Why Great Wolf Lodge is the Perfect Family Vacation Destination! #GWLNiagara10

This post is part of the YummyMummyClub.ca and Great Wolf Lodge #GWLNiagara10 sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.

The drive from Manitoulin Island the Niagara Falls is a long one, but Little One is a super traveler and plane rides and road trips are her thing.  Knowing that we were going to Niagara Falls was exciting for her, but what she was most thrilled about was spending time at Great Wolf Lodge!

As we approached Great Wolf Lodge, the squeals coming from the back seat of our vehicle became so high pitched, that I’m sure they were audible only to dogs (okay, wolves)!

One of the first things we noticed was how majestic the place was.  Everyone there was so helpful and friendly.  If first impressions mean anything, we were wowed.

Great Wolf Lodge Suites

There are suites to accommodate families of various sizes.  The selection of suites is quite impressive. All rooms are family-friendly and you can choose depending on the size of your wolf pack and your budget. There are standard suites and themed suites.

We were in a KidCabin Suite and it was perfect! The suite was spacious and had everything needed for a comfortable stay.

Little One was so happy that she had a little cabin of her own to sleep in and relax in.  The little kids’ cabin had a bunk bed and daybed. Little One noted how it would be perfect for her and her cousins.  She made me promise we would take her cousins the next time we visit!

Colourful murals and a TV also made the kids’ cabin extra special.

Water Park

When the temperature outside is below 0 degrees and inside the water park it is 84 degress, you bet this is the place you want to be!

Rainbow Lake is another one of our favourites.  If you and your wolf pups love waves, this one’s for you!  Rainbow Lake seemed to be one of the most popular spots in the water park.  For good reason too! Families could catch a wave and splash and play.  The swells sweep in from the five-foot deep end to the zero-depth-entry shallows. This wave pool is definitely a fun family vacation favorite for kids of all ages.  Little One kept saying, “It really is like being in the ocean!”

Little One spent a lot of time in Otter Lake.  She loved balancing on the lily pad and acorn.  She is also excited to announce that this is the first time she swam in a big pool without her life jacket.  She’s always been a cautious kid when it comes to water.  She respects the waves and water since we live on an island.  Because where we live, our beaches, though beautiful, make Little One a bit overly cautious because of the waves and currents.  She normally wears a life jacket even when she doesn’t go in deep.  This time, she was so pleased with herself! She took off the life jacket and SWAM!  We had so much fun and didn’t come out until our paws were wrinkly!

I was glad to see that there were life jackets available for little ones who weren’t confident or skilled enough when it comes to swimming.  Lifeguards man all the swimming and sliding areas.
Swim, splash and slide to your heart’s content!  

We started off our day at the water park with Crystal River.  We floated along the lazy river and let the gentle current carry us along.  Little One loved Crystal River and we went for a float around a few times during our stay! This is great for parents to go on with kids or for bigger kids to try on their own.

The Water Slides!

I still cannot believe Little One and I went down Bobcat Falls together!

Let me first tell you that there are a few things in life that I am deathly afraid of:  Heights, spiders, snakes, and clowns (in no particular order)!  All of those terrify me.  However, determined to NOT project any of my fears onto my child, I was determined to go down at least one of the big slides while we were at Great Wolf Lodge. I mean, we couldn’t possible go to GWL and NOT go down the slides, right?

I’m not going to lie.  I went down Bobcat Falls screaming.  I like to call it my nervous laugh.  It’s that giggle I get that I can’t control (or stop) when I’m nervous or terrified.  Little One calls it screaming, but let’s just say it was laughing. This said, the ride down the water slide was EXHILARATING!  I think I am now addicted.

Little One was a trooper.  She said she was a bit scared, but was so thrilled that she did it!  She said she cannot wait to go again!

Food

Where to eat?  When it comes to finding something to eat, there is a great selection of restaurants at the resort to choose from.  We had breakfast and dinner at Antler Shanty. There’s an overflow of choices of food to suit every member of the family.

