Great Wolf Lodge Arizona Tips for First Time Visitors

Are you a planning a family vacation to Great Wolf Lodge Arizona? Do you want to know what’s included in a stay, how to maximize your time in the waterpark and how to save money? If so, here are several Great Wolf Lodge Arizona tips for first time visitors! Keep reading for a detailed list, and find out whether younger kids will also enjoy Great Wolf Lodge Arizona and whether or not you have to stay overnight as a guest in order to enjoy the waterpark.

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Great Wolf Lodge Arizona Tips for First Time Visitors

1. Discounts at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona
2. Know What Is Included and What Is Not Included
3. Maximize Your Time In the Waterpark and Save Money In the Process
4. Great Wolf Lodge Arizona Isn’t Just for Older Kids
5. Bring a Waterproof Pouch for Your Phone
6. Don’t Let MagiQuest Consume Your Time
7. Themed Rooms Are Worth the Splurge
8. Day and Companion Passes
9. Don’t Forget Your Wristbands
10. There’s a Variety of Dining Options
11. Don’t Leave Valuables on the Lounge Chairs
12. Don’t Overlook the Outdoor Pool Area
13. Celebrate Special Occasions like Birthdays Without Spending Too Much Money
14. Special Events
15. Check Your Invoice Before And After You Check Out

My family and I recently spent a fun filled weekend at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona for my son’s birthday. It’s located in Scottsdale, which is one of my favorite cities to visit in Arizona. And because of our weekend there, I decided to share my tips for first time visitors! So without further ado, here’s a detailed list of Great Wolf Lodge Arizona tips for first time visitors!

Discounts at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona

When reservations initially opened for Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, I snagged a 30% discount on our hotel stay. You’ll definitely want to look to see if there are any discounts available before you book your stay. Always check Special Offers on the official website. Also, stays during the week are traditionally less expensive than weekend stays. You can also download the official Great Wolf Lodge app on your phone, not only to sign up for exclusive deals but also to get coupons for merchandise. For example, I purchased 7 Great Wolf Kids Character Cups for $4.99 at The Great Wolf Kids Store. And speaking of cups, consider purchasing the refillable souvenir cup, which I saw at Timbers Tacos and Hungry As A Wolf. Just know that you have to wait 8 minutes until you can refill your cup 🙂 Great Wolf Lodge also has Groupons available on occasion.

Know What is Included and What is Not Included

The main draw is the waterpark and admission to the waterpark is included in the cost of a stay at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona. Parking is also free, unless you choose to valet park your car (which I really don’t think is necessary). Also included in the cost of a stay: unlimited wi-fi and kids activities like yoga tails, story time, and a dance party. Take advantage of these kids activities! Towels and life jackets are also complimentary (more about the towels below).

What is Not Included

There are several other activities available at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, but those activities are not complimentary. During a media event, my son tried out the Howlers Peak Ropes Course which is definitely worth it. We also had the opportunity to experience the mirror maze in Oliver’s Mining Company, which we also enjoyed. There are also other activities like the Arcade, the Climbing Wall, Ten Paw Alley (a smaller version of bowling), Miniature Golf, Build-a-Bear Workshop, and MaqiQuest (more about MagiQuest below). If you think you and/or your kids will enjoy these activities, then you’ll want to consider purchasing a Wolf Pass, Paw Pass or a Pup Pass. Just know that all these activities add up very quickly, and your hotel bill along with it. You must also pay a daily resort fee, which is a reason why you want to maximize your time in the waterpark. Speaking of which…..

