Cormaster Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 So Tuesday we left for GWL and Kings Island. We left much later than I wanted to as my wife had a job interview and couldn't reschedule it. We got to GWL at about 5p.m. and then it took us 20 minutes to check in because some idiot was running the desk. After that we found our room, dropped our stuff off and headed to Kings Island. It was short and sweet: Diamondback White Water Canyon Firehawk Flight of Fear And then we got some deep fried oreos and it was about 8p.m., closing time at KI so we decided to head back and go enjoy the waterpark at GWL before it closed. We got back, changed into our swimsuits, and headed towards the GWL waterpark. When we got there, a lifeguard stops us at the door: "I'm sorry we can't let you in, the waterpark's closed", our response "What? Its supposed to close at 10!", "no it closes at 8, it doesn't start closing at 10 till this weekend". So we walked back to our room dissapointed and angry. My wife was very angry. She went up to the main desk and told a manager off. Told him we paid $260 just to have a hottub in our room, and a waterpark we can't use. The manager tried to say "Well your here during an off peak time thats why the waterpark closes early", but my wife argued back that we have come there 3 times during that time and each time the waterpark has stayed open until 10. She is right too. Everytime we've come there the waterpark has been open till 10 except this past visit. ME personally I think its crap we gotta pay the same amount we always have and we can't use the waterpark as long! So anyway we took off for dinner after that, my wife driving angrily through the GWL parking lot. We had dinner at Sonics and then decided to go get some liquor, which was quite an adventure... where can you get liquor at in ohio? We went to Meijer, and Kroger and all they had was watered down liquor (21%/vol and lower). I used the GPS on my phone to take me to a liquor store and it was closed, closed at 9. Maybe someone can explain the liquor laws to me in ohio because in Indiana they can sell hard liquor everywhere, and liquor stores can stay open as late as 3a.m.! Anyway we eventually gave up and just bought some beer from a gas station. We drank and soaked in the hot tub till midnight then went to bed. Sleeping didn't go quite as planned either. The stupid A/C in the room was loud, and sounded like a jet engine firing up, and it kept clicking on, and everytime it would, it would wake me up. I ended up with something like 5 inconsistant hours of sleep. At 7:30, I gave up, got my wife up and we went to the GWL breakfast buffet. Service was bad there too. Problem was they only had one waiter for like 20 tables, and new tables kept coming in. At one point I was out of coffee and water and I nearly went to just go get it myself until my wife motioned at a GWL employee and told them we needed refills. I'll never understand whats up with Buffets not just having drinks on the buffet. Wouldn't that make more sense? Then I wouldn't need a waiter or waitress for anything! Anyway after that we headed back to the room to clean up and change into swimsuits. Oh yeah and housekeeping nearly walked in on us with our clothes off... it was before checkout time and they didn't even bother to knock! Finally 10a.m. came and we checked out, played in the waterpark for 45 minutes, and took off. overall a bad visit and not worth the money we paid for it. We went back to KI for a little while. IT went like this: Diamondback Beast Vortex Delerium Diamondback And then we had some blueberry ice cream and took off. I had no problems with KI what-so-ever this trip, but I wish my wife would of just listened to me about going to the Kings Island Resort instead. Truth be told, I can't afford the absurd prices at GWL any better than anyone else on this board, and one trip we decided to stay at the resort instead, cost only about $80/night and I really felt like the place gave you your money's worth more than the GWL. I mean for that $80 you got transportation to and from the park, a pool and hot tub that was open till midnight, a full service bar and grill called "Coasters", and they had a breakfast buffet option too! I've never felt like we've gotten our money's worth out of the lodge. The water-park is cool, but its not big enough that you would want to spend a whole day there, and once you get over the water-park gimmick you realize there's nothing much else to do, unless you wanna play outdated video games in the arcade, or do that stupid magic quest thing. I hope my wife is serious because I'm sick of paying there absurd rates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI FANATIC 37 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Well, I'm sorry you had a bad time at GWL. I'm going the 18-19 so I'll tell you how my visit went.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Millennium Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Aww shucks. I loved the Great Wolf in Sandusky. Quiet, clean, and good for the kiddies. I guess I shouldn't go to the one in Mason. Good to hear you had a good time at KI though. POST 100 !!