Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark

Our almost-two-year-old loved the waterpark’s little kids area, especially the slides. The arcade was fun for all of us, too. Each night the lobby had events like a bubble dance party with the characters, story time, and a meet and greet. The staff were kind, helpful, and always smiling. The rooms are older, but very clean and roomy. We ate at Hurricane grill the first night, and the food was good with excellent service. We spent a long weekend here. My only suggestion is to add more anti-slip mats along the stone walkways in the park area. They get very slippery when it’s busy, and I slipped even while walking.

The beds were fine, and the room had separate spaces for my wife and two kids, a 14-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl. I was a little worried about the room for their ages, but it worked out. It was dated, though, and the hairball left in the tub ruined it for me. The woman at check-in was rude, but the rest of the staff were great. We stayed just one night. The kids had fun, but spent much of the time waiting for the Avalanche. The lazy river didn’t have nearly enough tubes and felt more like an indoor walking track. On the Avalanche, one person loaded the two tubes at the bottom and didn’t pay attention. Someone at the top loaded three different slides. The lift only had two hooks and often stopped or missed picking up a tube from below. Both tubes would sometimes be at the bottom while a line waited, because the machine had stopped and the worker below didn’t notice to restart it. They need at least a third tube. Most of the time, though, the kids didn’t mind the wait and had a good time.

The suite was clean and big, and the staff were absolutely five-star. New Year’s Eve activities were great, the kids zone was so fun, and the arcade was amazing. We’d booked a family trip to ring in the new year as a gift to our five children. The grill on LL floor was phenomenal, with beyond-amazing, kind servers. We didn’t leave the resort during our stay. The in-room kitchen was for a suite that sleeps up to 12, but we didn’t know it wouldn’t have basic supplies like bowls and utensils. We had only three bowls, forks, and spoons for our group. If we’d known, we’d have prepared better, since we didn’t want to leave once we arrived. The biggest issue was the water. The website said it was kept at 82°, but the lazy river may have been 70° and the baby pool was ice cold. All the water was freezing, which took away from the experience despite our efforts to enjoy it. The park should also advertise water shoes or smooth out the lazy river. Seven of us cut our feet, and my 11-year-old needed first aid. We bought bandages to take care of everyone else. It’s a beautiful, lively, friendly place and we’d love to return, but the cold water and injuries tarnished the stay. I’d seen reviews about towel shortages before we came, so we brought towels to avoid problems. There was a shortage once, on January 1st, and that really came down to guests not returning them as they should.

The kids had fun in the arcade, and it was affordable. The room's blackout feature was great, too. The water park is on the small side, though the price is similar to other places. We waited more than an hour for lunch, and our waitress only came by to refill drinks after that hour.