I was surprised at how downscale Great Wolf Lodge was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad you weren't bothered by poor people on your vacation.

Is GWL part of a time share deal these days? Maybe that's the draw for SES folks. It's the ideal vacay for them. A 3 hour sales pitch for 2 days "free" at a water park for the whole family. For some, that tradeoff is fine by them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I guess it just seems like they aren't even trying. For instance, there are tons of people staying in the hotel, a captive audience, why isn't the restaurant at least decent? It was mostly empty the whole time we were there. Seems to me if they could make the restaurant appealing, then it might be a money maker for them.

I also noticed a lot of the guests that showed up on Thursday night looked to be lower SES. Not a problem for me, but it got me wondering. Is GWL the destination vacation for folks who can't afford to fly somewhere warm on the winter?

It's okay. Take a deep breath. I know how disappointed you must be that Mitt is not running.

What? OP here, why would you think I'm a republican based on what I wrote? Voted for Obama twice if you must know. And the income status of the other guests didn't have anything to do with our enjoyment of the place, it was just something I observed. I'm not allowed to be curious about it?

I think the attitude that you were slumming it rubs people the wrong way, OP. Understandably so.

Thank you PP for capturing exactly what I was trying to say. I couldn't get the words to come out because my head was still hurting from smacking my forehead after reading OP's response.

OP here. I re-read what I wrote several times and if it sounds like I thought I was slumming it, well, I guess that's true. Because GWL is shitty! I wish we'd read reviews before going. We still might've gone but my expectations would've been lower and I wouldn't have felt surprised at how underwhelming the accommodations were. As far as sounding snobby about hanging out with lower income folks, I suppose that's fair, but I'm a little surprised at the head smacking. For the record, if we don't ever return to GWL it will be because of the lodge itself, not because of the other guests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:This is like taking your kids to Chuck e Cheese and complaining about the quality of food. It's a waterpark for KIDS! What did you expect?

We go every year for a long weekend, because the kids love the place. And we are not low SES and take plenty of other vacations too. How were you able to tell that those people were low SES anyway?

Actually the food at CEC is pretty good.

Thought about going to GWL. Read the online reviews. Didn't go, because the rooms sounded horrible. If I'm paying to sleep somewhere, I want to be comfortable and not worry about coming home with bedbugs.

Isn't it sad when we've come to the point that we expect anything "for kids" (food, entertainment places, etc) to be downscale and cheap?

B/c kids are fine with downscale and cheap. So why should a business offer high end goods when cheap works just as well. Chicken nuggest verse filet mignon.

Because some parents actually prefer that their kids have quality over quantity?

[Anonymous]

I was semi-surprised too - more in the sense that at peak season it cost $400 or $500 a night and was not that nice. I expected that it would be kid-centered, but with a more comfortable guest experience - better food options, better towels, stuff like that. I think there is room in the market for a nicer indoor waterpark, winter family destination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're no better than them. You're in the same resort, and judging them! How upper white trash of you!

This thread was worth a visit just for introducing the phrase "upper white trash" to my personal lexicon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Actually the food at CEC is pretty good.

Wow. You should try Appleby's, it will blow your fucking mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Isn't it sad when we've come to the point that we expect anything "for kids" (food, entertainment places, etc) to be downscale and cheap?

The point is that knowing the CEC brand you wouldn't go there expecting a first class meal. It baffles me that anyone would go to GWL expecting an upscale experience. If you bothered to look at website, read reviews or talk to people, you would have known the target audience and what to expect.

I've heard the same complaint from other people before, and typically it's the people who don't seem to really enjoy doing kiddie stuff with their children in general.

[Anonymous]

I'm grossed out by the germs. Do people get sick there?

[Anonymous]

It's one giant Petri dish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Actually the food at CEC is pretty good.

Wow. You should try Appleby's, it will blow your fucking mind.

I haven't been to Appleby's in a while, but from what I recall, the food was fine. I stand by what I said, the pizza at Chuck E Cheese is quite tasty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least at Disney, they know that they attracting some people with money and they have upscale options available. I'm a former Disney hater who stayed at Animal Lodge last year and was shocked that the food and accommodations were very nice. Food, in fact, was excellent.

No way would I set foot in a GWL, even for my kids. I'm trying to teach them to appreciate a better caliber of entertainment, as well.

I agree, but do you really consider Disney "a better caliber of entertainment"??? We went once and will never be going back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sounds kind of weird, but we hardly got any sleep the last time we were there b/c the sheets were so NOISY! I don't know if they are really rough or rigid or what, but everytime someone moved, it was super noisy. The kids were even in the "cabin" and it was noisy. It was the scratching sound of the sheets. Hard to believe we paid for such little sleep, but live and learn. I didn't have any issue with the other guests... just the lack of sleep.

I have never been kept awake by rustling sheets in a hotel. Usually, it is the other guests who are running/shouting in the halls or those insufferable heating/AC units that are so loud.

Best hotel I ever stayed in for sleeping purposes was a Sheraton in Syracuse. I remember it fondly.

You'll be envious to know that some students (soph, junior) stay there during the semester. Room service & Pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was semi-surprised too - more in the sense that at peak season it cost $400 or $500 a night and was not that nice. I expected that it would be kid-centered, but with a more comfortable guest experience - better food options, better towels, stuff like that. I think there is room in the market for a nicer indoor waterpark, winter family destination.

Why GWL over Massnutten?

http://www.massresort.com/v.php?pg=4

[Anonymous]

GWL should get its act together and upgrade the food and sheets...they already have a reputation for indifferent service and bedbugs, the first whiff of Legionnaire's Disease and they will go out of business. They should be very worried about customer loyalty.

[Anonymous]

No comment on OP's read on it except I am relieved to hear it is crappy because we can't afford to stay there. Kingsmill is good enough for us.