Water Park Fun Is So Close....The Great Wolf Lodge Is A Huge Winner For Our Family!

Disclaimer: I received a discounted adventure in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

We had a blast! I’m just going to put that out there up front. Here in Southern California, you have a lot of choices on how to spend your vacations and I’m going to suggest that you consider making this destination part of that trip.
The Great Wolf Lodge opened last year in Garden Grove, CA, minutes from Disneyland. This fun spot feels a lot like a mini vegas for kids, but there is plenty to love about it as adults, too!

The water park at GWL is definitely the main attraction, but no fear! When the water park closes, there’s still plenty to do with the kids, including scheduled activities from the Lodge, itself. Activities such as kiddie yoga and pajama dance parties!

Plan Your Stay

Get a room! There’s three sizes to choose from, depending on the party you’re toting. They’ve got rooms to accommodate up to 8 people, including rooms with bunks and traditional suites. This is definitely a viable option for those of you visiting Disneyland on your trip, too! And the stay at the GWL Hotel includes waterpark passes! And get this…if you need a pack n play, they’ll bring one to your room! Saves you on what you pack when you travel.

Amenities

The number one amenity of this facility is the park…but also included is free wifi, a fitness room, story time and other activities for your kids and the forest friends lobby show. The basic rooms include a fridge and microwave, coffee maker and hair dryer. The bigger rooms have things like semi private rooms, bunk beds and more than one tub!

Dining

Dunkin Donuts. I’m just going to give you that to think about…..
But, also there is a great restaurant on the Lobby level, The Wood Fire Grill. We all enjoyed what we ate there and after a day in the waterpark, it was nice to not have to leave the building to sit down in a restaurant. There is an all you can eat breakfast buffet also, but it is a bit pricey. My tip would be to bring some goodies to put in the min-fridge for breakfast.

What To Know About The Waterpark

You will get wet! (Duh)
You can rent lockers inside the facility to keep personal belongings in, but these start at $15 for the small ones. It would be best to come with as little as possible. The wrist bands you need to enter actually contain your room key, so you don’t need to carry a key. Towels are provided, no need for those.
There are slides and play areas for every level, from infants through ~~husbands~~ adults.
There is one area where children under 48″ are required to wear a life vest. These are provided and you kids can wear them in any area they see fit. No need to bring your own, they have plenty!
Be aware of the high chlorine level in the water. There could be issues if you’re sensitive to chlorine.
They keep the waterpark area at 84 degrees. That is warm, so make sure you don’t forget to drink water!
There are many lifeguards on duty and they change shifts about every 20 minutes so no one gets too used to what they’re looking at. It felt very safe.
They do have a food/drink stand inside. No outside food allowed.

Extras

Need a break from the waterpark? GWL has other fun things, including a bowling alley, an arcade, a kids shop and a place to get mani/pedi’s with your kiddos. These are all for an additional fee and are not included in the price of your stay.

Here’s what I love about places like this. The ability to make memories. This is what it’s all about. Make the memories. Make it simple and just enjoy each other. Watch your kids laugh and keep that in your thoughts. No cameras required. Lock the phones up away from the water and splash around with those kids.

You won’t regret it.