GREAT WOLF LODGE

 

Santa brought our little family a gift to stay overnight at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas.

I’d estimate that about half of Team Phipps was excited about this mini-vacation.  I don’t actually like the water so I was kind of along for the ride.  Benji was a little under the weather, so he really could’ve cared less.  We decided we’d bring him hoping he’d feel better by the waterpark time.

 

We, being the good parents we are, forgot to even bring any diapers or wipes for our sick little child.  Nice, one.  Luckily, there was a mostly stocked diaper bag that just happened to be in the back of the Tahoe.  That got us through the evening. 

We opted for the Kids Kabin room with a “patio/balcony.”  Since we were on the first floor, we had a patio, which was just a sliding door that went onto a little 2×3 feet rectangle of concrete over looking a fountain and a busy road.  We never went out there, but this didn’t cost extra, so no harm, no foul. 

Mina LOVED the room, she immediately informed us that she’d be sleeping on the top bunk since Benji was too little and it would not be safe for him.  I actually opted for guest services to bring us a pack and play for Benji (they do not have cribs).  Ogre and Mina (the ones actually excited to be here) immediately put their swim clothes on and left Benji and I to relax in the room.  Benji was in desperate need for nap. 

While Benji napped, Ogre and Mina had a great time in the waterpark.  After about an hour, they were ready to head back, but Benji was not yet awake, so Ogre took Mina to the MagiQuest store and bought her a magic wand and topper ($15 for the wand, $15 for the unicorn topper) and $10 bucks to play the game.  Ogre says they even have costumes and other accessories if you really want to get crazy!  They started playing this game until I called them to let them know that Benji awoke and we were ready for dinner.

 

We changed Mina into pajamas for dinner (just because she thinks it’s cool to eat out in her PJs) and headed out to dinner at the Camp Critter Bar and Grille.  You can read all about that experience here.

After dinner, or really during dinner with Ogre and I switching off kid watching duties, the kids went to see the Clock Tower animatronic show.  Mina said it was kind of boring.  I don’t really believe that though, she was totally engrossed and Benji kept pointing to all the talking components and seemed to enjoy it, too.  Afterwards, because we went to the 8 o’clock show, they had someone read a story with Wiley the Wolf there to hug the kids and provide photo ops.  Benji was having none of that, but Mina was all about it!

 

 

We played MagiQuest for a little longer before finishing off the night back at the Camp Critter Bar and Grille to have the S’mores.  It was actually quite tasty.  They had a little piece of cotton candy under the melted hot fudge as “fire.”  The kids found particular enjoyment with that little aspect -Benji stuffed his portion in his mouth and repeatedly nodded his head saying “YUMMM!  YUMMM!”  Then, he hit his own little jackpot of cotton candy gold as he saw a piece I’d missed under the bowl and quickly grabbed that to stuff his face.  “MMMM.  YUMM!” he said again.

 

 

We headed back to the room to get everyone to bed and Ogre headed out to buy the forgotten wipes and diapers.  Benji was already crying in his pack and play so I got the bright idea to put him in bed with him.  I asked Ogre to hand him over before he left.  Benji was not happy.  He cried until about two minutes before Ogre returned and Ogre was gone at least 30-45 minutes.  Awesome.  And he’d turned himself sideways in the bed, so Ogre got to sleep in the Kids Kabin.  I’m still hearing about it today.  Why he didn’t just pull out the sleeper sofa?  I shrug my shoulders. 

He’s also complaining about the fact that Mina was up at 7am.  Hee hee.  Ogre was actually kind enough to let Benji and I sleep in while he entertained and fed Mina.  Benji didn’t wake up until 9am.  Thank you, Benji.  We went to the breakfast buffet at the Loose Moose Cottage and you can read about that here.

 

That’s when we decided that Benji would have more fun “vacationing” at Lala and Lolo’s.  Since Mina and I had spa appointments from 11-12, I suggested Ogre drive back to Plano to drop off Benji with the grandparents.  He did and Mina and I went to our respective appointments.

I got Mina settled in at the Scoops Spa, which is ridiculously cute and ridiculously overpriced.  I’ve never paid that much for a mani/pedi!!  It was worth it for Mina’s surprise and excitement though.   I just got a regular old pedicure upstairs.  They let her wear a tiara and beads during the mani and pedi and I let her get a few designs painted on her nails, as well.  She was able to pick out the types of lotion, fizz and color nail polish she wanted and told me she had “so much fun!”  It was $70 for her mani/pedi!  Yikes.  Ogre, don’t look at that bill.  Our spa services were more than anything we’d paid for up to that point in total!!

