Tag: GREAT WOLF LODGE

Guide to the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park in Williamsburg

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date July 1, 2023
No Comments on Guide to the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park in Williamsburg

The Great Wolf Lodge water park is one of the most fun places to visit in Williamsburg, Virginia! You can purchase a day pass for the water park or you can access it when you stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. One of the perks of staying at the lodge is you get two days at the Great Wolf water park for the price of one! You can access the park at 1 o’clock on the day of check in and until closing time on your departure day!

In this post, we’ll breakdown all of the attractions at the 67,000-square-foot indoor water park. We’ll also outline all of the other amenities the GWL has to offer.

The Great Wolf Lodge water park is a perfect 84 degrees making it perfect to enjoy year round. There are a ton of lifeguards and they are honestly the most deliberate, intentional, and professional lifeguards I’ve ever encountered. I was extremely impressed by how seriously they took their jobs.

The Great Wolf Water Park Attractions

Alberta Falls: a tandem tube ride from 4 stories up
Big Foot Pass: a floating obstacle course
Chinook Cove: a 4-foot deep pool with basketball hoops
Club Paw Pool: a pool for little ones
Crooked Creek: the park’s relaxing lazy river
Fort Mackenzie: a 4-story interactive water fort treehouse
Howlin’ Tornado: a fast 2-4 person 6-story waterslide
North Hot Springs: adult only hot tubs
Racoon Lagoon: the outdoor pool, open during the summer months
River Canyon Run: the park’s family raft ride
Slap Tail Pond: a wave pool
Totem Towers: the twin water slides at the top of the fort treehouse (Fort Mackenzie)
South Hot Springs: the family hot tubs
Whooping Hollow: the splash park for the little ones
Wolf Rider Wipeout: the super fun, surf simulator

Alberta Falls

This two-person 4-story waterslide is super fast and super fun! The Alberta Falls waterslide whisks you right outside of the building and back again before dropping you off in Crooked Creek.

Minimum Height: 42″
Thrill Level: Medium

Big Foot Pass

Balance and sway across giant lily pads as you make your way across this floating obstacle course. There are cargo nets to help little ones make their way across and test their limits.

Minimum Height: None
Thrill Level: Medium

Chinook Cove

Pass, splash, and shoot hoops in this water basketball court.

Minimum Height: None
Thrill Level: Low

Crooked Creek

Spend some time relaxing in the lazy river. The pool is 3 feet deep making it easy to float, swim or walk. Several of the water slides dump out into the Crooked Creek. It’s a great place to chill out after your adrenaline has been pumping!

Fort Mackenzie

Fort Mackenzie is the centerpiece of the Great Wolf Lodge water park. It is a massive water tree fort complete with interactive water toys, splash-features, water slides, and a massive bucket that drops 500 gallons of water!

Minimum Height: 42″
Thrill Level: Low

Howlin' Tornado

This ride is perfect for groups ranging from 2 to 4 riders. The super-fast thrill ride features six-stories of twists and turns that will get your heart racing. Oh…and brace yourself for the splashdown! This is hands down one of the most thrilling rides in the Great Wolf Lodge water park!

Minimum Height: 48″
Thrill Level: High

River Canyon Run

Hold on tight! Two to five members of your wolf pack can hop on this family-friendly raft ride! River Canyon Run sends you rushing around curves, plummeting down dips, and empties you out into a tranquil pool of water.

Minimum Height: 42″
Thrill Level: Medium

Slap Tail Pond

This zero-depth entry wave pool is the perfect place for family’s to hang out. Catch a wave, splash, play, or simply sit and relax in this cozy area. Every 5 minutes, the tide rolls in creating swells reminiscent of the beach.

Guests less than 48″ tall must wear a life jacket.

Minimum Height: None
Thrill Level: Medium

Totem Towers

The twin waterslides that are found on Fort Mackenzie are known as the Totem Towers. Zoom from the top of the fort back down to the bottom in a race against your friend!

