Floridians have less than a month until they can get a break from the beach and retreat up to the mountains — without leaving the state.
Florida's first Great Wolf Lodge resort is opening up in Naples later this month, just in time for the fall season's start .
The $250 million resort will house hundreds of suites, a water park and several amenities for guests. Whether you're looking for potential vacation destinations for the remainder of this year or just want more options to add to your growing weekend getaway list, here's what to know ahead of Great Wolf's welcome to Florida.
What is Great Wolf Lodge?
Great Wolf Lodge is a family-friendly resort that features an indoor water park and other activities for all age groups.
According to its website , Great Wolf Lodge is "North America's largest family of indoor water park resorts." It was originally started as a small indoor water park resort called Black Wolf Lodge, founded in 1997 by brothers Jack and Andrew "Turk" Waterman in Wisconsin.
In total, there are 23 resorts operating or planned in North America. In addition to Naples, the company opened a location in the Houston area this year and has another targeted in Mashantucket, Connecticut that's slated to open in early 2025.
The water park resort will also be expanding beyond the United States, with a Great Wolf Lodge coming to Chesterton in Bicester later this year, according to its website.
When does Great Wolf Lodge open in Naples? Where is the Great Wolf Resort going to be?
South Florida's Great Wolf Lodge seeks to open on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The new Florida Great Wolf Lodge will be at 3900 City Gate Blvd., Naples.
See countdown for Naples' Great Wolf Lodge opening in 2024
What will be inside the Great Wolf Lodge resort in Southwest Florida?
Sitting near the I-75 and Collier Boulevard interchange , the 20-acre resort includes 500 suites and a 100,000-square-foot indoor water park with 12 slides, three pools and two interactive water play zones. Here are the highlights of the water park, provided by Great Wolf Lodge:
- Breakaway Bay: This is the first of its kind for Great Wolf Lodge. You'll get in a five-rider raft and be accelerated into a cone-shaped "tornado" before exiting into a 360-degree loop. Then, you'll enter a giant bowl, be spun around, and freefall into the splash channel.
- Otter Cave Waterworks: Multilevel interactive water playground with a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket.
- Otter Springs: Play pool with gentle slides for toddlers and young kids.
- High Paw Roller: This body slide races you through enclosed flumes as you twist and turn before splashing down into a water-filled runout.
- Forest Flume: This is a body slide that accelerates riders through 360-degree loops, sharp turns, and drops.
- Rapid Racer: Side-by-side slides you can race your loved ones down.
- River Canyon Run : Family raft ride that sends you down one of the park's longest slides. There are no steep drops on this one.
- Slap Tail Pond: Family wave pool that produces waves up to 3 feet.
- Crooked Creek : Relaxing lazy river.
- Chinook Cove : Activity pool with basketball hoops and floating obstacles.
- Big Foot Pass: Lily pad obstacle challenge.
The resort will also offer a host of " family-friendly attractions " outside of the water park, including miniature golf, interactive adventures, bowling, gem mining and arcades.
According to Great Wolf Lodge's website , there will be eight "casual and full-service dining for every appetite":
- Timbers Table and Kitchen - Offers "comforting dishes, freshly prepared with quality ingredients — a buffet of options for breakfast, or served with generous, family-style portions at dinner."
- Wood's End Creamery - Everything to indulge the sweet tooth, from ice cream sundaes to shakes, as well as lodge-made fudge, cookies, and other baked goodies.
- Fireside - The outdoors-themed environment offers everything from inspired twists on shareable snacks to build-your-own innovations on classic dishes.
- Hungry Wolf Food Hall - Food hall where you can grab something for every family member, from pizza to burgers.
- Freshwoods Markets - A grab-and-go market that offers cereal and pastries, yogurts, chips, jerky, assorted candies and chocolate bars, mints, gums, freshly prepared fruit cups, salads, sandwiches, coffee, soft drinks, waters, energy drinks, domestic and craft beers, wine.
- The Tidal Wave - Offers soft drinks, iced tea, blended drinks, and an extensive roster of ice-cold beers.
- The Outpost - Located within the park, it has the "very best in craft beers, signature cocktails, or simply a refreshing iced tea."
- Dunkin Donuts
When can I book a room at Naples' Great Wolf Lodge Resort?
You can book right now, you don't have to wait until its opening. Those wanting to stay at Great Wolf Lodge can book reservations for the complex at 3900 City Gate Blvd. N., next to Paradise Coast Sports Complex off I-75 and Collier Boulevard, according to Great Wolf officials.
Visitors can go to greatwolf.com or call (866)-462-9653.
How much are rooms at the Great Wolf Lodge? What types of rooms?
Depending on the size of the room, the number of guests, and the season , patrons can book a vacation for roughly $300–$700 per night.
What about day passes? Can you go to Great Wolf Lodge waterparks without staying the night? What to know
The Naples Daily News reported that participating in clubs like AAA can save you up to $100 or so, depending on the day, and your membership number from those is required for reservations. They also highlight using promo codes when booking and checking discount sites, such as Groupon, first.
As for what rooms are available at the Naples resort , here's what its website lists:
Contributing: Phil Fernandez, Naples Daily News
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: When does Florida’s Great Wolf Lodge open? Here’s where it will be located, how to book
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