At lunchtime, we dined at Buckets Incredible Craveables.  Conveniently located (right in the water park), Buckets serves family favourites like burgers and fries, as well as sandwiches and salads. We mustn’t forget to mention the other goodies that Buckets serves! Their signature Tipping Bucket is a family-sized treat of ice cream, brownies, cookies, chocolate sauce, candy, and whipped cream layered together!  We didn’t get a chance to try it because our burger and fries were filling enough.  Little One said we HAVE TO try it next time we go.

Little One got a kick out of the wolfles at breakfast.  She thought they were so cute that she ate three of them!

At dinner, Little One loaded her plate with asparagus, veggies, ribs and mussels!  Yes, my seven-year old loves seafood and had to have mussels!

For more places to dine at when staying at the resort, visit their website here.

Activities

Where to begin? As if the water park wasn’t enough, there are plenty of other activities to keep wolf pups busy throughout your stay. 

I highly recommend getting your kids a Paw Pass.

We received one Paw Pass for Little One.  A Paw Pass for each child includes:

• One MagiQuest® game
• One MagiQuest® classic wand or classic topper
• One quarter pound of fudge
• One animal from our Great Wolf Stuffing Station (outfit not included)
• One 5×7 Paw Prints water park action photo
• 20 Paw Points and game card for Northern Lights™ Arcade
• One gift at Scooops® Kid Spa
• Two games of bowling at Ten Paw Alley™ or one game at Wacky Wilderness™ Mini Golf
• Two Great Wolf Kids® activities in Cub Club®
• One pair of wolf ears

Among the many attractions for wolf cubs are Ten Paw Alley bowling, Northern Lights Arcade, and Great Wolf Stuffing Station.

Little One’s favourite attractions were MagiQuest and the Northern Lights Arcade.

MagiQuest is a kid’s (and parent’s) dream come true

I have to tell you that MagiQuest is absolutely brilliant for several reasons.

1. Kids go on quests and use their problem solving skills!  Not only are young guests at the resort reading and listening for clues, but they have to solve riddles and find items to complete their quests.
2. Keeping kids active (and tiring them out). Young magi explore the resort and visit Forgotten Hall (second floor), Whispering Woods, Enchanted Woods (third floor), Piney Path and Tangled Woods (fourth floor). Parents, this means your little ones (and you) are walking around, going back and forth, and up and down stairs to find items and solve riddles on your quests! This makes for happy and tired little ones and parents!

I was surprised at how focused Little One was when it came to her quests.  She was so proud of herself for reading, listening, and following clues!  Huge sense of accomplishment.

For more info on MagiQuest, visit the resort’s site here.

Daily Activities

There are a lot of activities available to wolf cubs.  Little One is a dancing machine, so she really enjoyed the Jammie Jamboree.  She wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue MagiQuest of join the Jammie Jamboree, so she did both!

…and more dancing.

Thank you Great Wolf Lodge, for a truly memorable family vacation. Thank you also for this…

Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls is celebrating their 10th birthday with a brand new slide!

The brand new Wolf Tail slide opened on April 13th. You’ll travel 278 feet in 8 seconds: once the floor drops out, you’ll be hurled into a nearly vertical, 20-foot freefall, followed by a 360-degree, high-speed loop. Step in if you dare! How thrilling is that?  I am psyching myself up for this, because the next time we stay at Great Wolf Lodge, I am definitely going to try the new Wolf Tail slide!

Happy 10th Birthday, Great Wolf Lodge Niagara!

Want a thrilling family vacay that will suit everyone in your family no matter what their age? Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls has it all! Zero-depth-entry playgrounds for little ones, jaw-dropping thrill rides and water slides for older kids, and a hot tub for adults!

Plus, Great Wolf Lodge has added a brand new slide to celebrate their 10th anniversary! Will you dare to take the plunge?

Book your fun family vacay through May 31 and get 20% off using promo code YUMMYFUN.