Minimum Height: None
Thrill Level: Medium

Whooping Hollow

This area is perfect for the littles! The slides have gentle slopes and little dips that are perfect for kiddos under 52″.

Maximum Height: 52″
Thrill Level: Low

Additional Attractions

The following attractions can be purchased individually or may be included with an Attraction Pass.

MagiQuest- a fun multi-level interactive wizard-themed game.
Oliver’s Mining Sluice
Howler’s Peak Ropes Course
Ten Paw Alley (fun-sized bowling alley)
Northern Lights Arcade
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Laser Trail- laser tag course
Candy Store

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, o save our post: The Complete Guide to the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park in Williamsburg, Virginia. Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

Read all about our visit to the GWL Williamsburg and see read all about our GWL tips and tricks.

Be sure to give us a like on Facebook or follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more travel tips and tricks. See you next time!

Tags GREAT WOLF LODGE, UNITED STATES, USA, VIRGINIA

Great Wolf Lodge

10 Great Wolf Lodge Tips & Tricks Perfect for YOUR Family

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date February 11, 2023
No Comments on 10 Great Wolf Lodge Tips & Tricks Perfect for YOUR Family

If you’re looking for Great Wolf Lodge tips, you’ve come to the right place! These Great Wolf Lodge Tips and packing suggestions will help you prepare for your visit! We’ll tell you what to bring with you, what to leave at home, and what to expect during your visit!

Great Wolf Lodge Tips

1. Arrival

Before you arrive, you should receive a text from “Willow”. Willow is the front office staff. Text them back with your approximate arrival time, any special requests or questions you may have.

When you check-in, the front office staff will let you know about any special events that are going on and let you know which entrance you should park at. Each door is clearly marked with a number.

Once you’re parked, run inside and grab a luggage cart. This saves you from looking like a pack-mule or taking a gazillion trips to the car.

Some Great Wolf Lodges have these stored in the lobby whereas others have them stashed near stairwells. Be sure to ask the front desk where you can find one.

2. Consider the Great Wolf Lodge Paw Pass

Great Wolf Lodge Pup Passes, Paw Passes, and Wolf Passes offer 30% savings compared to purchasing the activities/souvenirs individually. Bundling the activities is a great way to save a bit of money.

Trust me…when your kids see every other kid in the lodge running around with a wand, they’re going to want to participate in the fun, as well. The wands are part of a game called MagiQuest. In order to play, you’ll need a wand and need pay for the game itself. Both the Paw Pass and the Wolf Pass include MagiQuest.

Pro-Tip: Pack a Sharpie and use it to write your kids names on their pass and the arcade card. You can also write your room number on their waterpark wristband.

3. Think About Your Meals in Advance

Some Great Wolf Lodges don’t have many eating places nearby whereas others, like the Williamsburg location, have lots of options. Be sure to pull up your location on Google Maps to see what’s nearby.

Every Great Wolf Lodge has on-site restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Consider buying a meal plan.

If your family is made up of grazers and snackers, you may want to pack some snacks.

Food ideas include:

Veggie tray
Charcuterie (crackers, cheese, fruit)
Cookies
Chips and dip
Individually packaged snacks

If you’re looking to save money on meals, there is a small fridge and a microwave in the room. You can pack microwaveable mac n cheese, pre-made spaghetti, pre-made taco meat (& the fixins), pre-made chili, and any other microwaveable meal!

You’ll also want to pack water. The chlorine in the pools sucks the hydration out of you.

The Great Wolf Lodge has a partnership with Dunkin’ Donuts. You’ll typically find a Dunkin’ in the lobby. Beware that these lines can get pretty long in the morning. You may want to pack some coffee, filters, cream, and sugar.

4. Download the App

The app offers a list of activities that are going on each day. Activities range from arts and crafts to dance parties and yoga sessions.

You can also order meals from some of the eateries directly from your phone.

