Great Wolf Lodge Extras – Worth the Money?

Great Wolf Lodge is definitely way more than just an indoor waterpark. If that’s all you’re looking for, there are plenty of choices in the Pocono Mountains, but none of them will give you quite the experience quite like Great Wolf Lodge. The minute we walked into the lodge (after sitting in 3 hours of rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon, rushing nowhere), we were greeted with an awesome dance party that totally set the mood for our entire weekend. As I checked us in, the kids were dancing away and already having a blast.

Thanks to the Media Paw Pass we recieved, akin to the Wolf Pass available for $99.99 give or take a few amenities, we were excited to explore all the magical offerings that Great Wolf Lodge had to offer. Almost immediately, my kids were drawn to MagiQuest as they watched all the other kids waving their wands and activating all sorts of fun items throughout the resort. We later learned that there were several activation type games to be played at the Lodge. Covering a variety of age groups, there was a game for everyone!

Perfect for my little one, age 4, was the Clubhouse Crew Adventure game. A bit more pricier than the other games, but the keepsake animal plush is definitely worth the splurge. A character will set you back about $29.99 with the game activation included in the purchase price. Any outfit will cost you an additional $19.99 and you know that it’s not going to be negotable when your little one sees all the options, so I’d package it at about a $50 investment for this adventure game. What I love most about this game is how simple and easy it is, only about 10 stops for parent and child. You could probably finish this game in an hour or you can break it up throughout your stay. Even better is the lovely staff at Great Wolf Lodge Kids Store will happily give you the Club House Crew Adventure Game Cheat Sheet if you don’t want to be chasing down or trying to simmer down a meltdown.

MagiQuest, by far the favorite and game that started it all, is perfect any child age 6 and up. That’s not to say my wee one at age 4 didn’t want in on the fun (that would set you back $15.99-$23.99 just for the wand, simple topper included and another $14.99 for the game activation). This game comes with a handy guide that will set your children off on an adventure for hours and hours (and hours). Ask any parent, worth EVERY penny. The wands can be used for a surcharge at any subsequent visits and special toppers can be purchased starting at $15.99.

Compass Quest [$14.99] include compass and 9 quests. This accessory takes your MagiQuest game to the next level. One quest lasts 4 to 6 hours.

Mastered MagiQuest and Complass Quest, then you’re ready to take on ShadowQuest, also $14.99 game activation, this quest will set your child off for 4 to 6 hours.

What about the extras for the extras? Well if you purchased a Paw or Wolf pass, you get 25% off special toppers. What are those you ask?

At any time during your stay you can purchase a Paw, Wolf or Pup Pass but you’ll save an additional 10% when purchased at check-in. There are signs everywhere that help break it down by age and best fit. If you’re not a big planner but want to get the full Great Wolf experience, these passes are definitely the way to go. Some things to consider are length of stay, age, any dietary restrictions and reasonable expendititures. For the right person, you can save over 30%.

For instance, the Pup Pass [$44.95] which is perfect for five and under is great, but not for my little one. He only liked the Creation Station animal [$29.99] and NOT getting an outfit was not going to fly with him. The t-shirt and pillow case did not interest him at all, nor did the Mike and Ike candy cup or the ice cream cone which he is deathly allergic to. The 20 paw points ($5 value) would have been nice, but since I had 3 kids with me, bulk point purchase was really more cost efficient for our family.

The Wolf Pass, the priciest at [$99.99] and closest in resemblance to our Media Weekend Paw Pass, would have been great for my 7 and 9 year old. In additional to the classic or color wand, this package includes the Compass Quest. They also are still at the age where the Creation Station animal was still of interest and provided another level of entertainment in between their prioritized MagiQuest adventure. The included Howl at the Moon Glow Golf [$7.99], game at Ten Paw Alley [$6] and admission to Howlers Peak Ropes course [$14.99] which were a hit with everyone in our family. Rounding out the package is a leather treaty bracelet from Name Station which my daughter loved [$14.99], a ride at Howly Wood XD Theater [$7], one play at Oliver’s Time Challenge [$3]  as well as the Mike and Ike candy cup, GWL swim goggles, glitter glitz tattoo and 20 Paw Points. We were able to accomplish a majority of these items over the course of 2 days but obviously, we rushed through to get the full experience. This pass would be best for families stay 2+ nights and interspersing with some of the other complimentary events.

The Paw Pass at $74.99 is a pared down version of the Wolf Pass and does not include Moon Glow Golf [$7.99], game at Ten Paw Alley [$6] , Howly Wood XD theater or Oliver’s Time Challenge. This option would be ideal for families only staying 1 to 2 nights at Great Wolf Lodge giving you the flexibility to add on other options at your own discretion without feeling too stressed about finishing everything on the pass.

DO NOT LOSE THAT PASS! I repeat, DO NOT LOSE THAT PASS! As you can imagine, it’s a valuable pass. As my 7 year old learned when he left his on a chair to join the dance party, it quickly disappeared with a very valuable Creation Station still to be redeemed.

Keep in mind each activity on its own can provide hours and hours of fun outside of the waterpark fun! In addition to the bevy of complimentary activities from yoga, dance parties, firepits to story time, these activities are worth every penny. Don’t get too stressed if you don’t get to try everything out, you can always come back and visit another time!

Here’s a video tour of just a few fun things you’ll encounter at Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains:

{ disclosure: We were guests of Great Wolf Lodge Poconos as part of their Media Weekend. Incidentals and Travel were not covered. As always, all opinions expressed here are our very own. }