Great Wolf Lodge Water Park | Southern California - Garden Grove, California

Emily B.

We really enjoyed our stay. My kids were exhausted and a little cranky when we arrived but the energy of the staff quickly helped them snap out of it. They were so kind, friendly and helpful.

We LOVED the water park. We especially appreciated the water slide as you could go on with a group of 4 or 5.
Everyone had a great time. It was so great to go back to the cute themed rooms (we had a 2 room suite) and relax.
Great stay!

C G.

The rooms are fine for kids, but probably not up to standards of adults use to staying at nice hotels.

The actual water park is hot and humid with a STRONG smell of chlorine. The water isn't warm which is kind of shocking as the building is so warm. I think it makes the water feel colder. It would probably be fine in the spring or summer, but a little jarring in the winter.

The platforms to ride the water slides are also very cold. I think its because you're so close to the gigantic fans that are used to cool(?) the place, or perhaps keep the air circulating (?). I don't really know their purpose as there are obviously ventilation pipes running across the ceiling.

With that said if you love water parks &/or have a winter birthday you would probably enjoy this park. There are definitely some slides unlike what I've experienced at other parks; some of which made me go sit down somewhere & let the kids enjoy the trip.

Jen M.

Grade space to spend time with children, your nieces and nephews and be in the water all day. There is a lot of water activities for young kids for small kids for adults. You can really have a lot of fun here and then enjoy food at the same time or just sit on a chair and read a book. There are also activities for children inside the hotel. There is a fireplace. There is just a lot of engagement and activities to keep the children entertained and having fun.

Luke S.

Thought it would be fun to take the kids on a quick trip for 2 days in the water park with a 1 night stay in the lodge. Here is what we experienced. The room was what was expected but is definitely showing wear. The water park was fun but also showed a good amount of wear. The arcade was way overpriced, and all the games used partial points, so you could never use all the points that you bought. We ate at the nicer restaurant (lodge wood fired grill) instead of the buffet, but that turned out to be a bad choice. The spicy chicken sandwich that I ordered was tasty, but when I got halfway through it, I realized that it was raw inside. Sadly, that was the best thing I ate all trip. If I come back, I will be bringing my own food.

David B.

We had a memorable visit to Great Wolf Lodge with two families, kids ages 3 to 8, and while there were many highlights, there were also some concerns that future visitors should be aware of. We found great value in booking a room, as it included access to the water park and ended up being cheaper than purchasing day passes for the whole family. The water park itself was a lot of fun, with plenty of activities and slides suitable for young kids. We also rented a cabana, which provided a private space and dedicated wait staff. While it was convenient to have a reliable base, we didn’t spend much time there because we were busy enjoying the park. In hindsight, it wasn’t worth the extra expense, especially since it encouraged us to spend more on food and drinks.

However, a major downside was the air quality in the indoor water park. By the end of the day (10 AM–7 PM), the chlorine fumes became overwhelming. My son, who has very mild asthma, experienced his first-ever asthma attack, and the rest of us felt sick the next day from overexposure to the fumes. After researching, we learned about something called "chlorine cough" which is caused as sweat and other contaminants mix with the water. This effect can be especially intense in winter when ventilation is limited. If you plan to visit, we strongly recommend taking frequent breaks for fresh air and being mindful of these potential issues. Despite this, the slides were a blast, and it was a unique experience overall. Booking a room, even if you don’t stay overnight, is also worth it for the convenience of a proper shower after your visit.

S K. (.

We came for my daughter’s 2nd birthday! I was a little hesitant to come here because I read some reviews about cleanliness but I’m so glad we came! The check in was so easy and the lady helping us was incredibly kind. She even got us our room early! We were able to we had our room by 1pm and headed to the water park. Everything was so clean and super fun! We came in January so it was a bit chilly but the water was a great temperate and there really is something for every age. We loved it so much that we already made plans to return. Parking is expensive which is my only gripe but the room was affordable and it came with the water park passes. The lifeguards were also really vigilant and we all felt very safe.

Curtis P.

Family of 6, first time at GWL review. This is the only hotel that has ever ensured that there are actually 6 full size bath towels in the washroom in all of our travels. Great first impression! And thank you! ! Parking was easy to arrange (3rd party) in advance and it worked seamlessly. Water park was great, property is well run, staff were awesome and helpful. Regarding eating and retail, everything is premium priced as you would expect at a resort style hotel like this. Doesn't make the pill any easier to swallow but just be aware if you are planning on eating there. Retail and other food options are not far away. Would definitely stay again!

Mia

Came here for my nephews birthdays and let me just say this place is so cool. I had never been here before and didn’t expect it to be this fun! I’m way older than my nephews so didn’t expect to have this much fun. Definitely recommend staying here and going to the water park. Staff is always super nice and helpful. Rooms are clean and comfortable. There’s definitely lots of other activities to do inside as well. 🙂