5. Pack Your Pool Gear

The Lodge does have towels available, but they must remain at the pool. If you’re visiting during cooler months, or if the AC is cranking, you may get chilly walking back to your room. Consider packing your own towels or a bathrobe to wrap up in.

You’ll also want to bring along a pool bag to stash your phone, and the 900 things your kids ask you to hold on to for them.

If you have a baby or toddler, it is required that they be in swim diapers.

6. Pick Your Seat Wisely

Before you commit to visiting the waterpark, take a quick tour and decide which area would be best for you to post up for the day.

Our oldest kiddo is an adrenaline junkie and loves the waterslides. Our twins, however, preferred the wave pool and the kiddie area. We picked a spot where she could find us easily near the boys favorite spots.

You can also rent a cabana, if you want to splurge a little. However, the cabanas typically aren’t located in an ideal location- meaning, you won’t relax in the cabana while watching your kid play.

7. Get the Pool Early

If you want a table, plan on getting to the waterpark right when it opens. No joke. The tables fill up fast! Tables make it easy to snack or do lunch by the pool.

Getting there early also helps ensure you find a spot for your entire family. If you arrive around lunch time, you’ll notice a majority of the seats are spoken for. It’s difficult to find even two seats next to each other later in the day.

8. ...or Get There Late...

The waterpark tends to be the least busy around dinner time. It makes sense…considering most people get there in the morning. Consider grabbing a pizza at the Hungry as a Wolf Pizza Shop, eating poolside, and enjoying the waterpark in the evening.

9. You Get 2 Days at the Waterpark for the Price of 1

This is probably the best of the Great Wolf Lodge tips you’ll read! Although your room might not be ready, you can access the pool facilities at 1 pm on the day that you check in. Pack all of your swimming gear in a separate bag and leave the rest of your luggage in the car until check in. This lets you enjoy the waterpark early!

You can do the same thing on the day of checkout. Checkout is at 11 however, you can use the waterpark and facilities until the end of the day! Dry bags are a great way to pack up wet bathing suits without getting everything else wet!

10. Pack Ear Plugs

My wife would argue that this is the best of the Great Wolf Lodge tips! Unfortunately, some families let their kids run around the hallways at all hours of the night, or be ridiculously loud in the room. The rooms aren’t sound proofed well…so we heard every footstep above us. Although the hotel does have quiet hours, they start at 11 PM. Do yourself a favor and pack earplugs.

Great Wolf Lodge Tips for Packing

I’ve included the items listed above in the list below to help you pack.

Pool bag
Bathing suit cover up, hooded towel or bathrobe
Goggles
Towels
2 bathing suits per person
Flip flops
Waterproof camera (this one is great for kids!)
Closed toed shoes (for the ropes course)
Ear plugs

There are some things you don’t need to bother packing with you.

Life Jackets- the waterpark has puddle jumpers and life jackets available for all sizes
Sunglasses- it’s an indoor water park.
Nice clothes. Okay…this one took me a minute to wrap my head around. Believe it or not, the Great Wolf Lodge is super casual. Visitors practically live in their bathing suits and pajamas. Leave the nice clothes at home and pack some extra loungewear.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

Be sure to give us a like on Facebook or follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more travel tips and tricks. See you next time!

*This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience*

Tags GREAT WOLF LODGE, UNITED STATES, USA

Great Wolf Lodge Hotel Review United States Virginia Williamsburg

The Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, Virginia- the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date January 28, 2023
No Comments on The Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, Virginia- the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This year as part of the kids Christmas gift we booked a 4 night trip to the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, Virginia. The day after Christmas, we loaded up the car and drove about 9 hours north from Florida to Williamsburg, Virginia. In this post we’ll cover our entire experience at the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg- the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

If you’re not familiar with Great Wolf Lodge, it’s a hotel chain known for their indoor waterparks. Each Great Wolf Lodge is jam packed with family-fun amenities to help make your vacation one to remember!

Accommodation Options at Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg

The accommodation options at the Great Wolf Lodge are Standard Suites, Themed Suites, and Premium Suites. Most rooms will sleep 4 comfortably however, some options can sleep up to as many as 12 people!

