“Each Great Wolf Lodge property has it’s own distinctive cheer,” explained Tim Black, regional VP of Operations for Great Wolf Resorts. “The standard cheer is STOMP-STOMP-CLAP-CLAP-HOWWWWWL, but we add on a WHOOP-WHOOP here, you know, like in that song Roller Coaster, since we’re so close to Kings Island.”

And close they are, both in geography and in the thrills offered inside the sprawling waterpark. And while the first-of-its-kind (in the US) water coaster is certainly the centerpiece of the resort, it doesn’t overshadow the remaining amenities and comforts associated with the Great Wolf Lodge brand.

As with all of their properties, the rooms are decidedly well-themed, and most are designed to cater to the imaginations of children, with rustic theming and bunk beds to match. Although one wing of the resort is excessively far away from all the other amenities, it does extend practically into the loading station of Kings Island’s Top Gun coaster. Son of Beast looms nearby as well, and with its steel element now removed, is perhaps a better neighbor to the “everything’s-wooden” Lodge.

Room keys are replaced with RFID wristbands that unlock the room, give access to the building after hours, provide entry into the waterpark, and can be loaded up with cash or a credit card for spending within the resort. Limits can be placed on spending, keeping kids from racking up excessive room charges. It takes a little bit of adjustment to leave the room “without a key”, but is really advantageous in the long run, giving everyone in the family more autonomy and freedom.

FOOD

The Great Wolf Lodge offers three main options for dining outside of the waterpark. A Pizza Hut Express provides a quick and easy, if not expected, option, along with plenty of sweets, snacks, ice cream and fudge in the Bear Claw Cafe. The Camp Critter Bar & Grille offers the only table service option, with a fully stocked bar, and a small amount of tables for families to enjoy traditional and signature dishes. Clearly, the goal is to get people to eat at the Loose Moose Cottage, a buffet-style restaurant that is well-themed, but not as well-priced. At $20 a head for adults, the food skews to kid-friendly favorites like Mac & Cheese, pizza, and corn dogs, though surprisingly also offers Chinese items, a healthy salad bar, and extensive desserts. Considering that an adult can eat all day long at Universal Orlando for $19, the price seems a little excessive.

AMENITIES

Outside of the waterpark, there are still activities and fun to be had at the Great Wolf Lodge.

The Northern Lights Arcade is one of the largest in the chain and is heavy on the redemption games, with a well-stocked prize counter to match. The layout is roomy and will afford opportunities to expand in the future.

A 24-hour fitness center, with flat screen plasma TVs is a welcome addition to the resort. The room is larger than most hotel fitness facilities and features a good assortment of weightlifting and cardio machines. Noticeably absent were any sort of free weights.

A high tech meeting room with the latest in AV equipment, wireless and wired internet connections helps support the resort’s goal of attracting more businesses to plan meetings where the family can come along and have a good time while still providing an environment conducive to work.

The lobby’s clock tower show, crafted by LifeFormations, offers the same entertainment and creativity that the Great Wolf Lodge has been known for. Nightly storytelling time is also on the agenda.

An Aveda Spa offers a traditional assortment of procedures and treatments to sooth aching muscles, negate the skin-drying effects of all the chlorine, and generally reduce the process of fatigue and aging. It also is far and away the most calming spot within the resort. Interestingly, it’s also steps away from the least relaxing location: the waterpark.

WATERPARK

On the one hand, the Bear Track Landing park is sort of a Great Wolf starter water park. The “standard” model comes equipped with a small wave pool, activity pools, hot tubs, a short lazy river, an extensive water play structure from SCS Interactive, a toddler play area, two body slides, and five tube slides from ProSlide. Without a doubt, it is a great mix of water attractions, appealing to a large range of ages. And to the average first-time visitor, it’s enough to keep the family busy for a few days, even if it is a little cookie-cutter. Without a doubt, expansion will occur, as there is already space allocated for a FlowRider.

On the other hand, this park boasts the absolute latest in waterpark technology and one of the most thrilling, if not unusual, water ride experiences available that will make industry experts giddy with delight, and everyday tourists confused with amazement.

At first look, the HydroBlast waterslide seems similar to other ProSlide Rocket slides. The first uphill water coasters debuted by NBGS several years ago used high-pressure water jets to propel rafts up and over hills. Whitewater West and ProSlide debuted models that use conveyor belts in place of the jets. And those do provide quite a thrill. But careful observation reveals that the whirring of conveyor motors is absent from the environment, and the uphill sections of slide actually have a small amount of water running down them.

The secret is what ProSlide has termed HydroMagnetics, an innovative use of Linear Induction Motors that interact with a metal plate on the bottom of each raft, attracting and repelling the raft up the hill. In this first application of the technology in the United States, three hills use the series of motors, which are fully enclosed under the slide, completely quiet, and really invisible. Each of the uphill sections contain 10-15 of the LIMs, which actually use less power than other methods of propulsion, mostly because they are only on for a split second when the rafts are engaged on the slide.

Each of the three lifts are separate blocks within the ride, and the operator’s display indicates where rafts are in the ride. After the raft has cleared the final lift, an operator can dispatch the next raft. The rafts themselves weigh in at a hefty 120 pounds, which are transported up a conveyor to the top of the slide tower. Rafts that valley, however, must be pulled out of the slide by a lifeguard and carried down exit stairs at the end of the day.

The ride experience begins with a double dip drop that by itself packs a punch and might actually qualify as “air time.” The raft can make it roughly halfway up the hill with its own momentum, but the LIMs kick in and smoothly propel the raft into the first tunnel and turnaround. A second drop advances into the second hill, blasting the raft through the water pumps and into another tunnel, where the raft picks up speed. The third and final “drop” is the shortest of the three and the subsequent LIM assisted hill is barely needed, as the rafts enter the final enclosed outdoor “luge” section of the course, resulting in a splashdown at the end of the slide.

The ride is extremely smooth, but still as thrilling as the wooden and steel rides next door. There is enough acceleration in the LIMs to throw a single rider back a seat if he is not holding on carefully (admittedly learned from direct experience). The result is an immediate desire to want to go on again. And again.

With the energy cost savings provided by the HydroMagnetics, and their maintenance-free operation, the technology seems well positioned to really dominate the water coaster market. According to ProSlide, the slide “shell” is the same as their conveyor belt models, so an upgrade to HydroMagnetics is certainly feasible for older models.

Kings Island has long been known for its commitment to great thrill rides and family entertainment. Its new parent company, Cedar Fair, also has a reputation for pushing the technology and thrill envelope. That is clearly complemented by the activities and experiences offered inside the Great Wolf Lodge, which will keep guests howling (and WHOOP-WHOOP-ing) for
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