The Great Wolf Lodge mascot is called Wiley the Wolf. Wiley is a friendly and playful character who is loved by guests of all ages. He is often seen wearing a red plaid shirt, blue jeans, and a yellow bandana. Wiley can be found throughout the resort, greeting guests, participating in activities, and posing for photos. He is always ready to join in on the fun and is known for his energetic and mischievous personality. Kids especially love Wiley and look forward to meeting him during their stay at Great Wolf Lodge.
We Did Great Wolf Lodge
I try to be completely honest in every post, but I am going to be extra honest in this one. We had been talking about going to Great Wolf Lodge for a few years. It was always my husband, Peter, who brought it up. I always said something to the effect of, “Hey that’s neat, but here are 8,000 other things we could do instead.”
While I love theme parks and outdoor water parks, the thought of a giant water park where we would spend much of the time at indoor attractions didn’t thrill me. Imagining the echoes of screaming children in a dimly lit environment and much worse, I closed off my mind to the idea of visiting the Wolf time and time again. Yes, I pre-judged a book by its cover without actually seeing the cover.
Finally this past spring, Peter determined that this year we were going. I was about to have my first Great Wolf Lodge experience. Around this same time, I heard of a few work groups that had gone there and loved it during the off-season for company retreats. When I finally went to the website to make reservations, I was intrigued. I was game to try this Wolf thing.
Peter, Isabelle, and I chose the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas just outside of the Dallas area. Tulsans typically flock to this location or the one in Kansas City. I was surprised at the size of the facility upon arrival. Isabelle stared in amazement as we walked into the huge lobby. From there you can see into the indoor water park. There were a few employees dancing on a stage and very happy kids. The adults looked pretty content as well. Some of them were wearing wolf ear headbands.
Isabelle with one of the Great Wolf mascots
Though we enjoyed the outdoor pool during our stay, the indoor area was a perfect way to beat the Texas heat. Inside, guests can enjoy slides of all sizes, a wave pool, lazy river, a massive playground contraption, and much more. Great Wolf Lodge has an accessible swimming pool as well as an adults-only hot tub in this area.
My first impression of the indoor water park was shock at its size. Not only is it large, it has something for every age. I had fun watching children gain confidence in their water skills because the appropriate level of challenge was available to them, and lifeguards are everywhere. In many locations, the water is just ankle or knee deep, but water features keep older children engaged in those same spaces. Isabelle certainly gained more confidence in her abilities while there and even went on her first major water slide.
When guests are not swimming, they can visit an arcade, gemstone mining area, Build-A-Bear Workshop, family game den, ropes course, and multiple eateries on site, including an all-you-can-eat buffet and a Starbucks. There is an immersive game called MagiQuest, which kids can play even after the pools close. Of course, there are gift shops!
You want to know what I really loved though? Great Wolf Lodge has strict rules about quiet hours from 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. It was silent. That was awesome and unexpected. The beds were comfortable, and Isabelle loved our “Kid Kamp” room. In this arrangement, she got a separate bunk area within our space. It was a win-win.
A Kid Kamp suite
Notice at the start of this post I mentioned this was my first time at Great Wolf Lodge. That is because we’ve already decided that we will come back again next year. The facility was clean, the staff extremely helpful, the lifeguards vigilant, and the whole experience exceeded my expectations. Should I have purchased the wolf ears headband?
Now with my stepson back home and school imminently starting for both kids, we are settling back into routines and will be seeking out adventures in and around the great city of Tulsa. I love the whimsy of summer, but there’s something wonderful about the predictable schedule of the academic year as well. I’m glad our summer ended with Great Wolf Lodge.
A view from our hotel room
Good-to-know:
- We stayed 1 night and felt that was plenty of time to do everything we wanted to do!
- Guests do get admission to the water park all day on the day they check in and the day they check out.
- Guests pay extra for late check-out. However, we chose this option due to the rush of people trying to leave at the standard time. I recommend it!
- Guests can request early check-in, but it is not guaranteed.
- Great Wolf Lodge is a place where families and groups go to have fun and bond. It is not an educational facility, though children can certainly learn through water play and obstacle challenges.
Visiting Great Wolf Lodge with Toddlers and Preschoolers
Going to Great Wolf Lodge with toddlers and preschoolers is a blast for the entire family!
This all-inclusive family water park provides an easy, carefree choice for a family vacation.
There's SO much to do here with little kids, and the property is set up for families to have fun safely.
Even though it's a family destination, there's not a lot online about what to do at Great Wolf Lodge with a toddler or preschooler.
Given that a trip to a water park with a little kid can be MUCH different than going to one with a middle or high schooler, I decided that we need to share our experiences.
Here are my 4-year-old's top picks from our visit to the Great Wolf Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina!
