Skip to Content

Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim Review

Sharing is caring!

A review of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California located in Anaheim, California near Disneyland. Stays include a full water park and fun activities!

A review of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California located in Anaheim, California near Disneyland. Stays include a full water park and fun activities!

This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on these links, I get a small percentage back at no cost to you! For more information see my disclosure policy.

 

 

Get Away Today Disneyland Black Friday Sale.

Get Adult tickets at Kid’s Prices with this Disneyland Black Friday Ticket Sale from Get Away Today! Tickets are valid through December 31, 2025. Combine this deal with a hotel stay and use code: Clubhouse10 to save even more!

 

 

My kids have been begging me to go to Great Wolf Lodge since they saw it on YouTube.

 

 

So when we planned to take a trip to Phoenix for a family wedding, my husband thought it would be a great idea to stay at the new Great Wolf Lodge location near Scottsdale, Arizona, which we loved.

 

 

Front Desk of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

 

 

We ended up driving over to Anaheim to go to Disneyland, because why not?

 

 

We enjoyed our stay in Arizona so much, that we booked a Wolf Den Suite at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim for 3 nights.

 

 

Bear Bench at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim

 

 

Your stay at Great Wolf Lodge includes passes for each person in your party to their enormous water park.

 

 

This isn’t just a hotel pool with a couple of waterslides, it is a full-sized water park complete with a wave pool and flow rider.

 

 

A boy with Wiley Wolf

 

 

We’ll get to the water park more in a minute.

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge also has other things that are not included but might be worth a doing if you have the time.

 

 

MagiQuest screen

 

 

Pup, Paw, and Wolf passes can be purchased which include many of the extras bundled together. Read about our experience with Wolf Passes here.

 

 

There are also a few restaurants including a character breakfast and a pizzeria.

 

 

We ordered a pizza and garlic bread at Hungry as a Wolf pizzeria and thought it was really good.

 

 

Hungry as a Wolf Pizzeria at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

Wolf Den Room Tour

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge has 3 categories to rank their rooms.

 

 

Standard, which as you probably guessed, are regular hotel rooms with a couple of beds and a bathroom.

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge wristband key

 

 

Premium rooms, which are a little bigger and offer more amenities. See my review of the Grand Bear Suite here.

 

 

The third category are Themed Rooms. In Arizona, we stayed in a Kids Cabin Suite which you can see here. Here in California, we choose the Wolf Den Suite.

 

 

Hallway of Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim

 

 

Entrance/Bathroom

 

 

As you entered our room, the bathroom was immediately to the left.

 

 

The bathroom was pretty standard with a shower/tub combination and cute wolf paw-shaped soap.

 

 

bathroom in Wolf Den Suite

 

 

Across from the bathroom was an open closet with an in-room safe.

 

 

Vanity in Wolf Den Suite at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

Next to the closet is an open vanity with a sink and large mirror.

 

 

I liked that the vanity was separate from the bathroom so they could both be used at the same time which is great for a family.

 

 

Shampoo, soap, and lotion from Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

Wolf Den

 

 

My boys loved the Wolf Den! It was like having their own room within our hotel room.

 

 

Wolf Den Suite

 

 

The outside looks like it is made of logs and inside is a set of bunk beds and their own tv.

 

 

Bunk beds and mural in Wolf Den Suite

 

 

There were only two beds in the Wolf Den which caused a little bit of friction because we have three boys, so next time I would probably get the Kid Cabin again, just to avoid fighting.

 

 

TV and window inside Wolf Den Suite

 

 

Bedroom

 

 

The bedroom had a queen-size bed next to a seating area with a full-size sofa sleeper and coffee table.

 

 

Queen bed and sofa sleeper in Wolf Den Suite

 

 

In the corner, there was a table and chairs. There was also a large counter with drawers for storage, a microwave, television, and mini fridge.

 

 

Table and chairs in Wolf Den Suite at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

The televisions in the room were smart tv’s and we were able to watch our favorite Netflix and YouTube shows just by signing in!

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge Water Park

 

 

Now let’s get to the water park. That’s what the kids really came for, right? 

 

 

Clock Tower in the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park

 

 

Height Requirements

 

 

When you enter the water park for the first time with kids, a Great Wolf Lodge employee will measure their height.

 

 

Your child will get a bracelet with a corresponding color according to how tall they are.

 

 

Height wristbands at Great Wolf Lodge California

 

 

This bracelet quickly lets life guards know if your child is tall enough for certain slides.

 

 

Towels

 

 

Each member of your family is entitled to a towel when you are in the water park.

 

 

To pick up your towel, let the attendant know how many towels you need and they will scan your wristband/key.

 

 

Towel sign in water park at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

You may take the towels back to your room with you, but you will need to keep track of it.

 

 

Make sure that you turn in your towel at the end of your stay to ensure that you are not charged for it.

 

 

Towel pick up area at Great wolf Lodge

 

 

I found that it was just easier for us to check our towels back in before leaving the water park. That’s what worked for us.

 

 

Fun For Little Kids

 

 

There are tons of things to do for kids of all ages in the water park.

 

 

The next few items are great for little ones when you visit Great Wolf Lodge.

 

 

Some will need some adult supervision.

 

 

Side view of water playground

 

 

Fort Mackenzie

 

 

My 5-year-old loved Fort Mackenzie! Fort Mackenzie is a large interactive playground with water splashing everywhere!

 

 

Fort Mackenzie rule poster at Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

 

 

There are a few water slides that are perfect for little ones, there are water falls, and ways to shoot water at each other.

 

 

View of Fort Mackenzie water treehouse at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

The best part of Fort Mackenzie is the large bucket on top of the structure.