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincyMan98 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Aww shucks. I loved the Great Wolf in Sandusky. Quiet, clean, and good for the kiddies. I guess I shouldn't go to the one in Mason. Good to hear you had a good time at KI though. POST 100 !!!!!! It is just one time though; I mean, it's not a very good thing to not be able to go to the waterpark. Honestly, I thought the Mason one was better than Sandusky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Millennium Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Aww shucks. I loved the Great Wolf in Sandusky. Quiet, clean, and good for the kiddies. I guess I shouldn't go to the one in Mason. Good to hear you had a good time at KI though. POST 100 !!!!!! It is just one time though; I mean, it's not a very good thing to not be able to go to the waterpark. Honestly, I thought the Mason one was better than Sandusky. The Mason one is too big for my taste. I can fulfill my waterpark needs at Kalahari Sandusky or Splashin' Safari. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I can fulfill my waterpark needs in the local mudpuddle, but then again, I ain't the waterpark type! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplehaze Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 In Ohio you have to obtain "real" booze from a state store unlike states like KY in which has package stores. The Bigger Kroger stores have these Not that I know. I am not much of a drinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muppetfan1999 Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I love going to GWL myself. Then again, it could be because I'm 10...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 That may indeed have something to do with it...or not! Terp, who enjoys many of the same things he did at 10.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I am 24 and I enjoyed the water park at great wolf lodge. You are right, its not an all day thing, but it was nice for about 3 or so hours in the middle of winter. So I can see how and why its fun.... with that being said sorry your visit was not great.... thats why i personally never try to hit 2 "big" things in one day....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormaster Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 It was one bad trip, out of 4, I wouldn't let my bad time at the lodge discourage anyone else from going who was thinking about it. More than anything the main problem was the waterpark shutting down early. This is something new they do, but considering we had actually PLANNED To go to the waterpark after KI, we found ourselves with nothing to do at 8:30. I really don't understand why they shut it down early, personally from past visits because of KI closing at 8PM, the waterpark gets quite a bit more packed at that time! Pretty much now their hours are even with KI 8pm is ridiculous. I think about my own apartment complex, pool/hottub hours are 10 - 10. I think about the resort where their pool house is open till midnight. And I'm thinking if the GWL wants to impose reduced hours during "off peak" times then maybe they need to cut the rates down in half. nope my room was the same cost last time I went out, and I got to use the waterpark until 10! Needless to say the GWL is a nice hotel don't get me wrong, and I imagine kids would love it, but I never thought it was worth the price. I've never felt I've got my money's worth, but my wife's obssessed with the place, and nearly ran me into the poor house by planning trips and making reservations there. I went to the resort one time, and obviously no it wasn't nearly as elaborate or nice as the GWL, but for prices starting at $70/night you actually feel you get MORE Than what you paid for! One thing I dont' get either about GWL is why don't they have transportation to the park? $300/night for a room and they can't provide a shuttle bus? The campgrounds that occupied that spot before offered a shuttle why can't they? This might be the biggest reason I like the resort over the lodge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Remember, CBS owned about an interest in that Mason Great Wolf Lodge. Cedar Fair was offered it, but turned it down. CBS later sold that interest to others. I strongly suspect once the current "Official Resort of Kings Island" contract expires, it shant be renewed. Cedar Fair operates a water park hotel of its own in Sandusky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormaster Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 I really don't know much about the history of it. I just know my wife, then girlfriend in 2007 was very anxious to stay at it from the commercials they had on the radio. I didn't even know it existed till I rode top gun one time and saw it! Our first trip out there was for our honeymoon, and it was paid for with all cash from wedding gifts, so that time I was really impressed with the place. I don't mean to make it sound horrible, but my wife drives me nuts with it. I get sick of hearing "Great wolf lodge" around this house because she talks about it... New Years "we could go to the Great wolf Lodge", Easter "we could go to the great wolf Lodge"... and I don't even wanna tell the story as to why we went this time... So hopefully she's done with it for real, because I've been over the place since the second visit out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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