My family and I have been coming to Great Wolf Lodge for a few years.. this would be our fifth or so in the past two years. The location is very easy to find. One thing new is the parking gate that blocks cars from entering. This was our first time seeing it and it got us confused for a little bit. My wife drove this time, and she thought we had entered the wrong entrance or an employee entrance. We were, however, in the correct location. We arrived around 2pm, which was a few hours prior to check in time. The loading aisles were full of cars and there was a lot of people checking in. There were a few mobile check in kiosks... but there were also some actual staff members whom you also had to check in for other things like getting a parking pass. This was very confusing and annoying. However, it was a little more efficient verses having to wait in line. The kiosks printed our wrist bands. We were able to verify which would have access to the rooms and which would have access to pay from the wrist band. That was a very convent to have... however, we made the mistake of putting in on our right hand. This made leaving the parking lot harder. However, it made opening some of the room doors harder... I don't know which is the correct method because some were easy on the right hand.. .but others were difficult. My room was not ready when I finally checked in. So we went to the arcade. There were plenty of machines which a huge variety of games to pick from. Also, there was a burger joint nearby so we ate there while we waiting for our rooms to be ready. During that meal, I got a text that my room was having issues so to visit them at the front desk. Keep in mind they do a great job of communicating through text messages. All my messages were responded in an adequate amount of time. Once my room was ready... it was big. We got an extended room which a separate living space with a barn style door. It allowed our daughter to sleep while we were able to not disturb her. And when we went to bed too...we could open that barn door. Keep in mind, we brought out own inflatable bed for her. Only downside is that this configuration only has 2 queen beds instead of a king. However, I did enjoy having my own bed again. The room was clean, but was very old. There were a lot of slightly damaged equipment and it felt a little musty and old feeling. There were a good amount of outlets around the bed but some of them were so old that either plugs weren't able to hold in place or your devices were not charging fast enough. The water park itself was very nice. It was heated with a heated water. This was appreciated since the outdoor temps were 0 degrees or colder. However, we could not tell while in the water park. There was a nice section for little babies and toddlers. And they had a separate giant splash pad area for older kids to run around and up/down. We loved the lazy river. Overall, despite some comments of how bad this place is. In reality... look at the price, and I am not sure why people are expecting 5 star resort feeling. It fit the bill and we had a great time. Our room was old but it was clean. We would be back in the future. read more

terrible experience that place is horrible; the team never help you front desk people are very rude i book the room with a $150.oo gift card and and $400 on my credit card unemotionally i am ending pay $550 on my credit card they over charge me read more

Rooms were dirty, had a sour smell in the bathroom area. Mixed feelings on the staff, most of them were nice and did what they said they would do but there was a few that just told you what you want to hear and did not follow through with what they said they would do. read more

Totally dis functional stay all the way around. Check in process took 40 minutes with multiple people having various struggles at the same time. I purposefully called to book instead of online to explain I had 8 kids and 4 adults do we needed adjoining rooms. I get there to check in and I was given adjacent rooms . I had already put the wrist bands on all the kids to realize I had 6 kids in a room by themselves that I had no access to because there was no adjoining door and my wristband only opened my door . This was a damn mess. Then 4 of the kids were coming from sport practices and arrived at 8:00 and the pool closes at 8. I've never heard of a hotel pool closing so early. Then , at check in I had to pay 60 for parking our cars. I asked how the Parking situation worked and they told me just pay and throw away my ticket. As two cars left the next day , they couldn't get out and had to pay again . I went to desk to complain and they said they had to swipe wristband to exit , this was never explained to us. I spent 30 minutes trying to resolve the issue and meanwhile the pool wouldn't let my kids in because I wasn't with them . Currently , the issue still hasn't been resolved and it looks like I just paid 100 to park at a hotel that claims "no resort fees all fees included in price". False advertising The room was uncomfortable, outdated, and had a bad smell. No one older than 5 should sleep on the pull out couches. The beds in bunk rooms are incredibly small and uncomfortable. My 11 year old couldn't sleep in there and crawled in bed with me. The bathrooms didn't lock and the door didn't completely shut . Everyone was walking down to the lobby to go to the bathroom . There are no microwaves in the room. This morning the pool didn't open till 10, the ropes course didn't open till 4 pm, nothing else was open till 10. What are early riser kids supposed to do ? Half our kids decided to just go home . That says a lot . A can of beer from a kiosk costs $9. I used to come here every year during no school midweek days. I will not be back read more

