At a time when the children have been dwelling from faculty attributable to knowledgeable actions day, we determined to take a highway journey to Niagara Falls and e-book a keep at considered one of our family-favourite resorts, Nice Wolf Lodge, recognized for its indoor waterpark.
Previous to the pandemic, we visited this resort round yearly. This journey would develop into our first journey again because the pandemic started, and the children have been actually excited.
As a lot as they get pleasure from flying, it was good to have the ability to pack gentle and never should make the journey to the airport. As a substitute, we packed up the automobile and made the quick journey all the way down to Niagara Falls for some household enjoyable.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Reserving
Nice Wolf Lodge is an American lodge chain recognized for its indoor waterparks with resorts positioned everywhere in the USA. The Niagara Falls location is presently the one Canadian resort; nevertheless, information was simply launched of plans for a resort in Cornwall, Ontario.
There are two different waterparks in Niagara Falls: Waves Americana Resort and Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. Having been to all three, I’ve to say Nice Wolf Lodge is my favorite.
It’s well-known for its indoor waterpark and family-friendly actions and hospitality. It’s continually including new options to the resort, has probably the most on-site family-friendly facilities, and is probably the most well-kept of all of them.
Households with toddlers may very well want the opposite two waterparks, however as my children are getting older, Nice Wolf Lodge has more and more develop into their favorite, too.
Use of the waterpark is reserved for lodge company solely and they don’t promote day passes as another waterparks resorts do. The one downsides are the fee and the way busy it could actually get on weekends and holidays.
We spent a complete of two nights on the Nice Wolf Lodge. I booked my first night time via Amex Journey, as needed to make use of up my annual $200 journey credit score the comes with my American Categorical Platinum Card.
It’s an ideal keep to make use of it for, as as a result of the resort doesn’t take part in any member reward applications, I don’t have to fret about elite advantages not being honoured attributable to reserving via a third-party service.
As well as, charges might be over $500 (CAD) per night time for his or her lowest room class on sure days, so a $200 (CAD) low cost goes an extended option to making it extra reasonably priced.
I booked a Children Cabin Suite a few 12 months out for $369 (CAD) plus taxes and costs, earlier than my journey credit score was utilized. We ended up reserving a second night time via a promo code offered by Entertain Children on Dime in a base-level Household Suite for $249.99 (CAD).
When selecting a room, bear in mind that there’s a distinction between the variety of company they permit in a room and the variety of company included within the room worth. For instance, their Household Suite can accommodate between 4 and 6 company.
4 company are included within the room worth, and for any extra company, as much as a most of six within the room, it’s a must to pay an additional particular person charge of $75 (CAD) per particular person aged three and up.
In some instances, the usual Household Suite could not find yourself being the most affordable choice. A themed or bigger cabin that might usually be costlier for a household of 4 simply could work out cheaper for bigger households.
Another choice is inviting one other household to journey with yours to shuffle the additional baby(ren) round, or cut up the price of a bigger cabin.
When you’re in search of a reduction, the sooner you e-book, the cheaper the charges are typically, and weeknights are cheaper than weekends.
One factor to concentrate on is Nice Wolf Lodge’s reserving coverage. A deposit is taken on all bookings, which is equal to the primary night time’s charge.
Their cancellation coverage can be stricter than most resorts; nevertheless, there is no such thing as a charge to alter your dates, aside from paying the distinction within the room charges (if any).
Nice Wolf Lodge will usually run promotions providing as much as 25% off your keep. There are different supply codes floating round as properly, so make sure to test for company reductions and websites like Perkopolis. Of notice, CAA and Presto go customers additionally obtain reductions.
There may be additionally a Fb group, Entertain Children on a Dime, that releases final minute low cost codes normally one or two weeks previous to journey dates that can provide some substantial reductions.
There are numerous issues you’ll be able to add onto your lodge keep, like meals, recreation, and actions packages, which may make sense for those who assume you’ll make use of all of the facilities on the resort. Verify-out is normally 11am, however late check-out until 2pm might be bought for $89.99 (CAD).
I’ve had luck asking for check-out as much as 12pm with out being charged something further.
