Great Wolf Lodge, Specifically Grapevine Location

[nathajw]

My youngest is now what we feel an old enough age (3.5) to where he could enjoy GWL so my question is this......why in the hell is the place so f'n expensive?

For those that have gone please tell me what I'm missing and if it's worth it. I haven't spent much time researching but everything I've seen is around 700 bucks a night for a suite that includes "water passes" and what I assume is a minimum two night stay. 1,400 bucks for an indoor water park and a hotel room? What else does this all include?

To any of you that have been I would appreciate all pro-tips and pointers. I have 3 boys, the oldest being a pre-teen.

 

[driad]

My youngest is now what we feel an old enough age (3.5) to where he could enjoy GWL so my question is this......why in the hell is the place so f'n expensive?

For those that have gone please tell me what I'm missing and if it's worth it. I haven't spent much time researching but everything I've seen is around 700 bucks a night for a suite that includes "water passes" and what I assume is a minimum two night stay. 1,400 bucks for an indoor water park and a hotel room? What else does this all include?

To any of you that have been I would appreciate all pro-tips and pointers. I have 3 boys, the oldest being a pre-teen.

Sign up for the email list. I get emails weekly offering 30-40% off great wolf. LEGO land and aquarium are in the mall down the street, both are pretty neat. That mall also has a rainforest cafe that is kind and interesting. LEGO land was cooler than I thought it would be.

 

[nathajw]

Sign up for the email list. I get emails weekly offering 30-40% off great wolf. LEGO land and aquarium are in the mall down the street, both are pretty neat. That mall also has a rainforest cafe that is kind and interesting. LEGO land was cooler than I thought it would be.

Are you 100% on your own for food and drink at GWL?

 

[driad]

Are you 100% on your own for food and drink at GWL?

Good question that I don’t know. I know a lot depends on what day it is. They will bend over backwards to get you in on a slow day.

 

[AC_Exotic]

Reserve a room thru one of those online motel reservation places and you'll likely be able to get a deal.

 

[driad]

Are you 100% on your own for food and drink at GWL?

Sea life is the name of that aquarium, it’s ok. You can get a combination sea life/ LEGO land ticket for a good price. There is also a train from Grapevine to the Ft worth stockyards.

 

[trapped_in_tx]

I can't speak specifically to the one in Grapevine, but I know the one in Co Springs has deals fairly often. I have friends who have found deals for large families that were far less than $1000 for 2-3 days.

Obviously the deals are not at ideal times, but like others said, sign up for emails and hunt for the deals and you will find them.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

It’s pretty gross. I would suggest a hard pass on GWL.

 

[ells2090]

+1 on the discounts. We've stayed there twice and both trips were using discounts they offered. Through email or the website.

But it's still expensive and the clientele is largely a state fair crowd. 2 nights is the max I could do there or I would lose my mind. I also highly recommend looking into a cabana rental as all the lounge chairs fill up fast and you can feel better about leaving stuff out or locking in the cabana safe. They also come stocked with beverages, a TV, and waitstaff. I think we spent around $100 to reserve one for the day and it was worth it to me.

Check-in can be a shit show so be prepared and earliest you can get into waterpark is 1:00 I believe on the day you check in. On-site food is average and generally pricey and be prepared for older kids to get sucked in to the MagiQuest crap which has them explore all over the hotel with a $20+ magic wand you have to buy.

We did 2 nights at the Gaylord and 1 night at GWL last year during the 4th and will now spend all 3 nights at the Gaylord this year. Gaylord water park is good enough for our family and we can stay there for the same cost or less, eat better food, and it's just not as hectic as GWL.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

+1 on the discounts. We've stayed there twice and both trips were using discounts they offered. Through email or the website.

But it's still expensive and the clientele is largely a state fair crowd. 2 nights is the max I could do there or I would lose my mind. I also highly recommend looking into a cabana rental as all the lounge chairs fill up fast and you can feel better about leaving stuff out or locking in the cabana safe. They also come stocked with beverages, a TV, and waitstaff. I think we spent around $100 to reserve one for the day and it was worth it to me.

