Great Wolf Lodge Press Release
Great Wolf Lodge Splashes into Illinois
Iconic family brand to open 17th indoor water park resort outside of Chicago in 2018
CHICAGO - (August 2, 2017) – Chicagoland families will have something fun to howl about as Great Wolf Resorts, Inc., North America’s largest family of indoor water park resorts, unveiled the first details today for the new Great Wolf Lodge Illinois. Anchored by an awe-inspiring 80,000 square-foot indoor water park featuring slides and water attractions for every age, Great Wolf Lodge is destined to become the preeminent resort destination for families in and around the greater Chicago area when it opens mid-2018.
“Our paw print is expanding across the country, and we are excited to bring a Great Wolf Lodge to Illinois,” said Rubén A. Rodríguez, chief executive officer for Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. “Chicago is the third largest market in the U.S. and while we are fortunate to have an established fan-base here, we believe the added convenience of having a resort in closer proximity to the metro-area will allow even more families the opportunity to experience a Great Wolf Lodge getaway.”
Great Wolf Lodge Illinois will be a first-class, year-round family destination with numerous attractions and amenities. All registered guests have unlimited access to the resort’s expansive indoor water park as part of their room reservation. Heated to a comfortable 84 degrees and featuring a diverse array of water attractions, the water park is the resort’s signature family attraction and available exclusively to resort guests, eliminating hassles such as overcrowding and long queues.
With plans to nearly double the size of the existing water park, Great Wolf Lodge Illinois will debut several new water attractions, which are still currently in development, along with beloved brand favorites such as Fort Mackenzie, a multi-level interactive water fort treehouse featuring a massive tipping water bucket and Totem Towers body slides. Additional attractions include Otter Run, a twisting-turning body slide, Alberta Falls, a tube slide with high banking turns and steep pitches, and Coyote Canyon, a tube slide that funnels guests into a spinning vortex. More fun will be had at the Crooked Creek lazy river, Big Foot Pass water activity area and a water play area designed specifically for toddlers.
“This resort will be a world-class family destination with an incredible array of family attractions, entertainment, dining and accommodations all under one roof,” shared Rodríguez. “With each new development we strive to find new ways to enhance and improve the guest experience, and along with an expanded water park, Great Wolf Lodge Illinois will feature our latest and greatest attractions and amenities.”
In addition to Great Wolf Lodge Illinois’ 80,000 square-foot indoor water park, the resort will feature a variety of entertainment offerings and attractions designed specifically for children and families. Attractions and entertainment planned for the resort include:
- MagiQuest – Players follow clues and use interactive magic wands to discover relics and runes needed to defeat creatures such as dragons and goblins in this live-action adventure game.
- Scooops Kid Spa – With banana-split themed treatment areas and scents of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry in the air, it’s the perfect place for an ice cream-themed manicure or pedicure.
- Howl in One Mini Golf – Ideal for all ages and skill levels, this 9-hole interactive miniature golf course will feature plenty of fun obstacles, undulations and a northern woods thematic.
- Ten Paw Alley – An entertaining mini-bowling game with pint-sized lanes and half-sized bowling balls so even the youngest of bowlers can participate.
- Oliver’s Mining Co. – Children gather around themed wooden sleuths to pan and sift through sand to uncover keepsake gemstones.
- Northern Lights Arcade - Filled with fun games for kids of all ages, guests will find everything from air hockey and basketball contests to motorcycle and car racing games.
A host of complimentary children’s activities will also be included with an overnight stay at Great Wolf Lodge Illinois, further enhancing the value for guests. Two popular activities include Yoga Tails, a kid-friendly morning exercise program that blends storytelling with yoga positions and breathing techniques, and Story Time, a Great Wolf Lodge nightly tradition where kids gather in their pajamas for a nighttime tale in front of the Grand Lobby fireplace. Plenty of other fun activities included with an overnight stay will be available throughout the resort, from daily meet-and-greets with Wiley the Wolf and other Great Wolf Kids characters to a robust collection of daily craft making sessions, group games and dance parties specifically for kids.
Great Wolf Lodge Illinois will feature 414 guest suites in several different sizes, styles and categories. All offer an in-room refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker. Some of the suite styles include the kid-focused KidCabin suites, complete with bunk beds and Great Wolf Kids character theming, and larger, two-bedroom suites that will have the ability to accommodate up to eight people.
Meal time is traditionally revered as cherished family time, and Great Wolf Lodge Illinois will offer several dining options for families to come together including Barnwood, a new restaurant concept that will feature small plates and craft cocktails, and Hungry as a Wolf, a guest favorite offering handmade pizza and pasta. New for the brand, Great Wolf Lodge Illinois will also feature a multi-restaurant, open-seating area where guests will discover a diverse array of culinary offerings to satisfy every craving.
Meeting and event planners can also look to Great Wolf Lodge Illinois for their meeting and event needs. The property will boast nearly 7,800-square feet of flexible meeting space with breakout rooms, built-in A/V technology, customizable catering options and a team of dedicated industry professionals to tend to every meeting need.
Great Wolf Lodge Illinois is scheduled to open summer 2018, becoming the company’s 17th resort in North America. For more information on Great Wolf Resorts and its brands of indoor water park resorts, guests can visit greatwolf.com.
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About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. is North America’s largest family of indoor waterpark resorts, and through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge brand. Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Wash.; Fitchburg, Mass., Charlotte, N.C.; Garden Grove, Calif. and Colorado Springs, Colo. Additional resorts planned include Bloomington, Minn. (late 2017), LaGrange, Ga. (late spring 2018) and Gurnee, Ill. (summer 2018).
Additional information may be found on the company’s online media center.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Jason Lasecki
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Phone: 708.967.3325
Email: jlasecki@greatwolf.com
