The best Wisconsin Dells waterpark for you and your crew - OnMilwaukee Once again, the food was mediocre at best. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Our obstinate 2-year-old was NOT able to enjoy ANY of these activities / attractions, or even the wave pool due to the fact that she refused to wear a life jacket which Kalahari required children under 4 feet in height to wear at all times when in any water. Note: There is no Flowrider / surfing simulator attraction at the Poconos location for Great Wolf Lodge. Several hot tubs, twice the amount of slides as Great Wolf Lodge, and something for all ages. The main dry activity, however, is the MagiQuest interactive wand game. The smell permeated EVERYTHING to the point of needing to open the door to air it out. As a native New Yorker, a bit of grit and grime doesn't scare me. That is with just 2 adults and 4 kids. It is really the other aspects of the resorts and accommodations that will determine which resort is the better choice for your family! We compared various aspects of the resort and water parks to help you determine which resort is the best for your family. Here's our overall review.. Great review, were leaning towards Kalahari but wanted to know about outdoor activities in the winter, could our kids go snow tubing or something related at any of these three resorts? Virtual reality, tons of games, golf, bowling - this place though of everything. Camelback charged my card the correct amount when I made the deposit on November 24th and then on November 27th (2 days after we had left the resort) I was charged $25 for a parking fee. I actually made the kids wear earplugs (as did I) to go to this! We ordered a pizza and had it delivered to the room from the in-house Pizza Pubit was quite good and we felt reasonably priced! We love knowing that our attractions were fun for both the children and adults in your family! This 80,000-square-foot facility is perfect for families, although the water park portion is only open to hotel guests. Embarrassing that I never realized it was the same picture! Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great Berrellis Italian Chophouse wasnt really an option for us as this restaurant is physically located in a different building from where we were staying & where the indoor water park is located. For exact amenities lists, its best to view the Great Wolf Lodge or Kalahari website of the locations you are comparing. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. But we generally dont patronize too many sit down restaurants with 4 kids with ages ranging from 2-10. Great Wolf Lodge also has activities that vary with the timing of your stay. From what we saw of the pricing most of the activities were on the more expensive side. Both resorts also have onsite dining that continues the decor. Including a story time, dance time, crafts and more. Klahari is themed and decorated as an African resort. Water park access was included. This old-school hot dog shack across from Penn Treaty Park mostly caters to truckers, hence its early-morning hours. The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. Hi there, I appreciate you taking the time to write a review of your most recent stay. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. Our 2-year-old who would have nothing to do with a life jacket was able to play in the toddler splash park and wave pool as long as Melani or I was right with her. A general view of the Great Wolf Lodge in Fort Mackenzie. A night at either place costs a small fortune, and the food is over-priced and mediocre. This was our 3rd visit to Kalahari, the 2 previous times we stayed was before March 2017 when the resort was only half way completed. Ronks is southeast of Lancaster. There were not lights on both sides of the queen beds which made night-time reading hard for the person on the side with no light. After reading this post - which Poconos waterpark do you THINK you are most likely to go to? (especially Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge) If you were to drive from Kalahari, to Great Wolf Lodge, and then to Aquatopia the total distance would be approximately 11.3 miles and take just 26 minutes. The drive was almost exactly 100 miles for us and we arrived a few minutes after 1:00 pm. Otherwise, she and the others had a very good time.Kalahari was worth the trip. Take care! GWL has excellent sales. Kalahari Resort has an entire grotto (both indoor and outdoor) for adults with a swim-up bar. Reservations are strongly recommended. You all have multi room suites as well as an African Queen Suite.Let's talk about the African Queen Suite for a moment. Mind you definitely not Disney level theming or branding but a good job. Hopefully you can keep returning and finding even more ways to have fun with us as the kids grow. [2] In addition to a water park, each resort features restaurants, arcades, spas, and children's activities. Hence our balcony seemed to be under ground and we were looking at a high retaining wall for a view. really? My family has enjoyed a handful of stays at the water park hotel Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas (and one visit to the GWL in Southern California). Address: 100 Great Wolf Drive Grapevine, TX 76051 Phone: 817-488-6510 Website: greatwolf.com EXPERT TIPS BY: Ilene Jacobs Dallas Local Expert Water Parks: "Day passes can be purchased online or. With that being said it does appear that the ropes course and zip lines are something that we may try in the future. It smelled like an overcrowded SPCA. It was voted the #1 indoor water park in 2015 by USA Today. Lock in the lowest price from these sites. Wet bar, fridge, microwaveIMPRESSED with the upkeep.WATERPARK - The place is absolutely huge. Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. And the staff was friendly. The only other complaint I have is that we came home with a number of bites. That was almost inedible. The shop is along Interstate 81, making it a Busy Bodies Play Cafe is an indoor play space for children who are 1 year old through 6 years old. The hostesses and the servers were professional and pleasant. Our Locations - Great Wolf Resorts According to the contract, the family resort and water park will feature at least 400,000 square feet of lodging and entertainment space and the indoor water park will be at least 75,000 square feet. Great Wolf is more for kids, but I feel like Great Wolf service is better than Kalahari. Tom Foolery's Adventure Park provides hours of playtime, with 80,000 square feet of interactive rides and attractions. This was one of the few exceptions! The total cost for the night would have been $415.10. It is the best themed lazy river out of the three water parks in the Poconos! B-Lux also features 12 lanes of state-of-the-art Brunswick bowling. Other than the water park & arcade our family hasnt really tried out any other ones. At Kalahari, there are two separate, toddler play areas. We do love both! Management thanks you for your suggestions and for noting how well-trained our associates are! Tom Foolerys also has a mirror maze, escape rooms, indoor ropes course, laser tag, rock climbing wall, XD dark ride and bowling. My husband was brave enough to continue exploring as I sat out on the ground level patio. Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. Great Wolf Lodge Poconos Water Park Toddler Play. It reminds me of Disneys Wilderness Lodge. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. However, there were at least 6 employees assisting at the registration desk and the line moved relatively quickly. This was terrific we will likely do all three spaced out over a few years, but this absolutely helped us figure out what order to go in. Shooting Range (tourist favorite) is closer to Great Wolf. The mountainous / hilly location complimented the overall lodge theme and it was nice to sit out there with the kids as the weather cooled in the evening. The advent of Great Wolf Lodge represents one of the most monumental The advent of Great Wolf Lodge represents one of the most monumental accomplishments in the Citys history, Webster city officials said. You can reach me at PAConnect@KalahariResorts.com. Camelback Mountain Resorts waterpark Aquatopia, Cafe & Bar (AKA, Mountain Market, World Bazaar Coffee Shop). The room was spotless. The lobby was somewhat hectic with the number of people filing in and out, restaurants, shops, carts filled with souvenirs for sale, and a long line at the guest registration desk. Our suite @ Kalahari was HUGE! Great Wolf Lodge is known for their MagiQuest game. The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. Their massive indoor water parks vary by location. One of Melani and my pet peeves with regards to hotel accommodations is when there is only one night stand for a queen bed. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. This activity requires participants to roam all over the lodge to find clues and solve a quest. kalahari waterpark passesmr patel neurosurgeon cardiff 27 februari, 2023 . There were 2 bathrooms one off the walk-in area and the second one in the master suite. As I mentioned above, we can engage in many of the other activities closer to our home. The room was very clean and up-to-date. Expect to spend money on food, games, etc. Kalaharis waterpark is the largest at 220,000 square feet & Camelbacks Aquatopia indoor waterpark is right in the middle at 125,000 square feet. It seems that there are parts of the water park that are only staffed at peak attendance. The resort recently completed a huge expansion that added 130,000 sq feet of conference facilities to the 100,000 sq feet of existing facilities. It felt cozy and definitely complimented the whole lodge theme & experience! We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. Friendly, accommodating, informative.we were very happy with the initial interaction. The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 - and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. The Poconos location has 401 rooms and each wing of the lodge has 4 floors. Kalahari I feel would be better for the adults to have fun as well. However, if our kids were younger, Great Wolf Lodge would be more manageable due to its smaller size and its mascots that appeal to younger kids. My son went to the prime rib carving station several times but the chef continued to serve him meat with chunks of fat on it - so he gave up. Kids hearing is much more sensitive! Enjoy your family vacation at one of the great indoor water park resort choices in your area! Looking up to the roofline Aquatopia does feel more open and expansive since it is more of a sweeping semi-circle in shape. Im not sure when we will make it back there since we have a lot of other travel plans. My family recently visited Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, Texas. Kalahari is a better choice for families with adolescents and teens, while Great Wolf Lodge is perfect for elementary-age children. Robert, We were on the bottom level and we had a small patio walk out area next to the ropes course. Two of the biggest and best (and among the industry's early pioneers) are in the water park capital of the world, Wisconsin Dells: Kalahari at 125,000 square feet and Chula Vista at 110,000 square feet . Finally, we did have a rather poor experience one morning ordering from the Cafe & Bar (AKA, Mountain Market, World Bazaar Coffee Shop). But be prepared to spend.it comes with the territory! The theming is carried throughout multiple aspects of the total experience. Across from that there is a small decent sized souvenir shop / store and a small dessert kiosk. We didn't expect gourmet food at a waterpark, but the nachos were so tasteless that my 12-year old pushed them aside and asked for a chicken finger. We were told that the elevator was on the convention center side, which was not really convenient for her. Kalahari activities and attractions differ with each