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. Have you been to both Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Resort? The cabin was towards the front of the room and was semi-private for the kids. 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. Kalahari Resort has an entire grotto (both indoor and outdoor) for adults with a swim-up bar. There would have been another $25 for parking but we were able to avoid this since we had relatives staying just a few miles away. As part of the U.S.' largest group of family-friendly water parks, this indoor water park has perfected how to maximize family fun for all ages. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. We have been to both resorts in the past but thought it would be fun to do a back-to-back comparison. I'm going to breakdown each part of the resort that we visited and give you the key points: The front desk staff was extremely professional, friendly and helpful. Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. For size reference, Great Wolf Lodges water park is the smallest at about 79,000 square feet. You enter Kalahari through a massive glass revolving carousel door and there is plenty of room for people to get where they are going whether it is to check-in, get food, get to the water park or any other number of destinations. This is probably a reflection of the fact that Kalahari is really a convention center first & foremost and the water park is just one of the many amenities they offer albeit a big one! Chip, I am planning to go to waterpark with three kids, so I really enjoyed all details! The room was clean and a good size and the 4 of us had enough room to spread out, with one person taking the full-size, pullout sofa bed. 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. We recently took a little trip to the Poconos and stayed one night @ Great Wolf Lodge immediately followed by a one-night stay @ Kalahari. [3] Great Wolf Resorts is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. 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! Hello and thank you for the review! The water facilities were great and there was a nice assortment of water slides. 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. Great Wolf Lodges water park continues their wildlife theme. Hi, Pamela! The company owns and operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge brand. Your goal is our goal. At the towel dispensary you simply swipe your wrist band and the attendant will hand you the number of towels you request. Part-time blogger, full-time nerd & aspiring Renaissance man! Great Wolf is more for kids, but I feel like Great Wolf service is better than Kalahari. But the resort's smaller size makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids. Kalahari still boasts plenty of kiddie water slides, but it also has more thrilling slides for older children. We review each of the Poconos water parks on several criteria including: If you want to cut right to the chase you can jump to the conclusion by clicking here: Conclusion, Great Wolf Lodge does a good job of branding and theming (theme ing) the lodge. It may come down to a simple question: How old are the children in your party? WEBSTER, Texas Texas is set to add another Great Wolf Lodge location to its ranks. Get those lifeguards a little more focused and offer more options at the bars! 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. We just stayed at Camelback the night before Thanksgiving and are actively working on updated the post. Kalahari has a better reputation locally. Nothing? I will say we were on the 7th floor..and it was perfectly quiet. It is disappointing to hear that you did not have as great of an experience this time around compared to your first two. So I guess you just dont need it that much. Winner: Kalahari Resort Rooms Both resorts have "normal" hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. We also enjoyed the balcony. Were going in January. The wave pool was on par with that at Great Wolf Lodge. Great Wolf Lodge: Outdoor ropes courses seasonal. Round Rock Source: Round the Rock With so much fun and excitement in one place, Kalahari remains a top destination for families throughout Texas. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Kalahariis the biggest of the 3 and has a wider range of offerings that will appeal to both adults & children. Thank you for pointing out my mistake! (Remember that Kalahari is actually a desert in southern Africa.) The lobby is big but not massive like it is at Kalahari! Friendly, accommodating, informative.we were very happy with the initial interaction. Both Great Wolf and Kalahari have very luxurious condos that can accommodate a whole family easily. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? 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. Every room at this resort is air conditioned and has a TV with cable channels. Kalahari has the most toddler slides by far when comparing the three resorts. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. Great Wolf Lodge has 18 locations, all of which offer indoor water parks with multi-story forts, 1,000-gallon soaker buckets, wave pools, lazy rivers, waterslides of varying heights and speeds, raft rides, whirlpools, kiddie pools and more. Thank you for your support! 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. This 80,000-square-foot facility is perfect for families, although the water park portion is only open to hotel guests. It's located in the Rockvale Outlets Fox Meadows Creamery has two locations, one in Ephrata, Pennsylvania and one in Leola, Pennsylvania. The clothing line in the bathroom was broken and the bed covers had an unpleasant smell. Thank you to management for a well-trained staff and an enjoyable time! The Lobby is one of the things I, and everyone in my family, really liked about Kalahari! This post will focus on the Leola New York City and upstate New York are close to many amazing indoor water parks. Including a story time, dance time, crafts and more. On our previous visit a couple of years ago we felt the place was showing some wear and tear. Kalahari Resorts water park has more of everything and also includes a Flowrider, which is popular with older kids and teens. We simply love everything about it! Yes there were two night stands on either side of the bed in the master suite. It had its own TV and was adorned with a lot of cute character images. Aquatopia Snowtubing, mountain coaster (4,500 feet steel track coaster), Euro Bungee tethered bungee jump. Most times I find that the pictures or decorations in a motel/hotel really dont add anything to the experience. We stored our bags with the assistance of bell staff and we went downstairs to check out the facilities.We had to go through a large (and very noisy) arcade to get to the turnstiles to the waterpark. Kalaharis waterpark is the largest at 220,000 square feet & Camelbacks Aquatopia indoor waterpark is right in the middle at 125,000 square feet. Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge is often a topic debated by indoor water park visitors. 