This post contains affiliates. If you purchase through the links, I will receive a commission at no charge to you.
I worked with Great Wolf Lodge in Charlotte in order to produce this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
Updated 7/2022 | Written 6/2017
- Water-Based Toddler and Preschooler Activities at Great Wolf Lodge
- Preschooler Activities Elsewhere in Great Wolf Lodge
- Toddler and Preschooler Approved Dining Options
- Final Thoughts on Great Wolf Lodge with Young Children
Kids especially love Wiley and look forward to meeting him during their stay at Great Wolf Lodge. He brings a sense of excitement and adventure to the resort and helps create lasting memories for families. In addition to meeting Wiley, guests can also participate in the Wolf Walk, where they can learn more about wolves and their habitat.
Water Based Toddler and Preschooler Activities at Great Wolf Lodge
Little ones won't be able to take full advantage of the water park offerings including those giant slides, but there's still plenty to occupy those in the 2-5 year old crowd.
Grab one of the free lifejackets from the stands set up around the perimeter of the park, and head in!
Fort McKinley and Totem Towers
In front of Fort McKinley and Totem Towers
This standalone play tower is where we spent a good chunk of our time at Great Wolf Lodge.
There are stairs to climb, water guns to shoot at unsuspecting passersby, and the perfect lookout point for the rest of the park.
It’s big enough for your toddler or preschooler to feel like a “big kid,” while still being small enough for them to manage on their own.
If you need to accompany them on the play structure, it’s big enough for adults to navigate, too.
As a former lifeguard, I appreciated the number of safety features here, including the multiple lifeguards on and next to the structure.
The tiniest Cosmos Mariners catches a quick nap!
Totem Towers on Fort McKinley are the only 2 water slides that younger kids can go on, so see if your toddler or preschooler wants to try them.
The slides are tall, but they look more intimidating that they really are.
The water moves quite slowly, and there's a lifeguard at top and bottom to help your tot if there's trouble.
Little ones might also like the bucket dump here!
The bucket dump launches over 1000 gallons of water over Fort McKinley every 5 minutes. It's intense, but it's a lot of fun.
Raccoon Lagoon
The first day we were at Great Wolf Lodge gave us perfect indoor water park weather as it was unseasonably cool for May in North Carolina, and it rained on and off all day.
However, on the second day of our stay, the weather turned warm and sunny, so we tried out Raccoon Lagoon, the outdoor pool at Great Wolf Lodge.
You can reach this area by walking through the indoor water park section.
Like the rest of the property, this area is only available to lodge guests, and there is a tall safety fence around the pool.
It was tough to pull my preschooler away from this area!
She liked throwing the basketballs at the goals and getting drenched from the massive water tower when it erupted every few minutes.
I liked that the pool was only 3 feet at the deepest, so I could sit on the side with my infant while my daughter had fun with the other kids.
There are comfortable reclining chairs for parents and plenty of umbrellas for shade.
What are the names of the Great Wolf Lodge mascots?
This interactive experience allows guests to get up close and personal with real wolves and learn about their behaviors and conservation efforts. Overall, Wiley the Wolf is an important part of the Great Wolf Lodge brand. He embodies the spirit of adventure and fun that the resort aims to provide to its guests. Whether he's dancing, high-fiving, or posing for a picture, Wiley always brings a smile to everyone's face..
Reviews for "The Great Wolf Lodge Mascot: Spreading Joy and Smiles"
- Sarah - ★☆☆☆☆
I recently visited Great Wolf Lodge with my family and was completely disappointed with their mascot. First of all, the costume looked old and worn out. It did not have the same vibrant colors as depicted in their promotional materials. Secondly, the mascot barely interacted with the kids. It stood there, occasionally waving and not engaging in any fun activities or games. Overall, I expected more from Great Wolf Lodge and their mascot was a big letdown.
- Michael - ★★☆☆☆
While the overall experience at Great Wolf Lodge was decent, the mascot was rather underwhelming. The character design itself was lackluster and not very appealing. The interactions with the mascot were also quite limited. It would have been nice to see more energy and enthusiasm from the mascot to match the excitement of the children. In my opinion, Great Wolf Lodge needs to invest in a more engaging and captivating mascot to enhance the overall experience for young visitors.
- Emily - ★★☆☆☆
I visited Great Wolf Lodge with my nephew and I have to say, I was not impressed with their mascot. First of all, the costume looked cheap and poorly made. It didn't really resemble any specific animal, which made it confusing for the kids. Furthermore, the mascot barely interacted with the children. It stood in one spot for photo opportunities but didn't engage in any activities or games. It was a missed opportunity to create a memorable experience for the kids. I hope Great Wolf Lodge takes feedback into consideration and improves their mascot in the future.