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Several people expressed an interest in reading my thoughts about the Great Wolf Lodge in Williambsurg, VA. I've never claimed to be a great travel writer or reviewer, but I'll give this my best shot and hope for the best.
First, the good news: This is an awesome family vacation spot. There are lots of things for everyone to do. Most obvious is the waterpark. by my count there are four pools (one of which is a wave pool), six waterslides, two hot tubs and a four story tall Water fort, all enclosed in a 6 story tall building. It was cold the day we visited (in fact it snowed heavily for a brief period), but the temperature inside the water park was a very humid 84F, so we were quite comfortable in just our swimwear all day. The wavepool was smaller than some I've seen in outdoor parks, and produced maybe 2 foot waves, but this was perfect for the kids to play in. The waterslides ranged from two very tame slides that run off of the water fort to much taller/longer slides/tubes that loop outside and back (these were fully enclosed when outside the building, so the cold weather still wasn't a factor). The granddaddy of the slides was their newly completed Howlin' Tornado which is similar to the Tornado at Six Flags America, except that this one was not exposed to the outside at all. The waterfort, located in the center of the complex, provides plenty of opportunities for the kids to run, climb and explore, and has numerous valves and nozzles that allow them to try and spray each other (or unsuspecting bystanders). On top of the fort is a LARGE bucket that fills with water, and periodically tips over, deluging the crowds below with thousands of gallons of water.
There are lots of tables and chairs spread out around the waterpark area, so that parents can sit and relax while the kids play. The waterpark enclosure is small enough that we felt comfortable just allowing our daughters (ages 6 and 8) to freely roam the complex, which they happily did for more than six uninterrupted hours. There isn't even any reason to leave the waterpark for food, since there's a snack bar serving a variety of fast food right inside the park.
However, the waterpark isn't the only thing available. The kids will also enjoy the arcade, which includes games of chance and skill, awarding tickets which the players can collect to exchange for prizes. Think of Chuck-E-Cheese, but with a cooler, black-light illuminated decor. The Cub Club offers arts and crafts activities for the kids, if you can drag them away from the water and the arcade. Some of these are free, others have a nominal fee to cover the costs of materials. A schedule of activities is posted each morning, so you can plan ahead.
For the adults, there is a full fitness center and a spa salon, as well as several restaurants. Surprisingly, we found the prices for the thing we looked at (the gift shop, Camp Critter Bar & Grille) weren't as overly inflated as we would've expected for a place like this. For example, breakfast at Camp Critter was a monster of a buffet, all you could eat, for $10.95 per adult, $5.95 for kids. We ate breakfast late (and big), which allowed the kids to play straight through until dinner time.
The lodge offers rooms in a variety of sizes and layouts. We stayed in a "Family Suite," which included two queen sized beds, and a sitting area separated by a low wall. The seating area had a sofa bed, so the room could comfortably sleep six. The room also included a refrigerator and a microwave, and free wireless internet was also included. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, though we did little more than sleep there. Perhaps the room would be more important for those staying more than one night.
So, what wasn't so good? Well, the price is a bit steep. The price varies based on when you stay and what type of room/package you book. Our package came in just over $200 and included one winter midweek night accommodation (in a "Family Suite"), t-shirts for the kids and 20 tokens for the arcade, and came in at just over $200. Considering that other hotels in the Williamsburg area were charging $50-$150 a night for the same night, this is clearly on the high end of the market. But that includes access to the waterpark until closing (10pm) on the day of your check-out (you need to check out of the room by 11am, but don't have to leave the resort). When you compare the price to admission to someplace like Water Country USA (which is closed this time of year), it doesn't seem quite so expensive.
The other problem I had was the noise levels in the waterpark. The enclosing structure is basically a steel-frame warehouse, which echos with the sounds inside it. The constant movement of the water, combined with the voices of all the people inside the park creates a low roar, and I found myself constantly shouting to be heard above the ambient noise levels. By the end of the day, the noise was definitely contributing to a headache.
While the kids thoroughly enjoyed the waterpark, I personally found it to be a bit small to sustain my interest for very long. Thankfully, I had brought a book along, and was able to sit an read while the girls ran and played. There is evidence that their ongoing construction (which will add an additional 100 rooms) will be expanding the waterpark, so the variety of water activities may soon improve.
Overall, I have to give them high points as a family oriented destination. While the initial costs did present a bit of sticker shock, when I considered the cost of a traditional water park, I realized that their prices really aren't that high, and the additional costs once you're there are relatively reasonable. The kids will have a great time, and there are things for the adults to do as well. Of course, the Williamsburg area offers plenty of other options for activities, so I'm not sure you would want to spend your entire vacation here, but a day or two is sure to make the kids happy.