Check-in can be a shit show so be prepared and earliest you can get into waterpark is 1:00 I believe on the day you check in. On-site food is average and generally pricey and be prepared for older kids to get sucked in to the MagiQuest crap which has them explore all over the hotel with a $20+ magic wand you have to buy.

We did 2 nights at the Gaylord and 1 night at GWL last year during the 4th and will now spend all 3 nights at the Gaylord this year. Gaylord water park is good enough for our family and we can stay there for the same cost or less, eat better food, and it's just not as hectic as GWL.

I can offer cheap lodging, rude service, and all the Natty Light for the adults and Doctor Thunder for the kids that anyone can drink--all within 5 miles of the Gaylord and GWL. Promise to change your sheets after you leave.

 

[osu2082]

One day, one night and don’t eat the food. You will thank me later.

 

[Inky29]

I think he's probably still a little young to really enjoy it. Bluegrass and 2082's comments are pretty accurate.

One year this was given to me as a "father's day" gift by my daughter. Beyond spending the time with her, not too much to write home about. The water park area is just one giant chlorine cloud, to the point that I generally get a chemical burn when I've been in there.

The reason I say 3.5 might be too young. The most enjoyable thing I remember doing is some Dragon quest thing in the hallways of the hotel. Basically it's you running up and down stairs uncovering different puzzles that lead you to an encounter with a dragon at the end. Mine was 7 or 8 when we did it so she could actually do some of the quests.

Food I don't believe is included (although there might be a package that does) however you are in Grapevine so the number of quality places to eat won't leave you lacking to find something good to eat. I think we just had pizza delivered but you can eat at the hotel restaurant if you want but it's a hotel restaurant designed to cater to families that look at this as the pinnacle of luxury (it is not).

It's something I would tell you to try once but I'd probably wait until he's a little older because otherwise you are going to get to ride the wave pool and a couple of kiddie slides. Not worth the cost.

 

[Been Jammin]

One day, one night and don’t eat the food. You will thank me later.

This.

 

[tcpoke]

We did it a year ago. Never again. Place is a cesspool.

 

[Been Jammin]

I think he's probably still a little young to really enjoy it. Bluegrass and 2082's comments are pretty accurate.

One year this was given to me as a "father's day" gift by my daughter. Beyond spending the time with her, not too much to write home about. The water park area is just one giant chlorine cloud, to the point that I generally get a chemical burn when I've been in there.

The reason I say 3.5 might be too young. The most enjoyable thing I remember doing is some Dragon quest thing in the hallways of the hotel. Basically it's you running up and down stairs uncovering different puzzles that lead you to an encounter with a dragon at the end. Mine was 7 or 8 when we did it so she could actually do some of the quests.

Food I don't believe is included (although there might be a package that does) however you are in Grapevine so the number of quality places to eat won't leave you lacking to find something good to eat. I think we just had pizza delivered but you can eat at the hotel restaurant if you want but it's a hotel restaurant designed to cater to families that look at this as the pinnacle of luxury (it is not).

It's something I would tell you to try once but I'd probably wait until he's a little older because otherwise you are going to get to ride the wave pool and a couple of kiddie slides. Not worth the cost.

And this.

The dragon quest is pretty fun to do with your kid, but it requires the kid to be able to read and work out puzzles (some will require parental help depending on age of kid).

The water park is good for 2-3 hrs of entertainment before everyone needs a break.

After 24 hrs, all the adults will have had enough, and the kids will be fine with hitting the road.

 

[JonnyVito]

I will second the restaurants in Grapevine. I do an insurance safety deal down there every year and always love eating out before and after the event. I took the wife one year and we did the shopping deal also that really cost me.

 

[Pokes15]

Food sucks, water is gross, way too overpriced for what you get. Won’t go back again.

