By Guest Blogger Jenny of Princess Turned Mom
“Fill your life with adventures not things, have stories to tell, not stuff to show.”
We had the opportunity to visit and be hosted by Great Wolf Lodge: Scottsdale, Arizona. We are huge fans of Great Wolf Lodge in Garden Grove, California, and have visited that location many times and I have a few blog posts on that HERE and HERE. We were super excited to try out a new location. We had heard amazing things about the ropes course and rock wall, plus of course we love water parks. Without further delay, here is the scoop on Great Wolf Lodge: Scottsdale, Arizona…
Lobby: As soon as you walk in there is a huge lobby area with a beautiful fireplace. Here is where you will find activities like story time and the pj dance party.
Rooms: We were hosted in one of the “Wolf Den” rooms, which has a separate themed sleeping area for kids with a bunk bed and TV. Our kids LOVE sleeping in bunk beds and we love having a little privacy as parents. There is plenty of space for suitcases, a separate sink area from the shower and toilet, as well as a little table and mini-fridge.
Indoor dry activities: There are SO MANY fun things to do without getting wet at The Great Wolf Lodge in Arizona. Our kids had a blast going from activity to activity and I loved that it was all in one place. Literally all on the first floor of the hotel you can find any of the activities below. I suggest getting a paw pass where you pay up front for the activities to get a better price. Our kids knew once everything had been checked off their paw pass they couldn’t ask for more, but they accomplished so much that we didn’t hear one complaint.
Magi-Quest – Our kids love the Magi-Quest! It’s a mix of scavenger hunt with a bit of wizard magic. You buy a wand (which is included in the paw pass) and head to one of the computer stations to find our your quest. Then you hunt all over the first floor of the hotel to find the objects and point your wand at them to collect them. Both kids did all quests and became “Magi-Masters” in an official ceremony in the lobby.
Ropes Course – This was brand new for our kiddos to experience. We do not have the ropes course at our local Great Wolf in California. There is a height requirement, Rosie just made the cut off as long as she had an adult supervisor. So the hubby went with the kids the first round, then I tried it with them on the last morning. It is definitely a lot harder than it looks, Rosie definitely was nervous the first time she tried, but after we explained that it was impossible for her to fall she felt a little better.;) I think Colton could have done the course about three times by the time I finished it once. LOL.
Rock Wall – This was also new for us and super fun! There are three levels; easy, medium and hard and you get three tries for one climb. I decided to opt out, but the hubby gave it a try with the kiddos. They all really enjoyed it!
Mini-golf – Our kids love mini-golf and I loved that the version in Arizona was right in the heart of the action. The one in California is actually a glow in the dark course, which is fun, but definitely harder to see. I liked that this was well lit and easy for all ages.
Mini-bowling – Who doesn’t love a good round of bowling? The kids love the smaller balls and smaller pins with the advantage of the bumpers too!;) No gutter balls here!
Gem Mining – Who knew this would actually be one of our kids top favorites of the trip?!? But, it definitely was! First we went into the mine, which was actually a mirror maze that you had to find your way around by sticking out your arms. Then once our mission was accomplished and we found the gems in the mine we went out to shift through dirt to find our own real gems. The kids had a blast! The gold panning was the only thing not included in our paw pass, but for one bag of gems it only cost a little over $6.
Arcade – No trip to Great Wolf Lodge would be complete without a quick stop to the arcade. We didn’t stay too long, but just enough to play a few games and let the kids earn a prize.
Story Time – Everyday in the lobby there is story time in front of the large book. It actually comes to life with lights, sounds and characters that tell a story and sing, it is so sweet. There is also a bedtime story each night with a surprise character. Make sure to arrive a few minutes early since they do have limited capacity due to safety precautions.
PJ Dance Party – After story time at 9pm there is a dance party in the lobby. We were a little tired from our full days of activities that we didn’t make it to the dance party, but I’m sure it’s a fun time!:)
Indoor Pools & Slides: There are so many pools and slides for all ages at Great Wolf Lodge in Arizona. Kids are measured by height before entering and given a certain color wrist band to tell lifeguards (and parents) which slides they are allowed to go on. In comparison to the one in California, it is slightly smaller, but still has the majority of the same things. Honestly, our kids didn’t even notice the difference. If you want to really compare, the only things missing were the surf/boogie board area, the mat slides that you can race with an opponent and the big “toilet bowl” slide. Other than that, everything was VERY similar.
Wave Pool – Just as the name says, about every 10 minutes simulated ocean waves happen in this area. Our kids love jumping over the waves and swimming in this pool.
Toddler Pool Area – Made for the really little tikes, except our kids still love it. Super small water slides perfect for the beginner and a few other hands on activities.
Young Kid Slides – When you first walk in there is a large structure perfect for the kiddo who is ready for a little more action.
Group Slides – The perfect option for a family (3-5 people) to go down a slide together. There are two options for groups, I personally like the rainbow slide better, it’s more mellow. But if you want more of a drop try the one of the left!;)
Single and Double Slides – Want a rush, but want to go solo, don’t worry there is something for you too. You can grab a solo tube (or double) to go down these slides.
Lazy River – Grab a tube and head down the lazy river.
Sports Area – A perfect pool area for the person wanting a little challenge. You can go across on the logs using a net or even play a little basketball.
Outdoor Pool: I LOVED the outdoor pool area! It is larger than the one in California and the Baja shelf was the perfect place to hang out while the kids swam. The hot tub was currently closed, but I have a feeling it will be open very soon
Food: I was pleasantly surprised the quality of food and the prices! All places had gluten free options, so I was very thankful for that as well.
Timbers – The hubby and I loved the tacos, the kids got the cheese quesadilla, they were super tasty and don’t forget to order the street corn too!
Hungry Wolf – kids loved the pizza and the huge pieces were only a few dollars. Plus, they did have a gluten free & cauliflower option.
Barnwood – Only open for dinner starting at 5pm, we ate here once and enjoyed it. The kids had a grilled cheese, while the hubby and I split ribs and a burger on a gluten free bun.
Campfire Kitchen – There was a buffet breakfast that we tried our last morning, which was the only place I thought was a little pricey, but it is because it is all you can eat. They did make me some really tasty gluten free waffles that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you are trying to save on money I might say skip this one and either pack some options for breakfast in your room or head over to Dunkin Donuts.;)
Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream – Who doesn’t love a good scoop of ice cream?!? And it’s nothing but the best with Ben & Jerry’s!
Dunkin Donuts – Believe it or not, we didn’t stop by and pick up any donuts, but it was a favorite place in the morning time for most hotel guests.
Candy Shop – Part of our paw pass gave us a trip to the candy shop. We always have to make it in to grab a cup of candy and it lasts the kids weeks (if not months)!
Other Info: As part of the Paw Pledge to keep everyone safe Great Wolf Lodge has implemented lots of precautions to keep their guests and employees feeling protected. Masks are required for indoor common areas (except the pools), plexiglass dividers are in place in certain restaurants and at the front desk, only one family per elevator, story time has limited capacity, and there is constant cleaning going on everywhere in the hotel. We felt extremely safe while visiting.
Make sure to CLICK HERE to learn more about Great Wolf Lodge: Scottsdale, Arizona and to book your next stay! Have you ever been to a Great Wolf location?