For the price they have you paying for rooms and food and parking it should be clean water clean rooms and they should throw in perks for customers but they're to money hungry! Stop lying I never got a discount read more

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My room was not that clean, the food we ordered was cold for the price I expected more. However the water park experience was great the kids loved it. read more

This year we took a trip to the Dells. The great wolf lodge was LOVED by our kids. It was very family focused and such a great experience. We had the wolf den room, our kids are 6 and 4, they loved the ears, the mining activities, the water park... they were ALL ABOUT the magic quest game. They have told everyone who will listen about it. Some core memories were made FOR SURE. read more

We took our kiddos here for a long weekend to celebrate my son's 4th birthday, and they had a blast! Our check-in experience was fine, and we easily got our wristbands. Our room was awesome. It had a cool little spot in the center with bunkbeds and had a fun scene with charters. The kids felt like they were in a fort and loved it! The waterpark itself was so fun! The kids loved the splash pad area and 'smaller kid' slides. My husband and I had a few moments to switch off and enjoy the lazy river. We appreciated that there was lifejackets available! We purchased a food voucher in advance to save some money. The food was alright, not many vegetarian options. We ended up eating two meals total on site and got Olive Garden (off site) the first night. Next time we will choose to eat off-site. They have a Build-A-Bear on site, which was a huge hit! The kids LOVED the arcade, and they had good bundle deals for tokens. They had dancing and fun activities led by the staff at different times of day. Once our kids are older, we will utilize the other fun activities like bowling, climbing, etc. Overall, this was such a fun weekend, and we can't wait to go back! read more

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We came here for a few days after my brother and his family came in from California. It was a great way to start our visit! We all had so much fun! So many activities for everyone to enjoy. We had one of the 2 bedroom suites which allowed us with enough space to be able to relax and not feel on top of each other. The water park is sooo fun and extremely safe. We rented a cabana for the 2 days and loved every minute of it. It was nice to have a "home base" for everyone. The kids could go play on the slides, lazy river, or wave pool alone and come back to us when they wanted to. There are several places within the hotel to order food, snacks, ice cream, and coffee! They also offer many different packages so you can make your visit what you need it to be! Cannot say enough good things about the staff here either! read more

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Our stay last week was overall okay, but my experience with the front desk staff -especially Rachel -left me feeling extremely uncomfortable, frustrated, and honestly discriminated against. I went downstairs and politely asked Rachel and another young lady at the front desk if I could extend our checkout time. Rachel immediately told me it would be an additional $60. Since a family member had already asked earlier and had been told late checkout would be "no problem," I simply responded, "If there's a charge, I'll pass. Thank you," and walked away respectfully. A little later, my husband and sister-in-law went downstairs and asked the exact same question to the exact same employees. This time Rachel suddenly said late checkout was completely fine for our room. When they questioned why I had been told differently, Rachel responded that "the girl who came earlier came at us with an attitude." That comment was honestly upsetting and insulting because I never once raised my voice, argued, or showed any attitude. I asked a simple question, accepted the answer I was given, thanked them, and walked away. The fact that I was treated differently and labeled as rude for no reason made me feel judged and singled out unfairly. What made the situation even more disappointing was that my sister-in-law was being very kind and even offered to leave a good review, and Rachel's response was, "Don't even bother." I truly hope management addresses this with the employees because guests should be treated consistently and respectfully regardless of who is asking the question. This was the only negative experience during our stay, but it left a very bitter impression that shouldn't be ignored. read more

