A review of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California in Anaheim, California near Disneyland. Stays include a full water park and fun activities!
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My children ask me to go home.Big wolf hutsince they saw itYoutube.
So when we were planning to go to Phoenix for a family wedding, my husband thought staying at the new Great would be a great ideaWolf LodgeLocation near Scottsdale, Arizona which we love.
We ended up going to Anaheim to go to Disneyland, why not?
We value oursstay in Arizonaso much so that we booked a Wolf Den Suite at the Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim for 3 nights.
Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim
Your stay at Great Wolf Lodge includes tickets to the massive water park for each person in your party.
This isn't just a hotel pool with a couple of water slides, it's a full-size water park with a wave pool and a stream rider.
We'll be at the water park in a minute.
Great Wolf Lodge also has other things that are not included but might be worth checking out if you have the time.
Passports for puppies, paws and wolves can be purchased, including many of the bundled extras. Read along about our experiencesWolf passes here.
There are also a few restaurants, including a character breakfast and pizzeria.
We ordered a pizza and garlic bread from Hungry as a Wolf Pizzeria and thought it was very good.
Wolf Den Room Tour
Great Wolf Lodge has 3 categories to classify its rooms.
Standard, as you've probably guessed, are normal hotel rooms with a couple of beds and a bathroom.
Premium rooms, slightly larger and with more amenities. See my review ofBig Bear Suite hier.
The third category are themed rooms. In Arizona we stayed in a Kids Cabin Suite, which you can see here. Here in California we chose the Wolf Den Suite.
entrance/bathroom
As you entered our room, the bathroom was immediately to the left.
The bathroom was fairly standard with a shower/tub combo and soap in the shape of a cute wolf's paw.
On the other side of the bathroom was an open closet with an in-room safe.
Next to the closet is an open vanity with sink and large mirror.
I liked that the vanity was separate from the bathroom so both could be used at the same time which is great for a family.
Wolfsschanze
My boys loved the wolf den! It was like having your own room in our hotel room.
The outside appears to be made out of logs and the inside is a bunk bed and your own TV.
There were only two beds in the wolf's den which caused a bit of friction as we have three boys so next time I'd probably go back to the kid cabin just to avoid any fights.
Quarter
The bedroom had a queen bed next to a sitting area with a full size sleeper sofa and a coffee table.
There was a table and chairs in the corner. There was also a large counter with drawers, a microwave, a TV, and a small refrigerator.
The TVs in the room were smart TVs and we were able to watch our favorite shows on Netflix and YouTube just by logging in!
Great Wolf Lodge water park
Now let's go to the water park. That's what kids really came for, isn't it?
height requirements
If you are entering the waterpark with children for the first time, a Great Wolf Lodge staff member will measure their height.
Your child will receive a bracelet in a matching color depending on their height.
This harness shows lifeguards at a glance if your child is big enough for certain slides.
towels
Each member of your family is entitled to a towel at the water park.
To collect your towel, tell the staff member how many towels you need and they will scan your wristband/key.
You can take towels to your room but you have to accompany them.
Make sure you return your towel at the end of your stay to ensure you are not charged for it.
I found it easier to check our towels before leaving the water park. That worked for us.
fun for little kids
There are tons of things to do at the water park for kids of all ages.
The next items are great for little ones when visiting Great Wolf Lodge.
Some require adult supervision.
Forte Mackenzie
my 5 year old son loved itForte Mackenzie! Fort Mackenzie is one large interactive playground with water splashing everywhere!
There are some water slides perfect for the little ones, there are waterfalls and opportunities to throw water at each other.
The best thing about Fort Mackenzie is the large bucket on top of the structure.
The bucket is constantly being filled with water, and once it's full, everyone will fall under it!
Lagoa Raccoon
Lagoa RaccoonIt was a fun area for the kids weather permitting.
It is an outdoor area with a pool and paddling pool.
If you come here, bring your sunglasses. It can be pretty shiny.
Slap-Tail-Teich
Slap-Tail-TeichIt's a large wave pool that's fun for the whole family.
Every few minutes you hear a wolf howling, then the waves start!
If you take the little ones to the wave pool, I definitely recommend that they wear a life jacket.
When the waves are big, it can get pretty deep.
Piscina Whooping Hollow & Cub Paw
BothWhooping HolloweCub Paw-Poolare areas that are great for toddlers and preschoolers.
Children over 52″ are not allowed in these locations so little ones can play!
krummer Bach
Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim has a lazy river called itkrummer Bach.
This is a great place to lie in a tube and relax as you float through the water park. All three of my boys loved playing here.
Chinook Cove and Bigfoot Pass
This is another area that is great for kids of all ages.Chinook Bayhas basketball hoops perfect for bigger kids.
pass BigfootIt has floating logs that kids can use to try and balance.
For big kids, teenagers and adults
The Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim is not only great for small children, but alsoThings big kids enjoy, teenagers and adults alike.
Waterslide
My boys lovedCoyote CanyonWaterslide because of the big vortex you get caught in and it spins.
It's fun because you never know when you'll get out of the whirlpool.
Alberta Falls, it's a double slide where you ride with another person. That makes everything a lot more fun!
when we rideHeulender Tornado, my boys thought it would be funny not to let me know there was a huge drop!
Check out our video below to see my reaction!
I was the hen for a walkWolfsschwanzbecause the ground falls on you!
But my 12 year old son loved it so much he went 6 times in a row.
Mountain Edge race trackIt was a lot of fun because my whole family got to ride at the same time.
It was really nice to see who crossed the finish line first in the end. Mostly it was my 5 year old son 😉
You don't want to miss a rideriver gorge run. This is a slide that you can ride 3-4 on a big raft.
I loved seeing the smiles on my kids faces as we went down the slide together.
Elimination of the Knight of the Wolf
Our family spent much of our time at the water park inElimination of the Knight of the Wolfthis is basically a flow rider attraction.
Each of my boys had a blast learning how to sit, kneel and stand on the board as it flows across the water.
The staff even helped them learn a few tricks. Of course my 5 year old was all natural and he was never unconscious!
Extras make the Great Wolf Lodge
In addition to the amazing water park included with your stay and attraction passes available for purchase, Great Wolf Lodge also offers many free activities.
My boys were able to take part in some of the arts and crafts classes offered to guests and had a blast!
There was also story time every evening for the children and their families.
We gotta sit by the fireplace in the lobby and listen to a funny bedtime story about the characters that live at Great Wolf Lodge.
Meeting and greeting characters is another fun perk of staying at Great Wolf Lodge.
Some of these opportunities are listed on a timetable, and at other times you may see characters walking around.
These interactions make staying at Great Wolf Lodge so much fun for kids! My boys can't wait to go back.
How to get to Disneyland from Great Wolf Lodge
We never go to the Anaheim area without a stop at Disneyland! Great Wolf Lodge is located on Harbor Blvd approximately 2.7 miles from Disneyland.
To get to Disneyland from Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim, the best route is directly to the harbor.
We ended up getting an Uber car from the hotel and he dropped us at the correct parking lotnear the Disneyland entranceon Harbor Blvd. It has worked really well for us.
Review of Great Wolf Lodge in Southern California
We loved our stay at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim. The room was great and the water park is definitely an added value.
If it fits your budget I would definitely recommend staying here, especially with kids!
More hotel reviews in Southern California
- Embassy Suites Anaheim Sul
- Knotts Berry Farm Hotel