Tips For Visiting The Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio

If you’re planning a family getaway, the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio, is a fantastic destination that promises fun and adventure for all ages. With its indoor water park, themed accommodations, and various activities, it’s no wonder that families flock to this resort. To help you make the most of your visit, here are some essential tips to ensure a memorable experience.

Book in Advance

The Great Wolf Lodge can get busy and expensive, especially during weekends and holidays. To secure the best rates and room options, it’s advisable to book your stay well in advance. Sign up for their Voyagers Club, which sends the hottest deals directly to your inbox. Watch for special promotions or packages in the wintertime or on Groupon.

Money Saving Tip: Book a room during the week to secure the best deal. Staying Tuesday-Thursdays are often not only cheaper but less crowded.

What I paid for a Loft Room at GWL

We booked our 2025 stay at Great Wolf Lodge in a Loft Suite for $237.73, which included taxes and fees on a Tuesday night in February. Add in one night of parking at $15, which brought our grand total to $252.73. The room slept up to 8, and we split the cost with another family.

Be Ready To Pay For Parking

New for 2025 is not an attraction but rather an expense. Guests can now expect to pay $15 a night for parking at the Great Wolf Lodge. This appears to be a standard change across many of the Great Wolf Lodge locations throughout the country.

Overnight guests will have a chip in their wristband to get them in and out of the gate. There is no charge for parking if you only stay 0-30 minutes.

Pack Smart

Rounding up your pack for a getaway to Great Wolf Lodge will warrant a vacation from your vacation. However, our ultimate Packing List For Great Wolf Lodge can help!

Read our helpful Packing Tips for a visit to Great Wolf Lodge.

Whether it is your first visit or your thirtieth, having a packing list will help make your life a lot easier. Trust me; nothing is worse than getting into your room only to discover you forgot a swimsuit or sunscreen. Yes, sunscreen, more on that later. While the lodge provides towels and life jackets, you’ll want to pack your swimwear, sunscreen, and flip-flops for the water park. Don’t forget to bring comfortable clothing for other activities, as well as any personal items your family may need. If you have younger children, consider packing a stroller for easy navigation around the resort.

Before your family can start zipping down water slides, mastering the ropes course, and lounging by the wave pool, you must pack all the necessities.

Make life easy by signing up below to get our free printable Great Wolf Lodge packing list:

Arrive Early

A perk of staying overnight at Great Wolf Lodge is that guests are allowed to start using the waterpark at 1 pm even if their room is not ready. During the weekdays, our room is often ready upon arrival; if not, they will text you when it is.

After retrieving your wristbands, you are free to venture to the waterpark. Leave your suitcases in the car and bring in your pool bag to start the fun. Therefore, you should include your water park items in your Great Wolf Lodge Packing List.

Planning Tip: I recommend linking your credit card to your wristband so you don’t have to carry a wallet.

Are there Changing Rooms?

There are changing rooms, lockers, and showers. You can always use the lockers to secure your personal belongings.

What To Pack In Your Swim Bag

• Swimsuits / Swim diapers if needed
• Towels (if not planning on using hotels)
• Refillable Water Bottle
• Cover Up
• Sandals or Flip Flops
• Sunscreen and sunglasses if using the outdoor pool and slides
• ID if you are planning on purchasing alcoholic beverages
• Life Jacket for kids (If you are not planning on using Great Wolf’s)
• Hair twisties
• Hairbrush
• Deodorant
• Plastic bags for wet bathing suits
• Small first aid kit

Local Tip: If you plan on surprising your kids after school with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge, I recommend going up around 1 pm to get your wristbands. That way, you don’t have to wait to check in when it gets busier later in the day.

The past few times, I have brought suitcases with me in the event our room was ready when I went to get the bands. That way, I could already have us unpacked and prepared to start our adventure.

Explore the Water Park

The indoor water park is the main attraction, featuring a variety of slides, pools, and play areas. Make sure to check out the wave pool, lazy river, and the thrilling water slides. For younger kids, the Cub Paw Pool is a safe and fun area to splash around. Don’t forget to take breaks and hydrate!

The Scoop On The Towels

Once you enter the waterpark, you can check out towels with your wristband. The towels are expected to be returned to the counter. Otherwise, you will be charged $15 per towel. I personally have not seen anyone charged for towels, but I am sure it is there for a reason.

Have Your Child Measured

Parents can have a Great Wolf pack member measure their child’s height to see if they are tall enough for the different attractions. Color-coded wristbands are assigned to let you and your child know which attractions they can go on.

Plan Your Dining

The Great Wolf Lodge offers several dining options, from casual eateries to sit-down restaurants. Consider making reservations for dinner and for the breakfast buffet to avoid long wait times.

If you’re looking to save money, I recommend bringing your own snacks and drinks. Each room has a mini-fridge and a microwave, making it easy to heat up a quick meal. You can also order carry-out or pizza to have delivered to the lobby.

TIP: In 2025, I noticed staff cracking down on outside food and drink in the waterpark area. If you plan to order carry-out, I recommend enjoying it in your room.

Here is our complete list of Restaurants Near The Great Wolf Lodge in Mason.