Had an amazing stay very clean and very friendly staff! We really enjoyed our stay and had a blast! Would highly recommend and will definitely come again! read more

Great Wolf Lodge - Water Parks Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

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We are big fans of GWL. I think this was our 4th visit. (4th time I have figured out how to get a great deal). GWL is amazing. It is the perfect vacation spot for families. It's laid back, easy going, but they are so well organized and make everything run so smoothly. The water park is big enough that grown ups and big kids have fun, there's a enclosed toddler space that is fun enough that last year my 7 year old was willing to be in it for a little while with friends and their 2 year old. The toddler section has a splash pad, and a couple of tiny water slides. The lazy river moves at a decent speed, and is great. The wave pool goes off every ~10ish minutes and is so fun. There's a pool with basketball hoops. There's a big bucket in the medium section in the middle. Which is a great section for little kids all the way up to grown ups (I like to start on the water slides in the medium section). Then there's a set of stairs that leads to 5 big slides, 3 that you use inner tubes for, 2 that you slide down on your back. In the back is a bar and a big water slide for 2-5 people per giant tube. This one has 2 water slides. And there's a outdoor pool. Food in GWL is decent but expensive, but you pay for convenience. Speaking of which, boy does GWL make it convenient to spend money. Everything is there, and everything is easy to buy there. Staff was wonderful and there were staff everywhere to help with anything. There are so many lifeguards in the waterpark, which is very reassuring as a parent. read more

Two Stars only because my son had fun while he did get the chance to swim, and the room was clean. This place is a machine and I felt violated after leaving it. Its a giant cash grab and there is no life in it. There is almost no human contact in the entire experience which tells me a lot. Firs thing that happens is you see a front desk that is gaurded by the "Self Checkin" kiosks, so you dont. These kiosks, are EVERYWHERE. You order your food, game coins, and check in there. I would not be shocked to find that its fully automated in like 10 years with not even a human life gaurd. Whoever owns this chain, has their eyes only on your wallet. Worst of all, maybe, is that the water park opened at 10AM? What in the world? I felt so bad for my son because there was nothing to do and he was going crazy with boredom. That to me is unacceptable especially for the price. At night they do this "Glow Party" thing and its just a sale for these light up wands. For the money, you will not feel good that you spent much more than a regular hotel with a pool. Besides, kids really cant tell the difference once they are in the water so why not just go to a Holiday Inn? The pool is open earlier. Not happy at all about this and I dont want another stay. I would just feel more grossed out being there. read more

NEED TO CHANGE THE WEBSITE me and some friends drove 2 hours to go to the waterpark and buy a half day waterpark pass, on the website it says absolutely nothing about needed to be 21+ to enter the waterpark. We were able to buy passes online but once arriving to the resort we were turned away and they refused to compensate or give any type of solution to our issue after wasting $10 on parking and also on gas to come here after prom. multiple of our parents called and tried to give verbal consent for us to go to the waterpark. if this rule is being enforced they need to advertise it better because being kicked out of the establishment simply because of a miss communication should not happen. This is unbelievable. read more

Our little tribe had the best staycation at Great Wolf. We went in not expecting much but were pleasantly surprised at every turn. Check-in and check-out were smooth, and every staff member we interacted with--from the front desk to the pool deck, breakfast servers, and activity leads--was incredibly friendly and helpful. Communication was excellent, with timely emails and texts letting us know when our room was ready. The room was clean and comfortable, and our kids had an absolute blast with all the activities and water fun. Our oldest especially loved the obstacle ropes course. The guides were amazing--so patient and attentive. They were quick to step in and help anytime a kid needed support on the course, and it made us feel really at ease. We highly recommend adding the breakfast buffet package. It was easy, plentiful, and a great value. For other meals, there are lots of nearby restaurants. We went to Rainforest Cafe for dinner and saw others ordering groceries and food directly to their rooms. The arcade was also easy to manage. We just preloaded a card and kept it simple, which worked great for our first visit. It's really up to you how much you want to do. All in all, it was money well spent and we'll definitely be back. read more

