Mika at the front desk was very helpful and friendly. There are more slides here than trampolines,…read moreand a decent size toddler section. My kids enjoyed two hours here very much.

Soooooo expensive but wow it was fun! Staff could be nicer and more welcoming. The slides were…read moregreat, wide selection and pretty safe. She didn't know about the tummy sliding thing but once the first one happened then the day started! $50 for both of us for 90 mins

So there we were, headed to Castles N' Coasters a wholesome amusement park in the desert... a place…read morefor families, laughter, and apparently, poor decision-making. Now my buddy this man reaches into his pocket and pulls out what I can only describe as a historical artifact. I'm talking a doobie so big it looked like Bob Marley himself rolled it during a greatest hits tour. I said, "Absolutely not. I am a grown man. I got responsibilities. I got a mortgage. I got snacks at home I haven't even finished yet." That didn't matter. Next thing I know, windows are up, car turns into a Dutch oven of bad decisions, and now I'm just along for the ride literally and spiritually. Somewhere between "this is a bad idea" and "why is everything funny," I lost control of the evening. We pull into the park around that magical time you know, that in-between hour... not quite day, not quite night... like God dimmed the lights and said, "Alright boys, let's see what happens." The whole place is glowing neon lights, arcade buzz, roller coasters rattling in the distance. Felt like walking into a carnival dream... or maybe a fever dream. Jury's still out. Now here's the thing about this place it's been around since the late '70s, sitting right there in Phoenix like a desert time capsule of fun. You got four roller coasters, including the Desert Storm, which sounds fun until you're on it reconsidering every life choice that led you there. Then there's the Patriot wooden, loud, and about as gentle as a bar fight. And somehow... SOMEHOW... we thought tequila beforehand was a good idea. So now we're buzzed, slightly baked against our will, and wandering this park like three philosophers who lost their notes. We're laughing at everything. Nothing's funny but everything's hilarious. A trash can? Comedy gold. A churro? Best thing I've ever eaten in my life. A child running past me? I'm emotionally invested in his journey. But I'll give credit where it's due the park itself? Clean. Staff's friendly. Nobody's judging three grown men giggling like idiots. It's got that old-school charm too arcades, mini golf, rides, the whole deal. You can bring a family here... or whatever version of a situation we were. Now the rides... oh, the rides. Let me tell you something nothing will make you rediscover fear like being slightly out of your mind on a roller coaster you thought you could handle. I got scared... not once... not twice... but a few times. The kind of scared where you start making promises to God you don't intend to keep. "I'll be a better man if I survive this drop..." Didn't mean a word of it. By the end of the night, we had the munchies, the laughs, and just enough dignity left to get back to the car without needing a group meeting. For a couple hours, though? We were kids again. No responsibilities. No stress. Just lights, noise, and pure, ridiculous fun. So yeah Castles N' Coasters might be a family amusement park... but under the right or completely wrong circumstances, it turns into one hell of a story. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Just... maybe crack a window on the way there.

There's a couple machines upstairs that "ate our money". It's a play card with credits, but there…read moreare a couple times the games didn't let us play or credit us for a game. Also, the Simpsons machine doesn't let you play Lisa. it picks Bart if you select Lisa's button. Another machine is Zoltar downstairs. He only talks, but does not spit out a souvenir ticket. That one actually did eat my dollar. I guess it made up for it because a couple people abandoned their games downstairs in the middle, so the bf and I played for "free". It was on someone else's dime, but I guess that counts, too. We got nachos and drinks from the snack bar. Service was quick. As with any family fun event center, food was a bit overpriced. The female bathroom was nasty. I don't know how often they clean them, but there was paper all over the stall floor. The faucets had a lot of buildup on them. Both the male and female restrooms smelled funky. I didn't play at the putt putt section, but one day I'll be back to do that. Overall, a good arcade/food experience. I'd recommend this place to people. I cannot comment on any of the rides/attractions besides the arcade.

On the surface and it looks like it's pretty reasonably priced for an hour of "unlimited" use of…read morethree different attractions. But that includes the time you stand in line waiting. So our "60" minutes was really only about 15 after all the standing in line. And each attraction is between 2-3 minutes. Literally more time is spent standing in line than enjoying the attractions. Not recommended, at least not during busy times.

