I would not do the day pass.

The reason that Great Wolf Lodge is a fun vacation for the kids is obvious. The reason why Great Wolf Lodge is a fun vacation for the parents is that it's EASY. The room is right there, the restaurant is right there, the pool is right there, the bathroom is right there, the store is right there, the dance party is right there. No packing things up, shlepping, loading kids in a car, dealing with cranky drippy kids.

The hotel and food are solid. The convenience is TREMENDOUS.

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I've priced out a daypass, it was more expensive than the hotel room for the night.

+1

I didn't want to stay either but it doesn't make sense to buy day passes. You might as well just get the room.

The only thing that sounds worse to me than staying at great wolf lodge is going to great wolf lodge but staying somewhere else.

Stay there.

Whenever I've priced out a daypass, it was more expensive than the hotel room for the night.

We have gone 6 times over the years. We never eat the food except dunkin for breakfast. Only stay one night each time. Can access the waterpark the day of checkin in the morning. The next day, eat breakfast in room, go the waterpark when it opens at 9 or 10. The large crowds build up around 12-3pm.

The room is only $100-130 and we have 2 days access to waterpark for 5. A day pass is $50-75 per person

First time just stayed there. Second time , stayed the first night but ate dinner off site. Next day, stayed until dinner and then checked into a local hotel to avoid the high cost the second night. But this allowed for a full day on day two.

I vote stay at the hotel - one night only. We arrive after lunch on day 1, and water park until it’s time for dinner. Then go offsite for dinner and either watch a movie in the room or hit up the water park again if anyone has the energy. Then eat the breakfast we brought in the morning in our room (there is a fridge) before hitting the water park again until we are ready for lunch at which point we head home and stop on the way back. The food is pretty bad but the actual hotel is kinda fun.

Anonymous wrote:It’s always been horribly loud when we’ve gone. The rooms are nice but I barely get sleep. I told my kids we will stay off site next time. It is so loud with families running in halls and yelling and the noise goes surprisingly late too.

Our room was super quiet. We stayed on the top floor, and near the back, away from the magic wand quest attractions.

We stayed at the hotel (Sandusky).

It was ok. The restaurant was overpriced.

Our kids played the wand game but it was kind of broken so my younger got very upset.

I think the onsite hotel is skippable.

One long day of water fun is enough.

It’s very nice to be able to go to your room throughout the day.

We love the rooms actually. I have 3 kids and they like the bunk bed clubhouse for 3. We wish all hotel rooms had that.

It’s always been horribly loud when we’ve gone. The rooms are nice but I barely get sleep. I told my kids we will stay off site next time. It is so loud with families running in halls and yelling and the noise goes surprisingly late too.

I’d stay there. The food isn’t great but it’s fun and the rooms are fine.

If you stay there, it is very convenient to be able to go up to your room and shower and change.

On a busy day, it's sometimes nice to use the park when it opens and is quiet, and then go do other things during the busy time and then, if you want, you can use the park again before closing when it's quiet again.

Also, they have that magic wand game at the hotel. That might be something he enjoys.

My 9 year old would really love to do a big indoor waterpark over spring break, so we are considering great wolf lodge. I've read mixed reviews about the hotel/food. Would it be worthwhile to stay at a nearby hotel/airbnb and get a day pass, or is the hotel an integral part of the experience/better for convenience?