Lastly, for those who discover a worth drop in your keep, you’ll be able to name the resort’s reservations line to alter your reserving to the cheaper price and they’ll refund you the distinction.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Location
Situated in Niagara Falls, it’s only a 90-minute drive from Toronto. It makes for an incredible place to remain for those who’re heading out to the waterfalls anyway, that are solely a 10-minute drive away.
Shut by is the Outlet Assortment at Niagara, which is simply round quarter-hour away by automobile, for all of your procuring wants. Niagara-On-The-Lake is a quaint city not too far off, and has a few of Ontario’s greatest eating places and wineries.
Apart from visiting the waterfalls, there are additionally just a few points of interest close by for those who want a break from the waterpark.
In downtown Niagara, Clifton Hill gives a world of leisure choices, together with mazes, arcades, and mini-golf, simply to call just a few.
For animal lovers, MarineLand is a small amusement park and aquatic zoo the place sea lions, whales and dolphins reside. In any other case, Chook Kingdom showcases some unique feathered associates, and the Butterfly Conservatory could make for a laid again outing.
When you want the outside, there are some nice mountaineering trials alongside the Niagara River. If the season is true, there are many fruit-picking alternatives in close by orchards.
Lastly, if you need so as to add in a little bit of a historical past to your trip, make sure to go to the Fort George Nationwide Historic Web site, a army base in the course of the Warfare of 1812. Right here you’ll be able to see troopers in redcoats, go to their barracks, see cannons, and watch dwell musket demonstrations, along with different actions.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Verify-in
The resort is a gigantic three-story picket lodge. If you pull into the resort, you’ll discover that there’s loads of parking areas accessible.
You may pull as much as the doorway to unload the automobile, and there are baggage carts accessible to assist with bringing baggage as much as your room.
If you enter the constructing, there are two check-in desks on each side of the foyer. Observe that the workers will ask you to current the identical bank card that you simply booked the room beneath, so make sure to maintain observe of which one you used.
A fast overview of the property is normally given, though this time it wasn’t mandatory as we suggested the workers that this was not our first go to. Sometimes, they’ll ask if you need so as to add any packages to the room, when you’ve got not already added them, and provide you with a schedule of the occasions for the week.
Indicators are positioned all through the park reminding you of exercise occasions, too.
RFID-enabled wristbands are given out to every visitor. Aside from figuring out you as a visitor for entry into the waterpark, it additionally serves as your room key and might be enabled to permit for room-charging privileges.
As you stroll previous the check-in desks, you enter the Grand Residing Room, the place many group actions happen all through the day.
The lodge then splits into two wings of suites. Excluding cottages, all suites are positioned inside this primary constructing.
Verify-in is formally at 4pm; nevertheless, you can begin utilizing the waterpark as early as 1pm on the day of check-in. On just a few events, I’ve been capable of to check-in as early as 12pm.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Suites
There are a number of suites accessible. Over time, we’ve stayed in just a few completely different ones, and the wonderful thing about suites is that they’ll accommodate as much as 10 company in a room.
In most leeway sorts, the décor is conventional and a bit rustic, with picket log accents to match the wilderness theme all through the lodge. If you’re in search of lodging with extra fashionable décor, then select the newer King Cabins, Woodland Bunk Suites, Grand Wolf Suites, or Timber Wolf Cottages
Whatever the room kind, all of them supply loads of area.
This time, we selected the Children Cabin Suite, as my children at all times needed to strive a collection with a bunk mattress. It may accommodate between six and 7 company, and the defining characteristic of this suite is the small duplicate of a cabin inside the room.
The cabin has a bunk mattress, night-table and one other twin-sized mattress inside, becoming three children very comfortably.
Exterior the cabin, you’ll discover a queen mattress and a settee mattress.
There’s a sitting space with a small espresso desk, hearth, TV, dresser, a dinette set, and a kitchenette with a beverage station, a microwave, and a mini-fridge.
All loos on the Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls are geared up with a tub, which is nice for households with youthful children.
The toiletries have their very own Nice Wolf Lodge branding. Within the bathe, one dispenser mounted on the bathe wall simply low sufficient for youths to make use of on their very own, and comprises physique wash, shampoo, and conditioner, all-in-one.