 

And then, of course, we went to the waterpark after lunch and most of the nail polish was chipped off.  Bye bye $70. 

The waterpark is actually really cool, if you like that kind of thing.  I only enjoyed the hot tub because I thought the water was too cold.  Ogre thought I was silly, as did Mina.  They had a ton of fun though.  They have life jackets for the kids to wear and towels so you don’t even have to bring your own.  Ogre really wanted to ride the Tornado, but it requires two people.  Just for the record, I told him I would ride on it with him (begrudgingly, I’ll admit).  In the end, he opted to spend the last bit of time finishing up playing MagiQuest with Mina. 

What is MagiQuest?  It’s kind of like and interactive scavenger hunt all over the hotel.  Mina ended up having the most points and most runes the day we left.  Ogre accidently typed her name has Tinkerball Mina (instead of Tinkerbell Mina).  Mina was not pleased.  Ogre said that he would’ve loved this as a kid.  Pfft.  He loved it as an adult.  I swear he didn’t want to leave.  Me?  Not so much.  I know I’m totally starting to sound like a kill joy, but I just didn’t get it.  Mina seemed to enjoy it though, I guess she lucks out having at least one parent who enjoys everything in the hotel!

They also had a pretty cool looking arcade (we just didn’t have time to go it) and a Cub Club activity center, which we didn’t have time for either.

Overall, I think it’s a great concept and Mina had a lot of fun.  I think Benji was probably a little young for most of the activities, but if he were well, he would’ve enjoyed the waterpark.  They do have a lot of shallow areas that he could’ve played in.  I’m sorry he was sick and we’ll definitely be back.  I really think the winter is a great time to go!  Just as an FYI, there were definitely reports of unscrupulous people accessing the waterpark area and being inappropriate with the kids.  The front desk staff assured me that they had “heightened” their security in the waterpark and in the hotel.  Ogre said they checked his wristband every time.  I know I strolled right in (not on purpose) with my wristband covered up in plain clothes bringing in our lunch.  Hell, he even held the door open.  We just didn’t let Mina out of our sight and Ogre was with her the entire time in the water.  Better to be safe that sorry!

 

Other things you might want to know:

The pricing is tiered, but easy to figure out with their room availability feature on their website.  If you can go on a weekday during the off-peak months, it’s great savings!!

You can bring hotel food into the waterpark area, but not your own.  They also have a little cabana type restaurant in the waterpark area that serves burgers, hot dogs, quesadillas, drinks (including alcohol).

They have refrigerators in the room.  Make sure your kid doesn’t turn the refrigerator off.  Benji.

I would recommend this resort for some good family waterpark fun!

Not make any New Year’s Resolutions.

1.  Should I eat more healthy??  Of course.  Is there anyone who shouldn’t???  Am I going to? Unlikely.  You can see what I eat at childsplate.com.  It’s usually not that healthy.  I have never been and never will be the type of person who likes salad unless there’a really good sweet and/or tangy dressing.  I don’t really like vegetables either.  Shhhhh.  Don’t you tell Mina that!!  (Believe me, I hear about it all the time from my parents!).  I believe in moderation, anyway.  I can’t eat a lot of anything, no matter how much I like it.  I think I’ll be alright.

2.  Should I exercise?  Notice I didn’t say “excercise more.”  That’s because I don’t excercise.  Santa brought Ogre and me a Wii Fit.  The only reason I did anything on it was so that I could beat Ogre’s scores.  I’m competitive like that.  My heart is NOT in it for the right reasons.  We went ice skating the other day because Mina has been wanting to go.  I had to drag Benji around the skating rink with one arm for MAYBE thirty minutes.  That thirty minutes of exertion has left me with a sore arm for THREE DAYS NOW!!  Sheesh.  That’s a lot of pain for thirty minutes of “working out!”  I’m scared to know what pain feels like after a real work out.  (Those Wii Fit things that I did were yoga moves, not as painful).

 

What other common resolutions are there?

-Work less?  Not going to happen.

-Smile more? For no apparent reason?  That’s just crazy.

-Read more? Did you see the work less one?  If I’m working I probably don’t have time to lounging around reading. 

-Spend less/Get out of debt?  Yeah, I’d love to do this one, hence the inability to work less.  A few months ago, I decided to start “no frills” spending, which means I wouldn’t buy anything we didn’t “NEED.”  But, you know, “NEED” is very subjective. 

-Spend more time with friends and family?  Does that have to be a resolution??? Isn’t that a given??

 

-I don’t smoke.  I don’t drink heavily or even moderately.  Maybe I’ll resolve to start so next year I can make it my resolution.