Don't panic reading some of the more negative reviews on here. There are just some people that cannot just enjoy an experience and have to find something or many things to complain about. Are there "different" types of people here? Yes. Are they maybe different from the people you surround yourself with normally? Probably yes. Is this a place where they live and breathe and upsell/up charge? Absolutely, but isn't that anywhere like this? This was our first GWL experience and my first indoor water park experience (grew up in AZ where all water parks were outside). We stayed one night. We arrived around 1pm on a Saturday and left at 11am Sunday. We arrived on Saturday and we were surprised that a room was already available for us. We parked (yes you have to pay for parking). Then we lugged our bags up a hill and went to our room. Our room was a standard 2 queen bed room. When my husband checked in the morning of our stay it gave him a "would you be willing to pay X amount for an upgrade to a room with bunk beds if it's available at check in time" he said ok because it was about $25 at that point unlike $100 when originally booking. We did not end up getting the "upgrade". We didn't mind either way. The elevators take forever so most of the time we chose to take the stairs. We had a bit of a challenging time finding a chair to put our stuff on as it was the middle of the day on a Saturday. We found one and immediately I saw a trail of blood on the pool deck. I notified a lifeguard and it was 5 min before anyone came to block off the contaminated area and then probably another 5 minutes before they cleaned it. Meanwhile people are walking through the blood!!! So gross! We spent probably 4-5 hours at the pool. It was fine. Just lots of people and lots of kids. My kids are 4 and 6 so they weren't big on many of the water slides even though they could ride most. They enjoyed the smaller slides, lazy river and wave pool. There are a few snack places and a bar but we didn't go to any. The bathrooms inside the water park are beyond disgusting but with that many people I guess that's what you have to expect. When we were done at the pool we went back to our room (mostly it was a very clean room). We got ready and got our wolf ears. They had balloon animals being made in the main area by the fire place and a craft. We ended up eating at Barnwood for dinner. We didn't have a reservation but it was almost 6pm and they didn't have a wait or anything. The place was pretty empty. Now it is pricey, but we just didn't want to hassle with finding a place to eat offsite and didn't feel like pizza for dinner. You can order pizza and have it delivered to you. I also saw a few door dashers in the building as well. Barnwood was fine. The water glasses had water droplets stains on them which is kind of ick. The food was decent and so were the cocktails. It was a nice quieter dinner for us after being in the loud water park most of the afternoon. Afterwards we walked around. I should say we didn't pay for any of the extra add ons or passes (I know, boo, boring, mean parents) but we have talked to so many friends that said you don't need those things for your kids to have fun and it's fine either way. We looked at the shops, looked at the arcade, went to the glow dance party, which was mainly a dance party because no one wanted to spend $25 on a bubble glow wand for their kid. We got some ice cream and headed to bed because our kids were zonked. In the morning we noticed blood stains on the sheets of one of our beds but none of us were injured or had been bleeding so that was icky. We brought our own breakfast and then my kids got a donut from dunkin. We went to the pool for a few hours. It was way less crowded on Sunday- we felt like most people were checking out. It was also cleaner because it was the beginning of the day. We got to do a character meet and greet before we left. Our kids had so much fun. We didn't do the extra stuff and honestly they didn't really ask to do any of the extra stuff. You don't need to go broke to go to GWL. I won't be rushing back. I'm not a huge water park fan and I think our kids will like it a bit more when they are older. I'm glad we experienced it though. read more

