There is an indoor rock wall, laser tag, and indoor ropes course, etc. Great Wolf Lodge boasts tons of activities sure to put a smile on your children's faces. They were methodical and intense, and I just didn't get that feeling with many of the lifeguard staff here. Great Wolf Lodge vs. Kalahari vs. CamelBack's Aquatopia! THE POCONOS There was a large selection, with an emphasis on Italian cuisine. No outside food or drink allowed. Which do you prefer? Kassi was terrific! This comparison guide will focus mainly on the Pocono resorts in Pennsylvania, but some of the information can be used to compare other locations of Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge. Kalahari features a number of signature sit-down restaurants (Sortinos Italian Kitchen (Italian food), B-Lux Grill & Bar (Burgers & Shakes), Double Cut (Steakhouse). The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 - and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. If you are looking for more of a balance between kid activities and adult luxuries Kalahari has a wider range of offerings that will appeal to both adults and children. The distance between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos is a mere 7 miles. It felt cozy and definitely complimented the whole lodge theme & experience! Thank you to the staff we mentioned for really making sure our stay was the best it possibly could be! Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine is a great way to go for a weekend getaway. Kalahari Resort, positioned in Spherical Rock, Texas, is analogous in some ways to Nice Wolf Lodge. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. What we usually do @ Kalahari is claim a couple of tables next to the fountain in the lobby and while one of us stays with the family the other runs around to the different food venues to obtain the items we desire to assemble a meal. 11 Best Small Towns to Visit in Central Upstate New York, https://www.theparenthoodadventures.com/waterpark-comparison-chart-kalahari-aquatopia-great-wolf-lodge/. We recently took a little trip to the Poconos and stayed one night @ Great Wolf Lodge immediately followed by a one-night stay @ Kalahari. Please email me directly at PAConnect@kalahariresorts.com. The overnight costs for both of these resorts can vary widely throughout the year. The only other complaint I have is that we came home with a number of bites. So we decided to check it out and see how things had changed. Both resorts have huge water parks that include a wave pool, lazy river, splash areas and of course water slides. Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, built in 2005, is listed as one of the five top things to do in Williamsburg by visitwilliamsburg.com. Please see our partners for more details. A general view of the Great Wolf Lodge in Fort Mackenzie. On a subsequent trip (after COVID) we also visited Camelbacks Aquatopia. I love Great Wolf Lodge, but the water park is a little more for younger kids, while Kalahari is more for the older kids. The ladies bathroom and changing area looked tike a war zone! The food was overpriced but tasty. The kids had a blast, and I think with some minor changes, this place will exceed 5 stars. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? There was a microwave and mini-fridge in the room, which came in handy. Tiffany, Im so glad you found the post helpful. Kalahari still boasts plenty of kiddie water slides, but it also has more thrilling slides for older children. It was unpleasant to see and to step on. Keep in mind theres a third indoor water park resort in the Poconos: Camelback Mountain Resort. Much more concise! Although the room was designated for up to 6 people it felt like we were on top of each other at times. In addition to the arcade, there are six amusement park rides, including the Screamn Centipede roller coaster with 360-degree rotating cart. Church work is not for the faint of heart, and by the end of the summer church has just flat taken its toll on all of us. The toddler splash park area is very big at Kalahari with a lot of water-table type attractions and activities for the little ones. It had a large walk-in area that had a sink and kitchenette. Kalahari seems to have a bit more of a selection when it comes to very large rooms. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. I asked everyone in the family if we are going back down to the Poconos and staying at one of the resorts tomorrow night where would you want to stay? Unfortunately, the kids loaded up on an assortment of dessert and we went back to the room to change back into our swimwear for a last hurrah in the water.Off the lobby there are also a sweets shop, bakery, and ice cream shop, with what appears to be a nice selection of goodies.The next morning, the kids wanted to get in a few hours at the waterpark before our 11:00 checkout. TheParenthoodAdventures.comis owned & operated byChip Williamsonwho is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that enables websites like this to earn advertising fees from Amazon.com. Inspired parents sharing the joys & adventures of the parenthood journey! There was a nice variety of the treats and each of the kids was able to find something appealing to them. Offer a family slide option which is super fun to go on as a whole family. I have read other reviews where people did not enjoy the balcony but we did. This post will focus on the Leola New York City and upstate New York are close to many amazing indoor water parks. As a native New Yorker, a bit of grit and grime doesn't scare me. Which is better for his age? The smell permeated EVERYTHING to the point of needing to open the door to air it out. I hope you have a wonderful time with your family! Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. The water park @ Aquatopia was nice. 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 went for the Italian the second night and the food was again wonderful. There are some characters for the kids but they are not really developed and seem to have just been bolted on as an after thought. It was, however, small. Hopefully you can keep returning and finding even more ways to have fun with us as the kids grow. Enjoy your family vacation at one of the great indoor water park resort choices in your area! Then to get to the lower level you have to take the stairs. Confusingly enough she was allowed to go on the small kids slides that were inside the waterpark. The water facilities were great and there was a nice assortment of water slides. 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? Great Wolf Lodge also has activities that vary with the timing of your stay. CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi at We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. We liked the artwork in the room. Both are reasonable attempts at having a meal on the healthier side. Kalaharis water park does the same, except with a jungle theme. We have been to both resorts in the past but thought it would be fun to do a back-to-back comparison. I will note as a previous reviewer did that Great Wolf Lodge had SPECTACULAR lifeguards. When you leave make sure to return the towels and swipe the wrist band again or you will be charged for the towels. Swim Up BARS - An absolutely genius idea! Sincerely, It seems, for obvious safety reasons, that a toddler area would be better located on the lowest level of the water park. It had a pretty good selection of desserts and chocolates. The room was very clean and up-to-date. The closet was pretty small, and the bathroom was almost as small (with the sink located next to the fridge); however, those were relatively minor inconveniences.We went to Great Karoo Buffet around 5-5:30 and was relieved to see that it wasn't that crowded. The setting for them seems nicer, and they seem more elaborate than the ropes course offered @ Great Wolf Lodge. We figured that we'd have a good dinner to make up for it.After another 90 minutes or so, we decided to check out the room. The hot tub situation was disappointing. Great Wolf Lodge has an especially fun indoor water park and the "under one roof" makes the stay warm and easy. For the volume of people passing through it ( to check-in, check out, shop at the shops and access the activities) it feels a little small and congested. Here's our overall review.. Many of these water parks are resorts, meaning they also comparison guide for all three of these resorts, Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet Carlisle, PA. My daughter walks with a medical device. In my mind, Kalahari works best if you have a family with kids of different ages so each can be active. Overall, my family prefers Kalahari Resort. This is probably a reflection of the fact that Kalahari is really a convention center first & foremost and the water park is just one of the many amenities they offer albeit a big one! We were on the bottom level and we had a small patio walk out area next to the ropes course. Im not sure if it something that they created or if it has its origins someplace else. Welcome to Great Wolf Lodge! However, having fewer food venue choices and adult amenities limits your stay to a very kid-centric experience. African photos, statues, pictures, all kinds of things that mentally transport you to another world. Adventure Update # 018: My Tricycle is Very Very Fast! The outdoor small kids area with slides was a nice addition to the park however my daughter who is 53" tall was not allowed to go on them. Located in America's Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, it was Great Wolf Resorts' first East Coast location. It is disappointing to hear that you did not have as great of an experience this time around compared to your first two. (Remember that Kalahari is actually a desert in southern Africa.) Kalahari vs Great wolf lodge - Wisconsin Dells Forum Why Kids Love It CamelBack (Aquatopia) has 453 rooms and there are 6 floors (above ground) to the lodge. 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. Thank you! This was because: 1) We are a family of 6 and eating out is not usually relaxing or enjoyable! He was open to questions about the place and even offered a few suggestions. It reminds me of Disneys Wilderness Lodge. 