There are two laser room options. In one you get 90 seconds to slice through the lasers and rack up…read morepoints for how many you get. The second is where you dodge lasers, Mission Impossible style. In this room you can have one or two players and choose easy, medium, hard or expert. If you buy a pass for the mirror maze you get unlimited runs all day. We used our Get Out Pass for one free run through the laser slicing room. The kids came out laughing and begging for more. It got expensive quick as i dropped $50+ for an all day mirror maze pass and a few more runs through the laser rooms. Worth it though because the kids had a blast and ran out so much energy! We ran into friends and while us moms sat and chatted the kids ran through the mirror maze for another two hours. Expensive but if the kids stay entertained is worth it Instagram: @msbusyblonde

Such a an awesome cool aquarium. The exhibits were clean and all of the staff took the time to…read moreanswer any questions we had. You can really tell that they care about their animals. Also learned that penguins poop every 5-10 minutes, HA!

I haven't been here in years, and forgot how enjoyable this aquarium is. It's got a nice variety of…read morefish and other cool animals like penguins and even a sloth. The animal habitats look clean and you can tell they're well cared for. This is a great place to go for a school trip with the touching pools as the employees teach you about the occupants. My favorite part is definitely the voyager, which is a small theatre like atmosphere that rotates around while you learn of the different fish, sharks, turtles etc, much like the carousel of progress in Disney. They have a nice place to grab some food, Starbucks, or even an adult beverage. The entire thing is situated within a complex that houses shops, a dinosaur exhibit, a UFO encounter, a center area called the boardwalk with a carousel and soon a Ferris wheel. I really enjoy the Frozen Penguin ice cream shop with its delicious treats, perfect on a hot day. Overall it's a great place to visit really enjoyed the day.

This experience starts with a 3D movie about the migration of monarch butterflies, then a stop in…read morethe Emergence Gallery, where you can see caterpillars and chrysalis (aka cocoons). From there, visitors can access the Conservatory through the doors. Though a bit humid, it is such a magical environment with concrete pathways, a few seats, a koi pond, and lots of greenery. Various plants creating a beautiful setting, including flamingo flower, panama rose, purple heart, and sandpiper vine. And informative signs are posted throughout, educating visitors about the conservatory and butterfly care. Visitors are given a butterfly guide in the beginning, but some of the butterflies fluttered their wings so quickly nonstop, it was sometimes hard to identify. The big blue one (blue morpho, I believe) looked like a bird as it soared in and out of the plants and overhead. There were so many butterflies in the air, on the leaves and flowers, they even had signs noting how you could get them to land on you as well. The random music in the background wasn't too loud. At some point, the Harry Potter theme song came on, and what an enchanting vibe in the conservatory! They had bees in there too (behind glass). Once you exit the butterfly conservatory, there was much more to see. The Rainforest reptile gallery included awesome turtles (like the mata mata turtle camouflaged with the rocks), snakes, and even amazing axolotls on display. And the Tropical Waters room was delightful to view, with fish, stingrays, and more. There was also a gift shop, cafe, and vending machine selling edible bugs. Butterfly Wonderland is great for all ages, and I had such a memorable time here this past weekend.

The butterfly part is neat, here is what I have a problem with:…read moreMy daughter and I left incredibly depressed after seeing all of the lizards, birds, and snakes in teeny tiny cages, some of them completely alone. Imagine not ever in your life being able to stretch out your body...that is what many of the animals in this place go through. We felt physically sick. They don't even let the moths go out with the butterflies since they hide during the day, also very sad. As beautiful as the butterflies were, we left extremely sad. Our visit was over a week ago and we still talk about it. Do better or release these animals that deserve a good life.

We had such a fun experience here today! We came from out…read moreof town and wanted something fun for the kids today and this place hit all the marks. Train, playground inside and outside, splash pad, carousel and lots of lunch picnic tables. It was great to see everyone out enjoying summer. Bathrooms easily accessible for the littles. Great experience overall! If we lived closer we would definitely be here more.

