kalahari vs great wolf lodge texas

That is with just 2 adults and 4 kids. The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 - and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. The room was not only spacious, but didn't reek like cat urine. Sitemap, Revealed: The US Airports & Airlines With The Most Frequent Flight Delays, The Ultimate Guide to Kalahari Resort Locations in the US, The Ultimate Guide to Six Flags Locations in the US, Palm Springs Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting With Kids, Seattle Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, Las Vegas Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, Florida Keys Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, Myrtle Beach Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, The Bahamas Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids. The size of the indoor water park is roughly 125,000 square-foot, which makes it slightly larger than the Great Wolf Lodge water park @ roughly 79,000 square-foot, but decidedly smaller than Kalaharis indoor water park which is roughly 220,000 square-foot. Life-size animal statues adorn the outside. The room @ Aquatopia that we had was a double queen suite, a pull-out sofa and a balcony. Thats an AMAZING 425,000 square feet of indoor water parks in a very small geographical area!! This 80,000-square-foot facility is perfect for families, although the water park portion is only open to hotel guests. There are currently 4 locations for the chain with the Poconos location being its largest facility. My son went to the prime rib carving station several times but the chef continued to serve him meat with chunks of fat on it - so he gave up. Especially around the holidays, it has a warm and fuzzy fireplace vibe. This was because: 1) We are a family of 6 and eating out is not usually relaxing or enjoyable! Try getting on the email lists of both of these resorts to learn about the discounts they offer throughout the year. Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. Swim Up BARS - An absolutely genius idea! Location: 3001 Kalahari Blvd. African photos, statues, pictures, all kinds of things that mentally transport you to another world. It was HORRIBLE! The advent of Great Wolf Lodge represents one of the most monumental The advent of Great Wolf Lodge represents one of the most monumental accomplishments in the Citys history, Webster city officials said. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. I hope you have a wonderful time with your family! If I was ever to get a weekend alone with my wife we would go to Kalahari since there are more amenities and it is not so kid-centric. Whereas, the roofline @ Great Wolf Lodge is blocky. And with new locations in Arizona and Illinois, Great Wolf Lodges are becoming easier to reach wherever . However, there were at least 6 employees assisting at the registration desk and the line moved relatively quickly. It can be more expensive but it's a better place to relax and see your kids enjoying without having to worry too much. We liked the luggage rack near the door and the shelf over the microwave. Each wing of the resort is 8 floors high and it has 977 rooms in total. Both seemed to make a small room work a little better and not feel as small as it actually was. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. From what we saw of the pricing most of the activities were on the more expensive side. I will say we were on the 7th floor..and it was perfectly quiet. Since we are fans of Indiana Jones we like most archaeology theme including this one but I would not say the theme-ing is immersive other than the lazy river. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your recent visit. It doesnt extend to the guest rooms and amenities. Kids hearing is much more sensitive! Aquatopiais somewhere right in-between Kalahari & Great Wolf Lodge by almost every measure! She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. The outdoor small kids area with slides was a nice addition to the park however my daughter who is 53" tall was not allowed to go on them. For part of our stay both lazy river attractions were open and there were other times when only one was open. Here's our overall review.. It was a nice touch to have the lodge theme and a couple of characters at the front of the wave pool which is one of our favorite attractions. See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Notehere. Great Wolf Lodge is known for their MagiQuest game. I' m not concerned about price, can get a deal. Yes there were two night stands on either side of the bed in the master suite. Berrellis Italian Chophouse wasnt really an option for us as this restaurant is physically located in a different building from where we were staying & where the indoor water park is located. The shop is along Interstate 81, making it a Busy Bodies Play Cafe is an indoor play space for children who are 1 year old through 6 years old. Thank you for reading & for your comment / question! Kids are going to want to explore all areas of this place and we find it frustrating reading reviews about those complaining about how expensive everything is. Kalahari activities and attractions differ with each location. really? Contemporary and tasteful.we give that an A+!Overall, we can't wait to return to Kalahari! Thank you, again. Including a story time, dance time, crafts and more. Both resorts in the Poconos have a water coaster. The floors were full of paper, tissues, dirty towels, used dippers, used shampoo packets etc and there was no attendant in sight. Adventure Update # 020: 10 Years and 1/2 an Inch! We have been to the Williamsburg Virginia location where there was one but there is not one @ the Poconos location. We do love both! Both resorts have huge water parks that include a wave pool, lazy river, splash areas and of course water slides. That was almost inedible. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. Most of the activities (at all of the resorts) are priced a la carte. LOVED the concept - didn't like the fact that they were not full bars - they only made a few specialty drinks and offered beer and wine. To the credit of one observant & kind employee he noticed the exceedingly poor service my wife had received and apologized to her later in the day when he saw her. If you're not up and about a 4:30 a.m., though, you can still get a. We did the empirical research so you dont have to! Located below the main lobby is both the entrance to the water park and the arcade. Other than the water park & arcade our family hasnt really tried out any other ones. Just a small thing that can be easily rectified. It felt like you were rubbing shoulders with other people all the time. We had no problem finding a table and chairs to rest our towels and use for eating later. Sincerely, The bartenders were great, DAVID and ROBIN especially. You can use the water park at 1pm on the day of check in until close on the day you leave. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! However, there seemed to be a noticeable amount of debris at the bottom of the pool which seemed to a combination of plastic and dirt. For size reference, Great Wolf Lodges water park is the smallest at about 79,000 square feet. We really liked the 2 water falls that were present on the lazy river. We liked the artwork in the room. Im not sure when we will make it back there since we have a lot of other travel plans. You could definitely capture everything this place has to offer in 2-3 days. The kids do enjoy the characters and overall lodge experience. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Enjoy your family vacation at one of the great indoor water park resort choices in your area! Hi there! It features the Howlin' Tornado raft ride, Coyote Cannon water tubes (with a 40-foot drop), and a tree house fort that has a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket! Only 2 of our bracelets worked, but we were able to get around that on more than one occasion. When you check in the lodge they should offer you and / or the kids wolf ears at no extra charge since, after all it is the Great WOLF Lodge!. Robert, There are a number of other activities available at the lodge. Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. However, Great Wolf Lodge has a higher percentage of themed rooms available at a more reasonable price. more. Great Wolf seems to have more of a variety of theming for these bunk bed suites. (especially Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge) If you were to drive from Kalahari, to Great Wolf Lodge, and then to Aquatopia the total distance would be approximately 11.3 miles and take just 26 minutes. Lately we have been hitting the snack bar (Pizza Pub) down in the arcade for the burritos and then the store (Marrakesh Market) right at the edge of the lobby for some of the soups. They did a fabulous job with the design of this place. Speaking of the wave pool we did find the buzzer alert to notify guests of the beginning of a wave cycle to be very harsh and not conducive to the relaxing atmosphere that should be associated with a wave pool. The room was very clean and up-to-date. Kalahari Resort vs. Great Wolf Lodge. Weve stayed at GWL Williamsburg and Kalahari in the Poconos. We like archaeology and the lost river archaeology theme was interesting and well done. This happened before on our previous visits but given the number of people this time, they kept closing the areas for cleaning constantly. Mind you definitely not Disney level theming or branding but a good job. You can also see the water park from the windows on this side and from the Cafe & Bar. Both resorts have themed rooms that accommodate a wide-range of family sizes from two queen rooms to much, much bigger. Report inappropriate content msmejkal chicago They were definitely present - but not blowing their whistle when it was needed and didn't seem as focused. The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? As I indicated above I should not have been charged a fee for parking since we did not leave a vehicle at the resort and were dropped off. My family has enjoyed a handful of stays at the water park hotel Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas (and one visit to the GWL in Southern California). Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. In the center right past the check-in area there is a large animatronic display where the nightly bedtime story (The Forest Friends Show) takes place. Kalahari Resort Market Cost The overnight costs for both of these resorts can vary widely throughout the year. Great Wolf Resorts told KPRC in a statement, Were always looking for opportunities to introduce the Great Wolf Lodge resort experience to new audiences, and we are excited about the prospect of bringing one of our family-friendly indoor water park resorts to southeastern Texas.. The first thing that struck me the most was how dirty and unsanitary the waterpark was compared to before. The company owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge brand. Featuring free WiFi and a seasonal outdoor pool, Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine