Wisconsin Dells
Dec 27th, 2007, 05:33 AM
#2
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Most people I know really enjoy the Kalahari. I was only there once a few years ago, and we had a blast! We had a large group of people from age 5 up to 40. They have a really nice area for smaller kids. I also liked that it was so clean. They also have an arcade right outside of the waterpark, just inside the hotel.
Dec 27th, 2007, 10:47 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2005
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There are three main indoor waterparks in the Wisconsin Dells: the Kalahari, the Wilderness, and the Great Wolf. The first two are bigger and probably better than the last, although Great Wolf also is good. The Wilderness actually has three separate indoor waterparks (or is it up to four now?) which can be reached without ever having to brave the outdoor cold from leaving your hotel room. And the Kalahari has one very large indoor area. All have resort amenities including several restaurant choices and entertainment. All have water and dry play areas for the youngest kids as well as water slides, wave pools, etc. for kids through adults. I enjoy the hotels and water fun even though I've been grown up for a long time.
Dec 27th, 2007, 11:42 AM
#4
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You need to do an internet search on this, to see how many choices you have. I did. Wisconsin Dell areas is the biggest water park haven in the USA. I think it now has more than Orlando, FL.
Just a couple of months and it makes a difference too, now! Those prior mentioned here on this thread are the "older" ones as of the 2008 season. And now some of the resorts, like Chula Vista, have new that are indoor/ outdoor etc. and just finished additions to what they had before. Great Wolf is good and Kalahari is good. And very, intensely crowded I hear, with lines.
So it all depends on what you want. Do you want an exclusive one? In other words, one in which only those staying at the resort can attend- with no walk-ins- daily or hourly fee people using? Or one with lots of drops/slides etc.? It's complex to choose, just like a park decision at WDW would be. LOL! Logistics are different at all of them too. Some you need shuttles to get to the pools or waterpark areas from your hotel, forest, waterview or whatever lodgings.
Also, do you want to be smack dab in the bedlam of thousands of kids at peak, be staying there in the same connected building hotel with those kinds of crowds, or do you want a bunch of lazy rivers to float back to your lodgings, or have a tide pool avaiable from it?? You see what I mean.
After doing a survey of all the parents and grandparents I know who have visited from Chicago in the last 2 or 3 years, I hear good about almost all of them. But the only one I heard 10, 10, 10 outstanding ratings on was Chula Vista, which is just opening another Los Rios park addition too.
Due to it being the "most asked for happening" by my grandchildren criteria, I have planned a 4 day event / reunion (a couple of WI aunts too) for July 2008.
We are going to have a big condo on the WI River at Chula Vista for 11 of us. And two single rooms too, for others in the tower. It came down to G.Wolf or Chula Vista for all the logistics and variances we needed. Great Wolf lodgings were disappointing, IMHO, and we like the location of Chula Vista better too because of the jetskis we are bringing. I do not really want to be in hub Dells, to be honest. This is on the WI River itself.
Have fun. I'll have 7 adults and 5 kids at 13,11,9,8 and 5. Girl, boy, girl, boy, boy. Wish me luck! I'm a swimming Grandma but I don't know if I can do 20 or 30 different drops or slides, just in one section. LOL!
I decided on that resort selection after my friend's daughter, who is the water park of the world fanatic's reviewer told me particulars of each, and three others with smaller kids have since concurred. Many of the other parks are great, but most take walk-ins and get way, way too crowded in July. Lines and much more going on! Also I want indoor one of size besides the outdoor choices in case we get miserable weather or those WI bird mosquitoes start up.
We are also going to go canoeing on the WI river and several other activities at 20 or 30 miles distance from the Dells.
The Wilderness looks massive. The money and the logistics wasn't good for us.
I hear they all are good but that some get so crowded that, like at WDW, you actually have less "usage" because of constantly waiting your turn.
Just a couple of months and it makes a difference too, now! Those prior mentioned here on this thread are the "older" ones as of the 2008 season. And now some of the resorts, like Chula Vista, have new that are indoor/ outdoor etc. and just finished additions to what they had before. Great Wolf is good and Kalahari is good. And very, intensely crowded I hear, with lines.
So it all depends on what you want. Do you want an exclusive one? In other words, one in which only those staying at the resort can attend- with no walk-ins- daily or hourly fee people using? Or one with lots of drops/slides etc.? It's complex to choose, just like a park decision at WDW would be. LOL! Logistics are different at all of them too. Some you need shuttles to get to the pools or waterpark areas from your hotel, forest, waterview or whatever lodgings.
Also, do you want to be smack dab in the bedlam of thousands of kids at peak, be staying there in the same connected building hotel with those kinds of crowds, or do you want a bunch of lazy rivers to float back to your lodgings, or have a tide pool avaiable from it?? You see what I mean.