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Perfect place for a little getaway with the kids if they enjoy the water. The kids had a blast! Even little/younger kids will have fun as they had a spot where they could enjoy where the pool was only 2 feet deep. Slides, lazy river, water basketball, plus more. My kids stayed in one area but there was a lot to do. The room was cute, a little area for the kids to sleep and watch tv and a separate area with a full size bed. Bring your own snacks because it costs extra for everything, depending on the package you purchased. We spent $20 for a chicken tender and fries meal (no refills on the drink). Good thing there are plenty of restaurants in the same area you can dine at instead. And if you want to do a little shopping, Gurnee Mills Mall is right down the street. I'd definitely come back just so the kids can have a great time in an indoor water park but I'll be more prepared with snacks and time management. They also have the arcade we didn't get to. They don't open the water park until 10a so to really get your moneys worth for a one night stay, trying to get two days of water play is needed. read more

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Unfortunately, our stay was ruined by bed bugs. We asked the front desk for a refund for half of our stay since we only used the park for one day -- which felt like a fair request considering we spent a night, visited the park, and then had to leave, bag our belongings, and throw many of them away. (Didn't ask for any refund on the money we spent on food, games, fun... fair, right?) Instead of a manager addressing the issue, the front desk sent a cleaning staff member to talk with us and only offered to refund the UNUSED PRE-PAID breakfast. When I asked to speak with the Director of Operations or someone in charge, I was told there wasn't anyone available. It's been days, and I still haven't received any follow-up or refund. Really disappointed with how this was handled. Will not be spending our money here anytime soon. read more

Great Wolf Lodge - Adult Bedbug in our room December 2025. - Water Parks Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

The front desk experience was ridiculous, somehow a duplicate room reservation with a different confirmation number was in their records and it took almost 30 minutes to explain that only one room was reserved. It shouldn't take 30 minutes to check-in. Then after she finally took my parking deposit and gave me the wristbands, they didn't work to let me out of the parking lot. The room was awful, the TV was broken, the toilet was broken (it wobbled when sat on) and the bathtub didn't drain, leaving me standing in 4 inches of water when I showered. The next day, I left the TV tech in the room trying to fix the TV (for the 3rd time), as I went to visit my family who live in town, he left my door propped open with the lock bar all day from 1pm when I left until 11pm when I returned. Then they charged me $113.40 for missing towels, the Waterpark was only used once during my 5-night stay, and the towels were handed back to the person near the exit as we walked out. I don't steal nasty second-hand towels from hotels. Then just to add insult to injury, one day after getting home, my neck, arms and face are beginning to be covered with bedbug bites. read more

Had a birthday party here. Everything went smoothly till we left. This is the only business that charges for parking! All the guests that joined us had to pay $20 for every car. THIS IS NOT CHICAGO! You are in the suburbs. WE DON'T CHARGE FOR PARKING!!!! No where did they tell me this in advance! If you want to leave, be prepared to pay! read more

Super upset about this visit. When I went it was good for about the first 30 minutes and then the chlorine fumes were so stronger my daughter was in tears screaming. We had to leave the pool area and get eye drops. She couldn't even enjoy the water park area for more than 30 minutes and refuse to go back in. I was super upset about this. Thank goodness we only bought day passes. I've been to the other great Wolf lodge at the Dells and this wasn't an issue and many other indoor water parks at the Dells. But the fumes from the chlorine in this one was unbearable. Reached out to customer service about it, when they asked me how my stay was and no response! read more

The people were very nice and overall my stay was really fun although my room Was extremely hot and it had some sort of stench that filled the room also our bath tub got clogged and we had to shower in dirty water. read more

Amazing trip. Easy check in, early access to the waterpark. Amazing and multiple rides in the indoor waterpark. We loved coyote cannon, the falls and the river canyon run! Perfect for thrill seeking adults and children. The rooms were very cozy. Halls were very clean. Easy access to the parking lot! We had an amazing time and will be coming back! :) read more