Maximize Your Time in the Waterpark and Save Money in the Process

Even though guests of Great Wolf Lodge Arizona can’t check into their rooms until 4 pm, they can start using the waterpark at 1 pm. Definitely take advantage of that 3 hour window. There are lockers and showers in the waterpark, so you can start using the waterpark right away, before you even access your hotel room. Likewise, while you have to check out by 11 am, you can use the waterpark until the close of business. You can extend your checkout until 2 pm for an additional price but at the time of writing this article, it cost $55 to do so. I just don’t think the extra money is worth the additional 3 hours, especially since guests can shower and change in the waterpark. The lockers do cost money to rent, depending on the size of the locker, but the largest size locker, which guests can rent for $20, is still cheaper than it would cost to extend your check-out time.*

You’ll also want to be at the waterpark by the time it opens for the day at 9 am. Because guests checking in that same day can’t start using it until 1 pm, we found that we didn’t have much of a wait to go on the water slides/rides first thing in the morning. By the time the afternoon rolled around, though, the lines grew longer. So you’ll want to be ready to go into the waterpark by 9 am. Do the water slides/rides first, then the other water attractions like the lazy river, the wave pool, and the splash areas.

*Always check prices beforehand, since pricing can always change.

Great Wolf Lodge Arizona Isn’t Just For Older Kids

My son is 7 years old and he was able to go on all the rides and water attractions, with the exception of Wolf Tail. The family raft rides are my absolute favorite - like River Canyon Run and Diamond Back Drop. And toddlers and preschoolers won’t feel left out - not only can they go in the wave pool but they can also enjoy the lazy river and other splash/play areas like Whooping Hollow and Talking Stick Treehouse. Life jackets are also available for water safety and lifeguards are also on duty. Click here to find out more about the water attractions as well as the height restrictions. Great Wolf Lodge Arizona is extremely family friendly and there’s plenty of things for kids to do, whether they want to hang out in the waterpark or participate in the indoor activities.

Bring a Waterproof Pouch for Your Phone

Several months ago I decided to buy these waterproof pouches for our phones through Amazon (affiliate link). Basically it cost $8 for 2 waterproof pouches - I kept one for myself and gave the other one to my husband. It turned out to be a great investment. We were able to take photos and videos of our son in the waterpark as well as videos of us going down to the slides. Other guests kept asking me if I had purchased the waterproof pouches at the resort. The resort does sell waterproof pouches but expect to pay a premium for them - they cost $30 each! The waterproof pouches through Amazon are also much cheaper than a GoPro!

Don’t Let MagiQuest Consume Your Time

MagiQuest, a fantasy game that guests can play at Great Wolf Lodge with an interactive wand, is a lot of fun. But don’t let it consume you or your time in the waterpark. During our first visit to a Great Wolf Lodge (in Anaheim), we were determined to complete the game. My son ended up becoming a Master Magi, but it was exhausting and took more time away from the waterpark. My son’s wand works at other Great Wolf Lodge locations like the one in Arizona, but we still have to pay for him to play the game. This time, we skipped doing the quest again, but we did pay to have his wand activated. He loved waving his wand and interacting at some of the designated locations, like the dragon and the treasure chest.

Themed Rooms are Worth the Splurge

There are three different types of rooms that you can book: standard rooms, themed rooms (like the wolf den suite) and premium rooms. During a prior visit to the Great Wolf Lodge in Anaheim, we stayed in a standard room. This time, we splurged on the wolf den suite and I have to say, we are likely to book the wolf den suite for subsequent visits. Basically, there is a separate area in the hotel room that looks like a cave with bunkbeds and its own TV. My son thought it was the best thing ever! And there was even a moon lamp on the ceiling so kids could pretend to howl at the moon. We stay at hotels a lot, but this is definitely a unique layout and one that is worth the splurge, as long as the budget allows for it and if you are traveling with kids.

Day and Companion Passes

You don’t have to stay the night at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona to enjoy the waterpark. The resort now offers day passes. You can also get companion passes if you are staying overnight at the resort. I know because we tested this theory out. We had long time family friends visit us for the day while at the waterpark and I was able to get three companion passes. The companion passes cost extra, but I was able to get one of the companion passes for free since the base occupancy for our room was for 4 people, and there were only 3 of us staying in the room. So if you have family or friends in the Phoenix area who want to spend the day with you at the waterpark, they can do so.

