Saturday, September 23, 2017

Ten Tips if You're Planning a Trip to Great Wolf Lodge!


1.  There are so many promo codes out there, don't ever pay full price! We used a code for 40% off sixty days in advance and paid  $417 for two nights! I think the deposit was non-refundable but even the check-in guy said, "How'd you get that price? Some people pay that for one night!" After your initial stay, you will receive offers via email to come back at even more discounted prices. Depending on the season, they may have extra activities. We went in Fall, Howloween time! Tip: Do some research for offers before you book your stay.

2. Let's face it, eating out on vacation can really put a dent in your wallet. A donut from Dunkin' donuts, which is there on site, is more than a dollar.  We got a half-dozen from a place up the street for less than $5. McDonald's is right across the street too. That was our breakfast place. Lee's Sandwiches is also next door in the strip mall. Banh mi for days at $3-4 dollars a sandwich. You can't beat a freshly baked hot baguette for a buck and some butter chips!  We went there twice! I heard someone say that Garden Grove is the mecca for Vietnamese food. We had pho at Saigon 9, in the same strip mall. We enjoyed huge bowls of savory soup for less than $7 per bowl.  I also saw a mercado there in the mall as well, but didn't go in.  I paid $12 for 3 street-sized shrimp tacos and fries at Great Wolf Lodge. I'm sure that's a whole meal with rice and beans in that store. They do have a sit-down restaurant and a buffet, but we didn't eat there. Tip: If you are on a budget or want other food than the usual amusement park food, go out of Great Wolf Lodge to eat!

3.  The Nickel Nickel Arcade next door was so fun! Just a hop, skip, and jump from the wolf lodge!  $2 admission price per person but a yelp check in gets you a dollar off. Group of six or more gets you in for  $1.25. Then you buy bags of nickels from $3 to $10. They have a good range of games from Free to six nickels! I played my childhood games, Frogger and Centipede for free! Open until 11 pm. Tip: For a change of pace, get your arcade game on at Nickel Nickel! 


4.  Great Wolf Lodge also has a convention center upstairs.  Ralphs sponsored their floral holiday training there. They had the whole second floor and then booked the buffet to feed the employees.  Tip: Great Wolf is not just a water park and hotel, host your next company event there!
5. They were so considerate!  There is a little welcome basket with candy, coffee, and I forgot what else in the room.  Even some deep conditioner for pool hair! Nice touch Great Wolf! Tip: I don't really have one, but isn't this nice?

6. It's like a sauna in the water park and the chlorine hits you in the eyes and nose! Just be prepared. The slides are long and topsy turvy too! I enjoyed the non-slide areas much better as I had a headache after each session of being in there. Tip: Bring some pain reliever meds and hydrate often!



7. They have a fridge and microwave in each room.  This was great for keeping drinks cold and heating up popcorn or leftovers from meals! They do check your bag when you enter the water park. I wasn't sure if they allow non-park food because they asked me about some candy I had. I just told them I needed it to keep my sugar level in check. Tip: Bring some disposable paper goods if you want to bring food from outside or home but you probably need to eat in the room or in the common areas.

8. They have packages which include Disneyland tickets! I think that's really smart of them.  Don't have the budget for Disneyland tickets? Tip:  Downtown Disney is not too far if you need a Disney fix and it's free! Well parking you may need to pay for.  Go watch the fireworks in the area outside the entrance! It is still spectacular!
Photo from Disneytouristblog.com
9.  The parking gate makes you tap in and out with the bracelet. We went out of the structure quite often, to go to the store or eat. We even explored Huntington Beach on one of our days there! Tip: Wear the bracelet on the left wrist if you're the driver.  This just makes it so much easier when you are coming and going.

10.  Although check out time is at 11 am, you can still enjoy the water park and kid activities until closing on the day you check out, typically 8 pm. Tip: Pack a day bag with extra clothes and shower supplies (towels are provided) to maximize your stay!

Hope these tips helped! Have one I didn't share? Please comment below!
High Paw for a Howling Good Time at Great Wolf Lodge! AAAWOOOOOOO!

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