Need Advice Great Wolf Lodge

Has anyone been to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg? We were thinking about going there for a 3-day weekend. It appears to be rather expensive.

1. Discounts - Has anyone seen any ads or coupons for Great Wolf Lodge? The rack rates sound pretty expensive. I will be happy to buy a coupon from you.

2. Activities - What activities would you recommend, other than the water park? The website mentions a Race Zone, MagiQuest, etc.

 

We did just the waterpark and it was plenty - the other stuff didn't look worth the extra money to me (but I'm pretty cheap about that stuff!)
If we return it will be for just one night - you can enter the park at 1pm the day your arrive, and stay till 9pm the day you leave - that is a lot of time at the park, and we were ready to leave the 3rd day. Go early and late to the waterpark when the lines aren't as long.

Also - I actually got a better rate when I called than what I could find online.

Have a great time!

 

We've done 1 night and 2 night stays. We preferred the 2 night stay. This allowed plenty of time for everything. Last time we stayed, we were planning on going to Busch Gardens the day we were coming home and the kids asked to stay at the water park instead.

Our kids do the Magi-Quest. It is a lot of fun. There are a lot of kids doing it, so it's hard to keep your kids from doing it. The wands can be brought back on subsequent trips and just reloaded with additional time (for an additional cost of course). Our youngest doens't do the actual quests yet, he just likes using the magic wand. Our oldest does the quests and has lots of fun doing them.

We haven't done the other activities, so no opinion on those.

Don't eat at the buffet restaurant. The food was inedible. There is a restaurant near the entrance to the hotel, that is pretty good. The food is much better and cost is much better. The Pizza Hut express wasn't bad, just slow.

Definately recommend the hotel/waterpark. The kids always want to go back.

 

We did two nights, which was plenty. Our kids did the MagiQuest. I had fun with that too. It's kind of like a scavenger hunt with riddles to solve. Keeps the kids active when they're tired of the water park.

We didn't eat any meals at GWL. I had heard they were overpriced and not very good. We went out to Pierce's BBQ for dinner and IHOP for breakfast. Both are very close to the hotel.

GWL often has "specials" running but it's still expensive. You could probably Google it and find what's current.

 

We also did two nights and that was more than enough for our 2 little (5 and 3) kids. They were tired and happy every night. Magic quest wasn't something we needed to do because they are so young. It was fun but expensive and we got a 10% coupon after signing up at the website. There is a coupon in the Entertainment book for B1G1 free lunch at the restaurant but it was still probably $40 for chicken nuggets for the kids and burgers for the adults.

When I was researching I found this blog that goes into great detail about GWL. It also has some good pictures of the place so you might want to take a look. The writer is here in Ashburn (possibly Broadlands?) and has some interesting insights into our area. http://blunoz.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-wolf-lodge-williamsburg.html HTH

 

We planned a two night stay, but came home after one night last September. We didn't feel there was enough to do for our younger children. That being said, our 9 year old LOVED MagiQuest and still talks about it. May go back when everyone is 5+.

 

We go every year to Williamsburg GWL. We also stay for 3 nights and go to Williamsburg to tool around too. My boys are now 8, 6 1/2, and 5 and this will be our 4th year in a row. There are a lot of activities for the kids to do, but they do get pricey. The MagiQuest, to me, is pointless, but the kids love it. This year will be the first time we do it for the boys. Those damn wands are expensive! The hallmark of the place is the waterpark and that's really all the boys cared about - when are we going swimming? can we go back to the pool?

Skip the restaurants in the lodge. They all suck. Someone said the Pizza Hut wasn't bad and that's true. All the others are expensive and not worth it.

If you're a first timer, go for 1 or 2 nights. The room rate includes 4 passes I believe, but you have to elect how many adults/kids will be in the room when you make the reservation and the price adjusted accordingly. They do have showers and lockers if you want to stay the remainder of the day after you check out of your room. They're pretty packed though if you check out on a Sunday. Definitely check out the story time (see Mr. Linux's post). Most nights they do have a free crafty type activity, or it's a nominal charge.