First, the good news: This is an awesome family vacation spot. There are lots of things for everyone to do. Most obvious is the waterpark. by my count there are four pools (one of which is a wave pool), six waterslides, two hot tubs and a four story tall Water fort, all enclosed in a 6 story tall building. It was cold the day we visited (in fact it snowed heavily for a brief period), but the temperature inside the water park was a very humid 84F, so we were quite comfortable in just our swimwear all day. The wavepool was smaller than some I've seen in outdoor parks, and produced maybe 2 foot waves, but this was perfect for the kids to play in. The waterslides ranged from two very tame slides that run off of the water fort to much taller/longer slides/tubes that loop outside and back (these were fully enclosed when outside the building, so the cold weather still wasn't a factor). The granddaddy of the slides was their newly completed Howlin' Tornado which is similar to the Tornado at Six Flags America, except that this one was not exposed to the outside at all. The waterfort, located in the center of the complex, provides plenty of opportunities for the kids to run, climb and explore, and has numerous valves and nozzles that allow them to try and spray each other (or unsuspecting bystanders). On top of the fort is a LARGE bucket that fills with water, and periodically tips over, deluging the crowds below with thousands of gallons of water.
There are lots of tables and chairs spread out around the waterpark area, so that parents can sit and relax while the kids play. The waterpark enclosure is small enough that we felt comfortable just allowing our daughters (ages 6 and 8) to freely roam the complex, which they happily did for more than six uninterrupted hours. There isn't even any reason to leave the waterpark for food, since there's a snack bar serving a variety of fast food right inside the park.
However, the waterpark isn't the only thing available. The kids will also enjoy the arcade, which includes games of chance and skill, awarding tickets which the players can collect to exchange for prizes. Think of Chuck-E-Cheese, but with a cooler, black-light illuminated decor. The Cub Club offers arts and crafts activities for the kids, if you can drag them away from the water and the arcade. Some of these are free, others have a nominal fee to cover the costs of materials. A schedule of activities is posted each morning, so you can plan ahead.
For the adults, there is a full fitness center and a spa salon, as well as several restaurants. Surprisingly, we found the prices for the thing we looked at (the gift shop, Camp Critter Bar & Grille) weren't as overly inflated as we would've expected for a place like this. For example, breakfast at Camp Critter was a monster of a buffet, all you could eat, for $10.95 per adult, $5.95 for kids. We ate breakfast late (and big), which allowed the kids to play straight through until dinner time.
The lodge offers rooms in a variety of sizes and layouts. We stayed in a "Family Suite," which included two queen sized beds, and a sitting area separated by a low wall. The seating area had a sofa bed, so the room could comfortably sleep six. The room also included a refrigerator and a microwave, and free wireless internet was also included. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, though we did little more than sleep there. Perhaps the room would be more important for those staying more than one night.
So, what wasn't so good? Well, the price is a bit steep. The price varies based on when you stay and what type of room/package you book. Our package came in just over $200 and included one winter midweek night accommodation (in a "Family Suite"), t-shirts for the kids and 20 tokens for the arcade, and came in at just over $200. Considering that other hotels in the Williamsburg area were charging $50-$150 a night for the same night, this is clearly on the high end of the market. But that includes access to the waterpark until closing (10pm) on the day of your check-out (you need to check out of the room by 11am, but don't have to leave the resort). When you compare the price to admission to someplace like Water Country USA (which is closed this time of year), it doesn't seem quite so expensive.
The other problem I had was the noise levels in the waterpark. The enclosing structure is basically a steel-frame warehouse, which echos with the sounds inside it. The constant movement of the water, combined with the voices of all the people inside the park creates a low roar, and I found myself constantly shouting to be heard above the ambient noise levels. By the end of the day, the noise was definitely contributing to a headache.
While the kids thoroughly enjoyed the waterpark, I personally found it to be a bit small to sustain my interest for very long. Thankfully, I had brought a book along, and was able to sit an read while the girls ran and played. There is evidence that their ongoing construction (which will add an additional 100 rooms) will be expanding the waterpark, so the variety of water activities may soon improve.
Overall, I have to give them high points as a family oriented destination. While the initial costs did present a bit of sticker shock, when I considered the cost of a traditional water park, I realized that their prices really aren't that high, and the additional costs once you're there are relatively reasonable. The kids will have a great time, and there are things for the adults to do as well. Of course, the Williamsburg area offers plenty of other options for activities, so I'm not sure you would want to spend your entire vacation here, but a day or two is sure to make the kids happy.
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