Kalahari features a number of signature sit-down restaurants (Sortinos Italian Kitchen (Italian food), B-Lux Grill & Bar (Burgers & Shakes), Double Cut (Steakhouse). Hey, thanks for the great reviews! Life-size animal statues adorn the outside. (Remember that Kalahari is actually a desert in southern Africa.) Is the higher food price of Kalahari worth it? Mind you definitely not Disney level theming or branding but a good job. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! You used the same bathroom photo for both resorts. Well manicured and landscaped lawns.We arrived in the main lobby on Sunday 7/2 a little after 1:00 p.m. The outdoor small kids area with slides was a nice addition to the park however my daughter who is 53" tall was not allowed to go on them. Apart from those issues, I appreciate the detailed comparison. Camelback charged my card the correct amount when I made the deposit on November 24th and then on November 27th (2 days after we had left the resort) I was charged $25 for a parking fee. Thank you, again. This past visit however was somewhat disappointing. Water park temperatures at all three Poconos water parks is the same @ 84 degrees, year-round. The closet was pretty small, and the bathroom was almost as small (with the sink located next to the fridge); however, those were relatively minor inconveniences.We went to Great Karoo Buffet around 5-5:30 and was relieved to see that it wasn't that crowded. It had its own TV and was adorned with a lot of cute character images. In the center right past the check-in area there is a large animatronic display where the nightly bedtime story (The Forest Friends Show) takes place. It was voted the #1 indoor water park in 2015 by USA Today. When we go to one of the three water parks in the Poconos we are usually going for water park & swimming fun so other activities are not our primary focus. Poconos Waterpark Comparison Guide: Kalahari versus Aquatopia & Great Adventure Update # 018: My Tricycle is Very Very Fast! The drive was almost exactly 100 miles for us and we arrived a few minutes after 1:00 pm. The development is expected to break ground during. Church work is not for the faint of heart, and by the end of the summer church has just flat taken its toll on all of us. This was because: 1) We are a family of 6 and eating out is not usually relaxing or enjoyable! See you soon! This seems to be an archaeology /exploration theme that they incorporate to water park. If you have visited all three waterparks in the Poconos please let us know which one YOU liked best! Please email me directly at PAConnect@kalahariresorts.com. We ordered a burrito, nachos grande, chicken fingers, fries and onion rings from a predictable and acceptable selection of menu items. You can also see the water park from the windows on this side and from the Cafe & Bar. Lifejackets available, large amount of seating and tables!ARCADE - Another huge area! I've been on trip advisor for years, but have never felt the need to leave a review until now. GWL isnt fast either, but 2+ hours to pay triple the price wouldnt work either. Many months later (due to COVID) we stayed at Camelbacks Aquatopia. Reservations are strongly recommended. The Kalahari Resort is well appointed, nicely decorated, and the facilities are well maintained. Unfortunately, the kids loaded up on an assortment of dessert and we went back to the room to change back into our swimwear for a last hurrah in the water.Off the lobby there are also a sweets shop, bakery, and ice cream shop, with what appears to be a nice selection of goodies.The next morning, the kids wanted to get in a few hours at the waterpark before our 11:00 checkout. Sitemap, Revealed: The US Airports & Airlines With The Most Frequent Flight Delays, The Ultimate Guide to Kalahari Resort Locations in the US, The Ultimate Guide to Six Flags Locations in the US, Palm Springs Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting With Kids, Seattle Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, Las Vegas Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, Florida Keys Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, Myrtle Beach Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids, The Bahamas Family Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting with Kids. Welcome to Great Wolf Lodge! For part of our stay both lazy river attractions were open and there were other times when only one was open. GWL has excellent sales. The NACHOS did not disappoint. Great Wolf Resorts - Wikipedia There are currently 4 locations for the chain with the Poconos location being its largest facility. Report inappropriate content msmejkal chicago Just about everything seemed to be swimming in butter or oil, including the overcooked/overheated vegetables. The top 10 winners in the category Best Indoor Water Park are as follows: Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark - Tannersville, Pennsylvania. What we usually do @ Kalahari is claim a couple of tables next to the fountain in the lobby and while one of us stays with the family the other runs around to the different food venues to obtain the items we desire to assemble a meal. If you can't afford it, don't bother making the trip. Another note worth mentioning the bathtubs @ Kalahari are huge! Our 2-year-old who would have nothing to do with a life jacket was able to play in the toddler splash park and wave pool as long as Melani or I was right with her. The short of it about the same as