The place is nice and mostly clean (our room was dusty, the shower/tub was dirty with hair and stuck on dirt, and the room smelled like dirty feet, but they didn't have any other rooms available. So I cleaned it myself!). I called to book my stay over the phone, but in person I kept getting charges and kept having to go to customer service for adjustments. We get home, and more charges were added. I called and made a report. It's ridiculous the amount of time I spent in person and over the phone to have them adjust their mistakes. They gave us the wrong room for less people, but didn't have our room available. Was not told over the phone or in our reservation document sent to my email that parking is $20 plus tax per car per stay. If they cared about our business they would've given us something for our troubles. If I didn't check my charges they would've got away with it! My kids had fun, but why would I stay here again when I can stay somewhere else hassle free and actually enjoy my mini vacation! Also their prices for food, and add ons are too high. Everyone I met there complained. read more

This was our fourth lodge as a family and it was our least favorite location. The water park feels very strange. The lazy river was ok but only has one spot to get it. Most lodges feel like there is a flow to the water park and you can access each thing easily this one didn't. The chlorine levels must have been really high cause I've never gotten out of the water at gwl and itched so bad. This park does have 7 slides but we only got to try two. The day we wanted to ride the other ones it was impossible to get a raft. The lines to the slide wasn't bad but no one was giving up their tubes and there wasn't any at the spot to get them. The lazy river also lacked tubes,at other lodges it's easy to get one in a few min and it immediately cause they have plenty of them. The room was ok. This was the first time we got a den room and my daughter enjoyed having her own space in the room with her own tv. The room was clean though but also very stale. It was either freezing when the air was on or muggy when it went off. We ended up going to target to get a fan to help move the air. The staff was friendly and helpful. This lodge does have plenty to do between arcade,climbing wall,mining for gems,mini golf, tree top adventure and mini bowling lane. The food was really bad even by great wolf lodge standards. The first night we ate at barnwood and it was very disappointing. The app of mozzarella sticks were very bland. My burger though cooked well was so soggy that the bottom bun was falling apart. My kid got the corn dog and it wasn't bad. The only thing that was good was the shrimp app, it had great flavor. We ordered pizza from hungry like a wolf and even though lodge pizza is never great this was not good at all. We tried the breakfast buffet one time and agreed it was almost the worst one we've had(Minnesota had the worst imo) (Kansas has the best). We got food from buckets while swimming one day and it was as expected. The pretzel was decent and my bbq chicken bites and fry's were ok. The issue was no seating as many people chose to use the seats meant for eating as a place to leave their stuff while out in the water park. We waited almost 20 to fine a table and it had no chairs. I'd plan on eating elsewhere. Gurnee has plenty of good food options close by. read more

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Absolutely unacceptable experience. I stayed here with my wife and our 6-month-old baby, expecting a safe, clean environment. Instead, we walked into a room with cockroaches--multiple. I have video clearly showing them in the room we were supposed to sleep in. Let that sink in: a hotel that markets itself as family-friendly put a family with an infant in a roach-infested room. I immediately went to management and showed them the video. The manager issued a refund, which is the absolute bare minimum. Beyond that, there was no real effort to make things right--no additional compensation, no urgency, no accountability. Because of this, we were forced to pack up and leave at 10:00 PM at night with a 6-month-old. Anyone with a baby knows how disruptive and stressful that is. Our entire trip was ruined on the spot. It didn't end there. Out of concern for bringing cockroaches home, we had to go through the process of heat-treating all of our luggage and belongings. That's time, money, and stress that no guest should ever have to deal with after staying at a hotel like this. A refund doesn't fix this. It just means we didn't pay to stay in a contaminated room. For the prices they charge, this level of negligence is unacceptable. I would not stay here again under any circumstances and strongly warn other families--especially those with young children--to avoid this place. read more

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Won't let you get into you room until 4 pm almost 5. Door key did not work. Charged us for ice cream bought there even doe we bought the food pass ( completely a scam) . Once they did get us a working wrist band they only gave us one... we bought 3. Changed us twice for parking, food pass , and late check out when we paid for these services at the front desk when we checked in , ( their way of trying to keep the room deposit after 3 weeks waiting) read more

when i was a just a pup i went to the great wolf lodge with my pack on the night 2/22. i loved the waterpark and it was overall very amusing, But as nightfall came, it was the full moon, the den next to my packs den, would not stop slamming the door all night, apparently as my alpha has howled in these reviews. I slept like a pup but my other alpha couldn't sleep at all! so he was angry and we ended leaving in the middle of the night. i could've had fun but my alpha ruined it read more

