Great Wolf Lodge, LaGrange, GA

Great Wolf Lodge Georgia (GWL-GA) is part of North America’s largest family of indoor water park resorts. This resort is located southwest of Atlanta. It’s a great location for a quick family getaway or staycation. Another perk is that parents don’t have to worry about hauling beach gear or applying sunscreen. Maybe bring a cover-up because it can get chilly going from the water park back to your room. For a limited time, our sister site, CertifiKID, is offering Up to 30% Off a Great Wolf Lodge Overnight Stay!

We were invited to the Great Wolf Lodge Georgia, in LaGrange. It's a woodland nature-themed water park inside a big resort, with many fun attractions, shopping, and dining options! The resort uses RFID wristbands which are so convenient for keyless room entry and to charge dining, beverage, attraction or shopping purchases to your room. The animal character mascots are super cute, and the themed suites with bunk beds are a glamping dream for kids and parents! 

We have visited twice before COVID-19 and had a blast. Obviously, the world has changed since our last visit. My daughter has been working very hard with virtual school, so this was a good time to take a break and enjoy GWL’s Howl-o-Ween festivities. We were also curious to see how the resort restructured its offerings with new health and safety for guests. I’m ready to give you an update and share our experience with you. 

Photo with mascot Wiley Wolf using the GWL App

GWL-GA offers a wide range of wet and dry attractions and activities for the tiny tots and the thrill-seeking adventurers. They also offer a Howl ‘N Learn package to give kids a break from the typical learning routine at home. Kids can focus on their e-learning at Wiley’s Schoolhouse and parents can have a few hours to focus on work or relax and enjoy the resort. The package enhancement includes: late-check out, access to Wiley’s Schoolhouse, and a pre-packaged healthy snack. The package enhancement starts at $85/night and accommodates every child assigned to the room at the time of booking. (Images of Howl 'N Learn are the property of Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.) 

Health & Safety

Before entering the water park, the lifeguards check your child's height and are given a colored wrist band to identify areas where they can play/slide and if a life vest is recommended. Multiple lifeguards are assigned to each water play area and rotate constantly, but of course, lifeguards do not replace adult supervision. Review the safety rules with your children before playing in the water park.

When Great Wolf Lodge Georgia reopened in June, they implemented a PawPledge as a commitment to ensuring a safe environment for guests. Their Health & Safety Program includes social distancing, requiring face coverings in all public spaces for guests age 5 years old and older, cleaning and sanitization protocols, minimizing surface contact, and mandatory Guest Health Screenings prior to arrival. We are very cautious about health and safety, so we felt at ease seeing all the steps being taken to prioritize the safety of all the guests and staff.

There are signs and markers for social distancing all around the resort and sanitizing stations everywhere. Bring your masks from home so that you know they fit comfortably and properly to cover your nose and mouth. If you forget your mask, there are some available from guest services. Cute resort-themed cloth masks are also available for purchase at the stores. Guests are not required to wear masks while dining, exploring the outdoor area where social distancing is maintainable, or when playing in the water park attractions.
Health and safety are a shared responsibility. We can all have fun and stay safe by helping each other and doing our part.

Activities & Attractions

Great Wolf Lodge Georgia (GWL-GA) offers a variety of attractions to keep your family entertained. The indoor attractions include a climbing wall, mini bowling, arcade, mini-golf, ropes obstacle course, gem mining, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and MagiQuest. Family fun options are endless. Watch out for the kids running around the resort with their wands and waving them at different portals to solve their quests. If you’re interested in multiple attractions, ask about the Attraction Pass, prices range from $49.99 - $79.99 per person. Did I mention they also have a Dunkin Donuts, candy shop, and Ben & Jerry's too?!

For this trip, my “Unicorn Ninja” was excited to take on the Howler’s Peak Ropes Course. It’s challenging but so fun! I accompanied my daughter through the course because she is under 48 inches tall. She completed all levels with minimal assistance, but trained staff members are alert and ready to encourage and assist jittery climbers if needed. Children less than 45 inches tall are not allowed to climb. Make sure you wear closed-toed shoes! 

Don't miss the fun and FREE daily activities at the resort, almost hourly, led by the GWL Entertainment Ambassadors. Reservation sign-up for the free activities sessions are available at the Build-a-Bear Workshop starting at 10 am. Arrive early to sign-up for activities starting with yoga, MagiQuest Knighting Ceremony, cartoon drawing, trick-or-treating, UnBOOlievable Storytime (PJs encouraged), and a Monster Bash Dance Party. My daughter attended most of the sessions and had an absolute blast, especially yoga and the dance party.

