Great Wolf Lodge is a family favorite! These Great Wolf Lodge tips that I’m going to share will help your family truly enjoy your vacation to the resort! The first time we went to Great Wolf Lodge was to celebrate my daughter turning 4 years old. We figured it would be a fun way to celebrate her birthday as a family. We had such a great time that we decided to make it a tradition to visit Great Wolf Lodge every year. Great Wolf Lodge is a popular family friendly indoor water park. Since it’s an indoor waterpark, it can easily become the perfect family vacation option year around. Before you book your stay at Great Wolf Lodge, here are some helpful tips!
Discounts and Ways to Save
Discounts
I’m definitely someone that loves when I find a good discount when I’m planning a family vacation. Almost every time we plan a trip to Great Wolf Lodge, we’ve been able to book our trip at a discounted rate. Here’s a couple ways book at a discounted rate:
- Use Groupon to book your stay
- Stay during the weekday. The weekends are typically a higher rate
- Book your stay during the off season (fall and winter)
- Be flexible with the location. Consider looking at the rates at a couple locations because not all locations are priced equally
- Look at the “Book Your Stay” calendar on the website and browse different date options. Sometimes there are random days that are cheaper
- Choose a day pass if there’s a close location. You won’t stay overnight but day passes are cheaper and you can get an idea if you want to experience actually staying for a couple days
- Sign up for the Great Wolf Lodge email list and they will email rates/discounts. Often times these rates sell out fast
- When you book at least 90 days in advance, you can save up to 40% on a single night stay, and up to 50% on 2+ night stays. HERE for more details
Compare
Compare your Great Wolf Lodge vacation to other potential vacation trips. Great Wolf Lodge might seem expensive to some but they do offer a lot in one location that’s perfect for the family. Lodging, indoor water park, outdoor pool oasis, games, arcade, dinning, bowling, free activities during the day that are actually fun. Tip: I check the rates at Great Wolf Lodge often. I know their typical rate and I just use those tips above until I find a rate that’s in my budget.
The Best Room for Your Family
Rooms
I love that Great Wolf Lodge has a variety of room options for families. So whether you have a small family or a big family, you’ll be able to find a room that works best for your family. We have stayed in a variety of different room styles.
Standard Suites
There are Standard Suits which are typically the lowest price. If you’re trying to save money this might be a good option. We stayed in the Family Fireplace Suite the first time we went. Most of the Standard Suits can accommodate 4-6 guests for sleeping.
Themed Suites
There are Themed Suits which are more expensive but kids will love these rooms. The Themed Suits are designed to have parts of the room look like a cabin, cave, and/or wolf design. We stayed in the Kid Camp Suite and the kids loved the bunk bed and the character designs on the wall. If you’re celebrating a child’s birthday then the Themed Suits are a great option. Most of the Themed Suits can accommodate 4-7 guests for sleeping.
Premium Suites
The Premium Suits are the most expensive but these are my favorite. These suits are very spacious and some of the Premium Suits offer private bedroom areas. We have stayed in a couple different premium suits and I love the space. If you’re looking for more space on your vacation to Great Wolf Lodge then the Premium Suits are a great option. Most of the Premium Suits can accommodate anywhere from 4-6 guests sleeping to 8-12 guests sleeping depending on the specific room.
Water Park & Attractions
Indoor Waterpark
Our first Great Wolf Lodge vacation, our kids were very young. My daughter was a toddler and my son was an infant. So of course I browsed the website because I wanted to make sure this indoor waterpark offered fun water activities for my kids at their age. I love that there were so many options in the waterpark for kids of all ages. In particular, I loved that there was a specific section that was perfect for my toddler and infant with very low water. The indoor water park also has life jackets available and towels. Check out which water activity options are best for your kids based on their age HERE.
Outdoor Pool Oasis
The Williamsburg, Virginia location has a seasonal outdoor activity oasis. This area offers a pool, water fountains, water play activities, and plenty of poolside seating. If you plan on booking your Great Wolf Lodge vacation in the summer months, then the outdoor activity oasis will be such a treat for your family.