The bathtub is supplied with a curved curtain bar which permits for more room for showering adults. One disadvantage is that there’s just one sink within the rest room, however there’s a second sink within the room.
The Household Suite, their normal room, can accommodate between 4 and 6 company. Quite than a single queen mattress, it has two queen beds.
There’s a half-partition separating the bed room space from the lounge space. In any other case, the options of the room are comparatively the identical.
When you’re travelling with a giant household or with one other household, it’s possible you’ll need to contemplate staying in considered one of their Timber Wolf Cottages, which have three bedrooms and might accommodate as much as 10 company. The cottages are freestanding cabins positioned outdoors of the primary constructing and waterpark, however they provide a shared hearth pit and barbecue space with two barbecues for visitor use.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Waterpark
The 100,000 square-foot Bear Observe Touchdown Waterpark is the spotlight of the resort, designed to accommodate youngsters and adults of all ages. There are normally workers monitoring for wristbands on the entrance and to test heights of youngsters.
Apart from the toddler areas, most rides usually have both a peak restriction or 42 inches or 48 inches. Some rides with a 48-inch peak restriction will enable shorter children to experience if accompanied by an grownup.
The waterpark is split into completely different areas, together with a toddler zone with small slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, a water fort treehouse, a problem course, a pool for water basketball, a scorching tub, and loads of single-rider and multi-rider water slides.
Essentially the most exhilarating experience is the Wolf Tail, the place the flooring drops out from beneath you, leading to a 20-foot free fall. On sure rides, together with this one, there are automated machines taking photograph of you in the course of the experience.
It’s essential to recollect your photograph time for ease of discovering it afterwards.
In the summertime, there’s an outside pool space, which consists of a giant pool and an adults-only scorching tub.
There may be fairly a little bit of seating within the waterpark. We have been by no means seated whereas within the waterpark until having a meal, so discovering seats was by no means a problem. We regularly discovered simply wanted one seat to throw our belongings onto.
Waterproof telephone instances or lanyard pouches are an incredible asset right here. Aside from on the Wolf Tail, you might be permitted to put on lanyards round your neck.
Lifejackets can be found for youths. You may convey and use your individual private floaties so long as they aren’t air-filled ones.
Towels might be picked up from the towel station within the nook of waterpark. Towels are signed out along with your wristband so be sure to faucet your wristband whenever you return them. I’ve but to see somebody truly rely the variety of towels being returned, although.
No outdoors meals is allowed within the waterpark. There are eating choices inside the waterpark itself for those who don’t need to depart the world.
When you arrive earlier than your room is prepared or are planning to remain after check-out, there are feminine, male, and household change rooms contained in the waterpark. These are geared up with bathrooms and showers, and lockers are additionally accessible for lease.
Cabanas can be rented for those who want your individual personal, sheltered space with seating, drinks, and snacks.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Eating
There may be quite a lot of eating choices at Nice Wolf Lodge and pricing, generally, is sort of affordable.
There are a few cafés, Bear Claw Café and Canoe Espresso, that serve gentle snacks, baked good, ice cream, and pre-packaged to go meals objects. Be forewarned: the ice cream scoops at Bear Claw Café are large.
Antler Shanty is the resort’s primary seated restaurant that serves breakfast and has a dinner buffet. The meals served is typical American fare, with quite a lot of palatable meals decisions for kids.
The standard isn’t superb, but it surely’s respectable. For dinner, there’s quite a lot of scorching meals objects, a carving station, salads, soups, and dessert station.
The breakfast buffet is priced at $18.99 (CAD) per grownup and $12.49 (CAD) per child. The dinner buffet is priced at $24.99 (CAD) per grownup and $12.49 (CAD) per child. Children beneath the age of three dine free of charge.
Camp Critter serves a seated à la carte menu at lunch. Buckets is positioned contained in the waterpark and gives burgers, fries, and rooster fingers.
The Watering Gap can be inside the waterpark and serves nachos, tacos, and each alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty drinks and slurpees.
Apart from pizza, Northwoods Pizza additionally serves sandwiches and salads.
All-day eating packages can be found for $59.99 (CAD) per day for adults and $29.99 (CAD) per day for kids aged 4–12. Doing the maths, I saved just a few {dollars} per baby, however for adults, I don’t assume I saved something.
