2 of themone outside by the immense outdoor pool and one heated one inside. If you would like to read a little more about our trip down to the Poconos you can do so here: Adventure Update # 018: My Tricycle is Very Very Fast! Their massive indoor water parks vary by location. Located below the main lobby is both the entrance to the water park and the arcade. See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Notehere. It is so fun for my children (12 & 4 years old) and for adults too!! This was because: 1) We are a family of 6 and eating out is not usually relaxing or enjoyable! We ordered a pizza and had it delivered to the room from the in-house Pizza Pubit was quite good and we felt reasonably priced! We stayed @ Great Wolf Lodge on a Tuesday night and then Kalahari on Wednesday night of the same week. 11 Best Small Towns to Visit in Central Upstate New York, https://www.theparenthoodadventures.com/waterpark-comparison-chart-kalahari-aquatopia-great-wolf-lodge/. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. We recently took a little trip to the Poconos and stayed one night @ Great Wolf Lodge immediately followed by a one-night stay @ Kalahari. 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. We are still having a debate on what it actually was. Use Great Wolf Lodge for what it is really good at and skip the rest! One of the other simple theming aspects we enjoyed were the 2 Great Wolf Lodge video book stories playing on the resort TV channel. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. The NACHOS did not disappoint. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. We like archaeology and the lost river archaeology theme was interesting and well done. 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. We say this because Aquatopia has the most activities (rock wall, laser tag, escape room, etc) at its resort that will likely appeal to pre-teens and early teens. Also, Outdoor pool and some small outdoor water slides (all seasonal). DreamWorks Water Park - East Rutherford, New Jersey. Nothing? Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine has one adults-only hot tub. Shooting Range (tourist favorite) is closer to Great Wolf. The company owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge brand. Every room at this resort is air conditioned and has a TV with cable channels. All three resorts are really good choices for water park fun with a family. This was our 3rd visit to Kalahari, the 2 previous times we stayed was before March 2017 when the resort was only half way completed. One time a lifeguard came out and caught one but without constant observation, it is impossible to parole this area. Including a story time, dance time, crafts and more. Very spacious, a flat screen TV in each room and in main living area with fireplace. Tiffany, Im so glad you found the post helpful. This post will focus on the Leola New York City and upstate New York are close to many amazing indoor water parks. The only other complaint I have is that we came home with a number of bites. Im guessing the youngest of your children voted for GWL? The entire Kalahari Resort is enormous. There were a few things that we liked about the expansion. It is a smaller resort, with plenty of employees who are prepared to work with young children. Kids hearing is much more sensitive! In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Great Wolf is more for kids, but I feel like Great Wolf service is better than Kalahari. Kalahari Resort has a huge upcharge for the one type of themed room. The ladies bathroom and changing area looked tike a war zone! Great Wolf Lodge has an especially fun indoor water park and the "under one roof" makes the stay warm and easy. Choosing which resort to bring your family to can be daunting as both resorts offer very similar attractions and amenities. 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. We inquired about an potential upgrade and they granted us a special price to upgrade to an African Queen Suite which had 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms - perfect to provide privacy with 2 girls! See All Waterpark Features Waterpark (and more!) Since our last visit to Great Wolf Lodge they have established a relationship with Dunkin Donuts and there is one located on the main floor just off the right of the lobby. The KSAT 12 News Team provides a look at local, regional, statewide and national news events and the latest information on local traffic and weather issues. Park access for all family members is included in . Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July.Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. https://www.theparenthoodadventures.com/waterpark-comparison-chart-kalahari-aquatopia-great-wolf-lodge/ Robert, Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. (Basically a jumpy seat for adults.) 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. This is an exciting place for kids to be with lots of fun things to do from arcade games galore to a huge indoor water park. I have read other reviews where people did not enjoy the balcony but we did. CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi at We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. Aquatopia made an effort to do some theme-ing with the Kartrite Quest /Adventures but this really only covers the water park and the activities for kids to the left of the lobby. The room was spotless. However, Great Wolf Lodge has a higher percentage of themed rooms available at a more reasonable price. Other than the water park & arcade our family hasnt really tried out any other ones. 