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. Read on to find out which one is the BEST water park for your family vacation! We did really like the lazy river at Aquatopia. People who got there after her were served well before her. Both are reasonable attempts at having a meal on the healthier side. Im guessing the youngest of your children voted for GWL? However, Great Wolf Lodge has a higher percentage of themed rooms available at a more reasonable price. The resort's mammoth 80,000-square-foot indoor waterpark has nine waterslides, six pools, and a four-story treehouse waterfort and utilizes nearly 380,000 gallons of water.Beyond the massive indoor waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge offers families daily activities and amenities on the dry side. The mountainous / hilly location complimented the overall lodge theme and it was nice to sit out there with the kids as the weather cooled in the evening. We liked the luggage rack near the door and the shelf over the microwave. The kids had a blast, and I think with some minor changes, this place will exceed 5 stars. 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. One of the other simple theming aspects we enjoyed were the 2 Great Wolf Lodge video book stories playing on the resort TV channel. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? Would have been nice to have them inside as well.The waterpark overall was phenomenal - huge and definitely accommodates young and old. Check there and compare prices with their website to find the lowest prices for your stay. There was a nice variety of the treats and each of the kids was able to find something appealing to them. Great Wolf Lodge has more charm and we enjoyed the lodge theme & the characters. Weve stayed at GWL Williamsburg and Kalahari in the Poconos. The Kalahari wave pool is much bigger than the Great Wolf Lodge wave pool. Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. We didn't hear a peep after 10pm and slept soundly. Waterpark admission included with your stay! If you are looking for more of a balance between kid activities and adult luxuries Kalahari has a wider range of offerings that will appeal to both adults and children. Only 2 of our bracelets worked, but we were able to get around that on more than one occasion. Several hot tubs, twice the amount of slides as Great Wolf Lodge, and something for all ages. Recently, my family visited Kalahari Resort for the first time. And with new locations in Arizona and Illinois, Great Wolf Lodges are becoming easier to reach wherever . Which Poconos waterpark do you like best? They looped continuously so they are readily accessible at any time. Kalahari Resort, located in Round Rock, Texas, is similar in many ways to Great Wolf Lodge. However, having fewer food venue choices and adult amenities limits your stay to a very kid-centric experience. We were really looking forward into the expansion since we really loved how great Kalahari was the first two times we visited. We also liked the master light switch in the room that made it very easy to turn off every light in the suite with one switch. 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. Water park access was included. Apart from those issues, I appreciate the detailed comparison. Aquatopia at Camelback Lodge in Pennsylvania is 125,000 square feet. What are you waiting for? The floors were full of paper, tissues, dirty towels, used dippers, used shampoo packets etc and there was no attendant in sight. GWL isnt fast either, but 2+ hours to pay triple the price wouldnt work either. My husband was brave enough to continue exploring as I sat out on the ground level patio. This was terrific we will likely do all three spaced out over a few years, but this absolutely helped us figure out what order to go in. GWL has excellent sales. (Healthy, I know.) Blessed father of 4 wonderful children & trophy husband to 1 lovely wife. There was a microwave and mini-fridge in the room, which came in handy. It is in the middle in terms of the size of its indoor water park and in number of rooms at the resort. And the staff was friendly. We're in the business of making memories. Seriously, this place is awesome! The 3 "kids" (ages 12-20) and I were impressed with the front of the resort. 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. As the kids went ahead, employee Jeremy helped to take bags upstairs. How does the resort compare to Great Wolf Lodge? Thank you for your feedback. I love the theming of GWL and my kids are obsessed with Magi Quest, but the adults only things at Kalahari cant be beat! A 14-inch pie was 8 slices, 2 toppings $21. I can't honestly say that anything bit me in the room, we may have been bitten while we were sleeping, or in all the time we were forced to spend on the patio because of the smell.The resort was fine, but I'd avoid this "upgraded suite". Chip Williamson All Rights Reserved. The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. Kalahari is absolutely immense! Great Wolf Lodges water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalaharis is over 220,000 square feet. Im not sure if it something that they created or if it has its origins someplace else. 2 of themone outside by the immense outdoor pool and one heated one inside. It is also something that Kalahari does well . That is with just 2 adults and 4 kids. Kalahari Resort Market Cost The overnight costs for both of these resorts can vary widely throughout the year. (It was almost like an obstacle course with the running kids, machines, flashing lights, and noise.) Keep reading our Poconos water park guide & comparison to find out! The room was very clean and up-to-date. 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. We recently made a trip to the Poconos in Pennsylvania to visit a water park resort but didnt know which resort we should go to so we went to all 3 of them! 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. Please see our partners for more details. However, we felt $26 for chicken parm was a little steep. Its a tough call. Towel check-out is something new since our last visit. The ladies bathroom and changing area looked tike a war zone! Great Wolf Lodge has a woodland creature and forest theme, while Kalahari has an African theme. Looking up to the roofline Aquatopia does feel more open and expansive since it is more of a sweeping semi-circle in shape. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. Otherwise, it far exceeded our expectations and we will definitely be choosing Kalahari over Great Wolf for many years to come. Much more concise! You can use the water park at 1pm on the day of check in until close on the day you leave. It's the easiest way to hit the slopes! Two of my kids are begging to go back to Kalahari. Let's talk about the Royal Hospitality Suite at Kalahari Pocono. Then to get to the lower level you have to take the stairs. As I mentioned earlier with 4 kids ranging in age from 2 10 we are not very often dining in @ a restaurant. If you have visited all three waterparks in the Poconos please let us know which one YOU liked best! Thats theming! I went back into our pictures and corrected the post with the actual picture of the Great Wolf Lodge bathroom. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Why do the adults with hearing damage always make the decisions with regards to volume level! Still it was a frustrating experience that cast a pallor over our time and experience there. On our previous visit a couple of years ago we felt the place was showing some wear and tear. It was voted the #1 indoor water park in 2015 by USA Today. There are a number of other activities available at the lodge. Both resorts have normal hotel rooms as well as themed rooms.
Java Pyramid Program With User Input,
Ryanair Passenger Locator Form Uk To Spain,
Miscarriage After Pgs And Heartbeat,
Lost Vape Centaurus Replacement Panels,
Dewalt Propane Heater Troubleshooting,
Articles K