Hooray for our first trip with the girlies (or ever) to Great Wolf Lodge! The opportunity arose for me to work the VOMA medical conference being held at GWL Williamsburg, so what better chance to bring the family along for a few days of fun.
We checked in on a Thursday evening, and within 20 minutes we were in the water park. We didn't stand a chance considering the girls spotted it right away from the lobby.
Within a few minutes of being in the park, we found what our biggest challenge with Great Wolf Lodge would be-- two very different kids with two very different skill levels. Wills is still working on building up her water confidence and Harper was willing to try everything in there, so we really had to play man defense, pairing a parent with each child. Sam went with Harper, and I got to
After Willa tired of the baby pool, we walked around the main tower to watch for Harper and Sam. She had so much fun running through the water spouts and cheering on sissy. We got to catch them coming off a slide, just when Harper was grinning from ear to ear and saying, "Thank you, Dad. You've put the joy in my heart!" Ha.
After a few hours in the pool, we dried off and went to dinner at the resort's Loose Moose Bar & Grill. The food was actually pretty good, and the girls loved that we could hear the music from the dance party in the lobby. We finished in time to see the clock tower show and the story time. After such a full day (and surprisingly a late nap in the car for both girls), it was a bit tough for them to sit through the story time. So, we bailed out a bit early and called it a night.
After a few hours in the pool, we dried off and went to dinner at the resort's Loose Moose Bar & Grill. The food was actually pretty good, and the girls loved that we could hear the music from the dance party in the lobby. We finished in time to see the clock tower show and the story time. After such a full day (and surprisingly a late nap in the car for both girls), it was a bit tough for them to sit through the story time. So, we bailed out a bit early and called it a night.
I may have accidentally been a little misleading when I told Sam that I just needed to work the breaks (about 30 minutes each) throughout the day, and would be able to spend the few hours in between with him and the girls, but it didn't exactly work out that way. Oops. :) By 3:00 pm, he was a little tired of juggling two kids at the water park, and the girls were just plain tired, so he took them back to the room for late afternoon naps. That gave everyone (except mama who was working at 6:30 that morning) lots of energy for some new evening activities. We tried out bowling at Ten Paw Alley, and it was so cute how they had everything kid sized. And I loved that no bathing suit was required. Finally! We had lots and lots of friends recommend Pierce's BBQ just down the road, so we escaped the GWL bubble for dinner.
I don't have any pictures from my most favorite part of our trip. Maybe that should be telling. We got back to the hotel at about 8:15, and Harper was desperate to go back to the water park for "just a few minutes." I knew Sam had more than paid his good-dad-at-the-water-park dues, so I told him I'd just take her for the 45 minutes it would be open. Oh, I'm so glad I did. I love having two kids (really, parents of only one child, I do. It rocked my world for the first 3 months, but the majority of the time, I think it's easier. And they're so darn cute together.), but it does make the one-on-one time I get with each girl even more special because it only happens in bits at a time. Here I had near an hour to explore with my brave girl. We hurried from slide to slide, doing our special wolf high-five-handshake after each completed adventure. We even went down the fully enclosed slide that goes outdoor for part of the slide, so it was pitch dark in there. It was thrilling for my thirty-one-year-old self, so I was prepared to have a spastic kid at the bottom. Nope, just a little girl flying out of her tube as soon as it hit the landing pool so that she could give me our special shake for finishing the "scared-est ride ever." I don't have pictures, but oh I soaked up those shivering smiles. That sweet girl had that "my love bank is full" gleam in her eyes.
Our night wrapped up with ice cream and chocolate covered strawberries. Ok, that was really my favorite part of the trip. ;) The resort offers a kids' spa, but we skipped it and instead I packed our nail polishes from home and gave two tired, snuggly little girls pedicures in our room.
Sam and the girls did one last stint at the water park while I worked the Pfizer booth for Saturday morning, and then we packed up to return home after a very full 48 hours at Great Wolf Lodge. As we were gathering our things, I asked Harper what she liked most about her mini vacation.
I don't have any pictures from my most favorite part of our trip. Maybe that should be telling. We got back to the hotel at about 8:15, and Harper was desperate to go back to the water park for "just a few minutes." I knew Sam had more than paid his good-dad-at-the-water-park dues, so I told him I'd just take her for the 45 minutes it would be open. Oh, I'm so glad I did. I love having two kids (really, parents of only one child, I do. It rocked my world for the first 3 months, but the majority of the time, I think it's easier. And they're so darn cute together.), but it does make the one-on-one time I get with each girl even more special because it only happens in bits at a time. Here I had near an hour to explore with my brave girl. We hurried from slide to slide, doing our special wolf high-five-handshake after each completed adventure. We even went down the fully enclosed slide that goes outdoor for part of the slide, so it was pitch dark in there. It was thrilling for my thirty-one-year-old self, so I was prepared to have a spastic kid at the bottom. Nope, just a little girl flying out of her tube as soon as it hit the landing pool so that she could give me our special shake for finishing the "scared-est ride ever." I don't have pictures, but oh I soaked up those shivering smiles. That sweet girl had that "my love bank is full" gleam in her eyes.
Our night wrapped up with ice cream and chocolate covered strawberries. Ok, that was really my favorite part of the trip. ;) The resort offers a kids' spa, but we skipped it and instead I packed our nail polishes from home and gave two tired, snuggly little girls pedicures in our room.
Sam and the girls did one last stint at the water park while I worked the Pfizer booth for Saturday morning, and then we packed up to return home after a very full 48 hours at Great Wolf Lodge. As we were gathering our things, I asked Harper what she liked most about her mini vacation.
She said, "Being with my whole family. My dad, my mom, both my DeeDees...(insert sideways glance) and Willa Kate."
That makes it so worth it.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Great Wolf Lodge for a nearby family getaway. We were there for three days/two nights because of my work requirements, but when we go back, we will just stay for one night. You can go in the water park as early as you'd like on your first day there and can stay in the park as long as you'd like on your check out day, so you really get two full days of water fun. And for preschoolers especially, that's plenty. (And let's be real, for parents that is plennnnnnnnty.) Our sweet girls had such a great time... it will definitely be on our future experiences-instead-of-gifts list!
Overall, I would definitely recommend Great Wolf Lodge for a nearby family getaway. We were there for three days/two nights because of my work requirements, but when we go back, we will just stay for one night. You can go in the water park as early as you'd like on your first day there and can stay in the park as long as you'd like on your check out day, so you really get two full days of water fun. And for preschoolers especially, that's plenty. (And let's be real, for parents that is plennnnnnnnty.) Our sweet girls had such a great time... it will definitely be on our future experiences-instead-of-gifts list!
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