For those of you who are unfamiliar with Great Wolf Lodge, it is a chain of resorts featuring indoor water parks. Sooo... it combined the water element for Aedan with the safety of an indoor venue for Logan. There was also the added benefit of the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine Mills Mall for our little Lego-fiend (and the big one, too!)
First of all, let me say that this place was PERFECT for our family right now. The waterpark was the perfect size for Aedan. It featured a fantastic kids area complete with 3 small slides, lots of climbable "jet skis" and other play-ons, as well as plenty of squirt-gun action. There was also a small lazy river, a scaled-down wave pool, a HUGE tree-house structure with 2 "big kid" slides, and 6 large tube slides.
We arrived about 1:15 pm after leaving Houston at 8:45 that morning and stopping once for lunch at Texas Burger (Matt's favorite). Aedan was instantly glued to the lobby window, drinking in the floor to ceiling view of the water park as Matt went to check in. Our room wasn't quite ready (no surprise, check in time is technically 4 pm), but the hotel quickly offered to store our bags and let us begin enjoying the waterpark. Of course, we took them up on this and headed downstairs to change and start the fun! We had barely managed to get Matt and Aedan changed (in the convenient family dressing room!) when we got the call on Matt's cell phone that our room was ready. We quickly back-tracked upstairs for Logan and I to get ready.
Upon check-in, Great Wolf gives every person a wrist-band to wear for the length of your stay. These are all waterproof and serve as your admission to the water park (which is not open to anyone other than hotel guests). The adult bands are really neat in that they also contain a chip that unlocks your room door and can be used to charge food, etc. to your room allowing you to walk around the hotel and waterpark completely cash and cardless - definitely a convenient feature!
Our room was a "Wolf Den" suite, featuring a separate section themed like - you guessed it - a wolf den for the kids. This section included a bunk bed as well as a small tv and an overhead light shaded to look like a moon (which Aedan insisted that little wolves would howl at, though he wouldn't actually make the sound).
After our bags were delivered and Logan and I changed into swim clothes, we headed back down to the water park. Before entering for the first time, all children are measured and given a color-coded wristband. This prevents kids from having to be measured at every attraction. Aedan (and Mommy and Daddy!) were very excited to learn that he has finally hit the all-important 42" mark and could do all but the three most intense slides. After some initial hesitation, coaxing, and - yes - bribery, he went on every slide and attraction he was allowed... over and over and over again!
We went back to the water park several times during our two night stay. It was nice that if we wanted to, one parent could stay in the hotel room with Logan while the other played downstairs with Aedan. It was also wonderful that the water park was a warm 84 degrees at all times so comfortable for someone not playing in the pools. The other features of the resort were fun, too. Aedan loved Magiquest, an interactive role-playing game that sent him and his "magic wand" all over the hotel on quests. He also enjoyed the "Clocktower Show" and storytime. The highlight, however, was the character breakfast we took him to on our final morning. (Yes, he is an exceptionally well-trained Disney child!) This breakfast was VERY well done. The characters spent a great amount of personal time with each of the kids (Oliver the raccoon even did a special magic spell with Aedan when he noticed his wand), the food was great (omlet station, made to order waffles, and both kid and adult buffets featuring fruit, pancakes, donuts, bacon, sausage, and more), and the kids walked away with a picture of themselves and the characters, autographed pics from each character, and a set of wolf ears.
The other destination for our trip was Grapevine Mills Mall for Legoland Discovery Center and the Rainforest Cafe. We had visited LDC in December but that was before the lego-craze hit at our house. The difference in Aedan's choice of activities was dramatic. In December, he spent a ton of time in the play structure and enjoyed all the rides, but had to be coaxed into any actual building activities. This time, we had to pull him away from the "earthquake table" and "racer building station" to get him to enjoy the other attractions (and I don't think he even entered the playstructure...)
After Legoland, we took Aedan for his birthday dinner at Rainforest Cafe. He has been before, and enjoyed it again, complete with a rainbow Icee in a "ChaCha" collectable cup (with toy...). The highlight of the experience, however, was his birthday "volcano."
All of this was the grand finale of what has been a ridiculous amount of birthday festivities for Aedan. We celebrated his birthday with 25! of his friends at Bouncin' Bears (an event that tripled his already impressive Lego collection), enjoyed a family celebration at his aunts' house (which contributed nicely to Aedan's Imaginext stash with the Gorilla Mountain set not available in stores...thank you E-bay) , and celebrated with Nonna, Gaga, and Uncle Lane (when he became a Bug Explorer)! I would say that I regret spoiling my munchkin, but I honestly can't. He is so lucky to have so many people who love him and love to see him happy!
THANK YOU to all of you who's love makes our life so rich!
