Packing Tips for Great Wolf Lodge Resort and Indoor Water Park
I’m a chronic over-packer. Heading out for a weekend getaway, I can easily rationalize packing half my closet and the entire bathroom. This was the case with our recent trip to Great Wolf Lodge New England as well, and most of the stuff in our suitcases didn’t get touched! So here are my packing tips for Great Wolf Lodge in a small list of things that you may need and some things you certainly do not need to pack.
Packing Tips for Great Wolf Lodge
It’s cold outside. You know what that means! Time to get the family together, pack some snacks, and head to our favorite indoor fun place – Great Wolf Lodge! Here are some helpful tips to help you pack for your vacation so you can get to the waterpark and have a blast with your family without any packing stress.
What to Bring to Great Wolf Lodge
Snacks/meals for your room – eating on-site can get pricey, especially when needing to purchase 3 meals and snacks every day. Try packing some snacks, stuff to make sandwiches, etc. The rooms are equipped with small refrigerators and microwaves, making it is easy to cut a meal or two off your budget by eating in your room.
Cute Pj’s and Slippers for the kids – One of my favorite parts of our GWL stay was the nighttime show and bedtime story in the lobby. Pack some cute PJs for a great photo opp and some slippers to wear down to the lobby.
Bathing suit Cover-up – you’ll be making a lot of trips from the waterpark to your guest room or other activities. A cover-up is a must-have because the pool towels must stay inside the water parks and the hallway is much chillier than the water park.
Sneakers – I assumed all we would need at a waterpark was flip flops but boy was I wrong! Thankfully the kids had worn their sneakers to the resort because you need closed-toe shoes to do the Howlers Peak rope course, and it is a must-do at the resort.
Cape or Costume – One of my kid’s favorite things to do at Great Wolf Lodge was the MagiQuest game. If you purchase a Paws Pass you’ll get a basic wand and the game as part of the package. However, all the fun wizard and princess costumes in the MagiQuest store will probably catch the kid’s eyes. If you have one packed away in your room, it’s easier to cut the expense out.
Small Bag for Dry Clothes – After check-out you still have access to the park and activities until closing. The water park has lockers and changing rooms so packing a small bag with clothes for the ride home can be very convenient instead of digging through the suitcases in the car.
What to Leave at Home When Visiting Great Wolf Lodge
Towels – The resort provides plenty of towels in both water parks. They have bins full of them so you can get a dry one as often as you’d like, so leave your towels at home.
Lifejackets – There’s no need to pack all the kids Lifejackets, the resort had them in every size. So you can leave yours at home and still have peace of mind!
Floats – Pool floats are not allowed in the water park so leave your inflatables and noodles at home.
Sunscreen – A big perk of indoor water parks is not needing to reapply sunscreen every hour. The New England Great Wolf Lodge only has a small splash pad outside, everything else was indoors so the bottle of sunblock never made it out of the suitcase.
I think we might take the kids there over the Christmas vacation. These are great ideas!
This is a great list! We have never visited Great Wolf Lodge, and I've been contemplating a trip sometime this year.
There is a Great Wolfs Lodge a few hours from me. I have been contemplating a trip. I know its expensive to eat on site. This is true for most resort type places. Even when hubs and I do our little roadtrips I tend to pack a cooler to save some money. Great tips!
I love love love the wolf ears. So cute! I would really like to take a visit with the family.
Definitely agree on bringing cute p.j.s for the kids (and me and hubs!!) and of course slippers! Can't wait to go to GWL again this year!
I packed my slow cooker for meatballs and sausage for dinner. it easy since we were already bringing a cooler for water, milk, juice and fruit.
I have never been, but is on my list of places to visit. Thanks for the tips! It is nice to know I do not need to pack my children's life jackets.
We've never been to a Great Wolf lodge. I appreciate the list because I'm an over packer too.
I love that they have plenty of towels. I always hate having to give up valuable outfit room to our towels!
These are all great tips. Great Wolf Lodge sounds like a great place to stay. I love the idea of bringing costumes!
Great Wolf Lodge sounds like a great place. I love anything called MagiQuest. Sounds like fun.
What an excellent how-to for packing essentials for the Great Wolf Lodge. This will help a lot of parents with packing sessions for other activities, as well.
Good list – We LOVE Great Wolf Lodge!!!! We go to the Wisconsin Dells location. Perfect family getaway!!
Great tips! We have never been to Great Wolf Lodge, but our boys would love it. Our little one is almost to an age where he could enjoy it.
Not bringing sunscreen to a water park– that will make life so much easier!
I've never been to Great Wolfe Lodge, but it looks like a blast! Perfect for kids!
I've heard so many great things about GWL but we've never been since my girls are older. It's helpful to know what you'll need (or not need) before you go.
I wonder if the one I went to had a ropes course. Great advice for GWL!
Genius!!!! That is something I will definitely keep in mind!
I too am a classic over packer!!! These are great tips! Thanks for sharing!
I would love to take my kids to Great Wolf Lodge! It's nice that they provide many amenities so I don't have to pack them (towels, life jackets, etc.)
Those ears are so adorable! I have heard great things about Great Wolf Lodge!
Definitely pack snacks and stuff!! I'd just do one meal at the lodge, and try to do the rest on our own. The shoe thing had us stuck too- we all had flipflops when we went adn weren't able to do the zip lines and stuff.
I've never been to a lodge so I wouldn't know what to expect. Thanks for making it easy!
I'm also a chronic over packer but everytime I try to cut my luggage down I take too much out and regret it. Oh what a delicate balance it is.
I didnt' realize you couldn't take the towels out of the water park area. Good thing to know about the cover-ups. Thank you!
I want to get here with the family one day. Thanks for the family packing tips!
That sounds like everything you need for a good time! I always seem to bring too much stuff or too little.
When we lived in Seattle, we would go to the Great Wolf Lodge in Washington. I loved going there and so did the kids!