You should have seen my face when I found out we were going to spend the day at The Great Wolf Lodge. I had been wanting to go there for quite some time and it was truly a dream come true when my daughter and I were invited to spend the day exploring the resort.
You see, we were invited to attend a special Blogger Day to celebrate National Kids Take Over The Kitchen Day at the Southern California location in Anaheim. Once you walk inside the doors, the lobby is so impressive. It is gigantic and filled with so many fun things to do! They have a coloring table for kids, a candy store, photo opps, and a spectacular view of the giant indoor water park – home to 14 water slides!
But before I talk more about the water slides, let’s talk about all of the activities we did before we played in the water! First we explored the downstairs level of the resort. We were given a Paw Pass that allowed us to experience a variety of pre-packaged activities and items around the resort like getting to pick out a pair of swim goggles! First we were able to pick out a wand from MagiQuest, where you can engage in a live-action play game throughout the lodge. The best part is that you can play for a few minutes or all day. And then you can bring your wand back to Great Wolf and reactivate it so the fun continues stay after stay!
We then ventured off to the Creation Station where we were able to fill our very own plush toy animal! My daughter picked out Violet, her very own wolf pup. We even were able to buy a tee shirt for her to wear for only $5! There were about a dozen animals to choose from and lots of different accessories, too! The animal and filling are included in the Paw Pass, but the tee shirt was an additional charge.
Next we spent some time bowling at the Ten Paw Alley! The lanes are shorter than regular bowling alleys and the balls are much smaller, which are good for toddlers, children, teens, and adults! The best perk? No special bowling shoes are required. You play in what you are wearing! And a game is only $6 for 10 frames/1 game. My daughter felt like a pro by the time the game was over because the employee put up the bumpers so she hit the pins every turn!
The next stop was the Northern Lights Arcade. Like most arcades these days, you are given a card that activates the game instead of using coins. When you have the Paw Pass, 20 credits are included for play, otherwise, you can put as much as you want on your card. There were so many games and rides we didn’t get to them all, but my daughter played a great game of air hockey! The best part is that the Paw Points don’t expire, so because we couldn’t use them all during this trip, we can save our cards and come back and play the next time we come to Great Wolf! And its open 24/7, so we can play all day and night if we wanted!
We then explored the Great Wolf Candy Company, located behind the lobby registration desk. This candy store is a dream for children and adults alike and when you have the Paw Pass, you get a decent sized cup that you are free to fill to the brim! It even comes with a lid to keep the candy safe, clean, and fresh for the room or the drive home. We were able to fill ours with taffy, jelly beans, gummies, and more! The only hard part was waiting to eat some until after lunch.
Next we picked out matching rainbow bracelets that we had embroidered with our names and then my daughter got a temporary glitter tattoo (both included in the Paw Pass). This kiosk is located behind The Loose Moose Family Kitchen near the elevators and restrooms. This was our last stop before lunch at the restaurant because this is when the fun really amped up!
First we were treated to an amazing buffet with the most delectable items from savory to sweet. And since the lodge is so family oriented, they are very cognizant of allergies and can accommodate any family member with a dairy or gluten allergy or any other special request or dietary restriction you may have as a guest. Not only did the food look incredible, but it tasted amazing!
During our meal, Chef Hany came out to introduce himself. Chef Hany was born and raised in Egypt and began his apprenticeship at age 14. He graduated from the International Culinary Institute and thank goodness he was able to bring his experience to the Great Wolf! Once he said a few words, he then led the children back to the kitchen to make rice crispie wolf ears dipped in chocolate! Oh and did I mention that Parker Bates, from This is Us, was also there that day as a special guest chef?
My daughter felt so special cooking in the kitchen. She loves cooking with me and loved wearing her apron and chef’s hat and cooking with Chef Hany and all of her peers! They really made it special for the children and they all had so much fun. And I would also say that they had just as much fun eating their masterpieces when they were finished cooking in the kitchen!
Can you believe we did all of this before even stepping foot into the water park?
It almost felt like the day was just beginning once we hit the enormous 105,000 square feet water park that includes 14 water slides, 4 splash and play pools, 12 explorable levels of a four story tree house water fort, a lazy river, a surf/wave pool, and 1 gigantic tipping bucket! I even loved that they had a special gated area for toddlers and other small children with age friendly slides, shallow water, and complimentary life vests. Since it’s all indoors, there is no need for sunscreen even though they keep the temperature at 84 degrees all year long! And I love that you can even rent a cabana for some private space! Towels are provided but no outside food is allowed into the water park. They do have a dining option inside the water park if you want food or drink called Buckets Incredible Craveables!
And for the holidays, they have special events like Howl-O-Ween from October 1-31 where they offer a Trick or Treat Trail, a Monster Bash Dance Party, and a Spooktacular Story Time! If you are traveling from November 24-January 6 you can enjoy Snowland where the lodge is decorated in sparkling lights, gingerbread houses, and snow showers. There is also a Snowland Story Time and a Polar Wolf Walk! Children can enroll in North Pole University and even visit with Santa! And if you’re good, he might even make a surprise appearance at the water park!
Next time we go, we will have to spend the night. There was so much of the lodge we didn’t have time to see like Story Time, The Forest Friends Show, Character Appearances, Later Frenzy, Howl at the Moon Glow Golf, and the Howly Wood XD Theater! And some of the rooms even have a private cave themed sleeping area with bunk beds for the kids to sleep! And if you have a big family, some rooms can even sleep up to 8 people!
There are 16 Great Wolf Lodge locations across the US and there is one in Arizona coming in 2019! There is even one in Canada, so find one near you and go! As for me, until next time, thank you Great Wolf Lodge for your generosity, a wonderful day, and fun memories!
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