Great Wolf Lodge Day 2: Waterpark and Cub Club

This article includes a review of a complimentary stay at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA (about 90 minutes south of Seattle by car). I received no other compensation besides the hotel stay and waterpark admission, and the hotel did not express any requirement that I express a particular point of view. I do not accept pay-per-post or pay-per-positive reviews, and on the rare occasion that I do accept a free service from a sponsor I will always let you know.. Here is a link to my previous post about Great Wolf Lodge

Watching E wake up in his bunk bed this morning was one of those small moments that will I will probably remember among my favorite travel moments this year. Never quick to wake up, he stretched and yawned and then a look of recollection took over his face. Immediately, my usually slow-mover sat up and peered over the edge of the bed. Seeing that he had indeed spent the entire night in the top bunk, a satisfied grin spread over his face and he lay back down contentedly.

Bunk Beds at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA

Getting the kids dressed in their swimsuits this morning was a snap, but encouraging them to eat their breakfast was a different story. They were simply too excited to sit still for a minute, and remembering the age-old advice about not eating 30 minutes before getting into the water, we decided not to force the issue.

With an evening to reflect on what happened yesterday and good night's sleep under their belts, each kid reacted very differently to the water park than they had the day before. D, who had taken a few short underwater tumbles yesterday was noticeably more cautious and wanted to hold an adult's hand at all times. She gradually warmed up, but probably would have enjoyed a calm tot pool more than the bustling activity of the big toddler area today.

Our normally cautious son, on the other hand seemed freed. Within a few minutes of entering the water, he had made a friend, and having another four year old to explore with seemed to boost his confidence. As a parent it was a wonderful feeling to watch him running from activity to activity, trying new things, and finding that he liked them. Normally squeamish and easily upset by anything unexpected, he brushed off splashes and unexpected jets of water from the spray fountains. This was one of those moments where you think "maybe this child will eventually be able to make his way in the world after all" and breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Filling the Shopping Cart with Recyclables at Great Wolf's Cub Club

When the kids finally wore themselves down, we cleaned up and headed to the hotel's arcade and the "Cub Club." Designed for younger kids, the Cub Club offers a variety of crafts and scheduled activities - some free and some at additional cost. I'm never one to spend money when there is fun to be had for free, so E and D played in a small playhouse, filled a shopping cart with recyclable items, and enjoyed coloring. When we left, the staff gave them crayons and coloring books for the car ride home. The quiet space was a nice antidote to the busy waterpark and a great way to wind down before getting in the car to drive back to Seattle.

Overall we had a good kid-focused weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge. A month later, the kids continue to talk about the trip, and how much fun they had in the water. It obviously looms large in their memories of exceptional destinations. True, there was none of the sense of exploration or intellectual growth that we usually enjoy on our family trips to cities like San Francisco, Chicago, or Paris, nor did we get a chance to relax poolside while the kids did their own thing, but the resort did make a really enjoyable and easy-to-get-to weekend getaway.

Filed Under: hotel-review travel-stories

3 comments | Posted on June 8, 2009 | Save to del.icio.us

 Subscribe to our feed