We've stayed in the Kids Kabin suite as well as the Loft suite (there are 7 total in our family so we need the bigger rooms). The boys loved the Kabin suite because there are bunkbeds and their own tv in the little room enclosed within the hotel room.

GWL frequently sends out coupons via email. Sign up to get their offers. They're pretty strict regarding discounts and things like that. You can't negotiate a room rate if you call them directly. If you see a low price online and try to book it and it's gone, they won't give it to you if you call and ask about it.

If you're able to, go on their off-days (Sun-Thurs). It's less crowded, less expensive, and more enjoyable. We go Thurs-Sun or Fri-Mon. Now that the boys are in school, we lean more to going Thurs-Sun. We've gone when it's a holiday weekend (President's Day last year) and it wasn't all that bad.

 

and if you have time---right down the road is Pierce's BBQ...and it's a little piece of heaven right there in williamsburg!!!

 

that is the BEST place down there. I look forward to that every trip!!!!!!!

 

Blunoz here - many thanks to eduk8m for the honorable mention of my blog, and yes, I'm also here in Broadlands.

I second the motion on the BBQ place just down the street. Our friends who met us at GWL took us there and we really enjoyed it. There's also IHOP just around the corner. The restaurant in the GWL lobby isn't bad if you just stick to the buffet. Most of the kids we saw there were wearing their pajamas and went straight from dinner in the restaurant out to the story time in front of the big fireplace.

 

Not only is pierce's right down the road--but if you head out the other way, there's a SONIC!!!! that's what we're missing around here....My parents have lived down there almost 10 years and we finally got to eat at that Sonic over Christmas.....it's THAT good.

 

When the kids nap I go for a spa visit. They have a really great one. When the kids are up we can stop in to the kids craft club. There are many free activities and more pay more ones, like design a T shirt, ceramic painting, etc.

When we leave we always stop in the spa one more time for an ice cream pedi for the girls. They get a pedi with marshmallow mask, caramel soak, etc. then get a coupon for a sundae on the way out.

Check out Great Wolf Williamsburg Spa for more.

 

I'm glad this thread started because you all at least have me a bit more open minded about GWL. We'd considered it a few times but it is just so expensive. A weekend there is the same price as most 7 day cruise tickets. Is is really worth it? You all are saying great things, but last year when I looked on Trip Advisor reviews were middling at best with lots of complaints about the crowds, cleanliness, etc. Now, I'll check into it again. I'm sure T8ertot would love it.

 

Hmmmmm. I don't know. Just went to TA and reviews are all over the place. When I use TA I try to throw out the best, throw out the worst, and focus on the midde. The bad reviews here are pretty venomous.


http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...e-Williamsburg_Virginia.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT

 

we tend NOT to go to places like this when the price is the lowest. that's when it's most crowded, and in places where season matters, some amenities are closed, and services aren't as up to par. i have no problem paying more for a better experience...

 

We went the Wed, Thurs, and Fri after Thanksgiving and the place was a ghost town. Seriously, there were about 20 people in the pool and no one in the restaurant. The pizza hut wasn't open and neither was the gift shop inside the pool area. I think it would have been better if my children were older than 3 and 5 and they were good swimmers. I could see us going back when the kids are 8 and 10. The nightly rate was $190 for the 4 of us. It isn't Disney but it is a good safe place for some water fun when the weather is cold and you want to get away.

 

We had a great time at GWL in Jan 2009! We got a discount on the room - they're always running promotions. We came down early the first day, enjoyed the park, spent the night and then spent the whole next day at the park too - all for the price of one night's lodging. We went to story time and had so much fun in the water. Did the arcade and the sweet shop. We didn't want to leave the premises! Our family of four ate dinner twice at the lodge and I think we are the only ones who have eaten at the lodge and really enjoyed it. We got some kind of discount from the waitress so it was really cheap, lots of food and it was good. I wouldn't let my kids do the wand because there was no time for that. I left hubby in the park with the kids and went and got a wonderful massage at the spa. We just had a great time.