Additional Attractions
- Arcade
- Bowling
- Build-a-Bear Workshop
- Laser Tag
- Climbing Ropes Course
- MagiQuest
Free Activities for the Family
Great Wolf Lodge offers a variety of free activities throughout the day. These activities are led by some of the instructors at Great Wolf Lodge. Tip: when you arrive at Great Wolf Lodge, take a picture of the daily free activity schedule at the front desk. Then you can incorporate these free activities into your stay.
- Bedtime story
- Arts & crafts
- Dance parties
- Board game
- Character meet & greets
- Seasonal events HERE
Food and Drinks
One of my favorite parts about having a family vacation at the Great Wolf Lodge Resort is that there are a variety of dining options in the resort. If you’re looking to sit down and eat breakfast, lunch or dinner there is a restaurant inside the resort that offers a variety of food options. My kids are picky eaters so I like to have a good amount of options for food. If you want something quick to eat, there are places inside the resort that offer pizza, burgers, chicken nuggets, and fries. If you’re a coffee lover, then you’ll enjoy the convenient Dunkin inside the resort.
Celebrate a Birthday or Holiday
Our first time staying at Great Wolf Lodge was to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. We figured this would be a great birthday gift and something we could make into a family tradition. At the time, we didn’t even know that Great Wolf Lodge offers birthday packages. If you live close to a Great Wolf lodge, celebrating your child’s birthday at the resort might be a great option. It would definitely be a birthday that they will always remember. Check out the birthday packages and discounts HERE.
Tips for When You Arrive
Check-In Time
I’m always finding ways to get a little additional time at the resort at no cost. I love that guests at Great Wolf Lodge can gain access to the water park as early as 1pm on the day of check-in. Typically, the rooms are not available until 4pm. So you can leave your belongings in your car and enjoy the waterpark and activities until your room is ready. You might also want to consider a late check out at 2pm. There is an additional cost, but it might be worth it. Also, when you check out you will still have access to the waterpark until close. After you checkout, this might be a great time to explore those additional activities like the laser trail, bowling, or have lunch outside at the Raccoon Lagoon. Check out details on check-in/check-out HERE.
Additional Ways to Save at Great Wolf Lodge
Food
Order food at a local restaurant instead of eating at the resort. We love having the option to eat at the resort restaurants but if we want to budget more on food then we will order family style meals at local restaurants like Olive Garden, Applesbees, and O’Charley’s. We also bring snacks and basic foods we can heat up in the microwave. There is a small refrigerator and microwave in the rooms. We will bring juice, water, applesauce, chips, bread, etc for the kids to snack on throughout the day.
Attraction Passes
If you plan on having your kids play at the arcade, bowling, and other attractions, then I highly suggest looking into the different attraction passes. This will offer you some discounts if it is something you want your kids to do. The first time we went to Great Wolf Lodge we ended up spending more than expected because my daughter was so excited to see the games in the arcade. So while you’re planning your trip, look into the attractions and decide if it’s something you want your family to do. If it is, then consider getting an attraction bundle pass HERE
Kids Age Gap
Since my kids are about 4 years apart, I had to be mindful to make sure each child was able to have fun while also remaining safe. So my husband and I created a simple plan for the waterpark. He stayed with my daughter so she was able to get on some of the bigger slides. I stayed with my son so he was able to play in the pool areas perfect for his age. If you have kids that are different ages and swim levels create a simple plan so you can “divide and conquer” if necessary. Also, if you have a big family consider bringing a friend, relative, grandparent, etc. Also, the first time we went to Great Wolf Lodge my son was an infant so naturally I wanted to make sure there was something for him to do. There was a nice water play area perfect for younger kids.
Locations
I love that there are Great Wolf Lodge locations throughout the United States and one location in Canada. For reference, this blog post is specific to the Williamsburg, Virginia location. Find the nearest Great Wolf Lodge on their website.
Reference and Disclaimer For reference we have always booked at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg Virginia. Each location might be slightly different. Also, be sure to create a safety plan and have your kid’s wear life jackets while at the waterpark.
I hope these Great Wolf Lodge tips have been helpful as you plan your family’s next vacation to the resort! If you’re looking for other fun activities to do in Williamsburg, VA check out my blog post Family Friendly Holiday Activities in Williamsburg, VA.
XO,
Ashley