Character Meet: Wiley Wolf

UnBOOlievable Storytime with Oliver Racoon

If you miss the initial sign-up, hang out by the main lobby 5-10 minutes before the start time to join the waitlist. Sign-up for socially distant character meets are not required.

Yoga Tails

Trick-or-Treat Trail

To maintain social distance protocols, attractions and activities are offered at reduced capacity. Floor squares are used to socially distance guests during the entertainment events. 

Cartoon Drawing

Character Meet: Violet Wolf

Water Park

Water park admission is included with your resort stay. There are no additional fees to splash and play! 

There are so many areas to play in the water park for toddlers, children, teens, and adults. Fort McKenzie is an interactive water treehouse, with slides, and a huge water bucket at the top ready to create a gigantic splash! Cub Paw Pool and Whooping Hollow are fun splash and spray stations for the little ones to play safely. Grab a single or double tube and float down Crooked Creek, a lazy river with a current, water sprays and buckets of water that fill/dump as you pass. It's not as relaxing as you bump into other tubes and floaters, but still loads of fun! Chinook Cove was a family favorite for water basketball. My daughter couldn't get enough of the floating log pads of Big Foot Pass. The tube slides are wicked fun! We went down on Rapid Racer several times. Be ready to carry your float up a few flights of stairs! There are also family rafting tube slides and more thrilling water slides for the tweens/teens.

Crooked Creek

River Canyon Run

Guest services set us up with a cabana near the wave pool area on our departure day. It was perfect for us to social distance, and have a private area to change, enjoy lunch and adult beverages from The Watering Hole, and rest in between the splash time. I recommend reserving a cabana for your party, especially if you're celebrating a special occasion. 

Resort guests have access to the water park at 1 pm on the day of check-in. Your room may not be ready until 4 pm, but there are lockers to store your valuables. The restroom and showers are conveniently located in the water park. On your departure day (11 am check-out), you can stay until the park closes at 8 pm.  

Interactive Spray Stations

Crooked Creek

Big Foot Pass

Fort McKenzie Slides

Tips

• Download the Great Wolf Lodge App on your phone (iPhone/Android) so you can plan your trip. You can pre-check-in & check-out, view the resort map, activity schedule, dining menus, coupons, and also take a photo with Wiley.
• Get your complimentary wolf ears at the Buckhorn Exchange Gift Shop.
• Bring facial coverings/masks for everyone in your wolf pack.
• Bring swim diapers for the babies and toddlers.
• Bring goggles for the kiddos and water shoes. 
• Towels are available at the water park for guests.
• Life vests are available free at the water park. You can use our own puddle jumpers.
• Bring your favorite snacks for the room. There is a mini-fridge and coffee-maker in the room. The public microwave is located in the Freshwoods Market.
• The water park area is loud from the constant rushing water, filtration and ventilation systems, and kids "howling" with joy... bring earplugs.
• Howl-o-Ween festivities run thru October 31, 2020. Costumes are encouraged.

Note about Housekeeping Services: Overnight cleaning services are suspended. If you need anything, items can be delivered upon request. Check out the GWL-GA's Frequently Asked Questions page for more tips. 

Special Offer

• For a limited time, our sister site, CertifiKID, is offering Up to 30% Off a Great Wolf Lodge Overnight Stay! 
  • Valid Sunday- Thursday nights through 1/14/2021. But HURRY - You must book your stay by 11/15/20.
  • Blackout Dates:11/26/20 and 12/20 - 12/31/20
  • To Book: Click HERE (and the discount will be automatically applied) OR use discount code CERTKID at checkout.

As you're planning your next trip, get the kids excited at home with GWL's Paws ‘N Play activities, created by Lynn Lilly of Craft Box Girls. Families can access DIY games, interactive crafts, snack recipes, and more ideas for family fun and unforgettable memories. New recess break activities are uploaded every week and will continue throughout the fall season. 

There's so much to do and experience at Great Wolf Lodge Resorts, Inc. The GWL Guest Services Staff worked very hard to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone to enjoy. We always have a howlin' great time when we visit the Great Wolf Lodge. My daughter is begging to go back to celebrate her birthday with the GWL characters Wiley, Violet, Oliver, and Rachel! She told me the birthday celebrant gets special "birthday wolf ears" too! 

*Macaroni Kid Buckhead Midtown Brookhaven was hosted by GWL-GA for this review. Any opinions are entirely my own. 📷 provided by Cookie Suarez

Location
Great Wolf Lodge Georgia
150 Tom Hall Pkwy
LaGrange, GA 30240

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