Great Wolf Lodge: background
Great Wolf Lodge is a well-known name, in indoor water park resorts, with ten locations in the US including Great Wolf Lodge Poconos and Sandusky Ohio. It all started with the original Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells -- "the indoor water park capital of the world".
Wisconsin Dells is a town of approximately 4000 in central Wisconsin; nearest cities are Madison and Milwaukee. The place is full of water parks: many resorts have their own indoor and/or outdoor water parks, and several public water parks are open during summertime.
Generally a core set of features repeat at all Great Wolf Lodges, but some locations have a bit more to offer than other ones and Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells is a flagship property. For starters, there's the size of the indoor water parks.
Features of Great Wolf Lodge, Wisconsin Dells:
Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells has 100,000 sq.ft. of indoor water parks, plus outdoor water parks, and dry play zones.
Indoors, the Great Wolf Lodge has three water park areas. Fort MacKenzie has a 4-storey 12-level tree-house with spray guns, fountains, hoses, and a giant bucket at the top that spills water all over. The Spirit Island waterpark has a lazy river, waterslides, kiddie slides, and Totem Pole decor. Add to this the 38,000 square-foot Bear Track Landing with wave pool, waterslides, toddler pool, and more.
A top slide, that appears at many Great Wolf Lodges, is the Howlin' Tornado: a $3M "funnel" tubing ride: 4-person tube "rafts" whiz down a 65-foot funnel with lots of sloshing side to side-- great fun.
Outdoors in summer season, the Thunder Bay waterpark has 60,000 sq. ft.: giant pool with geysers, spray features; waterslides; miniature version of Fort MacKenzie play zone; kiddie bumper boats; and more. Family Cabanas are available for rent in summer, with mini-fridge, ceiling fan, and tv (!?) ; $99 to $149. (Always check web site for updates and latest price.)
On dry land -- as at other Great Wolf Lodge locations -- Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells has a signature Grand Lobby with log decor and a huge stone fireplace; and nightly storytelling; family-friendly restaurant; Northern Lights Arcade. The spa is an Aveda® Concept Spa; there's a fitness center too.
Kids and teens can also play the MagiQuest interactive fantasy game, a signature feature at Great Wolf Lodges: kids and teens flock through the resort playing this popular game.
Unique to the Wisconsin Dells resort is the Wiley's Woods foamball play area: a 4-story play structure with nets, bridges, slides, and thirteen "bazookas" that shoot foam balls (-20,000 of 'em.)
Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells has family suites, and price includes passes to the waterparks. Condo's are available as well.
Seasonal Fun
Howl-O-Ween: in October has Halloween fun such as costume contest, pumpkin decorating in Cub Club, spooktacular story time, nightly trick-or-treat, horse-drawn hay rides, and more. Other Great Wolf Lodges go all out for Halloween too.
Snowland: happens at all Great Wolf Lodges in December. Features typical include:
- Grand Lobby decorations: snowflakes, icicles, lights, Christmas trees, "glacier polar bears and penguins", even indoor snow (and roaring fireplaces too)
- Santa’s Arrival & Tree Lighting
- visit with Santa, North Pole University for Elves, carol sing-alongs
- animated musical Great Clock Tower Holiday Show
- bedtime storytime with Rowdy the Reindeer
- Secret Santa Station: “No Adults Allowed!” place where kids can make gifts for mom & dad
- Polar Bear Race on the giant waterslides
Find out more about Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells:
- Head to the Great Wolf Lodge site
- Check visitors' comments at Trip Advisor.com. (Just enter "Great Wolf Lodge" in the searchbox.)
- Check prices
This brief profile is meant to introduce this resort to family vacationers; please note that the writer has not visited in person. Always check resort sites for updates.
* photo courtesy of Wisconsin Dells Visitors Bureau.
