Winning Strategies

Staycation at Great Wolf Lodge

I checked into the Great Wolf Lodge with the family and 3 extra teenage boys (am I crazy?) today to spend a little of the holiday weekend at this enormous indoor water park located in Grapevine Texas. Even at 13, my son still enjoys hanging out here with his buddies, so they get high points for appealing to kids ages 2-70 (smile). This is our third trip to the park. Caleb was only 8 the first time we came. He loved it then also.

The timeless appeal is in the varied activities, locations to sit, and varied food choices. It is filled with people and full of voices and activity. Our check in time was fast, we only waited about 5 minutes. The boys immediately split for the water slides and wave pool. They are so active at this age. Wish I had that much energy.

More to come

A night with 7 boys

It was a night to remember.  We celebrated Caleb's 11th birthday at Great Wolf Lodge with 6 of his closest friends.  We stayed in a loft room with three double beds and a couch that made into a double bed.  It is interesting to leave behind 36 degree weather and step onto a beach with a wave pool surrounded by a sea of water slides.  It seems surreal.  It is 86 degrees and steamy inside the all indoor water park.

Children everywhere are laughing and screaming with delight. Some of the enclosed slides actually work their way otu of the building and loop around only to make their way back inside the warmth of the man created environment.  The lazy river is a sea of innertubes with children dangling, floating aimlessly down the river and around the bend.  A giant bucket atop the park is filling with water.  Every so often it tips and dumps buckets of water on the happy children standing underneath the giant bucket.

It is like we are tiny little Alice's walking through Wonderland.  We know it is winter and the weather outside is frightful, but here in the warmth of the waterpark is a fun water world.  We are surrounded by a surreal wet wonderland.

I can't imagine how we will top this one next year- - - laugh- what will we do when he turns 12? 

Great Wolf Lodge Part 3

The sun is warm and relaxing. The outside area is packed with sun worshippers. Caleb has spent 2-3 hours of additional 'magi game play'. I think he is on the Adventures now instead of the Quests. He still hasn't slayed the dragon- and no- I don't have a clue what he is talking about- laugh. We had grilled chicken sandwiches from the outdoor 'Spirit Island Snack Shop'. I ordered a fresh fruit plate and a G2 that was delicious. Airplanes pass overhead, passerbyers traveling to a far distant city. I am relaxed. I am writing. My blakberry is breaking and it has made remote blogging very difficult. Some keys on the keypad no longer work. -------------------------- Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Device

Great Wolf Lodge Continued

We changed into our suits and headed for the inside water park. It is a good size water park with a lazy river, and multiple water slides. There is a giant bucket that fills with water and dumps out every so often causing a giant temporary waterfall.

The activity for the kids inludes an arcade, a teen center complete with computers and music, and a game called Magi Quest. Kids buy a magic wand with some sort of sensor inside it. They watch a training video with instrutions on the 'Quest'. It is somewhat of a modern day treasure hunt. They run up and down the stairs 'wanding' the identified objects. The hallways contain 'treasure' chests and even some pictures on the wall are wand-able. The items speak to the magi with cute little phrases like "you have already ompleted this quest, continue your search". Bring your wallet (so to speak)- the wand base, the wand 'topper', and the actual game came to 42.00. It did take him approximately four hours to play and COMPLETELY wore him out- so that was good.

The outdoor pool area is beautiful. There are very few lounge chairs, mostly just sitting chairs. Heck- with 3 kids, I was one of the moms on the searh for a lying down lounge chair. The only ones to be found were the saved ones. There is a spa with massages and beauty treatments, and even a spa for kids called scoops. The workout room is filled with stairmasters and weight equipment. We found the food quality in the buffet restaurants very good. Dinner was 20 for adults and 10 for kids- with special drinks and tax it came to about 75.00. Breakfast was about 13.95 for adults and 10 for kids. More to come.

Great Wolf Lodge- the adventure begins

It is quite possible that I am insane. I did book a trip to a lodge on a holiday weekend- laugh. We begin our adventure around 2PM. There are about six registration clerks and more people in the lobby than one can count. The adventure doesn't officially start until you are checked in- and they certainly haven't learned everything about swiftness from the Four Seasons or Six Flags. I loaded the kids up with cash for the arcade and settled into the 'comfort' of the long winding line. About 45 minutes later I reach the front of the line and check in. I had selected a Kid Cabin room. Each of us receive a bracelet with a computer microchip (at least the adult bracelets have the microchip). The bracelet opens the room, opens and closes the lockers, and allows you to pay for your food. It is kind of RF to the 3rd degree and works as a proximity device. -------------------------- Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Device