Family Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Standard suite includes two queen beds as well as a living area with a full-size sofa sleeper.

2 Queen Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath
Living Area
Table & chairs

Family Fireplace Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Standard suite includes two queen beds and a semi-private living area with a full-size sofa sleeper.

2 Queen Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath
Living Area
Fireplace

Luxury King Suite

Sleeps 4

Standard suite includes one king bed and a full-size sofa sleeper, comfortably sleeping up to four people.

1 King Bed
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath
Living Area
Table & chairs

ADA Queen Sofa Suite

Sleeps 4

Accessible Bathtub suite features one queen bed, a full-size sofa sleeper and is fully accessible.

1 Queen Bed
Full Sleeper Sofa
Accessible Bath
Table & chairs

Themed Kid Cabin Suite

Sleeps 6-7

Standard suite features a log cabin-themed sleeping area, three twin beds, a queen bed, and a full sofa sleeper.

1 Queen Bed
Cabin Theme
Bunk Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath

Themed Wolf Den Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Standard suite includes an in-suite cave-themed sleeping area, a queen bed, and full-size sofa sleeper.

1 Queen Bed
Cave Theme
Bunk Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath

Themed KidKamp Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Standard suite features a tent-themed sleeping area with bunk beds, a queen bed, and a full-size sofa sleeper.

1 Queen Bed
Tent Theme
Bunk Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath

Deluxe Wolf Den Suite

Sleeps 8-12

Standard suite includes an in-suite cave-themed sleeping area with a queen-sized bed, a private bedroom with two queen beds and two bathrooms.

3 Queen Beds
Cave Theme
Bunk Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
2 Full Baths

Grizzly Bear Suite

Sleeps 6-8

Standard suite features a queen bed in a master bedroom, two queens in a second bedroom and a full-size sofa sleeper in the main area.

3 Queen Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Fireplace
Living Area
2 Full Baths

Loft Fireplace Suite

Sleeps 6-8

Standard suite includes three queen beds and a full-size sofa sleeper with a lofted bedroom.

3 Queen Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Gas Fireplace
Living Area
Full Bath

Majestic Bear Suite

Sleeps 6-8

Standard suite includes a king bed in the private master bedroom, two queen beds and a full-size sofa sleeper.

1 King Bed
2 Queen Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Breakfast Bar
Full Bath

Royal Bear Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Accessible Bathtub suite features a king bed, a queen bed, and a full-size sofa sleeper.

1 King Bed
1 Queen Bed
Full Sleeper Sofa
Accessible Bath

Check In/ Check out at Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg

Prior to arriving at the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg you’ll receive a text with information for a pre-check in. You’ll identify your estimated arrival time and have an opportunity to ask any questions.

Once you arrive at the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, you’ll check in at the front desk on the righthand side of the main lobby. There was a little confusion amongst several people at check in. There wasn’t really a line system and people weren’t sure if we were standing in one line or forming multiple lines.

The front office staff was very courteous and helpful. The lady checking us in gave me the low down on our food package, issued us our Wolf Badges, offered up lots of information, and guided us to the best place to park the car for the easiest access to our room.

Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg Amenities & Attractions

Water Park
MagiQuest
Oliver Mining Sluice
Ten Paw Alley (bowling)
Laser Trail (laser tag)
Northern Lights Arcade
Candy store

Build-A-Bear Workshop
On-site restaurants
Bar
Gift shop
Planned activities
Wifi

The water park is such a huge attraction that it deserves a post of its own! We’ll soon be sharing all of our tips and tricks for the water park.

All About the Wolf Passes

The Great Wolf Lodge offers passes that bundle activities and special memorabilia. Purchasing the passes can help save you money in the long run. The passes are Wolf Pass ($99.99), Paw Pass ($79.99), and Pup Pass ($59.99).

We’ll explore the benefits of each of these passes in a future post.