WOW !!! Way more than expected when looking for something to do with an extra day in Phoenix area…read more Decided to visit on a whim (saw Free, Trains, Park). Really glad we did as we spent the better part of the day with no kids/grandkids (hope to bring them one day) enjoying the park. The locals are really lucky to have such a gem near-by to enjoy. So many things to enjoy from a train ride ($3) per ride or you can buy a day pass for $12 which includes the Carousel (pretty sure). There is a shaded playground and splash area (free) with picnic tables located throughout the park. We saw several parties going on at different covered areas (assume u can rent), and there is the Family Circus pavilion with tables near the snack bar Snack Bars (2) - one building and one in a Caboose near playground. The prices are really reasonable and a nice menu (chicken tenders, corn dogs). The ice-cream sucked us in with "Superman" which takes me back to childhood in the mid-west. Prices were great and the Staff even greater as they were super friendly (could be a name of a new ice-cream flavor). Tables located inside if needed to beat the heat. There is a gift shop with unique items to the park(t-shirts. stickers, stuff animals, puzzles etc.) a museum with the history of the park & the Family behind it. We spent the best part of the morning walking around the park, riding the train and exploring the miniature train building which in itself is amazing and beats some that we paid to visit. They have all the sizes on displays that I am sure a lot of spouses are happy that they are there and not in the basement or family room. These dioramas are intricate and beautifully done for each gauge of train with historic scenes to cool pop-culture ones. You could walk around a dozen times & probably see something you missed each time. They definitely spend a lot of time, money & energy to keep it up. Restrooms located throughout the park, easy free parking and a lot to see & do, if you have kids or grandkids or just a big kid yourself.

We just got back from an amazing family getaway at Great Wolf Lodge, and we couldn't be happier!…read moreThe indoor water park was a massive hit with the kids--there is such a great variety of slides and play areas for all ages. After a full day of swimming, the fun didn't stop. The kids absolutely loved the MagiQuest game and the evening dance parties in the lobby. The staff was incredibly friendly and made sure our room was spotless and comfortable. If you're looking for a stress-free family vacation, this is the place to be!"Option 2: Short & Sweet (Best for a Quick, High-Energy Review)"The absolute best weekend ever! Great Wolf Lodge is the perfect staycation for families. The water park is clean, the slides are a blast, and the themed rooms make bedtime fun for the kids. We especially loved the arcade and the interactive wand game. Highly recommend bringing the whole family here to make some unforgettable memories!"Option 3: Balanced & Helpful (Best for Setting Expectations)"We had a wonderful 2-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge with our kids. The highlight is definitely the water park, which kept everyone entertained for hours--there are plenty of lifeguards on duty, which gave us great peace of mind. Our room was spacious, soundproof, and perfect for a family of four. While it's definitely a popular, high-energy (and overstimulating) resort, that's exactly what we came for. Pro tip: It's highly convenient to arrive early on check-in day to get the most out of the water park before your room is officially ready."

Okay so here's my honest opinion, one I think it sucks that we had to all wake up and evacuate…read moreoutside the hotel for almost an hour at like 1am because of a smoker in the stairwell, took us another two hours to fall back asleep with the kids after, than get denied a simple request to push our check out time a little later in the day so my partner and kids could enjoy they're sleep a little more on the vacation. Now, let's talk about the swim area and the period blood (let's hope) my daughter stepped in on our way up the slide, when I told the life guards both boys laughed and then they called a female life guard on duty over to deal with the mess, then never addressed my daughter stepping on it or offer to help clean it up in a sanitizing like way at all. The sprinkler pipe on the middle slide is rusted and cracked and the big slide up top is leaking from missing bolts. I spent a lot to make my wife's first vacation in years nice and make the kids happy, I even went all out on Magiquest, Paw and Pup passes and build a bear. Over all it was both gross due to the seemingly lack of concern over the blood and disappointing because we wanted to at least rest enough to experience the day without rush of check out before getting to experience the rest of the day. The location was nice enough I suppose, everything is over priced even for it being Scottsdale tbh. It's not Disneyland. Food is terrible, literally nothing here is real food wise and the pool area is gross in places, again blood on my daughter's foot and little concern at all. Rooms are okay, fun but nothing special. I dunno I think I spent enough to at least be treated with some basic service. All I know is the guys at the Magiquest were the highlight of the trip service wise.

Exceptional service and a total win for Spring Break! "We…read morevisited Legoland Discovery Center in Phoenix last Wednesday March 18for Spring Break, and it was easily the highlight of our week. The kids had an absolute blast, but what truly stood out to me was the flow of the attractions and the incredible staff. The customer service went well beyond any typical ranking--every crew member we interacted with was amazing. It's clear their model is centered on making sure every child has a priority experience. They went above and beyond to engage with the kids and make them feel special. Highly recommend for an stress-free, high-fun family day!"

So fun for kids and adults alike! I was surprised that they have two rides - and really fun ones at…read morethat! All the exhibits were well setup for little or bigger kids. So many opportunities to be creative and so much for the kids to touch and play with. Our favorites were the huge play structure, the Lego castle that could be built on, and the large foam(?) Lego pits. Our kids didn't want to leave; we could have stayed for way more time, but alas, naps needed to be had. Can't wait to bring them back!