location. I went back into our pictures and corrected the post with the actual picture of the Great Wolf Lodge bathroom. It can be more expensive but it's a better place to relax and see your kids enjoying without having to worry too much. Sincerely, Chip. However, it was not a perfect experience in that the air conditioner vented right out onto the one end of the balcony. He was open to questions about the place and even offered a few suggestions. African photos, statues, pictures, all kinds of things that mentally transport you to another world. Would have been nice to have them inside as well.The waterpark overall was phenomenal - huge and definitely accommodates young and old. lindakmonty He's like "OH NO YOU DIDN'T" Joined Jun 24, 2005 Jun 30, 2006 #7 The water is warm, but not too hot. Kassie R, Social Media Coordinator at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, responded to this review. 10 Best Family Resorts in Texas for 2023 - Great Wolf Lodge Family Fun Coming Soon: Great Wolf Lodge in Webster! Kalahari also has a wide variety of types of water slides drop slides, mat racer, raft slides, etc. This time we were on the third floor and had a balcony. Various restaurants, childrens amenities and retail establishments will also be included in the new development. Many of these water parks are resorts, meaning they also comparison guide for all three of these resorts, Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet Carlisle, PA. We ended loading up the car, checking out (automatically at 11:00), and then using our onsite privileges for a few more hours before going offsite at a nearby restaurant to each lunch and hitting the highway to return home.My biggest concern about the facility itself is that the elevator from the lobby to the lower level waterpark is not easily discoverable or accessible. How does it compare to Great Wolf Lodge? So I guess you just dont need it that much. Great Wolf seems to have more of a variety of theming for these bunk bed suites. When we were last at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos we did not stay in a themed suite. LOCATION: Within the 1st floor level of Tom Foolerys Adventure Park inside B-Lux Grill & Bar. The IVORY COAST restaurant had a great selection of food and we thoroughly enjoyed doing takeout from there. Kalahari Resort has Tom Foolerys, a gigantic indoor adventure park. Indoor Water Park & Resort | Grapevine Resort | Great Wolf Lodge Kids under the age of 6 were coming in and out with no parental supervision. See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Notehere. I'm displeased to hear of the strange odor in your room and that we were not able to correct this situation while you were staying with us. However, there seemed to be a noticeable amount of debris at the bottom of the pool which seemed to a combination of plastic and dirt. We did not have a car on the premises so driving was not an option, and walking was not very appealing since we tend to patronize the indoor water parks during the colder months and it was late November when we were at Aquatopia. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? Both resorts in the Poconos have a water coaster. It is a wonderful family vacation spot that offers a lot of adventure & nature! There is also a fountain near the middle of the lobby with chairs and tables to sit and eat. Im pleased to hear that you enjoyed the various sections of the waterpark. Winner: Kalahari Resort Rooms Both resorts have "normal" hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine is a great way to go for a weekend getaway. Burger and fries for $12, other sandwiches $12-$15.not excessive. Note that it may be quite a walk from your room to the water park, or any other destination on the Kalahari Resort campus. They looped continuously so they are readily accessible at any time. Every room at this resort is air conditioned and has a TV with cable channels. No outside food or drink allowed. Best Water Parks in the Northeast For Families (By Age!) She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. For the size of the main lobby, it is the same order with Great Wolf Lodges lobby being the smallest, Kalaharis main lobby being the largest and Aquatopias lobby size somewhere in the middle. Aquatopia at Camelback Lodge in Pennsylvania is 125,000 square feet. Life-size animal statues adorn the outside. Thank you for your support! Thats theming! GWL isnt fast either, but 2+ hours to pay triple the price wouldnt work either. Kids jumping in and out, the areas are not guarded by staffsame problem as Great Wolf. There are a number of other activities available at the lodge. For our Tuesday June 25th, 2019 stay @ Great Wolf Lodge the cost of our room was $209.99 with taxes & fees amounting to $51.59, bringing the total to $261.58. Hello! It is the smallest of the 3 indoor water parks in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. Kids are going to want to explore all areas of this place and we find it frustrating reading reviews about those complaining about how expensive everything is. Ax throwing, ropes course, zip line, off-road Segway tours through the forest & switchback UTV tour. Magic wands are needed for this game, and there is a fee to activate them for a certain period of time. Some of the profit from any sale may merely make it intoourpocket instead of Jeff Bezos'! Both Great Wolf and Kalahari have very luxurious condos that can accommodate a whole family easily. We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July. Since we are usually there for just one night we resign ourselves to it being a pizza for dinner night. Kalahari Resort has a huge upcharge for the one type of themed room. [3] Great Wolf Resorts is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Not quite as good as the one @ Kalahari but better than you will find at Great Wolf Lodge. Although I am admittedly not a big fan of buffets, we figured it would be easy for everyone to find something they liked.