After doing a survey of all the parents and grandparents I know who have visited from Chicago in the last 2 or 3 years, I hear good about almost all of them. But the only one I heard 10, 10, 10 outstanding ratings on was Chula Vista, which is just opening another Los Rios park addition too.
Due to it being the "most asked for happening" by my grandchildren criteria, I have planned a 4 day event / reunion (a couple of WI aunts too) for July 2008.
We are going to have a big condo on the WI River at Chula Vista for 11 of us. And two single rooms too, for others in the tower. It came down to G.Wolf or Chula Vista for all the logistics and variances we needed. Great Wolf lodgings were disappointing, IMHO, and we like the location of Chula Vista better too because of the jetskis we are bringing. I do not really want to be in hub Dells, to be honest. This is on the WI River itself.
Have fun. I'll have 7 adults and 5 kids at 13,11,9,8 and 5. Girl, boy, girl, boy, boy. Wish me luck! I'm a swimming Grandma but I don't know if I can do 20 or 30 different drops or slides, just in one section. LOL!
I decided on that resort selection after my friend's daughter, who is the water park of the world fanatic's reviewer told me particulars of each, and three others with smaller kids have since concurred. Many of the other parks are great, but most take walk-ins and get way, way too crowded in July. Lines and much more going on! Also I want indoor one of size besides the outdoor choices in case we get miserable weather or those WI bird mosquitoes start up.
We are also going to go canoeing on the WI river and several other activities at 20 or 30 miles distance from the Dells.
The Wilderness looks massive. The money and the logistics wasn't good for us.
I hear they all are good but that some get so crowded that, like at WDW, you actually have less "usage" because of constantly waiting your turn.
Mar 17th, 2008, 09:27 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2004
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The Dells has so many choices its hard to pick.My family goes every year and we still have trouble deciding.
Our fav is Chula Vista since they have the all inclusive so the kids(13,13&15) can go get what they want when they want and dont need to carry any thing but the wrist band.Rooms are nice and clean.We perfer balcony on the river.Has gotten quite expensive sine the Los Rios addition.
Our first trip in 01kids 6,6,&8 we stayed at The Wintergreen and it was great for them.Rooms were very clean.We stayed 1 night at Mt Olympus,rooms were ick b4 rehab,and it was so darn crowed we kept lossing the kids in a sea of people,and carrying the tubes up the stairs to the big slides was more work than fun and you also have to tag team since they were to small to ride alone and it 2ppl per tube.
Kalahari is nice and big but too many people.My one daughter then 10yrs got crushed against the wall in the wave pool and recieved a broken nose and wall rash on her face.The lazy river leads in to the wave pool.Our room was also in the furthest building fromthe park a good 15 min walk.
Wilderness in 2007 was good for there age but with so many water areas and building we couldnt find each other.Rooms were cabinish cozy.
Polynesian in 2006 was great for all ages.I took my nieces(9,11&15)with us and all of them had a great time.Not to big or to small.Indoors was small for us but ok.The rooms were less than the above mentioned but clean and we had a balcony.Kids under 10 are free.The nice lady didnt charge me for any of them($79 rate).
In closing vacation is supposed to be fun and relaxing for all.Dont worry about whose the biggest or best go with what is right for your family in size and $.You have a few years b4 you need the bigger to be entertaining.My girls still play in the kids pools and love to help the little ones play.Have a great trip!
Our fav is Chula Vista since they have the all inclusive so the kids(13,13&15) can go get what they want when they want and dont need to carry any thing but the wrist band.Rooms are nice and clean.We perfer balcony on the river.Has gotten quite expensive sine the Los Rios addition.
Our first trip in 01kids 6,6,&8 we stayed at The Wintergreen and it was great for them.Rooms were very clean.We stayed 1 night at Mt Olympus,rooms were ick b4 rehab,and it was so darn crowed we kept lossing the kids in a sea of people,and carrying the tubes up the stairs to the big slides was more work than fun and you also have to tag team since they were to small to ride alone and it 2ppl per tube.
Kalahari is nice and big but too many people.My one daughter then 10yrs got crushed against the wall in the wave pool and recieved a broken nose and wall rash on her face.The lazy river leads in to the wave pool.Our room was also in the furthest building fromthe park a good 15 min walk.
Wilderness in 2007 was good for there age but with so many water areas and building we couldnt find each other.Rooms were cabinish cozy.
Polynesian in 2006 was great for all ages.I took my nieces(9,11&15)with us and all of them had a great time.Not to big or to small.Indoors was small for us but ok.The rooms were less than the above mentioned but clean and we had a balcony.Kids under 10 are free.The nice lady didnt charge me for any of them($79 rate).
In closing vacation is supposed to be fun and relaxing for all.Dont worry about whose the biggest or best go with what is right for your family in size and $.You have a few years b4 you need the bigger to be entertaining.My girls still play in the kids pools and love to help the little ones play.Have a great trip!