Stay Connected

Download the Great Wolf Lodge app to stay updated on activities, dining options, and hours of the waterpark and MagiQuest. The app can help you navigate the resort and maximize your visit.

Participate in FREE Activities

Beyond the water park, the lodge offers a variety of activities, including story time, arts and crafts, and character meet-and-greets. Check the daily schedule upon arrival to plan your day and ensure you don’t miss out on any of the free fun events.

One of our favorite activities is the Yoga Tails which happens in the grand hall every morning.

MagiQuest

First-time visitors to Great Wolf Lodge will quickly notice kids roaming different hallways with wands, making paintings light up and treasure boxes open. It is part of a game called MagiQuest that you can purchase as an add-on.

During your magical adventure, you’ll collect magical items, learn powerful Runes, and then use them to complete fantastic adventures. Heal the Pixie in her enchanted garden or face the fiery wrath of the Red Dragon. Prove yourself worthy, and you’ll eventually level up to become a Master Magi!

Reality

You will be walking the same five worn-down hallways to collect items for each quest. Stairs will often be the quicker route to the various hallways. However, there are elevators available.

While adults may see this as an interactive game in dire shape of an upgrade, kids are obsessed with it!! Embrace it and use it as an opportunity to get your steps in for the day.

The Cost

To begin a MagiQuest adventure, you must purchase a wand and the MagiQuest Game. Guests will get to keep the wand and bring it back for return visits. However, for each visit, you must purchase the MagiQuest Game to have the wand be able to work and complete quests. Wand toppers are also available for an extra cost, giving the wand more power.

If you are splurging on Magiquest, you may want to consider purchasing one of the activity passes such as the Paw Pass.

Demo Mode

Wands can be put into Demo mode for no additional cost. This is ideal for little ones who want to follow their older siblings around but don’t have a vested interest in the quests. Wands in demo mode will make everything light up and treasure chests open! I find this ideal for kids four and under. Yes, you still have to purchase a wand, but it avoids paying for the game.

Master Magi Ceremony

Every day at 11:00 am, there is a knighting ceremony for kids who have reached Master Magi status! They will get knighted and receive a special certificate.

For what it’s worth, I think this is the worst possible time to offer this. Not only is it check-out time, but many families are already in the waterpark. Not to mention, if your child becomes a Master Magi after the 11 am knighting ceremony on the day you leave, expect a meltdown.

A fantastic employee at the MagiQuest had an extra certificate and could knight my daughter in the store once she achieved her Master Magi status shortly after the 11 am knighting.

Pup Pass/ Paw Pass/ Wolf Pass

I have a love-hate relationship with the attraction passes at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason. There are many unnecessary extras that I can bring to the Lodge myself, such as goggles and treats. Setting my Scrooge mentality aside, kids get excited over the little perks their passes provide, not to mention the extra discounts you can receive at different places throughout the Lodge with the passes.

Ultimately, the value of the pass will be based on what you feel your family will use and enjoy. Let me break it down:

Wolf Pass

The Wolf Pass is the most expensive, starting at $74.99 for all the below. I have the included items listed out and then how much these items are to purchase individually in parentheses:

• One game of MagiQuest or ShadowQuest : ($25)
•  $5 to spend at our Northern Lights Arcade: ($5)
•  One Gemstone Mining Experience at Oliver’s Mining Co.: ($12.99)
•  One small souvenir cup with/ your choice of candy from GW Candy Company ($10)
•  One scoop of Bear Paw Ice Cream ($3.99)
•  Choice of the classic wand, standard topper, or Magi belt ($19.99)
•  One round of Howl-in-One Mini Golf ($7.00)
•  One game of bowling at our fun-sized Ten Paw Alley ($7.00)
•  One pair of Great Wolf goggles to enhance the water park experience ($10)

Paw Pass

The Paw Pass starts at $64.99 for all of the below.

• One MagiQuest game ($25)
•  Choice of the classic wand, standard topper, or Magi belt ($19.99)
•  One scoop of Bear Paw Ice Cream ($3.99)
•  One small souvenir cup filled with candy from GW Candy Company $10
•  One Paw Points game card for Northern Lights Arcade ($5)
•  One pair of Great Wolf goggles to enhance the water park experience is $10

Pup Pass

The Pup Pass starts at $54.00 for all of the following:

• One Build-a-Bear animal (outfit not included) $38-$40
•  One scoop of Bear Paw Ice Cream ($5)
•  One Paw Points game card for Northern Lights Arcade ($5)
•  One small Great Wolf Lodge Candy Shop candy cup ($10)

Check Out Local Attractions

If you have extra time, consider exploring nearby attractions in Mason, Ohio. The area is home to Kings Island amusement park, the Cincinnati Zoo, and various shopping and dining options. A little exploration can add to your family vacation experience.

Discover our top 35 things to do with kids in Cincinnati.

Have Fun and Make Memories

Lastly, remember that the most important part of your visit is to have fun and create lasting memories with your family. Embrace the adventure, take lots of photos, and enjoy every moment at the Great Wolf Lodge.

With these tips in mind, you’re all set for an unforgettable trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio. Whether you’re splashing in the water park or enjoying family activities, you’re sure to have a fantastic time!

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