Review: Great Wolf Lodge Is So Much More Than a Hotel *or* Water Park

While the lodges are very similar, I’ll speak specifically to the Great Wolf Lodge Poconos Mountains location, as that’s the one I’m most familiar with. Upon check-in, everyone receives a wristband that acts as your hotel key, and you can choose which ones are tied to your card on file to pay for food, games and souvenirs. (Psst: Swing by the gift shop and request a pair of complimentary wolf ears—you’ll see people rocking those headbands everywhere, even while splashing around the water park.)

Like being on a cruise, there’s a daily itinerary of crafts, story time sessions and character meet-and-greets (because yes, Great Wolf Lodge has its own cast of woodland IP, including a cartoon series that plays on the TVs in rooms) to take part in. Your stay also grants you access to the water park (which is also available all day post-checkout).

But that’s not all—the resort also offers mini golf, mini bowling, a mirror maze, gemstone mining, an arcade, ropes course, Build-a-Bear Workshop and the aforementioned MagiQuest. Those all cost additional fees, ranging from a few dollars per person for arcade games and bowling to $20 per person (or $50/family) for the ropes course.

To that end, depending on how much you want to do, it can be worthwhile to spring for one of the lodge’s three activity passes. They range from a Pup Pass (from $60) to a Wolf Pass (from $100), which bundle a bunch of activities into one package.

The Pup Pass, for example, allows you to create a Build-a-Bear stuffed animal, play three games at the arcade, fill up a custom candy cup at the candy shop, score an ice cream from Wood’s End Creamery and snag a free pair of swim goggles. The top-tier Wolf Pass provides all of those things—except the swim goggles—and also includes a game of bowling, a game of golf, a trip through the Mirror Maze, a personalized leather bracelet, a game of MagiQuest and their choice of a basic wand, a topper to modify their wand or a utility belt to hold said wand.

As soon as you arrive, you’ll see kids dashing around in robes, brandishing wands, exploring—often with parents trailing not far behind. A game costs about $17 per person (though parents can tagalong freely, if they don’t want their own storyline) and wands range from $20 to $30, with custom designs available. This is where things can add up, if your kid really gets into the role-playing scene—there are Wand Mods (aka twist-on toppers to the end of the wand) that offer additional powers during the game, and those can cost $22-$27, not to mention the cost of costumes, if you really get into it.

On the plus side, the $17 game fee is a one-time payment that keeps the game active during your entire stay, and the game itself lasts hours, so you can easily start and stop as needed. (Note to parents: Don’t expect to finish the game in one trip. It’s so expansive that you—and your kids—might short-circuit trying to do so, and you can always pick up where you left off on a future visit while reusing your wand and Mods.)

While there is a nicer, sit-down restaurant (Fireside) at the resort, the entire place is very laid-back, come-as-you-are casual. Comfy clothes and shoes are a must; as are swimsuits. The resort has beach towels, so you needn’t worry about those, though my kids liked having cover-ups, like a terry cloth robe, to wear as they walked from the hotel halls to the park itself. (While the hotel is kept nice and cool, the indoor water park is a balmy 84 degrees, so it’s always ideal for swimming and splashing, but it can feel a bit chilly to go from that back to your room.)

If you have a toddler life vest, I’d bring it. The resort has a bunch, but on busy days, they can be hard to come by. Beyond that, sunscreen, refillable water bottles and Swim Ear (for clogged, post-swim ears) are all great to have on hand.

This summer, Great Wolf Lodge is hosting the Hot Dog Days of Summer at select lodges (the Poconos Mountains resort included), and it’s basically an homage to some of the U.S.’s most iconic hot dogs in honor of America’s 250^th birthday. I got an early taste of the lineup, and honestly? Hot dogs shouldn’t taste that good. (It helps that they use Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, arguably the best brand out there in terms of flavor and snap, IMO.) There’s the Chicago Dog, in all its neon green relish, pickled pepper, tomato, mustard and poppy seed bun-wrapped glory; a pulled-pork-smothered Carolina Dog with tangy Carolina Gold sauce; the fan-favorite Big Texas Dog, featuring beef brisket chili and shredded cheese; plus my favorite, the Southwest Dog, a twist on the Sonoran with pico de gallo, grilled chopped jalapeños, crema and crushed tortilla chips.

As much as I love the creaminess and crunch of the Southwest Dog, I have to recommend that people spring for the New England Lobster Dog. I wasn’t crazy about lobster rolls—they’re a bit bland to me—until I tried this version. The salty, smoky hot dog livens up the mayo, tarragon and chive-tossed lobster meat, and they complement each other surprisingly well.

If you’re not into hot dogs, Timbers Table offers a great breakfast buffet (with custom omelets) and Fireside is great for a fancier sit-down meal (the steak and short rib spaghetti are *chef’s kiss*). However, I would recommend packing some basic breakfast, lunch and snack essentials, because dining at the restaurants and quick-service counters every day can add up fast. Plus, each room has a mini fridge, and there are microwaves available near the ice machines on each floor.

It’s also worth heading to Timbers Table before 9 a.m.—I found that dining at 8 or 8:30 allowed us to walk right in. After that, there tends to be a crowd (particularly during the busy season). Even then, we never waited more than 15 minutes for a table.

Visiting the water park is a non-negotiable; the wave pool and lazy river are great for hanging out, and the tube slides are a blast. Don’t be intimidated by the lines; they move decently well and it’s a chance to ask your kids some of these conversation starters. If you have a toddler, there’s an entire splash pad and water play area, complete with mini slides, for them to enjoy.

Beyond that, if your kids are 5 or up, I’d suggest looking into MagiQuest; it’s fun, engaging and can be picked up at any time. While the arcade has its appeal, it’s another area that can add up fast (especially if your kids love claw machines, like mine). I would also redirect them toward the mirror maze and mining area. Those were surprise hits, even more so than bowling or mini golf.

“A cruise on land—and without motion sickness” is how my husband described it, and I have to agree. Great Wolf Lodge is more than a kid-friendly hotel; it’s a full-blown getaway where kids can be kids. And if all of the excitement gets to be too much, you’re steps away from your hotel room—unlike a theme park, where it may be an hour to get to the exit, on a shuttle bus and back, making you feel like you’ve lost half the day if you break for naptime. (And let’s face it: In certain seasons of life, we all really need naptime.)