? They have all the delicious choices you are
used to including the pizza, breadsticks, and buffalo wings. Or, not feeling like dragging the whole
family out of the room? Hungry As A
Wolf offers fresh-from-the-oven homemade pizza and bread sticks to bring
back to your suite and feed your pack.
From the reviews I've read, this is some pretty good grub.
When it's
time to top it all off with a sweet treat, head to Bear Paw Sweets & Treats. Specialty coffees, fresh
baked pastries, ice cream and frozen treats, lodge-made fudge and fresh fruit
are just a few of the items to tempt your tummy. Can't live without your Starbucks? They've got that too!
WHAT MAKES 'EM SPECIAL: Just about everything...the massive water-park, the wolf
theme that is incorporated into all aspects of the lodge, and all the unique
"extra" things to do.
- One of my favorite things...there are no room keys here. GWL keys are coded into your water-park wristband (that everyone must wear). And if you don't want the kiddos having a key then they don't get one (they just get a wristband to get them in the park, but they'll never know the difference). You know what else is coded into that fancy wristband of yours? Your credit card (but only if you want to and only those individuals that you want to have it). So how convenient is that?! You can head to the pool without worry of losing your key or someone snatching your money (do people really do that?!).
- GWL has this great feature where you can "play all day". That means once you have checked out of your room at 11am, you are free to stay the rest of the day. Cool, right?! Simply pack a small bag with only your necessities then store it in a locker while you catch all your favorite slides one last time. Showers are available in the spacious water-park restrooms once you're ready to call it a day.
- Here's a special feature for ya...the water-park is open YEAR ROUND! Yep, they're open even during the winter since most of the park is indoors and temperatures can be regulated so you can splash, squirt, and slide till your heart's content no matter what the weather is like outside.
************************
So, pack
up your most figure-flattering swimsuit (you'll be wearing it A LOT), throw in
a bunch of yummy snacks, charge up your waterproof camera, and make sure you've
increased the limit on the credit card.
It's time to have a slip-sliding, splish-splashing, lazy river riding
good time! I promise, the kids are gonna
remember this one for a long time.
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