italianchef Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Mrs. Chef and I have long thought about staying at the Great Wolf Lodge - Mason. After we read about the Sunday-Thursday $189/night grand opening special that expires in March....we decided to make a reservation. Last night, Sunday 1/28, Mrs. Chef, Toddler Chef, and I checked into the GWL. Wow! Just the exterior was magnificent. The light brown logs and reddish roofs are gorgeous. And the giant stone wolf statues at the entrance awed us. The Grand Lobby (on the 2nd floor) alone impressed us with its stone fireplace that extends from the 2nd to 3rd floors. It is huge, ornate, and features effigies of wolves. When we checked in, we were provided with water resistant wristbands with bar codes that act as room keys. We found the wristbands to be very convenient as we didn't have to worry about losing our room keys - especially at the water park. On the third floor, where our room was, employees provided us with free cookies and snow cones. We were told that this perk was only available on weekends. Also, the carpeting on the third floor featured wolves, moose, deer, and bears. We loved our suite as soon as we entered it. The wall paper, carpets, and furniture were all rustically themed. The room was spacious - two queen sized beds, a living room type area, and a decent sized, clean bathroom. The balcony was nice, but it was WAY too cold for us to use it. After we unpacked we walked around the lodge and then headed to BEAR TRACK LANDING, the indoor water park. Last year at the water park we frequent most often, we noticed that Toddler Chef is allergic to chlorine. His eyes would get puffy, red, and irritated causing him to cry. So we were nervous about bringing him to Bear Track Landing. I am so so so happy to tell you that the chlorinated water at the GWL does NOT irritate Toddler Chef at all. He dunked his head under water twice even and NEVER complained once. Toddler Chef had a great time running and splashing in the water. And he went down the kiddie water slides repeatedly. I was a proud papa to see him do all that. I did take a little time away from my family to try a few "big" water slides by myself. My favorite one was Coyote Canyon - a tube slide that drops riders into a circular area and gives them the sensation of being flushed town a toilet. It was pretty cool! After the water park we had dinner at the Loose Goose. We chose it because it is a buffet restaurant and being less than 3 years old, Toddler Chef is mighty picky. He did love the food and ate quite a bit of pizza. Mrs. Chef and I made pigs of ourselves feasting on the American and Chinese dishes offered. I'm told that they rotate the buffet menu. That night steak, glazed ham, country ribs, shrimp linguini, bourbon chicken, and MANY other dishes were offered. We went to the Buckhorn Exchange shop after dinner, where Mrs. Chef and I purchased some nice souvenirs. Then we went to the Great Clock Tower in the lobby for a 10-minute animatronic musical show. A Native American girl, a colonial European-American boy and a cast of singing trees and animals sang and performed. Story telling featuring Wiley Wolf followed the show. After the story was read by a lodge official, children posed with Wiley Wolf - who Toddler Chef mistook for Scooby Doo. My son happily posed for pictures with Wiley and kept calling him "Scooby". It was cute. After the shows, we returned to our room. Toddler Chef and Mrs. Chef relaxed in our room. So I went back to the water park alone to ride another slide and then hit Northern Lights Arcade, where I played a Star Trek game and then spent $5 on ice ball (skee ball for the rest of us). When I returned to my room, Toddler Chef was tired. After he fell asleep, Mrs. Chef & I shared a bottle of Moscato that we bought. GWL does have a bar, but how could we go without a baby sitter? The next morning, today, we headed to the Bear Claw Cafe to buy breakfast and take it to our room to eat. Since the offerings - muffins, bagels, & such - didn't interest Mrs. Chef - back to Loose Goose. We ate at the breakfast buffet: eggs, French toast, pancakes, waffles, fruit, etc. The offerings were fit for royalty. After breakfast, we went back to the room to change and then made a second visit to Bear Track Landing. Once again, I did a few "big" slides and played with Mrs. Chef and Toddler Chef in the children's area. We shopped some more and then checked out. I have only one regret about Great Wolf Lodge - that I didn't book 2 nights. The service, room, food, amenities, and atmosphere way exceeded my expectations. Have a great day! Italian Chef aka Charles Infosino Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reclaimer Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Great report, Chef! All of these great reports keep coming in. I was wanting to go over spring break, but I just can't afford it. Kinda makes me sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avatar Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Nice trip report chef, I hope you did know that you are allowed to use all the amenities of the lodge and including the water park until 10 pm at night on the day you check out. Well I’m glad to hear that the chlorine didn’t bother toddler chef this time and also that he’s getting a little venturous in the water slides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Nemo Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Wonderful report Chef! I can see your face when you first walked