My very first post for Columbia Mom was an introduction to Great Wolf Lodge. That was all the way back in 2015! My kids were five, three, and two at the time, and we had been a few times already. It was the perfect mini vacation for our family of toddlers and preschoolers.
In the eight years since I originally wrote that piece, our visits have slowed down. Like, a lot. Not because my kids haven’t wanted to go. But the timing and deals haven’t worked out. Not to mention the whole pandemic happened. The last time we went was actually immediately prior to the pandemic, in March 2020. We came back to town, and I immediately headed to Walmart to stock up on toilet paper and other essentials as the world shut down.
This July, we made it back. The kids are now 13, 11, and 10, and I honestly wasn’t sure if the Wolf would hold the same appeal. They are at peak “I’m bored!” stage, and often unimpressed with their parents’ ideas of a good time. Would the water slides still seem thrilling? Would any of the Lodge’s other activities engage them? Would they want to leave five minutes after arriving? Only time would tell.
To be fair to my 13 year old, our visit came on the heels of a trip he took with one of his best friends where they came to Great Wolf, spent two nights, he came home one night, and we headed back as a family. He had a great time with his friends, but was altogether ready to come home as soon as humanly possible. So, going into our trip I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be.
Here’s how our trip with two tweens and a teen went.
There were three main questions I asked myself when we embarked on this trip…
First question: Were the water activities thrilling to my teens and pre-teens?
Yes! They loved the water slides, big bucket, wave pool, lily pads, and more as much now as they did when they were smaller. Bonus: all of them are tall enough to ride on their own and don’t need a parent with them to enjoy them.
Next question: Would they want to leave five minutes after arriving?
No! They each thoroughly enjoyed themselves the first day, up until it was time to eat. The following day, my oldest two were done by lunch, and the youngest would have happily continued to play until dinner. For my kids, a one night stay is enough. When they were smaller, we really needed two nights for them to get the maximum enjoyment.
Last question: Would any of the Lodge’s other activities engage them?
Yes! They were all still transfixed by the evening clock tower show, and my 11 year old daughter loved the evening dance party. The arcade has some great games, and had we splurged on it, they would have loved laser tag. While not explicitly an activity, my 13 year old also enjoyed the fitness center, accompanied by a supervising adult, of course. The putt-putt and ropes course are also a big hit. Really, the only thing they were no longer impressed with was MagiQuest – this activity is not really any of their speeds anymore.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised at how much my kids still enjoyed Great Wolf Lodge. As they get older, it can be challenging to find activities that engage all of their varied interests, and as a parent, I often find myself nostalgic for the easier-to-impress younger ages. They say you are going to miss those days, and in the middle of climbing the water-slide steps for the umpteenth time, you may not agree, but it’s true.
Final words of wisdom: just because your kids can ride everything alone, don’t spend the entire vacation sitting on the sidelines. Climb the steps and enjoy the ride!
