Im not sure if it something that they created or if it has its origins someplace else. Top Educational & Inspirational YouTube Channels for Families 2022, Waterpark Comparison Chart: Kalahari, Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge. Only 2 of our bracelets worked, but we were able to get around that on more than one occasion. Mary Claire Patton has been a journalist with KSAT 12 since 2015. African photos, statues, pictures, all kinds of things that mentally transport you to another world. Camelbacks Aquatopia resort opened their indoor water park in May of 2015. One of the other simple theming aspects we enjoyed were the 2 Great Wolf Lodge video book stories playing on the resort TV channel. If you have visited all three waterparks in the Poconos please let us know which one YOU liked best! It's the easiest way to hit the slopes! If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. We have been to the Williamsburg Virginia location where there was one but there is not one @ the Poconos location. Aquatopiais somewhere right in-between Kalahari & Great Wolf Lodge by almost every measure! Life jackets are not required but are available as well as puddle jumpers. Enjoy your family vacation at one of the great indoor water park resort choices in your area! The IVORY COAST restaurant had a great selection of food and we thoroughly enjoyed doing takeout from there. This 80,000-square-foot facility is perfect for families, although the water park portion is only open to hotel guests. When he pulled down the Murphy's bed, dirty nastiness came down with it. Yes My oldest daughter and wife voted for Kalahari. One is about 13 minutes long and is about Brinley Bears fun day and the other is about 8 minutes long and is about the origin of Great Wolf Lodge. If you would like to read a little more about our trip down to the Poconos you can do so here: Adventure Update # 018: My Tricycle is Very Very Fast! Kalahari did a remodel on their indoor kid area about a year ago. Kalahari also has a wide variety of types of water slides drop slides, mat racer, raft slides, etc. I'm displeased to hear of the strange odor in your room and that we were not able to correct this situation while you were staying with us. But, my kids are little fish who love swimming, and they cant get enough of this type of resort. The Great Wolf Lodge resort in the Poconos was constructed in 2005 - and is one of roughly 19 locations for the chain. Two of my kids are begging to go back to Kalahari. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your recent visit. (Remember that Kalahari is actually a desert in southern Africa.) really? Keep in mind theres a third indoor water park resort in the Poconos: Camelback Mountain Resort. Fortunately we only live about 2 hours away. The splash park or toddler area of the water park was rather small. Is the higher food price of Kalahari worth it? Great Wolf Lodge has a woodsy/lodge theme and decor. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. It's located in the Rockvale Outlets Fox Meadows Creamery has two locations, one in Ephrata, Pennsylvania and one in Leola, Pennsylvania. That said, I wouldnt pay triple the price for Kalahari. This is an interactive game that has players moving throughout the Lodge on quests. Both waterparks are easily accessible from the lobby, and the dining and shops are also centered around there. Im pleased to hear that you enjoyed the various sections of the waterpark. To the right of the entrance is check-in / hotel services. The only other complaint I have is that we came home with a number of bites. EXPECT IT and you will have a great time. One of Melani and my pet peeves with regards to hotel accommodations is when there is only one night stand for a queen bed. Kids are going to want to explore all areas of this place and we find it frustrating reading reviews about those complaining about how expensive everything is. TheParenthoodAdventures.comis owned & operated byChip Williamsonwho is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that enables websites like this to earn advertising fees from Amazon.com. Kalahari is a better choice for families with adolescents and teens, while Great Wolf Lodge is perfect for elementary-age children. There is a huge fireplace towards the back of the lobby that is adjacent to a huge window that overlooks the water park. It had a large walk-in area that had a sink and kitchenette. Thank you for taking the time to comment! On our previous visit a couple of years ago we felt the place was showing some wear and tear. With that being said it does appear that the ropes course and zip lines are something that we may try in the future. We say this because Aquatopia has the most activities (rock wall, laser tag, escape room, etc) at its resort that will likely appeal to pre-teens and early teens. Kalahari I feel would be better for the adults to have fun as well. We liked the artwork in the room. Here's our overall review.. Kassie R, Social Media Coordinator at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, responded to this review. The kids do enjoy the characters and overall lodge experience. See you soon! Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. They looped continuously so they are readily accessible at any time. For the volume of people passing through it ( to check-in, check out, shop at the shops and access the activities) it feels a little small and congested. Just about everything seemed to be swimming in butter or oil, including the overcooked/overheated vegetables. I'm going to breakdown each part of the resort that we visited and give you the key points: It smelled like an overcrowded SPCA. Since we are usually there for just one night we resign ourselves to it being a pizza for dinner night. Tiffany, Im so glad you found the post helpful. However, we felt $26 for chicken parm was a little steep. On our previous visit a couple of years ago we felt the place was showing some wear and tear. The main dry activity, however, is the MagiQuest interactive wand game. [2] In addition to a water park, each resort features restaurants, arcades, spas, and children's activities. Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. Still it was a frustrating experience that cast a pallor over our time and experience there. Kalahari is newer and more efficiently run. Yes it is HUGE but it is also laid out well and serves as a destination itself within the resort. As the kids went ahead, employee Jeremy helped to take bags upstairs. Great Wolf Lodge boasts tons of activities sure to put a smile on your children's faces. Note: There is no Flowrider / surfing simulator attraction at the Poconos location for Great Wolf Lodge. Our Dallas, TX resort offers an 80,000-square-foot indoor water park and exciting land attractions for the entire family. It can be more expensive but it's a better place to relax and see your kids enjoying without having to worry too much. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. It is so fun for my children (12 & 4 years old) and for adults too!! Activities could include yoga, character appearances, crafts, a nightly Forest Friends show, story time, and a dance party. They also enjoyed the Wiley & Friends video stories that you can find on one of the dedicated TV channels. Otherwise, it far exceeded our expectations and we will definitely be choosing Kalahari over Great Wolf for many years to come. I was wondering what your experiences have been with that. When you leave make sure to return the towels and swipe the wrist band again or you will be charged for the towels. We were told that the elevator was on the convention center side, which was not really convenient for her. Poconos Waterparks: How to Get the Best Deals at Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Aquatopia! Other than the water park & arcade our family hasnt really tried out any other ones. Whereas, the roofline @ Great Wolf Lodge is blocky. We did really like the lazy river at Aquatopia. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Saturday, August 10, 2013 Great Wolf Lodge vs. Gaylord Texan By the time August rolls around our family is in desperate need of a get-away. Not quite as good as the one @ Kalahari but better than you will find at Great Wolf Lodge. (Activities vary by location). You used the same bathroom photo for both resorts. Winner: Kalahari Resort (especially for older kids and teens). It doesnt extend to the guest rooms and amenities. Please email me directly at PAConnect@kalahariresorts.com. I found the photos pleasing to look at and relaxing! We joke that we lost Sophie our 2 year old for 5 minutes in the immense suite! I' m not concerned about price, can get a deal. Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. Location: 3001 Kalahari Blvd. Located in America's Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, it was Great Wolf Resorts' first East Coast location. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. There are currently 4 locations for the chain with the Poconos location being its largest facility. We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July.Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. We were really looking forward into the expansion since we really loved how great Kalahari was the first two times we visited. Kalahari has the largest indoorwater park of the 3, and is the largestresortlocated in the Poconos. They were methodical and intense, and I just didn't get that feeling with many of the lifeguard staff here. It is also something that Kalahari does well . Great Wolf Lodges water park continues their wildlife theme. The top 10 winners in the category Best Indoor Water Park are as follows: Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark - Tannersville, Pennsylvania. Great Wolf Lodges water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalaharis is over 220,000 square feet. No outside food or drink allowed. You can reach me at PAConnect@KalahariResorts.com. From our experience after visiting Great Wolf Lodge, Kalahari & Camelbacks Aquatopia indoor water parks in the Poconos we felt that: Check out our comprehensive comparison chart of these three indoor water park resorts here: Waterpark Comparison Chart: Kalahari, Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge. The fact that Aquatopia ALSO has an outdoor water park (Camelbeach) and its night-time illumination make it unique. Adventure Update # 020: 10 Years and 1/2 an Inch! Kalahari still boasts plenty of kiddie water slides, but it also has more thrilling slides for older children. We appreciate it! In my mind, Kalahari works best if you have a family with kids of different ages so each can be active. Heres a comparison guide for all three of these resorts. Looking up to the roofline Aquatopia does feel more open and expansive since it is more of a sweeping semi-circle in shape. So we decided to check it out and see how things had changed. There is an indoor rock wall, laser tag, and indoor ropes course, etc. In addition to the arcade, there are six amusement park rides, including the Screamn Centipede roller coaster with 360-degree rotating cart. Great wolf is closer to shopping. However, each locations water parks and amenities vary. The kids really enjoyed the cabin themed suite which was adorned with a lot of cute character images. Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, built in 2005, is listed as one of the five top things to do in Williamsburg by visitwilliamsburg.com. Otherwise, she and the others had a very good time.Kalahari was worth the trip. Snow tubing in PA requires no special skills or equipment and is appropriate for almost everyone. See All Waterpark Features Waterpark (and more!) There was a large selection, with an emphasis on Italian cuisine. But the resort's smaller size makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids. All three resorts are really good choices for water park fun with a family. Both resorts have also utilized Groupon for deals. Klahari is themed and decorated as an African resort. The resort recently completed a huge expansion that added 130,000 sq feet of conference facilities to the 100,000 sq feet of existing facilities. The hot tub situation was disappointing. I hope you have a wonderful time with your family! The TV in the room seemed to be new and was the largest of any we saw at the three resorts. Try getting on the email lists of both of these resorts to learn about the discounts they offer throughout the year. It has a transparent Texlon roof that lets in natural sunlight while providing protection against the suns harmful UV rays. But be prepared to spend.it comes with the territory! Both Great Wolf and Kalahari have very luxurious condos that can accommodate a whole family easily. We have patronized several of these places, if not all and the kids highly recommend them! Second, certain areas of the waterpark, especially the hot tubs, the wave pool and small kids areas were overcrowded. (We missed the burritos & soups from Kalahari!). We didn't expect gourmet food at a waterpark, but the nachos were so tasteless that my 12-year old pushed them aside and asked for a chicken finger. Comparison between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge water park What we usually do @ Kalahari is claim a couple of tables next to the fountain in the lobby and while one of us stays with the family the other runs around to the different food venues to obtain the items we desire to assemble a meal. Both resorts also have onsite dining that continues the decor. How does it compare to Great Wolf Lodge? He was open to questions about the place and even offered a few suggestions. The front desk staff was extremely professional, friendly and helpful. Expect to spend money on food, games, etc. Let's talk about the Royal Hospitality Suite at Kalahari Pocono. Better selection of local foods near Great Wolf. The Poconos location has 401 rooms and each wing of the lodge has 4 floors. For the size of the main lobby, it is the same order with Great Wolf Lodges lobby being the smallest, Kalaharis main lobby being the largest and Aquatopias lobby size somewhere in the middle. Great Wolf Lodge has more charm and we enjoyed the lodge theme & the characters. Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. My family recently visited Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, Texas. We did still struggle with the menu & felt that it was very limited in that we found it difficult to find healthier options for our family. Most of the time we were at Aquatopia we ate FROM Trails End Pub & Grille. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney. On the lower level by the entrance for the water park, there is a pizza place with some tables in the lower lobby area. Sopleaseclick on a link or two if you wish tosupport us& and our endeavors here. From the accommodation standpoint it was a much more memorable stay! So these mini-vacations are a perfect and necessary thing for our family. We stayed @ Great Wolf Lodge on a Tuesday night and then Kalahari on Wednesday night of the same week. Overall, my family prefers Kalahari Resort. Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge! As I indicated above I should not have been charged a fee for parking since we did not leave a vehicle at the resort and were dropped off. Kalahari has a lot of complaints on Google about 2+ hour check in times and no housekeeping. We didn't hear a peep after 10pm and slept soundly. I look forward to hearing back from you. Kalahari was definitely newer and nicer but also more expensive. We compared various aspects of the resort and water parks to help you determine which resort is the best for your family. The wave pool was on par with that at Great Wolf Lodge. Answer 1 of 6: We want to take my son ( just turned 4) to either Kalahari or Great wolf lodge. Kalahari Resort has an African safari theme. We also enjoyed the Lazy River and the wave pool. For example when booking your accommodations you can select a themed suite, such as the KidCabin Suite which we did. Waterpark admission included with your stay! Which Poconos waterpark do you like best? My family has enjoyed a handful of stays at the water park hotel Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas (and one visit to the GWL in Southern California). B-Lux also features 12 lanes of state-of-the-art Brunswick bowling. Yes there were two night stands on either side of the bed in the master suite. Both resorts have themed rooms that accommodate a wide-range of family sizes from two queen rooms to much, much bigger. DreamWorks Water Park - East Rutherford, New Jersey. Since we are fans of Indiana Jones we like most archaeology theme including this one but I would not say the theme-ing is immersive other than the lazy river. It needs to be checked more often. Hello and thank you for the review! You enter Kalahari through a massive glass revolving carousel door and there is plenty of room for people to get where they are going whether it is to check-in, get food, get to the water park or any other number of destinations. best knee surgeons in north east england,