Given my kids are huge fans of this place in Manteca, we decided to check out this facility as a way to celebrate my 9 year olds birthday. The actual facilities are a tad more impressive/big than Manteca which was nice. We loved that there's a pool outdoors as well to not feel so claustrophobic during our stay. Be advised that no matter what kind of deal you think you are getting, this place will nickel and dime you every step of the way starting with parking, food, wands for magiquest. However, there were some pretty significant facilities issues that were disappointing. 1) We had a birthday cake we brought in. When we checked out, we assumed that they could refrigerate said cake given this is literally a hotel designed and made for families. However, to our great disappointment, they had nothing. There is no bell service at all!!! This is wild given that it was 100 degrees outside and we had iPads, chocolate and other items we couldn't leave in the car. They do have lockers for rent but they are tiny and wouldn't have accommodated our things. This was a huge inconvenience as it meant a family member had to stay with our things and not be with us after we checked out and were still using their water park. 2) The main bathrooms outside of their waterpark were poorly designed with no individual garbage cans in the stalls. I wouldn't have paid attention except for someone leaving their used tampon on the top of the toilet cover dispenser as a response. Gross. 3) The arcade was poorly attended and we had several swipes that didn't actually work and no one that was around to help. In the several days that we were there using the arcade, we didn't see a single staff member checking the area or attending to it. On the contrary, their Manteca location had at least 2-3 staff members at all times. 4) The handle to the bathroom literally ripped off the first use and was inoperable during our several day stay given the timing of the repair and when we were in the room 5) The water quality for several of their attractions (lazy river and wave pool) was terrible. You can feel the oils and products in the water from people. There was literally trash inside that no staff member bothered cleaning or checking. read more

They found my lost phone and they let us go on the water slides 16 times .we also got to switch rooms to the wolf den sweet!epic night!!!!

Lowkey a scam. $10 fee for amenities? What? And then $20 for parking? And $10 for a locker? Insane

I loved the waterpark as I have little kids and most pools were 3 feet deep. The room was nice and we enjoyed being so close to the mall. Now for the bad, you pay a pretty significant price for a room there and you would be wrong to assume mostly everything would be covered during your stay. They nickel and dime you on everything you do there. For example, they charge you $20/day for parking. Check in is at 4 PM, and check out is 11 AM. We were able to use the waterpark facilities for a few hours after check in, but you will have to pay $70 for late check out if you planned on going to the waterpark the next day. If we ever go back, we will bring our own towels too because they charge you for them. I believe the money is credited back once you return them for the day, but if you forget-the towels are $15 each. This is small, but it frustrated me so I'll include it, If you eat at the stop and go restaurants in the hotel, they have the soft drinks out where you can refill it yourself, but not before scanning your bracelet to pay for each refill (even while you are in the restaurant). read more