offers accommodations in Grapevine. lindakmonty He's like "OH NO YOU DIDN'T" Joined Jun 24, 2005 Jun 30, 2006 #7 Great Wolf Lodge has more charm and we enjoyed the lodge theme & the characters. The water facilities were great and there was a nice assortment of water slides. The Poconos Great Wolf Lodge location has more kiddie water slides than the Williamsburg location. Although I am admittedly not a big fan of buffets, we figured it would be easy for everyone to find something they liked. We stayed @ Great Wolf Lodge on a Tuesday night and then Kalahari on Wednesday night of the same week. We appreciate it! Some of the profit from any sale may merely make it intoourpocket instead of Jeff Bezos'! Aquatopia Snowtubing, mountain coaster (4,500 feet steel track coaster), Euro Bungee tethered bungee jump. The side-lite mirror was a nice feature that we enjoyed. It sounds like you were able to experience nearly every feature our resort has to offer! The smell permeated EVERYTHING to the point of needing to open the door to air it out. Kalahari Resort also has an adult spa and fitness center plus live music entertainment at the steak house and piano bar. For just one four-year-old, I think Great Wolf is probably a better choice. Keep in mind theres a third indoor water park resort in the Poconos: Camelback Mountain Resort. We did not have a car on the premises so driving was not an option, and walking was not very appealing since we tend to patronize the indoor water parks during the colder months and it was late November when we were at Aquatopia. Round Rock Source: Round the Rock With so much fun and excitement in one place, Kalahari remains a top destination for families throughout Texas. Within 45 minutes of our arrival, I received a text message that our room was ready, but no one was ready to take a break.Warning: You cannot bring outside food into the waterpark so if you want something to eat, you have to purchase food inside. Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. My family recently visited Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, Texas. Tom Foolerys also has a mirror maze, escape rooms, indoor ropes course, laser tag, rock climbing wall, XD dark ride and bowling. Still it was a frustrating experience that cast a pallor over our time and experience there. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. Sincerely, Chip. If there are any older children in your party, around 10 years and older, then they may not appreciate the kiddie theming that runs through Great Wolf Lodge. Coming Soon: Great Wolf Lodge in Webster! We went for the Italian the second night and the food was again wonderful. I actually have a hard time believing that the square footage of the park is larger than the water park @ Great Wolf Lodge. This activity requires participants to roam all over the lodge to find clues and solve a quest. All three resorts are really good choices for water park fun with a family. To read more aboutHOW TO GET THE BEST DEAL& aPRICE COMPARISONof ALL THREE POCONOS WATERPARK RESORTS check out my NEW post:Poconos Waterparks: How to Get the Best Deals at Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia! Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? Hence our balcony seemed to be under ground and we were looking at a high retaining wall for a view. Learn how your comment data is processed. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. We have patronized several of these places, if not all and the kids highly recommend them! Kalahari Resort, located in Round Rock, Texas, is similar in many ways to Great Wolf Lodge. Has a fun magic quest as an additional . EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. We also liked some of the efficiency features of the room. Kids under the age of 6 were coming in and out with no parental supervision. We liked the water park @ Great Wolf Lodge! Kalahari has the most toddler slides by far when comparing the three resorts. We ended up eating most of the fries and onions rings, while discarding the rest. I have read other reviews where people did not enjoy the balcony but we did. Hopefully you can keep returning and finding even more ways to have fun with us as the kids grow. Both waterparks are easily accessible from the lobby, and the dining and shops are also centered around there. My sister, who was also staying at this resort had the African Queen suite and there was PLENTY of room for all of us if they would have moved us. Church work is not for the faint of heart, and by the end of the summer church has just flat taken its toll on all of us. Kids are going to want to explore all areas of this place and we find it frustrating reading reviews about those complaining about how expensive everything is. From the accommodation standpoint it was a much more memorable stay! Thanks for your review! If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. We usually ordered and brought the food to our room. It felt cozy and definitely complimented the whole lodge theme & experience! It reminds me of Disneys Wilderness Lodge. We may also participate in other affiliate programs from time-to-time and be compensated for referring traffic & business to these companies. However, please be aware that Camelback / Aquatopia charges for general parking I think it is $12 if you are just coming to engage in one of the activities. The resort recently completed a huge expansion that added 130,000 sq feet of conference facilities to the 100,000 sq feet of existing facilities. Very spacious, a flat screen TV in each room and