Indoor Water Parks

By Christina VanGinkel

We visited our first Waterpark, The Great Wolf Lodge, in the Wisconsin Dells, several years ago. My husband and I were a bit reluctant to go, but our youngest son had begged, for some time to visit one. His comments included the typical 'all of his friends were going, so why couldn't he' type whines. We finally gave in after spending some time online browsing a few different places that were within driving distance of our home in Northern Wisconsin, and realizing that they were an affordable way to take a family break to a place that had something to offer all of us in the family. The Great Wolf Lodge appealed to us personally because of the rustic and relaxed look of the lodge itself, and that it boasted being one of the largest indoor parks at the time. That proclamation means a lot to a ten year old!

We made reservations for four, with our eighteen-year-old daughter also accompanying us. We booked a suite, with an upstairs so my husband and I could have a bit of privacy from the kids, and we chose a package they had running at the time. It included freebies for the kids, including towels emblazoned with the name of the lodge, sodas, popcorn, playing cards, and in room video games, and a package of game tokens for the game room that were on the premises, along with a number of other small gratuities. Even with the age difference amongst our kids, they each found something they liked in the package, and we have since taken a package at nearly every water park we have visited through the years. We have found them to be a great way to make the experience a bit more fun, without adding a huge expense to the final bill.

The water park itself ended up being as much fun as we could have hoped for, and then some. Even me, who was not a big water lover, had a blast. With pools, slides, water games, and a bar poolside, there was not a lot more we could have asked for, but there was a lot more included. The game room was filled wall to wall with games of all types, many that provided tokens for play, which could then be turned in for prizes. Our son, then about ten years old, loved this aspect of the lodge!

Our daughter, who was already eighteen that first year we went, could have chosen to spend her spring break that year anywhere but with her parents and little brother. However, she enjoyed the whole scenario so much, that she has gone on to ask us every year since to take her back, even using the ploy this year that our grandson would love the water!

If you are looking for an affordable get away that everyone in the family can enjoy, then consider an indoor Waterpark. With everything contained in one spot, restaurants, after pool gaming, room service, and gift shops, they are the ideal spring break, or any time of the year break, for a weekend, or even a week long vacation.