Our family was super excited to spring into fun at Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg’s Spring-a-palooza sneak peek event last weekend. If you aren’t familiar with Great Wolf Lodge there are 14 Great Wolf Lodge Resorts around the country. The location closest to Southern Maryland is around two hours away in Williamsburg, Virginia. Due to it convenience of short travel time and all inclusive resort accommodations; Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg is the perfect location for a weekend getaway during spring break. March 10, 2017- April 16, 2017 the lodge is hosting a Spring-a-Palooza event.
What is Spring-a-Palooza? At Spring-a-Palooza you will find beautiful and vibrant spring décor. From floral pieces on the mantel to umbrellas hanging from the ceiling you will feel spring in the air. During this event families get to enjoy all the usual fun Great Wolf offers throughout the year; however, additional spring inspired activities such as a face painting, a bubble dance party, crafts and my family’s favorite the Spring Picnic!
- Spring Picnic: A time-honored spring tradition gets a Great Wolf twist, as guests can grab a blanket, spread it out on the floor and enjoy an afternoon picnic in the Grand Lobby. Guests can sip complimentary Minute Maid beverage available from the Great Wolf Lodge character-themed Lemonade Stand and play a few rounds of “Take A Wiley Guess” card game.
- Bubble Dance Party: This special Spring-a-Palooza event fills the Grand Lobby with cascading bubbles while Great Wolf Lodge’s Ambassadors of Fun keep energy-levels high with a family-friendly dance party.
- Spring-a-Palooza Story Time: Great Wolf Lodge’s nightly Story Time takes on a spring theme with a new tale featuring the Great Wolf Lodge characters called “Natural Wonders.” Kids are encouraged to wear their favorite jammies to the Grand Lobby for this event and will have the opportunity to meet one of the Great Wolf Lodge characters in person.
- Jelly Bean Guessing Game: A gigantic jar filled to the brim with jelly bean candies sits in the Grand Lobby and guests are invited to enter a contest guessing how many delicious treats are within the jar. The guests closest to the correct number without going over will be entered for a chance to win a Great Wolf Lodge Gift Card.
- Spring Scavenger Hunts: Great Wolf Lodge will introduce two self-guided scavenger hunts as part of Spring-a-Palooza. The “I Spy Spring” scavenger hunt will have guests looking high and low in the Grand Lobby to find a dozen hidden objects and claim a prize. The “Spring Sprint” scavenger hunt has guests solving clues that will take them on a journey throughout the lodge. When all 10 clues are solved, guests are rewarded with a prize.
- Character Themed Flower Gardens: A highlight of the Spring-a-Palooza celebration is the colorful springtime gardens found in the Grand Lobby. The gardens are designed and hand-crafted by Pack Members from the resort. Surrounded by a fence, the collection of flower pots are inspired by the Great Wolf Lodge characters. Guests are encourage to stroll around the garden and vote for their favorite display.
- Spring Themed Crafts: During Spring-a-Palooza, the resort’s Ambassadors of Fun will host several spring-inspired craft making events for kids of all ages. Character-themed crafting projects include Oliver’s Crazy About Bugs Jar, Violet’s Springtime Noodle Doodle, Brinley’s Don’t Blow Away Kite and Wiley’s Can You Spot It Binoculars.
I’m sure everyone already knows all about the amazing indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge. The water park alone could fill up your whole day since there’s a ton to do: slideboarding, water tornado, river canyon run, tons of water slides, hot springs and kids pool with water play activities. Today I want to highlights some of the “dry” activities though that you can explore while visiting. We had the chance to test out Magi Quest, Hollywood XD Theater, Ten Paw Alley, Oliver’s Time Challenge, 4-D World and the Northern Lights Arcade. One of my favorite activities was MagiQuest. It was so adorable to watch my two year old and four year old explore this magical scavenger hunt. They really enjoyed swishing their wands around to watch thing appear and light up!
MagiQuest
With MagiQuest, guests staying at Great Wolf Lodge can embark on the most epic and magical scavenger hunt ever imagined. MagiQuest is interactive adventure game that challenges guest’s puzzle-solving skills through quests that when completed unlock achievements and elevate gameplay experience-levels.
Easy to learn, and a fun challenge to master, the adventure begins at the MagiQuest Marketplace, where players purchase and register their magic wand. The duration of the game is entirely up to the player, they can play a quick 15-20 minute quest, or extend their game over multiple days. The wand keeps their game progress so guests can return at any time during their stay, and future stays at any Great Wolf Lodge, and pick up the game right where they left off.
Guests choose the adventure they would like play at any Portal Station located throughout the lodge. The game play takes place in five uniquely themed areas — Howling Hills, Tangled Timbers, Cryptic Caverns, Whispering Woods and Coastal Cliffs. The guest must retrieve relics and runes with their wand and prepare to battle a red dragon, save treetop Pixies, defeat the Goblin King, overcome the Shadow Lords and save the Sky Lights of Vellara.
We had a $50 gift card which provided us with hours of fun. We used it to play a round of bowling at Ten Paw Alley, half length lanes with five pound balls that made bowling perfect for the wee ones. My oldest son’s favorite was the Hollywood XD theater, a 4-D sensory thrill ride that is much like riding a real roller coaster. I think my youngest favorite was the arcade where he could swipe his card to play games and collect tickets.
Playful Parents Great Wolf Lodge Tips:
- Stay for one or two nights at the lodge but stick around a while the next day and enjoy more time at the attractions- You can still enjoy activities and the water park even after you check out of your room.
- Avoid sensory overload- Consider renting a cabana! I know this may sound a bit; however, it can be helpful to have your own space with a little extra quiet or comfort zone for quick breaks.
- Make friends with the staff – I was impressed by the team at GWL; they are amazingly friendly and extremely helpful! Everyone wants to see you having fun safely. I got the sense that the staff really enjoys working with kids.
- Save money- the three best tips I can share about booking a room is to go during off peak season, reserve a room on a week day and use Groupon to catch a great deal. Also, if you are military be sure to call and ask about a discount.