Dining Options

Hungry as a Wolf– This pizza joint is open for lunch and dinner. They serve pizza, meatball subs, fresh salads, and cheese bread. View menu.

Dunkin’ Donuts– Grab donuts and coffee for breakfast lunch or dinner!

Loose Moose– This buffet is open for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast includes eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, French toast, yogurt, fruit, and breakfast pastries. The dinner menu rotates but the sides pretty much stay the same. You’ll find mac n cheese, potatoes, salads, vegetables, and desserts. The entrees range from fish, ham, beef, chicken, and more.

Buckets Incredible Craveables- This spot is perfect for those enjoying the waterpark. It is open for both lunch and dinner. The eatery serves burgers, sandwiches, salads and desserts. View menu.

Bear Paw– Open for lunch and dinner, this sweet shop serves up cupcakes, ice cream, and chocolate covered fruit.

Our Honest Review

The Good

Before our arrival we received a text from “Willow” our “assistant” for our trip. Willow is actually anyone who is working down at the front office. They asked us if we had any questions or special requests. I was able to text back and forth with them before we arrived.
Great Wolf Lodge has an app that you can download that will tell you all of the events going on throughout the day. You can also pre-order some of your meals via the app.
We bought each of the kids a $100 Wolf Pass (there is also a $80 Paw Pass and a $60 Pup Pass). This offered the family plenty of things to do when we were not at the waterpark. If you plan on doing any of the extra stuff at the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, you may want to consider one of these bundles as ultimately, it could save you money.
The indoor water park was great. There was something for every different thrill level. There are complimentary towels and life jackets available.
The lifeguards in the waterpark are the most intentional lifeguards I’ve ever seen– and being from Florida, we see a lot of them. They make very calculated and deliberate sweeps of the pool areas to ensure everyone is safe. I was very impressed.
Someone is always cleaning! The overall cleanliness of the place is pretty impressive considering how many kids are running around the place.

The Bad

Although there are a couple of different eating options (a breakfast/dinner buffet, pizza, burgers, sandwiches, etc.), there aren’t lots of places outside of the pool area to sit down and enjoy a meal. One our first full day there, we ordered a pizza for lunch and ended up just sitting on the hearth of the fireplace in the lobby because there aren’t tables to enjoy a meal.
Our room wasn’t in the best condition when we checked in. It was clean however, I noticed some random things like there is no toilet paper holder (it’s been broken) and the cover for our lock was broken off and on the floor.
With the exception of the ropes course and a pool (both were closed during our visit), there isn’t anything for family’s to do outside. It would be nice if there was a firepit, outdoor hot tubs, or a play area outside.
The hotel has quiet hours that begin at 11 pm, which is pretty late considering the hotel is geared towards children.

The Ugly

My wife kept referring to the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg as a “lawless land.” There were kids literally running around everywhere. We’ve stayed at kids hotels before (Legoland Hotel) and never experienced anything quiet like this. This wasn’t necessarily the Lodge’s fault, it’s more on the parents.
There doesn’t seem to be any enforcement of any sort of rules– this extended to the waterpark. We’ve been to several waterparks and there is always someone reminding kids to walk- that didn’t happen at all here. We saw several kids fall.
The MagiQuest game covers multiple-floors by near the main lobby and hotel rooms. Many parents let their kids play this on their own (we are all for independence!) which often ends up in the kids yelling and running from floor to floor. This noise carries over into the rooms near the stairwells and lobby. It would be better if the game had a dedicated area that was closed off and away from people’s rooms. However…I get that by having it out in the open more people see it and want to play it.

Tips for Visiting the Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg

Make sure you pack towels and/or cover ups for the pool. The hotel has towels, but you can only use them in the pool area. If you’re visiting during the colder months, it can get chilly walking through the lodge in a wet bathing suit.
Consider buying one of the passes (Wolf, Paw, Pup) to save money on the add-on attractions. Trust me, after seeing all of the other kids running around (literally) playing MagiQuest, your kid will want to, too.