Great Wolf Lodge and FAR less than Kalahari! We review each of the Poconos water parks on several criteria including: If you want to cut right to the chase you can jump to the conclusion by clicking here: Conclusion, Great Wolf Lodge does a good job of branding and theming (theme ing) the lodge. Kalahari even has a five bedroom suite that can have a maximum of 22 guests. You can use the water park at 1pm on the day of check in until close on the day you leave. Kalahari Resort has a huge upcharge for the one type of themed room. Hours: Depending on the day, the indoor water park is open from 9am to 9pm or 10am to 8pm. On a subsequent trip (after COVID) we also visited Camelbacks Aquatopia. Many of the activities are located right on the main level off to the left of the main lobby so they are very visible. [3] Great Wolf Resorts is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Kalahari activities and attractions differ with each location. Kalahari has a better reputation locally. Each play area includes slides and swings. (It was almost like an obstacle course with the running kids, machines, flashing lights, and noise.) We have been to the Williamsburg Virginia location where there was one but there is not one @ the Poconos location. Comparison between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge water park The water park @ Kalahari is HUGE. Great Wolf Lodge vs Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Indeed Kalahari is absolutely immense! During our long walk to the room (the opposite end of the facility), he was VERY professional, engaging and helpful. This old-school hot dog shack across from Penn Treaty Park mostly caters to truckers, hence its early-morning hours. It was a nice touch to have the lodge theme and a couple of characters at the front of the wave pool which is one of our favorite attractions. To the right of the entrance is check-in / hotel services. I look forward to connecting with you. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Overall we felt like Kalahari was much better before the expansion. Both resorts have huge water parks that include a wave pool, lazy river, splash areas and of course water slides. I found the photos pleasing to look at and relaxing! If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. I would like to further discuss the details of your stay. One of Kalahari's Kiddie Areas We figured that we'd have a good dinner to make up for it.After another 90 minutes or so, we decided to check out the room. Inspired parents sharing the joys & adventures of the parenthood journey! Hi, Pamela! Kalahari was definitely newer and nicer but also more expensive. This activity requires participants to roam all over the lodge to find clues and solve a quest. I noticed that Kalahari may have a larger toddler area. There is an indoor rock wall, laser tag, and indoor ropes course, etc. Especially around the holidays, it has a warm and fuzzy fireplace vibe. You can reach me at PAConnect@KalahariResorts.com. Kalahari also has a wide variety of types of water slides drop slides, mat racer, raft slides, etc. My six year olds love the slides, and they are allowed to ride on everything at Great Wolf, but my teens get bored very quickly. The larger of the two play areas also includes a splash table for babies. My daughter walks with a medical device. (If we wanted to watch tv, we could go to our room.) The day we went, prices were similar to GWL. Most times I find that the pictures or decorations in a motel/hotel really dont add anything to the experience. Poconos Water Park Comparison Guide - Been There Done That with Kids Other than the water park & arcade our family hasnt really tried out any other ones. Offer a family slide option which is super fun to go on as a whole family. The rides for the kids are great, it is an entired water playground for toddlers with amazing water slides! We say this because Aquatopia has the most activities (rock wall, laser tag, escape room, etc) at its resort that will likely appeal to pre-teens and early teens. Book now and prepare your pack for adventure. We liked the luggage rack near the door and the shelf over the microwave. I asked everyone in the family if we are going back down to the Poconos and staying at one of the resorts tomorrow night where would you want to stay? There are a number of other activities available at the lodge. Offers more free activities in the main lobby. Location: 3001 Kalahari Blvd. We usually just order a pizza and eat it in our room with maybe a salad. Both resorts have themed rooms that accommodate a wide-range of family sizes from two queen rooms to much, much bigger. One time a lifeguard came out and caught one but without constant observation, it is impossible to parole this area. You could definitely capture everything this place has to offer in 2-3 days. Advice: you can't come to a place like this and complain about how much things cost. You might prefer the chart we put together along with our conclusions. The lobby is ringed by various shops and the floor has wonderful decorative murals inlaid in the marble (Im sure these are probably decals??). Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains packs in all the family fun under one roof. The splash park area of the water park devoted to smaller children (toddlers Penguin Play Bay) is very weak compared to Kalahari and somewhat awkwardly placed on a second tier of the waterpark close to some steps going down. I felt the prices were reasonable for this type of American Pub food. Shooting Range (tourist favorite) is closer to Great Wolf. TheParenthoodAdventures.comis owned & operated byChip Williamsonwho is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that enables websites like this to earn advertising fees from Amazon.com. The room was very clean and up-to-date. kalahari waterpark passes - tidningen.svenskkirurgi.se When he pulled down the Murphy's bed, dirty nastiness came down with it. Hence our balcony seemed to be under ground and we were looking at a high retaining wall for a view. Most of the time we were at Aquatopia we ate FROM Trails End Pub & Grille. It felt more intimate and clean, less crowded and sufficiently staffed. Apparently they were experiencing people taking the towels as souvenirs?? He was open to questions about the place and even offered a few suggestions. Water park access was included. Kids jumping in and out, the areas are not guarded by staffsame problem as Great Wolf. Berrellis Italian Chophouse wasnt really an option for us as this restaurant is physically located in a different building from where we were staying & where the indoor water park is located. Ax throwing, ropes course, zip line, off-road Segway tours through the forest & switchback UTV tour. Camelback is unique in that it has both an INDOOR water park (Aquatopia, which is open year-round) and a separate OUTDOOR water park (Camelbeach) that is only open for the summer season. The lobby was somewhat hectic with the number of people filing in and out, restaurants, shops, carts filled with souvenirs for sale, and a long line at the guest registration desk. So I guess you just dont need it that much. We ended up eating most of the fries and onions rings, while discarding the rest. Many of these water parks are resorts, meaning they also comparison guide for all three of these resorts, Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet Carlisle, PA. The room @ Aquatopia that we had was a double queen suite, a pull-out sofa and a balcony. According to the contract, the family resort and water park will feature at least 400,000 square feet of lodging and entertainment space and the indoor water park will be at least 75,000 square feet. LOVED the concept - didn't like the fact that they were not full bars - they only made a few specialty drinks and offered beer and wine. There was a large selection, with an emphasis on Italian cuisine. Its Manageable Size Is Perfect for Younger Kids The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark It's true: Kalahari is the biggest indoor water park in the country and Camelback has almost 50,000 square feet on Kartrite. Definitely two thumbs up for the adults area at Kalahari! Great Wolf Lodge's water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalahari's is over 220,000 square feet. Address: 100 Great Wolf Drive Grapevine, TX 76051 Phone: 817-488-6510 Website: greatwolf.com EXPERT TIPS BY: Ilene Jacobs Dallas Local Expert Water Parks: "Day passes can be purchased online or. The cabin was towards the front of the room and was semi-private for the kids. We visited Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains for a last minute trip with our two girls, ages 8 and 9. Saturday, August 10, 2013 Great Wolf Lodge vs. Gaylord Texan By the time August rolls around our family is in desperate need of a get-away. Your encounters with the lack of cleanliness in the room and waterpark was certainly not up to our standards, so I am interested in hearing more about it. The Ultimate Guide to Great Wolf Lodge Locations in the US Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. We ordered a pizza and had it delivered to the room from the in-house Pizza Pubit was quite good and we felt reasonably priced! Otherwise, she and the others had a very good time.Kalahari was worth the trip. Im pleased to hear that you enjoyed the various sections of the waterpark. Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine has one adults-only hot tub. It is so fun for my children (12 & 4 years old) and for adults too!! It sounds like you were able to experience nearly every feature our resort has to offer! Both resorts have also utilized Groupon for deals. Kalahari vs. Great Wolf - WE HAVE A WINNER!! - Tripadvisor My husband and I especially like the adults-only area at Kalahari, and we dont miss the late-night stomping of kids in the hallways playing MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge (if you know, you know). 6 Best Texas Indoor Water Parks - VacationIdea I actually have a hard time believing that the square footage of the park is larger than the water park @ Great Wolf Lodge. There would have been another $25 for parking but we were able to avoid this since we had relatives staying just a few miles away. The bartenders were great, DAVID and ROBIN especially. An unpleasant smell hit us as soon as we opened the door, although I couldn't quite place it, at least not until we stepped further into the suite. Kids are going to want to explore all areas of this place and we find it frustrating reading reviews about those complaining about how expensive everything is. The kids had a blast, and I think with some minor changes, this place will exceed 5 stars. At Kalahari, there are two separate, toddler play areas. Kalahari has one indoor and one outdoor area - both are huge (Kalahari's is one of the largest indoors in the US). Ask erikas213 about Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, Ask PinkHibiscus32 about Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, Ask lljPa about Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, Royal hospitality suite not royal not hospitable, Ask kelismom14 about Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, Ask mcapellan78 about Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos, Ask Pamela C about Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Poconos. There was also only one sink in the room (as well as only one bathroom which had only a standard sized tub). We have not yet patronized any of these establishments. Here's our overall review.Right away we were looking for and expecting a wonderful customer service experience, and Kalahari did not disappoint. The kids do enjoy the characters and overall lodge experience. There is a very small / non-standard sized bowling alley, a miniature golf course, an arcade, MagiQuest, etc We have done some of the other activities in the past but only if they were included with our stay or one of the bundled package passes (Paw Pass, Pup Pass and Wolf Pass). https://www.theparenthoodadventures.com/waterpark-comparison-chart-kalahari-aquatopia-great-wolf-lodge/ The main dry activity, however, is the MagiQuest interactive wand game. When you check in the lodge they should offer you and / or the kids wolf ears at no extra charge since, after all it is the Great WOLF Lodge!. We did really like the lazy river at Aquatopia. Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine is a great way to go for a weekend getaway. Great Wolf Lodge also has activities that vary with the timing of your stay. Why Kids Love It In addition to the arcade, there are six amusement park rides, including the Screamn Centipede roller coaster with 360-degree rotating cart. I'm displeased to hear of the strange odor in your room and that we were not able to correct this situation while you were staying with us. Its a tough call. But, if or when we do return, I look forward to spending more time in that adults-only grotto. Top Educational & Inspirational YouTube Channels for Families 2022, Waterpark Comparison Chart: Kalahari, Aquatopia & Great Wolf Lodge. However, there were at least 6 employees assisting at the registration desk and the line moved relatively quickly. The best Wisconsin Dells waterpark for you and your crew - OnMilwaukee With Kalahari Careers, you become part of our dedicated team at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. The development is expected to break ground during the first quarter of 2022 and construction of the facility will begin no later than April 2025, according to KPRC. The farm is back a lane, and Lindt Chocolate Factory Outlet is located at 40 Logistics Drive in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Burger and fries for $12, other sandwiches $12-$15.not excessive. To the left of the lobby is almost exclusively devoted to games and activities for kids really tweens & teens. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. There is also a fountain near the middle of the lobby with chairs and tables to sit and eat. Great Wolf Lodge has a woodland creature and forest theme, while Kalahari has an African theme. Otherwise, it far exceeded our expectations and we will definitely be choosing Kalahari over Great Wolf for many years to come. This 80,000-square-foot facility is perfect for families, although the water park portion is only open to hotel guests. While the hallways of rooms may still be a bit long, its not as vast as Kalahari. I have read other reviews where people did not enjoy the balcony but we did. This happened before on our previous visits but given the number of people this time, they kept closing the areas for cleaning constantly. But the resort's smaller size makes it easier to keep an eye on the kids. Whereas, the roofline @ Great Wolf Lodge is blocky. In my mind, Kalahari works best if you have a family with kids of different ages so each can be active. We compared various aspects of the resort and water parks to help you determine which resort is the best for your family. It's the easiest way to hit the slopes! We may also participate in other affiliate programs from time-to-time and be compensated for referring traffic & business to these companies. But, my kids are little fish who love swimming, and they cant get enough of this type of resort. Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. The mountainous / hilly location complimented the overall lodge theme and it was nice to sit out there with the kids as the weather cooled in the evening. Both Great Wolf and Kalahari have very luxurious condos that can accommodate a whole family easily. Blessed father of 4 wonderful children & trophy husband to 1 lovely wife. Naturally, the hotel offers an indoor water park, plus character meet-and-greet experiences, live entertainment, an arcade, ropes course, bowling alley, mini-golf course and spas (one for kids and one for adults). The suite had an interesting layout, but who could enjoy it when you were struggling not to vomit. After learning about the aspects of both of these resort, which one will your family choose? Our Locations - Great Wolf Resorts Get those lifeguards a little more focused and offer more options at the bars! The front desk staff was extremely professional, friendly and helpful. We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July. Yes, there were some healthy options just not a very good variety. The Poconos location has 401 rooms and each wing of the lodge has 4 floors. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Our obstinate 2-year-old was NOT able to enjoy ANY of these activities / attractions, or even the wave pool due to the fact that she refused to wear a life jacket which Kalahari required children under 4 feet in height to wear at all times when in any water. Klahari is themed and decorated as an African resort. We had no real negatives about Great Wolf but in all honesty, Kalahari Resort surpasses them on almost all levels, but to no fault of Great Wolf. 6 Best Texas . There are 2 lazy river type rides, the wave pool is immense, there are 2 hot tubs that are partly inside the building AND partly outside of the building with a narrow channel to traverse back and forth. Kalahari Resort vs. Great Wolf Lodge - CohaiTungChi Tech Great Wolf is more for kids, but I feel like Great Wolf service is better than Kalahari. Tom Foolerys also has a mirror maze, escape rooms, indoor ropes course, laser tag, rock climbing wall, XD dark ride and bowling. We also liked the master light switch in the room that made it very easy to turn off every light in the suite with one switch. Winner: Kalahari Resort (especially for older kids and teens). We stayed from Tuesday through Thursday during July.Let me start by saying that we have visited the Great Wolf Lodge location in Fitchburg, MA on 2 separate occasions and had enjoyable visits each time. We just stayed at Camelback the night before Thanksgiving and are actively working on updated the post. Tom Foolery's Adventure Park provides hours of playtime, with 80,000 square feet of interactive rides and attractions. Yes it is HUGE but it is also laid out well and serves as a destination itself within the resort. Imagine what it takes to run this place?!? Camelback Lodge and Great Wolf Lodge are two of the most popular family resorts in the Poconos with indoor water parks. Which is better for his age? Answer 1 of 6: We want to take my son ( just turned 4) to either Kalahari or Great wolf lodge. The setting for them seems nicer, and they seem more elaborate than the ropes course offered @ Great Wolf Lodge. To alert those in the wave pool of the wave rotation starting it has a wolf howl. In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. more. Expect to spend money on food, games, etc. African photos, statues, pictures, all kinds of things that mentally transport you to another world. Family Fun at its best. Great review, were leaning towards Kalahari but wanted to know about outdoor activities in the winter, could our kids go snow tubing or something related at any of these three resorts? Chip, I am planning to go to waterpark with three kids, so I really enjoyed all details! Kalahari and Chula Vista - now that the "Flyin Mayan" ride is back - are also. This was terrific we will likely do all three spaced out over a few years, but this absolutely helped us figure out what order to go in. Thanks to Amanda at the front desk for helping facilitate this! really? This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. If you are looking for more of a balance between kid activities and adult luxuries Kalahari has a wider range of offerings that will appeal to both adults and children. Each wing of the resort is 8 floors high and it has 977 rooms in total. B-Lux Bowling | Texas | Kalahari Resorts Two of my kids are begging to go back to Kalahari. It is really the other aspects of the resorts and accommodations that will determine which resort is the better choice for your family! Check there and compare prices with their website to find the lowest prices for your stay. We really liked the 2 water falls that were present on the lazy river. We usually ordered and brought the food to our room. We certainly do have a lot of different ways to entertain and excite the kids! The new Italian restaurant had a nice design and the food was good. Im guessing the youngest of your children voted for GWL? It was unpleasant to see and to step on. 2) With COVID still hanging around and the holidays right around the corner it seemed to be prudent. Friendly, accommodating, informative.we were very happy with the initial interaction. There is also a cafe (Cafe & Bar) and a restaurant (Horizons) located right off the main lobby. Management thanks you for your suggestions and for noting how well-trained our associates are! Hello and thank you for the review! (Basically a jumpy seat for adults.) Then to get to the lower level you have to take the stairs. Winner: Kalahari Resort Rooms Both resorts have "normal" hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I can't honestly say that anything bit me in the room, we may have been bitten while we were sleeping, or in all the time we were forced to spend on the patio because of the smell.The resort was fine, but I'd avoid this "upgraded suite". Webster city officials released a statement on Facebook about the new Great Wolf Lodge development in December, stating that the water park and resort will bring more than 500 jobs to the area. We also liked some of the efficiency features of the room. After reading this post - which Poconos waterpark do you THINK you are most likely to go to? As I mentioned above when we go to Kalahari (or Great Wolf Lodge, for that matter)- we are going for some water and swimming fun. Kalahari vs Great Wolf Lodge Poconos Comparison - Kalahari Resort Poconos Top Flight Family 113K subscribers Subscribe 2.9K 310K views 3 years ago Are you trying to decide between.