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. Hello! Please see our partners for more details. Which is better for his age? We ordered a burrito, nachos grande, chicken fingers, fries and onion rings from a predictable and acceptable selection of menu items. 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. Great Wolf Resorts (formerly known as Great Wolf Lodge) is a chain of indoor water parks. Book now and prepare your pack for adventure. I actually made the kids wear earplugs (as did I) to go to this! There are currently 4 locations for the chain with the Poconos location being its largest facility. Great Wolf Lodge is known for their MagiQuest game. Otherwise, it far exceeded our expectations and we will definitely be choosing Kalahari over Great Wolf for many years to come. The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. It may come down to a simple question: How old are the children in your party? Great Wolf Lodge. 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. The room @ Aquatopia that we had was a double queen suite, a pull-out sofa and a balcony. There was also a buffet which was closed but other little caf options for grab and go type food, a coffee bar, ice cream stand, bakery.they forgot nothing!We felt like we needed more than one night so we asked to extend our stay another night and we were given a great rate to stay in our upgraded room so we jumped on the deal. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. 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. A general view of the Great Wolf Lodge in Fort Mackenzie. Admission: Rates start at $277 a night for a standard four-person room. We usually just order a pizza and eat it in our room with maybe a salad. Its Manageable Size Is Perfect for Younger Kids The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark It's true: Kalahari is the biggest indoor water park in the country and Camelback has almost 50,000 square feet on Kartrite. Many months later (due to COVID) we stayed at Camelbacks Aquatopia. Expect to spend money on food, games, etc. I noticed that Kalahari may have a larger toddler area. There isnt any story that goes along with any of the characters as far as we were able to discern. There is one primary restaurant on the main level on the left side of the lobby / front entrance. Hi there! Many of these water parks are resorts, meaning they also comparison guide for all three of these resorts, Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet Carlisle, PA. 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. 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. We had a cabin themed room for this stay (KidCabin Suite) and the kids enjoyed it more than I had expected! We also only stayed one night, so Im not sure how often housekeeping visits. 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. Hi, Pamela! The total cost for the night would have been $415.10. Both resorts also have onsite dining that continues the decor. We also liked some of the efficiency features of the room. When I called, the charge was removed & the service rep was polite enough but, apparently Aquatopia/Camelback fully expects there to be a parking fee added to every invoice! This was one of the few exceptions! Both are great options for kids. 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. So the water park is what we usually focus on. It sounds like you were able to experience nearly every feature our resort has to offer! 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. Great wolf is closer to shopping. The place is ENORMOUS and although it's extremely busy and pretty crowded most of the time, there is plenty of seating in the waterpark. Hopefully you can come again soon but until then, take care! Why Kids Love It Some of the profit from any sale may merely make it intoourpocket instead of Jeff Bezos'! We really liked the 2 water falls that were present on the lazy river. Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine is a great way to go for a weekend getaway. The drive was almost exactly 100 miles for us and we arrived a few minutes after 1:00 pm. Great Wolf Lodge has a woodsy/lodge theme and decor. Kalahari Resort Market Cost The overnight costs for both of these resorts can vary widely throughout the year. The water is warm, but not too hot. The 3 "kids" (ages 12-20) and I were impressed with the front of the resort. Lock in the lowest price from these sites. Both resorts have huge water parks that include a wave pool, lazy river, splash areas and of course water slides. Kalahari did a remodel on their indoor kid area about a year ago. The Poconos Great Wolf Lodge location has more kiddie water slides than the Williamsburg location. See you soon! But, my kids are little fish who love swimming, and they cant get enough of this type of resort. The photos were nature themed and glossy. Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge! Its a tough call. Address: 100 Great Wolf Drive Grapevine, TX 76051 Phone: 817-488-6510 Website: greatwolf.com EXPERT TIPS BY: Ilene Jacobs Dallas Local Expert Water Parks: "Day passes can be purchased online or. If you have visited all three waterparks in the Poconos please let us know which one YOU liked best! Lifejackets available, large amount of seating and tables!ARCADE - Another huge area! Aquatopia Snowtubing, mountain coaster (4,500 feet steel track coaster), Euro Bungee tethered bungee jump. That was almost inedible. The hot tub situation was disappointing. This activity requires participants to roam all over the lodge to find clues and solve a quest. At times Kalahari actually felt a littletoo bigfor us. Aquatopia offers a great selection of activities for tweens & younger teens, both inside & outside! Round Rock Source: Round the Rock With so much fun and excitement in one place, Kalahari remains a top destination for families throughout Texas. They looped continuously so they are readily accessible at any time. My household has loved a handful of stays on the water park lodge Nice Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas (and one go to to the GWL in Southern California). The water park @ Aquatopia was nice. Winner: Kalahari Resort (especially for older kids and teens). I also added a note how COVID-19 has delayed our plans to stay @ Aquatopia. The day we went, prices were similar to GWL. Check with the resort to confirm which activities are offered during the winter. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. GWL isnt fast either, but 2+ hours to pay triple the price wouldnt work either. As a native New Yorker, a bit of grit and grime doesn't scare me. We did not rent any of the cabanas that were located throughout. There were not lights on both sides of the queen beds which made night-time reading hard for the person on the side with no light. really? Winner: Kalahari Resort Rooms Both resorts have "normal" hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. Kalahari is amaizing! The lobby is big but not massive like it is at Kalahari! There is a huge fireplace towards the back of the lobby that is adjacent to a huge window that overlooks the water park. Kids jumping in and out, the areas are not guarded by staffsame problem as Great Wolf. But the resort's smaller size makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids. Just about everything seemed to be swimming in butter or oil, including the overcooked/overheated vegetables. Read on to find out which one is the BEST water park for your family vacation! We certainly do have a lot of different ways to entertain and excite the kids! 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). As I mentioned earlier with 4 kids ranging in age from 2 10 we are not very often dining in @ a restaurant. Management thanks you for your suggestions and for noting how well-trained our associates are! We liked the artwork in the room. Sincerely, The splash park or toddler area of the water park was rather small. We were told that the elevator was on the convention center side, which was not really convenient for her. Much more concise! For example when booking your accommodations you can select a themed suite, such as the KidCabin Suite which we did. In our opinion, the splash park at Aquatopia was the weakest of the three. Both waterparks are easily accessible from the lobby, and the dining and shops are also centered around there. (GWL = Great Wolf Lodge & K = Kalahari). It reminds me of Disneys Wilderness Lodge. The TV in the room seemed to be new and was the largest of any we saw at the three resorts. . We usually ordered and brought the food to our room. The Kalahari wave pool is much bigger than the Great Wolf Lodge wave pool. There are other places with better miniature golf courses and a regular bowling alley does a better job for bowling so we tend not to spend our dollars on those activities when we are at Great Wolf Lodge. My family has stayed in themed rooms at both resorts. Finally, we did have a rather poor experience one morning ordering from the Cafe & Bar (AKA, Mountain Market, World Bazaar Coffee Shop). Still it was a frustrating experience that cast a pallor over our time and experience there. Wonderful service.Lazy River - Longer than the one at Great Wolfbut lots of people and tubes jamming it up!Towels were only available outside, we heard there may have been a shortage but we didn't really experience that. Saturday, August 10, 2013 Great Wolf Lodge vs. Gaylord Texan By the time August rolls around our family is in desperate need of a get-away. Thank you for your feedback. CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi atWe visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. We also enjoyed the Lazy River and the wave pool. From our experience after visiting Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Camelbacks Aquatopia indoor water parks in the Poconos we felt that: Check out our comprehensive comparison chart of these three indoor water park resorts here: Waterpark Comparison Chart: Kalahari, Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge. Friendly, accommodating, informative.we were very happy with the initial interaction. Kalahari was the cheapest on Friday evening - but the most expensive during the week & the second most expensive on Saturday evening. After the meal there are plenty of places like the pastry shop, coffee shop or ice cream shop that have many enticing desserts for the children. The room was not only spacious, but didn't reek like cat urine. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. I would like to further discuss the details of your stay. Poconos Waterparks: How to Get the Best Deals at Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia! Second, certain areas of the waterpark, especially the hot tubs, the wave pool and small kids areas were overcrowded. It is also carried through with the water park experience itself with some of the attractions incorporating the characters and /or lodge theme. Likewise the lobby is magnificent! My husband was brave enough to continue exploring as I sat out on the ground level patio. Kalahari is absolutely immense! 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.