 

 

The bucket is continuously being filled with water and once it fill up, will dump out over anyone who happens to be below!

 

 

Raccoon Lagoon

 

 

Raccoon Lagoon was a fun area for kids, if the weather is cooperating.

 

 

It is an outdoor area with a pool and a splash pad. 

 

 

Raccoon Lagoon outside water area at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

If you head out here, bring along your sunglasses. It can get pretty bright.

 

 

Slap Tail Pond

 

 

Slap Tail Pond is large wave pool that is fun for the whole family.

 

 

Every few minutes, you will hear a wolf howl, then the waves will begin!

 

 

Slap Tail Pond rule poster

 

 

If you take little ones into the wave pool, I definitely recommend having them wear a life jacket.

 

 

When the waves are on, it can get pretty deep.

 

 

A boy in a life jacket at the wave pool

 

 

Whooping Hollow & Cub Paw Pool

 

 

Both Whooping Hollow and Cub Paw Pool are areas that are great for toddlers and pre-schoolers. 

 

 

Kids over 52″ are not allowed in these spots, so little ones are free to play!

 

 

Toddler area at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

Crooked Creek

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim has a lazy river called Crooked Creek.

 

 

This is a great spot to lay on a tube and relax as you float around the water park. All three of my boys loved playing here.

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge Lazy River

 

 

Chinook Cove & Bigfoot Pass

 

 

This is another area that is great for kids of all ages. Chinook Cove has basketball hoops which are perfect for bigger kids.

 

 

Basketball hoops in the water park at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim

 

 

Bigfoot Pass has floating logs that kids can use to try and balance on.

 

 

Bigfoot Pass has floating logs that kids can use to try and balance on.

 

 

For Big Kids, Teens, and Adults

 

 

Not only is Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim great for little kids, there are tons of things that are fun for big kids, teens, and adults as well.

 

 

water slides and lazy river

 

 

Water Slides

 

 

My boys loved Coyote Canyon water slide because of the large vortex that you enter into and swirl around.

 

 

It is fun because you never know when you are going to exit the vortex.

 

 

Coyote Canyon and Alberta Falls Water slides

 

 

Alberta Falls, is a tandem slide where you ride with some one else. It makes it that much more fun!

 

 

Outside view of Howlin' Tornado at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

When we rode Howlin’ Tornado, my boys thought it would be funny to not tell me that there was a huge drop!

 

 

Check out our video below to see my reaction!

 

 

Entrance sign for Wolf Tail water slide

 

 

I was to chicken to take a ride on Wolf Tail because the floor drops out on you!

 

 

But, my 12-year-old loved it so much he went 6 times in a row.

 

 

Racing water slides

 

 

Mountain Edge Raceway was super fun because my whole family was able to ride at the same time.

 

 

It was great to see who ended up winning by crossing the finish line first. It was usually my 5-year old 😉

 

 

kids coming down racing water slides at Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

 

 

You don’t want to miss a ride on River Canyon Run. This is a slide that you can ride with 3-4 in a large raft.

 

 

I loved being able to watch the smiles on the faces of my kids as we went down the slide together.

 

 

Wolf Rider Sign

 

 

Wolf Rider Wipeout

 

 

Our family spent a significant amount of our water park time at the Wolf Rider Wipeout which is basically a flow rider attraction.

 

 

A boy and a Great Wolf Lodge employee at the flow rider

 

 

Each of my boys had a blast learning how to sit, kneel, and stand on the board as it flows over the water.

 

 

A boy doing tricks on a flow rider at Great Wolf Lodge Garden Grove

 

 

The employees even helped them learn how to do a few tricks. Of course, my 5-year-old was a total natural and never wiped out once!

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge Extras

 

 

Besides the amazing water park included with your stay, and the passes for attractions that are available for purchase, Great Wolf Lodge offers many complimentary activities as well.

 

 

Raccoon character at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

My boys were able to attend a couple of the arts and crafts classes that were offered to guests and had so much fun!

 

 

A boy with an art project at Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

There was also a story time for kids and their families each night.

 

 

We got to sit by the fireplace in the lobby and listen to a fun bedtime story about the characters who live at Great Wolf Lodge.

 

 

Story time at Great Wolf Lodge Southern California

 

 

Character meet and greets are another fun perk of staying at Great Wolf Lodge.

 

 

Some of these opportunities are listed on a schedule, and other times, you can catch the characters walking around.

 

 

Two kids and a squirrel character at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim

 

 

These interactions make staying at Great Wolf Lodge tons of fun for kids! My boys can’t wait to go back.

 

 

How to Get to Disneyland from Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

We never go to the Anaheim area without making a stop at Disneyland! Great Wolf Lodge is located on Harbor Blvd about 2.7 miles from Disneyland.

 

 

Map from Disneyland to Great Wolf Lodge

 

 

To get to Disneyland from Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim, the best route is to go right down Harbor.

 

 

We ended up grabbing an Uber car from the hotel and having it drop us off at the pick up lot right near the entrance to Disneyland on Harbor Blvd. It worked great for us.

 

 

Great Wolf Lodge Southern California Review

 

 

We loved our stay at Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim. The room was great and the water park is definitely a value add.

 

 

A child on a Great Wolf Lodge bench

 

 

If it fits into your budget, I would definitely recommend a stay here, especially with kids!

 

 

Outside view of Great Wolf Lodge Southern California in Anaheim

More Southern California Hotel Reviews

 

 

Sharing is caring!

Diana

Saturday 30th of April 2022

How long did you stay there?

Mindy

Saturday 30th of April 2022

We stayed there for 3 nights in February 2020 and again for 4 nights in December 2022.

Comments are closed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.