Summer is here and family travel is in full swing! And one of our favorite places to travel to is Great Wolf Lodge! My family and I were recently hosted the Southern California location to celebrate Great Wolf Lodge’s 25th Birthday and the unveiling of their limited edition wolf ear headband created by celebrity fashion designer Whitney Port (also known for her reality role in The Hills). The ears are not only beautiful, they help end childhood cancer and life-threatening pediatric diseases since 100% of the proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Here are some photos from this special event! It was so fun being a part of it and I loved meeting Whitney! She is so kind and down to earth!
This trip was our fourth time there and second time spending the night, and now I feel like a Great Wolf Lodge pro! We have learned how to strategically plan our time during our visit, through some trial and error and experience, to make the most of everything the lodge has to offer! And now I have compiled my list into my Top 5 tips to share with you!
How to Get The Most of Your Attraction Pass
First and foremost, invest in a Paw Pass for your family! If you can’t afford them for the whole family, just buy them for the kids. There are 3 tiers of various passes you can purchase (Paw Pass, Wolf Pass) that start at $59.99, but my recommendation is yo buy the Wolf Pass. It literally includes everything and has the most value. This is strictly my personal opinion! I have had the other passes and I truly think the Wolf Pass is the best one to get if you can afford it! Here are your options:
Pup Pass: Starting at $49.99
Paw Pass: Starting at $59.99
Wolf Pass: Starting at $79.99
Here is what you’ll get with the Wolf Pass!
- One game of MagiQuest
- Choice of classic wand, standard topper or Magi belt
- One Build a Bear animal (outfit not included)
- $5 to spend at our Northern Lights Arcade
- One 12oz candy cup from the GW Candy Shop
- One round of Howl at the Moon Glow Golf
- One game of bowling at Ten Paw Alley
- One scoop of Bear Paw ice cream
Quick Tip: My best suggestion is to use your Paw Pass the day you arrive after you check in, especially since it includes ice cream, which is only open in the late afternoon and evening. These activities will take some time, so in my opinion, it’s better to do all of the dry activities when you arrive and then dedicate your next morning before check out to the waterpark!
Take Advantage of Seasonal Activities
Each season Great Wolf Lodge creates a list of activities for you and your family to enjoy from morning yoga to late night dance parties. This summer, they are celebrating their “Summer Camp-In” where you can find activities all day long! You can enjoy, Character Appearances, The Forest and Friends Show, Arts and Crafts, Master Magi Knighting Ceremony, Yoga Tails, Wiley’s Howlin’ Bingo, Storytime, Hustle and Howl Dance Party, the Summer Camp-In Jamboree – and new this summer, the Outdoor Party every afternoon! Just pop by the front desk for a complete schedule as all of these activities are timed events. My kids love the Forest and Friends show, Storytime, and dance parties, so at minimum do those around your other activities! There is also a really fun gift shop on the lobby floor and collectable penny machines that my kids loved! You only pay $5 for 8 coins!
How To Plan Your Day at the Waterpark
As you know, Great Wolf Lodge has a 105,000 square foot 84 degree indoor waterpark, that includes 14 slides and four pools, but did you also know that in the warmer months they also have an outdoor waterpark area? Both are so fun and if you can, and it’s open, plan time at both locations! When you arrive, find out what time the waterpark opens (when we went, the indoor park opened at 9am but the outdoor park didn’t open until around 11am) and plan to go as soon as it opens. You’ll need to claim your chairs and stand in line to get your wristbands and towels, and then you can enjoy the park before it gets too busy!
I recommend doing the big, busy slides first, and then hit up the obstacle courses, smaller slides, wave pool, lazy river, and other areas that won’t have lines. In my experience, if you wait until the afternoon, the indoor waterpark is packed and it might be difficult to find an empty seat and the lines for the big slides will be long! Plus, if you have to checkout midday, you can definitely get in all the fun before you leave! You can do a lot in two hours before you’ll have to leave! But if you feel rushed, then break up the day and your wet and dry activities into two parts. If not, then if you spend too much time at the waterpark, you won’t have as much time for the other activities around the lodge!
And make sure you invest in a plastic phone cover so you can take lots of photos without getting your phone wet!
Quick Tip: Best case scenario, check in early on arrival day, even if your room isn’t ready, and hit the waterpark as soon as you get there to really get everything you want in there, including lunch, then by the time you are done (they will text you when your room is ready) you can go right to your room to change and shower before doing the dry activities and eating dinner!
Know Your Dining Options
There are two main restaurants at Great Wolf Lodge, one is a buffet and one is a sit down restaurant. There is also a Dunkin Donuts, which is great option for a quick and inexpensive breakfast. It’s only open in the morning (6:30am-12:00pm), so don’t plan for a late afternoon pick-me up! And there is a more casual pizza restaurant and some pick up style food at the waterpark. All of the dining locations are VERY mindful about allergy accommodations, just ask! Your dining options include:
The Loose Moose Family Kitchen: Come here for a breakfast or dinner buffet! There is a large food selection which includes entrees, sides, salads, soups, drinks, and desserts! We came here the last time we visited and all left with our bellies full and happy! It’s located in the grand lobby!
Lodge Wood Fired Grill: Come here for a sit-down meal! The menu has a lot of options, including a really big kids meal! It offers premium, wood fired steaks, freshly caught seafood, and lodge smoked ribs. I had the most incredible mushroom risotto when I visited! It’s located on the lobby level.
Hungry as a Wolf: Enjoy a less formal eatery with pizza, pasta, salads and more, located on the bottom floor.
Dunkin Donuts: Coffee, juice, donuts, breakfast sandwiches, located on the lobby floor.
Buckets Incredible Craveables: Inside the waterpark, you can find a full menu of burgers, sandwiches, fresh salads, and vegetables. They also have a signature Tipping Bucket, which is a family-sized treat layered with ice cream, brownies, cookies, candy, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.
Pick the Best Room for Your Family
There are so many room options at Great Wolf Lodge that fit every family’s budget. We have stayed in two different types of rooms and they are both great options, depending on your price point. And did you know your wristband (that lets you into the waterpark) also serves as your room key and your credit card on site? It’s the best genius idea! You can use it to open your room door and pay for food at the lodge!
Here is a breakdown:
Standard Suites: I recommend of you are staying in a standard suite, splurge on the family suite. We stayed in one during this trip and it gave our family of four plenty of room. It comes with two queen beds, a full sleeper sofa, a living area, table and chairs, and full bath! This suite fits 4-6 comfortably.
Themed Suites: There are two different sized options in this category, but for our family, we really loved the Wolf Den Suite, that fits 4-6 family members! This room is special because it includes an in-suite cave-themed sleeping area with bunk beds as well as a queen bed and full-size sofa sleeper. It also has a full bath, living area, and table and chairs. We loved this room as is our most preferred room, for the price and amenities!
Premium Suites: This level of rooms includes four options like the Grizzly Bear Suite, Grand Bear Suite, Great Bear King Suite, and Deluxe Wolf Den Suite! I have toured these rooms before, but haven’t stayed in one yet, although I would love to!! If you have a larger travel budget, I recommend the extra splurge on one of these rooms!
Is there a Great Wolf Lodge Near You?
There are Great Wolf Lodge 18+ locations all over the country – check the list here for the one closest to you! And right now they are having a summer sale with 40% off!
Thank you Great Wolf Lodge for hosting us! We can’t wait to come back for another visit!
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