in main living area with fireplace. We have never patronized the restaurant as it does seem expensive. Apparently they were experiencing people taking the towels as souvenirs?? Staff always pleasant and friendly!FOOD - There is food available in the waterpark in addition to a steakhouse and Italian restaurant. One of Kalahari's Kiddie Areas Well manicured and landscaped lawns.We arrived in the main lobby on Sunday 7/2 a little after 1:00 p.m. Our obstinate 2-year-old was NOT able to enjoy ANY of these activities / attractions, or even the wave pool due to the fact that she refused to wear a life jacket which Kalahari required children under 4 feet in height to wear at all times when in any water. Unfortunately, the kids loaded up on an assortment of dessert and we went back to the room to change back into our swimwear for a last hurrah in the water.Off the lobby there are also a sweets shop, bakery, and ice cream shop, with what appears to be a nice selection of goodies.The next morning, the kids wanted to get in a few hours at the waterpark before our 11:00 checkout. Crystal, Lock in the lowest price from these sites. Great Wolf Lodge also has activities that vary with the timing of your stay. Camelback charged my card the correct amount when I made the deposit on November 24th and then on November 27th (2 days after we had left the resort) I was charged $25 for a parking fee. Great Wolf Lodge is smaller than Kalahari. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney. We certainly do have a lot of different ways to entertain and excite the kids! Since we are usually there for just one night we resign ourselves to it being a pizza for dinner night. The theming is carried throughout multiple aspects of the total experience. Great review, were leaning towards Kalahari but wanted to know about outdoor activities in the winter, could our kids go snow tubing or something related at any of these three resorts? An unpleasant smell hit us as soon as we opened the door, although I couldn't quite place it, at least not until we stepped further into the suite. Blessed father of 4 wonderful children & trophy husband to 1 lovely wife. Kalahari . A night at either place costs a small fortune, and the food is over-priced and mediocre. (Activities vary by location). We love knowing that our attractions were fun for both the children and adults in your family! The development is expected to break ground during the first quarter of 2022 and construction of the facility will begin no later than April 2025, according to KPRC. The lobby is big but not massive like it is at Kalahari! Great Wolf is more for kids, but I feel like Great Wolf service is better than Kalahari. That sounds good. The Great Wolf Lodge Resort is a family-friendly resort located a few miles from the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Grapevine and offers deluxe accommodations, upscale amenities, and an indoor water park with several swimming areas and wave pools, water slides and rides, waterfalls, hot springs, and entertainment for children. This comparison guide will focus mainly on the Pocono resorts in Pennsylvania, but some of the information can be used to compare other locations of Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge. But be prepared to spend.it comes with the territory! Our balcony overlooked a very lightly used service road and then there was an unobstructed view of the forested mountain side. Camelback is unique in that it has both an INDOOR water park (Aquatopia, which is open year-round) and a separate OUTDOOR water park (Camelbeach) that is only open for the summer season. It is hard to believe that Aquatopia/Camelback would actually be charging extra for the balcony /patios at this level! Adventure Update # 018: My Tricycle is Very Very Fast! One time a lifeguard came out and caught one but without constant observation, it is impossible to parole this area. We were also advised that we would receive a text message when our room was ready. Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge is often a topic debated by indoor water park visitors. I would request a higher floor again because the 2nd floor gets all of the foot traffic as that is the lobby floor and the waterpark and arcade are on the lower 1st floor.Take a minute to just look around and notice the dcor, architecture, and design. Sopleaseclick on a link or two if you wish tosupport us& and our endeavors here. There are 2 lazy river type rides, the wave pool is immense, there are 2 hot tubs that are partly inside the building AND partly outside of the building with a narrow channel to traverse back and forth. The only other complaint I have is that we came home with a number of bites. Water park temperatures at all three Poconos water parks is the same @ 84 degrees, year-round. Kalahari also has crafts, escape room, mini golf, mini bowling, and arcade. Reservations are strongly recommended. When I checked out on the 25th I asked for a receipt, and the amount I was charged was correct ($390.10) When I received my credit card statement on December 9th I noticed that what I was charged from Aquatopia/Camelback was $25 higher than it should have been. 2 of themone outside by the immense outdoor pool and one heated one inside. Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge! Great Wolf Lodge's water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalahari's is over 220,000 square feet. Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, built in 2005, is listed as one of the five top things to do in Williamsburg by visitwilliamsburg.com.