We bought the package deal for one of many two days we have been there and got vouchers to trade for our meals. Choices for breakfast and dinner was restricted to the buffets at Antler Shanty.
For lunch, there have been just a few choices, together with at Camp Critter Bar & Grille, Buckets, Northwoods Pizza or The Watering Gap, however what you can redeem your voucher for at every venue was fairly restricted.
Sadly, there are not any good eating choices which can be inside strolling distance from the resort. There’s a Tim Hortons and McDonald’s lower than 5 minutes away, however for those who’re keen to drive farther, Niagara Falls has loads of higher choices.
Nice Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls – Different Services
Apart from the waterpark, there are a loads of actions to do onsite. The Grand Residing Room hosts many complimentary actions all through the day, together with character meet and greets with the Nice Wolf Lodge mascots, story time, magic reveals, morning yoga, and balloon twisting, in addition to arts and crafts.
There may be Cub Membership open from 10am–4pm, which gives arts and crafts, colouring, and video games for youths beneath the steering of Children Expertise Specialists. Sadly, it’s not a drop-off program and the actions want parental supervision.
Within the night, the lodge hosts a supervised PJ Get together from 6:30–8:30pm for kids aged 5– 11 for a charge, so mother and father can get pleasure from a little bit of a break.
In Cub Membership are additionally personal areas for nursing infants.
Northern Lights Arcade is the lodge’s 24-hour leisure centre. Very similar to a Chuck E. Cheese, it has loads of pay-as-you-go video games, and plenty of earn tickets which you could redeem for prizes.
You’ll must buy a recreation card, load it with credit, and faucet it on the video games to play. Video games fluctuate within the variety of credit required and tickets earned are saved in your play card. There’s additionally a digital actuality expertise within the arcade for $12.99 (CAD).
Simply outdoors of the arcade is Northern Lights Laser Tag. Every recreation is $9.99 (CAD) or you’ll be able to pay $24.99 (CAD) for limitless play in your whole keep, plus bonus tickets to redeem for prizes on the arcade.
There may be additionally Ten Paw Alley, you’ll be able to play a recreation of bowling for $7 (CAD) per particular person per recreation.
When the climate permits within the hotter months, there’s a mini-golf course outdoors. Single video games value $8.99 (CAD) per spherical, however youngsters three and beneath play free.
By far the most well-liked exercise outdoors the waterpark is MagiQuest. With a wand, you embark on completely different quests lasting 15–half-hour fixing riddles that may take you throughout the resort searching for completely different treasures.
Wands are priced $37.99 (CAD) and up, however this consists of recreation activation. The wands might be bought on the MagiQuest Cottage positioned in Buying and selling Put up Reward Store.
When you activate your wand, you’ll be able to play as a lot or as little as you need and everytime you need. When the journey is completed, maintain the wand in your subsequent go to and your baby can choose up the place they left off after reactivating the wand for $16.99 (CAD).
Even youthful children can be a part of the enjoyable, as a wave of the wand will trigger crystals to glow and treasure chests to open.
Additionally inside the reward store is the Nice Wolf Stuffing Station, the place you’ll be able to select a furry character, fill it with fluff, after which select an outfit for it, all for $29.99 (CAD).
For fogeys who’re lacking their health buzz, there’s the Iron Horse Health Room that’s open across the clock.
Quiet time, or “hibernation hours” are from 10pm to 8am. Most actions are open from 10am to 10pm, however MagiQuest is open till 11pm for the night time owls in your loved ones.
Conclusion
My household at all times has a good time at Nice Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, and it’s nonetheless is considered one of our favorite journeys to take once we simply want a fast getaway for an evening or two. It’s way more than only a waterpark, which is what makes it an incredible year-round resort for the household.
Room prices might be expensive, however hopefully you’ll be able to offset it with a bunch code, bank card journey credit score, or by utilizing a fixed-value factors forex that may be redeemed in opposition to the fee. Don’t overlook to look into exercise and eating packages too, to see in the event that they make economical sense for your loved ones.
We’ll be again for an additional go to in some unspecified time in the future all year long, and I’m certain my children will probably be pleased to select up the place we left off.
