The suite had an interesting layout, but who could enjoy it when you were struggling not to vomit. Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge Poconos Comparison - Kalahari Resort Poconos Top Flight Family 113K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K 310K views 3 years ago Are you trying to decide between. The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. However, if our kids were younger, Great Wolf Lodge would be more manageable due to its smaller size and its mascots that appeal to younger kids. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. Were going in January. When looking at Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari as destinations for families, they both offer plenty of fun activities. Aquatopia made an effort to do some theme-ing with the Kartrite Quest /Adventures but this really only covers the water park and the activities for kids to the left of the lobby. The fact that Aquatopia ALSO has an outdoor water park (Camelbeach) and its night-time illumination make it unique. Im guessing the youngest of your children voted for GWL? CHECK IN/ROOM - We checked in with Kassi atWe visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. Winner: Tie Water Park Both resorts have huge water parks that include a wave pool, lazy river, splash areas and of course water slides. Kalahari Resort vs. Great Wolf Lodge - Miles For Family We did still struggle with the menu & felt that it was very limited in that we found it difficult to find healthier options for our family. My son went to the prime rib carving station several times but the chef continued to serve him meat with chunks of fat on it - so he gave up. Lifejackets available, large amount of seating and tables!ARCADE - Another huge area! We are happy to report that there were two night stands with our queen bed! Berrellis Italian Chophouse wasnt really an option for us as this restaurant is physically located in a different building from where we were staying & where the indoor water park is located. We were told that the elevator was on the convention center side, which was not really convenient for her. The entire Kalahari Resort is enormous. Great Wolf Lodge was nearly as inexpensive during the week as Aquatopia ($249 vs $238), and the cheapest on Saturday night. 2 of themone outside by the immense outdoor pool and one heated one inside. There was one dedicated dessert/pastry kiosk located off the main lobby nestled in there with the souvenir shop. Kalahari even has a five bedroom suite that can have a maximum of 22 guests. Kalahari Resort has an African safari theme. As the kids went ahead, employee Jeremy helped to take bags upstairs. Great Wolf Lodge has more charm and we enjoyed the lodge theme & the characters. Just a small thing that can be easily rectified. I asked everyone in the family if we are going back down to the Poconos and staying at one of the resorts tomorrow night where would you want to stay? To the right of the entrance is check-in / hotel services. Great Wolf Lodge has a woodsy/lodge theme and decor. We have never patronized the restaurant as it does seem expensive. Inspired parents sharing the joys & adventures of the parenthood journey! 4.) Water park access was included. Kids hearing is much more sensitive! It is really the other aspects of the resorts and accommodations that will determine which resort is the better choice for your family! Chip Williamson All Rights Reserved. A night at either place costs a small fortune, and the food is over-priced and mediocre. Kalahariis the biggest of the 3 and has a wider range of offerings that will appeal to both adults & children. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. We love knowing that our attractions were fun for both the children and adults in your family! We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July. It is in the middle in terms of the size of its indoor water park and in number of rooms at the resort. Activities could include yoga, character appearances, crafts, a nightly Forest Friends show, story time, and a dance party. Which Poconos waterpark do you like best? Im not sure if it something that they created or if it has its origins someplace else. See our Advertiser Disclosure and Editorial Notehere. Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great So the water park is what we usually focus on. As a native New Yorker, a bit of grit and grime doesn't scare me. The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. Most of the time we were at Aquatopia we ate FROM Trails End Pub & Grille. As I mentioned above, we can engage in many of the other activities closer to our home. The outdoor small kids area with slides was a nice addition to the park however my daughter who is 53" tall was not allowed to go on them. Great Wolf also has a neat Glockenspiel in the lobby that does a little show in the evening, and than a character comes out afterwards for a meet and greet. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. Klahari is themed and decorated as an African resort. A 14-inch pie was 8 slices, 2 toppings $21. We like all three. Most of the activities (at all of the resorts) are priced a la carte. TheParenthoodAdventures.comis owned & operated byChip Williamsonwho is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that enables websites like this to earn advertising fees from Amazon.com. (Basically a jumpy seat for adults.) 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. Take care! I actually have a hard time believing that the square footage of the park is larger than the water park @ Great Wolf Lodge. (assuming same accommodations we had for this past trip) and this is how they all answered. It is a wonderful family vacation spot that offers a lot of adventure & nature! To read more about HOW TO GET THE BEST DEAL & a PRICE COMPARISON of ALL THREE POCONOS WATERPARK RESORTS check out my NEW post: Poconos Waterparks: How to Get the Best Deals at Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia! There was also only one sink in the room (as well as only one bathroom which had only a standard sized tub). See you soon! So we decided to check it out and see how things had changed. It's small enough to feel cozy but large enough to feel like you are actually at a hotel. The side-lite mirror was a nice feature that we enjoyed. Especially liked the Learn to Surf place. Although our room was not yet ready (official check-in is at 4:00), we received our bracelets to use the waterpark downstairs and we were advised that we could store our luggage in an adjacent locked storage area. Wilderness,Kalahari or Great Wolf? Huge rate difference! Adventure Update # 040: Toilet Seat Police! Splash Lagoon . Virtual reality, tons of games, golf, bowling - this place though of everything. Since our last visit to Great Wolf Lodge they have established a relationship with Dunkin Donuts and there is one located on the main floor just off the right of the lobby. We figured that we'd have a good dinner to make up for it.After another 90 minutes or so, we decided to check out the room. At the towel dispensary you simply swipe your wrist band and the attendant will hand you the number of towels you request. really? 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! But having a wide variety of restaurants and foods was great! Been at least six years ago. It is always wonderful to receive complements on our dcor as we want our guests to have as authentic an experience as possible. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. 14 Best Indoor Water Park Resorts in the U.S. - FamilyVacationist Most times I find that the pictures or decorations in a motel/hotel really dont add anything to the experience. I have read other reviews where people did not enjoy the balcony but we did. But be prepared to spend.it comes with the territory! I'm displeased to hear of the strange odor in your room and that we were not able to correct this situation while you were staying with us. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Contemporary and tasteful.we give that an A+!Overall, we can't wait to return to Kalahari! On the lower level by the entrance for the water park, there is a pizza place with some tables in the lower lobby area. They did a fabulous job with the design of this place. Hopefully you can come again soon but until then, take care! Travel isnt free but we can help you take trips for pennies on the dollar! Photo credit: Great Wolf Lodge Great Wolf Lodge. My family has stayed in themed rooms at both resorts. When we were last at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos we did not stay in a themed suite. We went for the Italian the second night and the food was again wonderful. Read on to find out which one is the BEST water park for your family vacation! Its a tough call. Jamison is a small town in Warwick Township, Bucks Ringing Rocks County Park is located on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, along Ringing Rocks Road, in Upper Black Eddy, QuiNBy's Playground recently opened in 2022. Two of my kids are begging to go back to Kalahari. Tiffany, Im so glad you found the post helpful. @Kelly We ate dinner off-site so I cant really compare the food fairly. Im pleased to hear that you enjoyed the various sections of the waterpark. You all have multi room suites as well as an African Queen Suite.Let's talk about the African Queen Suite for a moment. Get those lifeguards a little more focused and offer more options at the bars! Sincerely, Very spacious, a flat screen TV in each room and in main living area with fireplace. 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. Top Educational & Inspirational YouTube Channels for Families 2022, Waterpark Comparison Chart: Kalahari, Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge. Then to get to the lower level you have to take the stairs. I believe you get what you pay for--any insight as the the huge difference in rates?!!! Magic wands are needed for this game, and there is a fee to activate them for a certain period of time. Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. We show middle class folks (like us) how they can leverage their good credit score to finally take that long-awaited trip. This post was incredibly helpful!!! Level Contributor 1,490 posts 39 reviews ==> Kalahari: Kalahari is the BEST indoor water park & resort for families looking for a balance between kid activities and adult luxuries on vacation. The best playgrounds near Bucks County, PA are some of the best playgrounds in Pennsylvania. The size of the indoor water park is roughly 125,000 square-foot, which makes it slightly larger than the Great Wolf Lodge water park @ roughly 79,000 square-foot, but decidedly smaller than Kalaharis indoor water park which is roughly 220,000 square-foot. We like archaeology and the lost river archaeology theme was interesting and well done. Generally $50 if canceled 8 or more days before arrival. 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! The food was not good at all. Kalahari Resort has Tom Foolerys, a gigantic indoor adventure park. Comparison between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge water park At that point, it was unmistakably the smell of cat urine. Great Wolf Lodge has more traditional tube, body slides, and a bowl slide. However, there seemed to be a noticeable amount of debris at the bottom of the pool which seemed to a combination of plastic and dirt. Both are great options for kids. The kids really enjoyed the cabin themed suite which was adorned with a lot of cute character images. We didn't expect gourmet food at a waterpark, but the nachos were so tasteless that my 12-year old pushed them aside and asked for a chicken finger. As I indicated above I should not have been charged a fee for parking since we did not leave a vehicle at the resort and were dropped off. Thanks! If you are going to Cedar Point, Castaway is located right at the beginning of the causeway to CP. This is probably the one area that Aquatopia beats both Great Wolf Lodge & Kalahari. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Mother to 4 wonderful children, wife to one witty, but extremely nerdy husband. Camelback Lodge vs. Great Wolf Lodge: Which Poconos Indoor Water Park It doesnt extend to the guest rooms and amenities. Thankfully, we didnt have a 2+ hour line to check-in. Although the room was designated for up to 6 people it felt like we were on top of each other at times. 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. This time we were on the third floor and had a balcony. Best Indoor Water Park Winners (2021) | USA TODAY 10Best In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. Im not sure when we will make it back there since we have a lot of other travel plans. However, there were at least 6 employees assisting at the registration desk and the line moved relatively quickly. We also enjoyed the Lazy River and the wave pool. Many of the activities are located right on the main level off to the left of the main lobby so they are very visible. Huge rate difference! bellyrubbah1 3 yr. ago. My husband and I especially like the adults-only area at Kalahari, and we dont miss the late-night stomping of kids in the hallways playing MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge (if you know, you know). But we generally dont patronize too many sit down restaurants with 4 kids with ages ranging from 2-10. Our 2-year-old who would have nothing to do with a life jacket was able to play in the toddler splash park and wave pool as long as Melani or I was right with her. Indoor Waterpark Resort | Wisconsin Dells Resort | Great Wolf Lodge Kalahari is amaizing! Great Wolf Lodge offers resort lodges with indoor water parks near both large theme parks. Hello! Can I ask how the service levels compared at the two as well as the food? Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. Great Wolf is good for the small children, Castaway is good for everyone, and Kalahari is beautiful but I find it leans more toward the older children and adults. I would request a higher floor again because the 2nd floor gets all of the foot traffic as that is the lobby floor and the waterpark and arcade are on the lower 1st floor.Take a minute to just look around and notice the dcor, architecture, and design. The room was not only spacious, but didn't reek like cat urine. Both resorts also have bunk bed suites with small alcoves just for the kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney. We ordered a burrito, nachos grande, chicken fingers, fries and onion rings from a predictable and acceptable selection of menu items. My sister, who was also staying at this resort had the African Queen suite and there was PLENTY of room for all of us if they would have moved us. In our opinion, the splash park at Aquatopia was the weakest of the three. (But It Wasnt Horrible), Using United Miles to Increase my Relatives Chances of Getting Hungarian Visas. We had a cabin themed room for this stay (KidCabin Suite) and the kids enjoyed it more than I had expected! Here is a quick breakdown of the outdoor activities offered at each resort: Kalahari: Monkey climb ropes course, zip lines and mini golf. Shooting Range (tourist favorite) is closer to Great Wolf. And the staff was friendly. Thank you to management for a well-trained staff and an enjoyable time! Great Wolf Lodges water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalaharis is over 220,000 square feet. Each wing of the resort is 8 floors high and it has 977 rooms in total. With multiple flexible rooms and more than 15,000 square feet of outdoor event space, our Wisconsin Dells resort has your next special occasion covered with: Adaptable event spaces for birthdays, weddings, cocktail receptions, conferences, meetings, and more. $25 if more than 3 days prior to arrival. Second, certain areas of the waterpark, especially the hot tubs, the wave pool and small kids areas were overcrowded. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. The water park @ Kalahari is HUGE. Both seemed to make a small room work a little better and not feel as small as it actually was. Thats theming! It is the best themed lazy river out of the three water parks in the Poconos! We have talked that when we are finally able to get a night or weekend to ourselves, Kalahari is one of the places that would be high on our list! Great Wolf Lodge has an outdoor ropes course and indoor arcade. Water park temperatures at all three Poconos water parks is the same @ 84 degrees, year-round. Sopleaseclick on a link or two if you wish tosupport us& and our endeavors here. Is the higher food price of Kalahari worth it? > *Valid exclusively for past guests of Kalahari Resort - Sandusky, Ohio. We are a family of 6 with four kids ranging in ages from 5 12 years old. Middletown is located outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's comparison guide for all three of these resorts, Ringing Rocks County Park Upper Black Eddy, PA. Great Wolf Lodge was nearly as inexpensive during the week as Aquatopia ($249 vs $238), and the cheapest on Saturday night. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? There was a large selection, with an emphasis on Italian cuisine. The larger of the two play areas also includes a splash table for babies. (Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Camelbacks Aquatopia) Which is the right waterpark resort experience for your family? Note that it may be quite a walk from your room to the water park, or any other destination on the Kalahari Resort campus. We also enjoyed the balcony. On our previous visit a couple of years ago we felt the place was showing some wear and tear. If you have visited all three waterparks in the Poconos please let us know which one YOU liked best! $13.35 per hour. Our suite was located on the same level as the entrance to the water park which was below the main level. I look forward to hearing back from you. Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. This was because: 1) We are a family of 6 and eating out is not usually relaxing or enjoyable! GWL has excellent sales. The NACHOS did not disappoint. The Poconos Waterpark Showdown 2019, and. Aquatopiais somewhere right in-between Kalahari & Great Wolf Lodge by almost every measure! A microwave, refrigerator, and small coffee maker are other amenities in the room. Great Wolf Lodge also has activities that vary with the timing of your stay. We can engage in many of the other activities closer to our home (and probably at less expense). This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. We joke that we lost Sophie our 2 year old for 5 minutes in the immense suite! Kalahari vs. Great Wolf : r/Poconos - Reddit Kalahari seems to have a bit more of a selection when it comes to very large rooms. You used the same bathroom photo for both resorts. Kalahari I feel would be better for the adults to have fun as well. 2501 Great Wolf Dr> Mason, OH 45040 (800) 913-9653. The main dry activity, however, is the MagiQuest interactive wand game. Ranked: Pennsylvania's three best water parks - York Daily Record Great Wolf Lodge vs Kalahari Resort | What's the Best Choice in Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. He was open to questions about the place and even offered a few suggestions. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. There were 2 bathrooms one off the walk-in area and the second one in the master suite. We also only stayed one night, so Im not sure how often housekeeping visits. Yes it is HUGE but it is also laid out well and serves as a destination itself within the resort. Camelbacks Aquatopia resort opened their indoor water park in May of 2015. At times Kalahari actually felt a littletoo bigfor us. It is also carried through with the water park experience itself with some of the attractions incorporating the characters and /or lodge theme. My daughter walks with a medical device. TripAdvisor review of Great Wolf Lodge Poconos, TripAdvisor review of Kalahari Resort Poconos, Booking.com review of Great Wolf Lodge Poconos, MommyNearest Great Wolf Lodge vs Kalahari vs Camelback. Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time.

Jill Biden Hair Stylist, Columbus, Ohio Deaths Last 7 Days, Is Ripple Vape Bad For You, Dachshund Rescue Washington State, Articles G