into the waterpark, it was probably the same as my face the first time I walked in there. I have to agree with you that Coyoty Cannon is the best ride in the park. BTW I think you got Coyoty Cannon confused with River Canyon Run. The kids area of the park is just greatly laid out, little basketball hoops, little water buckets, and 5 slides for them. Good thing you went during the weekday, weekends are crowded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyman Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I want to go but my daughter won tickets to Fort Rapids. It’s much smaller but with her winning those tickets it will have t do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkitrumpet08 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 It makes me feel good to hear all these good reports of the lodge. I work in the arcade and personally I don't think that the arcade is particulalry amazing.. has anyone else ventured into the arcade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I rode Phantom's Revenge in the Arcade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkitrumpet08 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 hahaha.. how was that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPGUN1993 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 It was Very Thrilling. It was my first roller coaster of 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkitrumpet08 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 lol, it is a very different sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Bombay Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 It makes me feel good to hear all these good reports of the lodge. I work in the arcade and personally I don't think that the arcade is particulalry amazing.. has anyone else ventured into the arcade? The PKICentral staff had the pleasure of meeting the man who designed the arcade. Personally I think its very good, much better than what you see at Dave and Busters and Wonder Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplehaze Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I am so glad they built the lodge but on my personal note it does not interest me for some reason. Maybe because I only live a few minutes from the park. But I do plan on staying there at least once this upcoming year so I can say I did! Do they have a bar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkitrumpet08 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Yes we do have a bar. Its right by the lobby in the Bar and Grill restaraunt we have. It's called Critter something I beleive. And what did the designer of the arcade have to say about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoDeyForever Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Sweet story! My mom works at the GWL and I got to stay there for the first night it was open. It has a sweet indoor water park and all around is a great enviorment. Good restraunts and a pretty sweet arcade. On New Year's Eve actually my friend and I actually dressed up as Wiley and Biko (Wiley's best friend) Funny stuff that night! Glad you enjoyed it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkitrumpet08 Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I've been Wiley many times before haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Feburary 9th-10th We Checked out on 10th. Myself my wife and 3 yr old we had a blast. (we even thought it had more of a theme than boomerang bay. The Family intertube raft was our favorite. My wife liked ( I forget the name, the one that drops you into a toilet. But overall very nice resort welcome addition to Kings Island OHIO. Only Negative the showers/changing areas when you cko are small ( like 3 showers ). Even the Buffet was great!!! and the show at the great clock tower incredible, very disney like. If you get a chance check out the resort: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oysterman Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 i actually stayed at great wolf this weekend, it was pretty nice....but after about 4 hours in the waterpark, the clorene (not sure how to spell that) got to me, and i couldnt stop coughing! lol but all and all, it was deffinatly a fun experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoDeyForever Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 I've been Wiley many times before haha ha man i was about to pass out..way to hot in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oysterman Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 (off topic) man, im liking the whodey forever, but u have pictures of the bucks on there? shouldnt it be the bengals??? haha not that i care though the bucks are WAY more important to me than the bengals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoDeyForever Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 (off topic) man, im liking the whodey forever, but u have pictures of the bucks on there? shouldnt it be the bengals??? haha not that i care though the bucks are WAY more important to me than the bengals Well its the off-season for the Bengals and college basketball season..I usually put up a sig of the sport that is currently happening..I'll have a Bengals one when its football season again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oysterman Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 o ok...haha GO BUCKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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