Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine

We had a fun one-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge and will definitely return. The room was really nice and appealed to the kids. Since we went in winter, we missed the outdoor waterpark, but the indoor one was a lot of fun. The lodge is family friendly, with activities for kids in the main lobby, like dancing or yoga, and the breakfast buffet was fine. The Starbucks line looked pretty long. If you're from the DFW area, one night probably makes sense unless you plan to do the magic quest and spend time at the waterpark. We ate at fireside restaurant, which was OK, but looking back we'd probably just order a pizza or something instead.

The kids had a blast when it snowed in the lobby during “Snowlsnd”. It went on for about 30 minutes around the tall Christmas tree and fireplace, and they were laughing the whole time. The activities were on schedule too, and the pack members running them had great energy with the kids. Even Bingo had arcade cards as prizes they were excited to win. We ate at the lodge this time instead of driving elsewhere. The wait was short and the food was great. The Buckhorn had good souvenirs, and parking cost $19, but there were plenty of spaces. We didn't have to circle around looking for one like on earlier visits. The hallway carpets and room flooring were new, and the renovations finally seemed finished. We've visited Great Wolf several times over the last few years, and this was easily our best trip. During the renovations we seemed to run into problems each time, and we kept wondering whether to come back as things felt like they were going downhill. We were glad we gave it another chance. If you visited during those rough renovation years, I'd consider trying it again. We'd return if we found a good deal.

The kids had a great time, and the hotel itself is nice. The water was good too, though the food is really, really expensive. I booked two rooms for nine people for my grandson's birthday and paid over $1,500 for the food and fun package. Afterward, I found errors on the bill: towels and parking charged twice, plus a mistake with the food charges. I spent more than an hour waiting on the phone and never reached anyone. The website chat said a case would be created, but I was told to allow 7 to 10 days for a refund or follow-up. At this point the customer service is a zero. It's frustrating to spend that much for one night and then feel like there's no help afterward. I'm sure reservation help would be immediate, though.

The family had a great time swimming and doing activities over our 2.5 days, and there was plenty of help from staff around the lobby and nearby areas. The Lodge is very nice and easy to get to. Starbucks was busy, but had a great range of food and stayed open all day. Food was lacking overall, so we'll definitely go back and bring our own breakfast. The Premium 2 bedroom unit felt plain and sparse for the nightly price. Neither bedroom had overhead lighting. Instead, there were clear glass sconces by the beds with the brightest white LED bulbs I've seen. I draped hand towels over them to make the light bearable. They could have done much more with the decor, which is a shame. The dinner buffet beside the lobby cost $30 per person, and all the food was cold, even the prime rib under a single light. Yuk. The upstairs restaurant is much better, so check that one out.