 

[Cowguy]

Suggestion - stay at the Gaylord and go to that water park. It’s essentially across the street.

 

[nathajw]

It’s pretty gross. I would suggest a hard pass on GWL.

Well, any thing involving kids and a lot of contained water is pretty gross imo. I wouldn't be taking them if they hadn't been begging for 2 years now because some of their snot nosed friends go to go and now they want to.

There are plenty of bars at the place I see, I plan on being plenty lubricated to help get myself through the experience. Thinking about it is already giving me anxiety.

 

[nathajw]

Suggestion - stay at the Gaylord and go to that water park. It’s essentially across the street.

I've tried pitching that as well as this for the weekend:

https://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/texas/hilton-anatole-DFWANHH/about/pool-complex.html

 

[nathajw]

Because of baseball and other kids activities, the one weekend we have free it's going to cost $1,400 bucks for 2 days and that doesn't even include food, booze, arcade, etc. They gouge your ass whenever school is out.

I think the boys are going to get a "tough shit" from daddy sometime this week. From what I've heard and read in this thread I'm not paying that type of money for a water park.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Because of baseball and other kids activities, the one weekend we have free it's going to cost $1,400 bucks for 2 days and that doesn't even include food, booze, arcade, etc. They gouge your ass whenever school is out.

I think the boys are going to get a "tough shit" from daddy sometime this week. From what I've heard and read in this thread I'm not paying that type of money for a water park.

Wise

 

[Been Jammin]

I think the boys are going to get a "tough shit" from daddy sometime this week. From what I've heard and read in this thread I'm not paying that type of money for a water park.

It is summer time. Why spend all that cash for an indoor water park? Spend the day at NRH2O instead. They will have a blast and you will save a ton of $.

We went to GWL one year on X-mas. The price was low. We don't celebrate the holiday (went with a bunch of Jewish families), but it was pretty cool seeing families wheeling stacks of presents in on luggage carts. If you are going to go, do in the winter time, when outside activities are not an option. JMO.

 

[ctdub]

For that kind of money drive down to Jw Marriott hill country. It’s a haul down there and back, but they have a great pool with multiple water slides. Pool side bar service. Golf if you’re into that... Good restaurants on site, etc.

Or do Rough Creek lodge in Glen Rose. Your boys would totally love that. There’s a kids club there drop them off and you and the wife can go to a nice dinner.

 

[The Duke]

Take the kids to Port Aransas.

 

[Dally1up]

GWL was at the top of their game several years ago but most have let their facilities and quality of experience go to hell. The one in KC went down the filth gutter. Grapevine was always superior but heard it is pretty bad too.

 

[JustinS]

I got scammed in to spending Christmas there a few years ago.way too high.food is average but way too expensive.we did not even do the arcade and all the other crap you walk by to get to your room.my son could not stop coughing from the chlorine saturated air.once we went outside he would immediately stop.my eyes got 2nd degree chlorine burn.you could take one hell of a vacation for the money you will spend there.close to $400 per night just for the room when we went.plus you fill like you cant leave to go do anything else because of the amount you have paid.We stayed 1 night which was PLENTY!

 

[lovethempokes]

Currently at the one in Colorado Springs. I would agree that 3.5 is still too little to really enjoy. They tag the kids by height so they will be limited at 3.5 on what they can do. My 7 year old is just the right height to do all the stuff, but 5 year old is limited. After 3 days(last night finally) I’ve had enough of the swimming (wave pool) and I could tell the kids did to. The restaurants are way overpriced. I skipped the stupid paw passes, that’s a rip off. We let the kids play one night in arcade and couple rounds of mini golf and they were good. Paid less than passes. We did a lot of other site seeing things around Co. Springs so we weren’t at water park all the time.

 

[shortbus]

Supply and Demand is a beautiful thing.

 

[MajorMike_Ret]

My kids love it, we go at least once a year, usually near holidays and maybe around Oklahoma spring break because Texas' is usually diff.