Great Wolf Lodge Kansas City

The water park is good and the rooms are alright, but the noise has been awful. We’re right by the elevators and stairs, so we hear everyone coming and going, which is rough with little kids who go to bed early. The people above us have spent the last three hours jumping off beds and running around, keeping my kids awake. After two hours I went to the desk. They said I could either put up with it because quiet time starts at 11, or pay an extra $25 a night to upgrade. The guests above us are here for our other two nights too, so it looks like we’re in for a vacation with little sleep. Can’t wait to see how that goes 🙄 Also, bring an extra blanket. The ones on the beds are literally as thin as sheets.

The kids loved the activities in the grand lobby, and build a bear was a great experience. We had a fun time at the water park, which was clean except for the bathrooms, and the arcade was loads of fun, though the prizes were kind of lame. We arrived at check-in time but still waited half an hour for our room. Management was kind and made up for it, and every staff member I encountered was good. We had a great three-day, two-night stay and would recommend it ❤️

For two nights we paid over $900, and everything seemed to cost extra, including $20 a night for parking. The self check-in was broken, the arcade felt claustrophobic, and there were long lines to get into the water park, which didn’t have half the things the website claimed. The room hadn’t been fully cleaned after the previous guest, and the only soap was a pump in the shower. The website lists lots of food options, but all except one were take-back-to-your-room, and kids were in the bar area of the one sit-down spot. There were so many textures in the room that I worried about a migraine or seizure. The door didn’t lock properly, and a board was barely screwed on, with screws sticking out, to hold the extra lock. My autistic child had no time to decompress from the stimulation. Even Costco gives an hour! I’ve stayed at wonderful places and dumpy motels, and KC Great Wolf Lodge was at the very bottom. I’ll never do Great Wolf Lodge again.

We only find it worthwhile when it isn’t busy, so we stick to visits when rooms are available. In summer it’s good: not overcrowded, and the water and air are comfortable for my child. Our two winter visits were pointless for us. The water and air felt cold to my child, and we and many other kids spent more time warming up in the hot tub than playing. When it’s packed, even a line for anything takes too long to be fun. The rooms feel old and dingy, probably because the lighting is poor, and I don’t think they’ve been refreshed since the place was built. We won’t buy the breakfast package in advance again after waiting over 30 minutes that one time. The facility doesn’t seem able to handle the crowds during busy periods.