Story and Photos by Greg Aragon.
I love staying at a nice hotel and my kids love playing in water. So when we visited Great Wolf Lodge near Anaheim, California, it was a match made in theme park heaven.
On one side, the giant lodge features a 105,000-square-feet indoor water park, packed with exciting tube slides, play structures, pools and more. On the other side, there is a modern hotel, gourmet restaurants, gift shops, and arcade games.
The family and I began a recent getaway to Great Wolf Lodge by checking into a comfortable suite on the 9th floor, overlooking Disneyland. The room came with two queen beds, a sleeper sofa, a full bath, mini-fridge, coffee maker, office desk and chair, and a large TV.
The suite also came with a fun, wristband room key that not only got us into the water park, but also opened our room door! The kids loved it and I thought it was a great idea because I am always losing hotel keys and this made that nearly impossible.
Once acquainted with the room, we donned our bathing suits and rode the elevator down to the 1st level, where we entered the waterpark, which is free to all hotel guests. Kept at a warm 84 degrees year-round, the humongous park features numerous thrilling water tube rides, a lazy river, a surf simulator, a giant wave pool, and splash pads and little pools for toddlers. And because the waterpark is all inside, it is perfect to visit any time or year!
Our first stop in the water park was Fort Mackenzie, a large, four-story play treehouse-like structure, with water slides, interactive toys and kid-activated features. Sitting atop the structure is a gigantic bucket that fills up every 10 minutes and drops thousands of gallons of water on everyone standing below.
Next up was Mountain Edge Raceway, where riders hang on to a water mat and zip down four stories of twists and turns, before popping out for the final straightaway where they can race family and friends.
For a more thrilling adventure me and my son hopped on a tandem raft and jetted down Alberta Falls. This ride sent us down a big tube that goes in and out of the building, with swiftly banking turns and steep pitches before a final, thrilling drop into the plunge pool.
And then there was Coyote Canyon, a scary-fun, 40-foot drop into a water-jet-fueled vortex. After plunging four stories into the whirling basin, riders then circle ferociously around the center on your tube before spinning down to a perfect splash landing.
Another thrilling attraction is Wolf Rider Wipeout, an indoor surf simulator, with three different riding positions for beginners to experts. To begin, I hopped on a bodyboard and tried to keep my balance as endless waves were raging below, trying to tip me over. I wiped out a couple of times, but had a lot of fun.
Other fun attractions in the water park include a huge wave pool, a magical water area for little kids, and a lazy river ride that flows around the park.
Back in the hotel area, we had a great pizza lunch at Hungry As A Wolf cafe, and then the kids put on their Wolf Passes. Available for purchase, these passes allow kids to experience all kinds of fun at the lodge.
Wolf Passes include a magic wand so they can play Magiquest, a treasure hunting game that sparks the imagination, where kids explore the lodge looking for secret clues and mysterious objects. By pointing their magic wands at different objects and pictures around the hotel, kids can set off lights and recordings from Vellara, the realm of imagination, and help Guardians to protect the Realm Portals.
Along the way, kids can befriend the Treetop Pixies, battle evil dragons, recover stolen jewels from the Goblin King, and earn the title of Master Magi. The game can take hours, so parents may want their kids to spread it our and play a little here and there. Kids can even take their wands home and continue the adventure the next time they visit Great Wolf Lodge.
The Wolf Pass also lets kids create their own stuffed animal at Build-A-Bear. Here they can pick their own lovable character and the staff will fill it on the spot at a stuffing machine. Then kids can pick clothing and hats for their new furry friend. My kids absolutely loved this!
The Wolf Pass also includes coupons for arcade games, free candy and ice cream, a round of mini-golf and bowling, and a VR experience.
After a long, fun game of MagiQuest, we headed back to the water park to play in the water and relax on deck chairs.
For dinner we experienced Loose Moose Family Kitchen, an all-you-can-eat buffet of fresh and delicious globally-inspired entrees, including a variety of salads, meats and seafood. Our dinner was highlighted by tasty pasta, salmon, clam chowder, salad, rolls and fresh cut roast beef. The kids devoured pizza, fries and chicken tenders. For dessert, we shared tiramisu and ice cream.
After dinner there was a dance party for the kids near the lobby. With Baby Shark blasting on the speakers, about 20 little kids jumped around for about 30 minutes, which helped them fall asleep after an exciting day.
The next morning we were back at Loose Moose for a delectable breakfast buffet of pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, muffins, toast, juice, coffee and more. After breakfast it was back to the water park, where we spent hours zooming down water slides, riding waves and playing in the splash pads.
Great Wolf Lodge is located at 12681 Harbor Boulevard, Garden Grove CA 92840. For more info visit Great Wolf Lodge for current specials and deals or call (888) 960-9653.