Don't Go. Don't do it. We live nearby and thought it would be a fun tradition to go here every year. We stayed one night and unfortunately there wasn't one great thing about it. When we first checked in we reminded them that we booked attached rooms with our friends we were meeting. The women told us there are no attached rooms left but we were confused because that's what we booked. Come to find out they only have about 4 attached rooms. Well this will come to ruin our night later on. They were able to at least get us across from each other. Once we walk in our room we realize that we're in an attached room ‍ but it's to another family. After an hour at checkin we just wanted to get the kids to the water park so we let the room situation slide. We're all so excited to ride the slides and decide to start the inner tubes. So I go down in a double tube and come out of the pool with a super bloody foot. While going down the slide my foot got sliced by a piece of loose plastic. The medic comes and get me all bandaged up so now the water park is out for me bc I have an open wound and don't want any germs or bacteria to infect my wound. The kids still manage to have a fun time and make the most of it but it's hard bc I'm unable to walk as my cut was pretty deep. Fast forward to the night which is the worst experience we've ever had staying in a hotel. The room we were connected to sounded like there were 20 monkeys jumping on the bed from 10PM-3AM! And to make matters worse our rooms had doors that let you outside so they were constantly slamming the exterior door and then we could hear their loud conversations. Our daughter wasn't able to sleep through it because it felt like we were in a room with them. We called down to the front desk (which proved unhelpful during check in) and they kept saying they would check on things. That they never did. What a nightmare and who stays at a hotel and acts this way. Respect other guests that are trying to sleep. And this chaos wouldn't have taken place if they didn't give our room to these guests but instead our friends that we were supposed to be connected to. It's been about 9 months since our visit and I have a permanent scar on my foot. One in which my dermatologist said I should have gotten stitches for. And to make matters even worse 3 people from our party of 6 broke out it a terrible rash a couple days after. I can't believe we paid for this nightmare. And I didn't even get to the food read more

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I was really disappointed with Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee. While it's fine for kids, there is very little for adults to actually relax and enjoy. There is no hot tub and no gym, which was surprising and frustrating given the cost. We paid about $500 a night, and for that price, I expected basic amenities for adults. After a long day, there's really nowhere for parents to unwind. If you're going strictly for the kids, it may be okay, but if you're looking for a family getaway that includes comfort and relaxation for adults as well, this place falls short. read more

The good: very clean, can go to the water park early before room is ready, towels as long as you return them, slides are fun, a lot of lifeguards, plenty of food options, arcade is fun Bad: parking $19 is ridiculous when staying over night, food is extremely expensive, only one character out at designated place and time, arcade$$$ read more

This place was so cool. They offer so many great things for the price you pay. Having a reusable soda cup was refreshing during breaks at the water park. The pizza was delicious. The fries and funnel cake fries were amazing. They even have Dunkin in the resort!! I asked the chat assistant on the app a few questions during my stay and they were very quick to respond. The slides are a lot of fun. The water park offers towels. Would visit again! read more

We had a fantastic time here. Two days and we were spent! The little one did all of the activities with the bear pass I think - and it was well worth it. From the dance party to the candy cup to the wave pool and slide - she had a ball and can't wait to go back. Thank you so much for such a delightfully affordable way to spend our spring break. We'll be back! read more

Great family fun from grandma, to hubby, to teenagers, to toddlers. Great extended fun for friends and their kids. 2 night stay for a birthday party we had 6 rooms for 21 people. Best July 4th weekend ever! Almost reminded me of being on an island. Especially after the heatwave this week in Chicago. read more

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Bed bugs. Tower 2 like everyone else experienced. Only stayed one night and refused to stay any longer. read more

Great Wolf Lodge - Water Parks Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois

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During our family stay at Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee, IL from June 13-15, 2025, we discovered live bed bugs in our bed on the morning of June 14. I captured one in a clear plastic cup and notified the front desk. Staff confirmed the issue but told us to dispose of the bug instead of documenting it. We were offered a smaller downgraded room, a price adjustment, two pizza vouchers, and a complimentary cabana. We were told a third-party inspection would be conducted and results would be shared within three days. No one followed up. On June 19, after no communication, I called customer service and was told no case existed. I then filed Case #02278787 and requested pest control documentation. Still no response by June 30. I called again, was transferred multiple times, and told Scott from Aquatics would call me back in 20 minutes. That call never came. On July 17, I called again and learned the case had been marked "resolved" with no notification, follow-up, or pest inspection report provided. I was told the original room downgrade and cabana pass were considered the resolution. These were given the day of the incident and unrelated to the inspection we were promised. I was forced to open a second case, #02291921. To date, I have received no formal apology, no pest control report, and no meaningful resolution. This reflects a serious lack of professionalism and guest safety protocol. read more

Great Wolf Lodge - BED BUGS! - Water Parks Near Me - Gurnee, Illinois