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. Camelback Lodge and Great Wolf Lodge are two of the most popular family resorts in the Poconos with indoor water parks. 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. Chip Williamson All Rights Reserved. Another Wisconsin Dells question - Great Wolf vs. Kalahari vs Kalahari vs. Great Wolf - WE HAVE A WINNER!! - Tripadvisor Speaking of the wave pool we did find the buzzer alert to notify guests of the beginning of a wave cycle to be very harsh and not conducive to the relaxing atmosphere that should be associated with a wave pool. If you have visited all three waterparks in the Poconos please let us know which one YOU liked best! Kalahari has a better reputation locally. 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. We stored our bags with the assistance of bell staff and we went downstairs to check out the facilities.We had to go through a large (and very noisy) arcade to get to the turnstiles to the waterpark. 6 Best Texas Indoor Water Parks - VacationIdea Comparison between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge water park This is probably the one area that Aquatopia beats both Great Wolf Lodge & Kalahari. We have patronized several of these places, if not all and the kids highly recommend them! The TV in the room seemed to be new and was the largest of any we saw at the three resorts. The side-lite mirror was a nice feature that we enjoyed. Great Wolf Lodge. We recently visited Camelback Mountain Resorts waterpark Aquatopia (November 24th, 2021). Overall we felt like Kalahari was much better before the expansion. Location: 1 Great Wolf Drive, Scotrun, PA. Still it was a frustrating experience that cast a pallor over our time and experience there. One of Kalahari's Kiddie Areas CLICK HERE TO VIEW VARIOUS CREDIT CARDS AND AVAILABLE SIGN-UP BONUSES, New Private Luxury Facility Coming to DFW, Virgin Atlantic Makes it Official and More, March Transfer Bonuses: Marriott, Avianca, Virgin Red, Royal Caribbean Quietly Reduces Housekeeping to Once per Day, Hyatt Announces 2023 Hotel Category Changes, Easy: Changing AAdvantage Award flight via Twitter DM. The room was not only spacious, but didn't reek like cat urine. After learning about the aspects of both of these resort, which one will your family choose? Comparison between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge water park Kalahari has the largest indoorwater park of the 3, and is the largestresortlocated in the Poconos. kalahari waterpark passesmr patel neurosurgeon cardiff 27 februari, 2023 . We have never patronized the restaurant as it does seem expensive. Thanks for your review! We really liked the 2 water falls that were present on the lazy river. LOCATION: Within the 1st floor level of Tom Foolerys Adventure Park inside B-Lux Grill & Bar. bellyrubbah1 2 yr. ago Cool. Great Wolf Lodge is known for their MagiQuest game. Crystal, This time we were on the third floor and had a balcony. I'm going to breakdown each part of the resort that we visited and give you the key points:CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi at 12 noon and were happy to hear our room was ready. Likewise the lobby is magnificent! Reservations are strongly recommended. Kalahari Resort Market Cost The overnight costs for both of these resorts can vary widely throughout the year. We were also advised that we would receive a text message when our room was ready. (If we wanted to watch tv, we could go to our room.) In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. Aquatopiais somewhere right in-between Kalahari & Great Wolf Lodge by almost every measure! It is a wonderful family vacation spot that offers a lot of adventure & nature! The Poconos and Williamsburg Virginia location both have a small indoor wave pool. Kalahari has one indoor and one outdoor area - both are huge (Kalahari's is one of the largest indoors in the US). Texas is getting another huge indoor water park, reports say - KSAT kalahari waterpark passes - tidningen.svenskkirurgi.se After reading this post - which Poconos waterpark do you THINK you are most likely to go to? You could definitely capture everything this place has to offer in 2-3 days. Snow tubing in PA requires no special skills or equipment and is appropriate for almost everyone. You can reach me at PAConnect@KalahariResorts.com. You enter Kalahari through a massive glass revolving carousel door and there is plenty of room for people to get where they are going whether it is to check-in, get food, get to the water park or any other number of destinations. Admission: Rates start at $277 a night for a standard four-person room. Has a fun magic quest as an additional . To the right of the entrance is check-in / hotel services. There isnt any story that goes along with any of the characters as far as we were able to discern. In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. Thank you for reading & for your comment / question! The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. 