Family Weekend Getaway:
Great Wolf Lodge – Kansas City
Looking for a getaway close to home? Our family enjoys visiting the Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City. While they currently have 22 locations in North America, this is the only location my family has been to so far. It is an easy 3.5-hour drive from Quincy and offers something for the whole family. Not only is the lodge packed with a fun activities but this location is close to lots of shopping, restaurants, a huge Bass Pro Shop, Legoland and more.
Each Great Wolf Lodge location offers an indoor waterpark amongst several other activities. From what I understand, the additional amenities vary by location. The Kansas City location features an indoor waterpark, an outdoor splash pad area, mini golf, Build-A-Bear, an arcade, and more. My family visited in February and November, so I cannot speak to the outdoor water area or the outdoor mini golf course. One thing I love about GWL is the number of free activities they provide daily. These include craft time, yoga, bingo, dance parties, character visits, bedtime stories, and more. When we visited just after Thanksgiving, they had an activity called Snowland Celebration twice a day that included a fun activity, and then they would release “snow” from the ceiling onto us all. GWL offers several packages as well to help you maximize the activities that cost at the lodge. However, with my children being so young and the amount of free activities I have been able to avoid the activities that cost. My son also enjoys the Great Wolf Lodge cartoon that airs on the televisions in your room at the lodge (Mom tip: you can also find this on YouTube!)
I am one for bargains, so I suggest joining the private Facebook group called Great Wolf Lodge HOWLING FANS discounts, codes, tips, and tricks! This is a great platform to ask about specific Great Wolf Lodge locations, get the best codes for booking, and honestly has been a great resource for people who have been at the same lodge and have been able to assist each other with lost items, forgotten items, or passing along food at checkout. Like most hotels you will get the best pricing for a stay between Monday and Thursday and if you book at least 90 days out. One thing to keep in mind is that GWL price matches with Groupon if you find a cheaper rate for your booked timeframe, and if you find a different promo code after booking that knocks more off your total, you can reach out to their customer service, and they will adjust your rate. Both times we have visited, we have stayed Monday through Wednesday in a standard room and have never paid more than $99/night before taxes and fees.
Another way to get the best bang for your buck is to take advantage of the times you are allowed to use the waterpark before and after checkout. If I recall correctly, you aren’t guaranteed a room until 4 pm. However, you can start utilizing the water park at noon on the day of your check-in. Also, on the day of check-out, you must be out of your room by 11 am (unless you pay for late check-out). However, you can stay and use the water park until closing. This is a great way to get a 3-day visit while only paying for two. These times and rules might vary per location, so I would just double-check with the specific lodge you are going to visit.
Another thing that sets GWL apart, in my opinion, is the cleanliness of the facility and how helpful the staff are. From the rooms to the lobby to the water park, everything is very well maintained. The staff are all super friendly, and the check-in/check-out process is super easy with their mobile app and texting app called Willow. You truly get the sense that everybody there wants you to enjoy your stay and is happy you are there.
Their app also makes it easy to order food at the on-site restaurants if you want to take it to-go. It’s important to note that all Great Wolf Lodge locations are cashless. Your wristbands are tied to the card on your account, or you can purchase Great Wolf Lodge gift cards ahead of time if you want your children to have a controlled spending option.
Lastly, I just want to note that the atmosphere and environment at Great Wolf Lodge is so much fun. Following check-in, every person in your party gets a free set of wolf ears at the gift shop, and that is where the fun begins. From matching family pajamas to wolf apparel, it is such a family-friendly environment where everybody can just be comfortable and enjoy time with their loved ones. My 4-year-old son is constantly talking about how much he loves Great Wolf Lodge and how much fun he has at the waterpark and asking about when we are going again.
What are you waiting for? Book a visit to a Great Wolf Lodge location and have a HOWLING good time!!
Submitted by Allison Housewright