A FUNTASTIC TIME

DIVE INTO SPRING AT GREAT WOLF LODGE

BY MEREDITH KNIGHT

When Monica asked her kids what they want to do over their spring break, she wasn’t surprised by their answer. Great Wolf Lodge! They honestly haven’t stopped talking about the family vacay they took there last summer. A return trip was absolutely in the cards.

One thing Monica loved about their time at Great Wolf Lodge is that there was something for every member in her family to enjoy. Her “littles” loved the pools with the splash area, lily-pad balance challenge, waterslides, and more. Her preteen son loved the arcade with the latest video fun. Even her teenage daughter found plenty to do and met others her own age. She even won a hula dancing competition!

Once the family was ensconced around the Great Wolf pool, there was cabana service, so they could have lunch right there without stopping the fun. Inside, there were craft booths and fun themed foods. Monica and her husband loved unwinding at day’s end with a cocktail around the outdoor fireplaces. And they could hit the ground running the next morning with a coffee from the on-site Starbucks.

The one day it rained, they simply moved from the outdoor pool to the 80,000-squarefoot indoor waterpark, which features a lazy river, wave pool, activity pool with basketball hoops and lily pad crossings, hot tubs, waterslides, and a children’s play structure. And they took comfort in knowing that all swim areas are supervised by first-aid- and lifeguard-certified staff.

There was an onsite Build-a-Bear Workshop and Oliver’s Mining Company where the family mined for gems. There was even the Great Wolf Candy Shop. And she wasn’t sure she could talk “the big kids” into it, but they all got jiggy at a family dance party.

A quick jump online revealed that, since their last stay, Great Wolf Lodge has added even more amenities. Thanks to a $45-million renovation, there’s now mini bowling, laser tag, virtual reality, treats

like soft pretzels at PretzelMaker and an ice cream shop. (Yes, please.)

Last time, they’d stayed in the Deluxe Wolf Den Suite which came with three queen-sized beds, a bunk bed, and two full sleeper sofas. There was a living area, two full baths, and two TVs (not that anyone had time to switch them on). This year, Monica and her husband are thinking about allowing each child to invite a buddy along. They can simply upgrade to the Deluxe Grizzly Bear suite which includes one king-size bed, four queen-sized beds, two full sleeper sofas, a living area, three full bathrooms, and four TVs. After all, they’re only kids for a short time.

You can reserve your own one-of-a-kind family vacation by visiting GreatWolf. com/Grapevine/Plan. There you can find out about wolf passes, paw passes, pup passes, and everything on the calendar for Spring Splash Fest. And it’s certainly not too early to mark your family calendar for Summer Camp-in, Howl-O-Ween, and Snow Land 2026.