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. While the hallways of rooms may still be a bit long, its not as vast as Kalahari. To alert those in the wave pool of the wave rotation starting it has a wolf howl. B-Lux Bowling | Texas | Kalahari Resorts included with your stay Waterpark Admission Waterpark admission is always free when you stay with us. All three resorts are really good choices for water park fun with a family. My husband was brave enough to continue exploring as I sat out on the ground level patio. Clean, safe & staff so friendly! Staff always pleasant and friendly!FOOD - There is food available in the waterpark in addition to a steakhouse and Italian restaurant. You might prefer the chart we put together along with our conclusions. We are still having a debate on what it actually was. The wave pool was on par with that at Great Wolf Lodge. When we go to one of the three water parks in the Poconos we are usually going for water park & swimming fun so other activities are not our primary focus. The kids do enjoy the characters and overall lodge experience. Rooms are bigger and have fun themes. There was also a buffet which was closed but other little caf options for grab and go type food, a coffee bar, ice cream stand, bakery.they forgot nothing!We felt like we needed more than one night so we asked to extend our stay another night and we were given a great rate to stay in our upgraded room so we jumped on the deal. We appreciate it! I actually have a hard time believing that the square footage of the park is larger than the water park @ Great Wolf Lodge. However, each locations water parks and amenities vary. When he pulled down the Murphy's bed, dirty nastiness came down with it. Report inappropriate content msmejkal chicago This activity requires participants to roam all over the lodge to find clues and solve a quest. Apart from those issues, I appreciate the detailed comparison. Management thanks you for your suggestions and for noting how well-trained our associates are! Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? Sincerely, Both resorts in the Poconos have a water coaster. The short of it about the same as Great Wolf Lodge and FAR less than Kalahari! (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. Saturday, August 10, 2013 Great Wolf Lodge vs. Gaylord Texan By the time August rolls around our family is in desperate need of a get-away. Choosing which resort to bring your family to can be daunting as both resorts offer very similar attractions and amenities. Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. Thats theming! Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. I was wondering what your experiences have been with that. Hence our balcony seemed to be under ground and we were looking at a high retaining wall for a view. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. Lock in the lowest price from these sites. However, please be aware that Camelback / Aquatopia charges for general parking I think it is $12 if you are just coming to engage in one of the activities. See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Notehere. 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. It sounds like you were able to experience nearly every feature our resort has to offer! 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. You can use the water park at 1pm on the day of check in until close on the day you leave. Water park access was included. Tom Foolerys also has a mirror maze, escape rooms, indoor ropes course, laser tag, rock climbing wall, XD dark ride and bowling. We are happy to report that there were two night stands with our queen bed! When I called, the charge was removed & the service rep was polite enough but, apparently Aquatopia/Camelback fully expects there to be a parking fee added to every invoice! CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi atWe visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. I would like to further discuss the details of your stay. We're in the business of making memories. We also liked some of the efficiency features of the room. The hostesses and the servers were professional and pleasant. 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. Thank you very much for your comment. We do love both! Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. Coming Soon: Great Wolf Lodge in Webster! Friendly, accommodating, informative.we were very happy with the initial interaction. If you're not up and about a 4:30 a.m., though, you can still get a. Most times I find that the pictures or decorations in a motel/hotel really dont add anything to the experience. Thanks to Amanda at the front desk for helping facilitate this! Im pleased to hear that you enjoyed the various sections of the waterpark. Its a tough call. The 12 Best Indoor Water Park Resorts in the U.S. for 2021 So these mini-vacations are a perfect and necessary thing for our family. And the staff was friendly. BoardingArea - Kalahari Resort vs. Great Wolf Lodge | Facebook Check there and compare prices with their website to find the lowest prices for your stay. Get those lifeguards a little more focused and offer more options at the bars! Water park access was included. Family Fun at its best. That makes it easy for families traveling with toddlers (and their little legs!). But, if or when we do return, I look forward to spending more time in that adults-only grotto. Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Take care! Kalahari Resort vs. Great Wolf Lodge - CohaiTungChi Tech Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains packs in all the family fun under one roof. We review each of the Poconos water parks on several criteria including: If you want to cut right to the chase you can jump to the conclusion by clicking here: Conclusion, Great Wolf Lodge does a good job of branding and theming (theme ing) the lodge. Speaking of loud There is usually a dance party in the evening which we found to be extremely loud! Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July. We went to all three water parks in the Poconos (Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia) to find out which one is the BEST water park. It is the best themed lazy river out of the three water parks in the Poconos! We usually ordered and brought the food to our room. If youre looking for other vacation ideas check out our Family Travel Tips for Niagara Falls! There are currently 4 locations for the chain with the Poconos location being its largest facility. Their massive indoor water parks vary by location. I love the theming of GWL and my kids are obsessed with Magi Quest, but the adults only things at Kalahari cant be beat! Great Wolf Lodge has 18 locations, all of which offer indoor water parks with multi-story forts, 1,000-gallon soaker buckets, wave pools, lazy rivers, waterslides of varying heights and speeds, raft rides, whirlpools, kiddie pools and more. Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge Poconos Comparison - Kalahari Resort Poconos Top Flight Family 113K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K 310K views 3 years ago Are you trying to decide between. Featuring free WiFi and a seasonal outdoor pool, Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine offers accommodations in Grapevine. Water park temperatures at all three Poconos water parks is the same @ 84 degrees, year-round. It doesnt extend to the guest rooms and amenities. Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. Great Wolf Resorts told KPRC in a statement, Were always looking for opportunities to introduce the Great Wolf Lodge resort experience to new audiences, and we are excited about the prospect of bringing one of our family-friendly indoor water park resorts to southeastern Texas.. The floors were full of paper, tissues, dirty towels, used dippers, used shampoo packets etc and there was no attendant in sight. 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. 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. Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. Its Manageable Size Is Perfect for Younger Kids The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark It's true: Kalahari is the biggest indoor water park in the country and Camelback has almost 50,000 square feet on Kartrite. Hi, Pamela! It is really the other aspects of the resorts and accommodations that will determine which resort is the better choice for your family! There are a number of other activities available at the lodge. Hi there, I appreciate you taking the time to write a review of your most recent stay. The building must be completed within three years. Offers more free activities in the main lobby. It may come down to a simple question: How old are the children in your party? We are a family of 6 with four kids ranging in ages from 5 12 years old. The top 10 winners in the category Best Indoor Water Park are as follows: Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark - Tannersville, Pennsylvania. Part of the joy of Great Wolf Lodge is its size. Both resorts also have bunk bed suites with small alcoves just for the kids. We stayed in the Desert room which was sufficient in size for 2 adults and 2 small kids. We did not rent any of the cabanas that were located throughout. 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. Activities could include yoga, character appearances, crafts, a nightly Forest Friends show, story time, and a dance party. 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. The development is expected to break ground during the first quarter of 2022 and construction of the facility will begin no later than April 2025, according to KPRC. Yes, there were some healthy options just not a very good variety. Also, the post was never updated to include information about Aquatopia. The Ultimate Guide to Great Wolf Lodge Locations in the US Embarrassing that I never realized it was the same picture! Annapolis Area Doulas | Kalahari Resorts vs. Great Wolf Lodge Our suite @ Kalahari was HUGE! We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July.Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. @Kelly We ate dinner off-site so I cant really compare the food fairly. It is always wonderful to receive complements on our dcor as we want our guests to have as authentic an experience as possible.