Don’t Forget Your Wristbands

When guests check in to Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, they are provided with wristbands. Not only is it your room key, but you can also use it around the resort to purchase food at the restaurants and purchase items in the gift shops. It’s extremely convenient, especially since you don’t have to carry around a wallet to the waterpark.

There’s a Variety of Dining Options

There’s a variety of dining options at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, from a breakfast buffet at Campfire Kitchen to food on the go from places like Dunkin’ Donuts. We mostly ate at Dunkin’ Donuts, Campfire Kitchen (the omelet station is a must), and Hungry As a Wolf (the pizza was pretty good). We also ate dinner at Campfire Kitchen one night, and I liked that there was a reasonably priced kids meal which included popcorn chicken, mac and cheese, smiley fries, and corn. There’s really no reason to leave the resort during your stay, unless you absolutely want to.

Don’t Leave Valuables on the Lounge Chairs

Because the wristband operates both as a room key and a credit card of sorts, there was no need for us to bring our wallets, etc to the waterpark. And because we had the waterproof pouches for our phones, we were able to wear our phones around our neck. The only thing we had to carry around were pool towels, my bathing suit cover up, and our shoes. We placed those items on our lounge chairs, then went to enjoy the wave pool and all the other water attractions. When we returned to our chairs, my husband noticed that someone had taken one of our pool towels. We were given another pool towel without any hassle. Our friends were also staying at the Great Wolf Lodge that same weekend and reserved pool chairs right behind ours. After they placed items on one of the lounge chairs, someone else put their own items on the same lounge chair. If you do end up bringing valuables down with you like a wallet, purse or jewelry, I’d think twice about leaving them unattended on the lounge chair. Instead, consider renting a locker.

Don’t Overlook the Outdoor Pool Area

The waterpark is the main draw but don’t overlook the outdoor pool area. We ventured out there during our stay and the outdoor pool area is very nice and not as crowded. There were several empty lounge chairs, and a zero entry pool for little ones. There was also a hot tub.

Celebrate Special Occasions Without Spending Too Much Money

Birthday parties can be booked at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona but they can be pricey. Instead, consider other birthday packages that aren’t as expensive, like the Birthday Basics, Birthday Fun, and Birthday Bash Packages. Because my son chose to go to Great Wolf Lodge Arizona for his birthday instead of having a birthday party, I ended up booking the Birthday Fun package for $69.99 which included a Happy Birthday poster on our door, balloons, credit for the Arcade, a cake, and plastic plates and forks, and napkins.* It was a great way to celebrate his birthday without going overboard. And the cake was delicious! My son was also extremely excited!

*As always, check prices beforehand since prices can change.

Special Events

If you’re booking a stay during the holidays, check to see if there are special events going on during your visit. For example, Great Wolf Lodge celebrates Howl-O-Ween during the month of October and guests can participate in the festivities, such as wear Halloween costumes and participate in the trick or treat trails. I brought my son’s costume so he could participate in the fun and it was an added bonus to an already fun trip. Plus, it’s included in the hotel stay!

Check Your Invoice Before and After Check Out

I received an invoice of our charges the morning we checked out of our hotel room. The invoice appeared fine so we checked out via text message. At around midnight, I received another invoice, this time with additional charges. Great Wolf Lodge had charged us an additional $105 for pool towels despite the fact that my husband waited in line for over 10 minutes just to return the pool towels. While towels are complimentary, you have to check out the pool towels and you have to check back in the same number of towels later at the same location, otherwise you will be charged for the towels. Checking out the towels is easy enough - your wristband is scanned to reflect how many pool towels you are checking out. However, they don’t scan your wristband when you return the towels. Instead, they write down your last name on a piece of paper and how many towels you are returning. Needless to say, this is a system that does not work well.

*I called the resort as soon as I saw the additional charges and I was credited back the money for the pool towels. But to avoid any kind of hassle, take a picture of them writing down your name on the piece of paper when you return the pool towels in case there is an issue.

Final Thoughts

Despite the towel debacle, we had a great weekend at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona. We wouldn’t hesitate to book another stay there.