We are in the middle of summer and there’s no place I’d rather be than inside with air condition. (It was 110 degrees in Texas yesterday. Can you blame me?) When we were invited to visit Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate their 10th Anniversary, we packed our bags and made our way to Grapevine, TX — home of the largest Great Wolf Lodge resort. There, we found refreshing waterslides, delicious food, YouTube sensations EvanTubeHD and JillianTubeHD (who was also celebrating her 10th birthday), and discovered the 5 reasons to buy a Paw Pass at Great Wolf Lodge.
Being completely honest – the first time we stayed at Great Wolf Lodge, we swam from the time we arrived to the time we left. Since guests can gain access to the waterpark starting at 1:00 PM on the day of check-in, we literally swam, ate dinner and swam again, then woke up to swim some more. And, because guests have access to the waterpark until 9:00 PM on the day of check-out, so it was safe to say we definitely had our share of the slides, lazy river and wave pool, but my children (like most) asked for more.
They were curious about the MagiQuest game. They were curious about the candy store. They were curious about the glitter tattoos… and though we told them we were there to swim, I was curious, too.
I had noticed a sign in the elevator, advertising a “paw pass”, which was a bundled way to save on Great Wolf’s attractions, but it wasn’t until this most recent visit that I knew just what a Paw Pass was, nor did I realize just how many things a guest could do with it.
5 Reasons To Buy A Paw Pass At Great Wolf Lodge
The Paw Pass is a great combination of attractions for kids. (Great Wolf Lodge also offers a smaller bundle, the Pup Pass, and a larger bundle, the Wolf Pass, so read over each bundle carefully to determine which would work for your family.)
If you are worried about the price and have more than one child, consider buying one Paw Pass and sharing. You can allow each child get something from the list, that way, each child leaves with a souvenir and everyone goes home happy. (Children would have to take turns playing the MagiQuest game, but that is definitely do-able! *Note: the MagiQuest (or Shadow Quest) game can take about 6 hours to play, but guests have 4 days to complete their adventure. My teens loved it. My 8-year-old did, too!
Personalized leather bracelets: I love that there are both colors and sizes to choose from, and the attendant was even able to find the right fit for the tiniest toddler’s arm.
Creation Station Animals: this is like your typical “build a bear” stuffed animal, where kids get to choose their friend and watch him get stuffed with fluff. These animals also have a Clubhouse Crew Adventure game inside, which is a small scavenger hunt for younger children. (This game takes about 20 minutes to complete, and is way less intense compared to the MagiQuest game.)
As a parent, I love, love, loved that our new friend came with a sack to carry around the resort. The sack even doubled as a carry bag for the MagiQuest wands when they weren’t in use! (Blurry picture below. Sorry. This toddler was way too busy dancing to stand still!)
After we played a few of these games and wondered the halls trying to defeat the MagiQuest dragon, we ventured to the waterpark for more time on the slides.
Since there’s no rush for completing the Paw Pass, and the bundle can be used at any time during your stay, we stopped to visit with new furry friends before going to the arcade before dinner. Your Paw Pass will come with 20 points, which was about 4 games for us. (Average was 4-6 points per game.) Still, we gained lots of tickets which were redeemed for candy and trinkets. (Again, toss those trinkets in the handy character sack!)
We went back to the waterpark during the nightly storytime, and I was so glad we did! Many families will wrap up after dinner, jump into pajamas and head to the lobby for storytime. We chose to swim and it felt like we had the water all to ourselves! I’m not saying this is the norm, nor am I saying this is not. I am not complaining one bit. My son appreciated having the wave pool to himself, and it was nice to know we could still redeem perks from the Paw Pass until 11:00 PM, well after the pool had closed for the evening!
Before you leave, you’ll want to redeem your pass for the glitter tattoo. We saved these until very last because we were told they can wear off in the water. Great Wolf Lodge has several styles to choose from and you can pick your color(s), too! I am sad I didn’t take this picture of one of our tattoos until we were on post-trip day 4.
You can see it still looks great, but there are tiny spots where the glitter is wearing off from normal wear. My toddler still has his dinosaur glitter tattoo on his arm, and though it’s missing a leg, it is still identifiable and currently, his favorite accessory!
Save On Great Wolf Lodge Vacations
Right now, guests can save up to 50% on their stay when they book early. You must reserve at least 60 days in advance to take advantage of this special offer, and you can put some of that savings toward a Paw Pass for added fun! For more information or to make your reservation, visit www.greatwolf.com .