Kalahari Resort vs. Great Wolf Lodge

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My family has enjoyed a handful of stays at the water park hotel Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas (and one visit to the GWL in Southern California). In November 2020, a competitor to GWL opened in Texas. Kalahari Resort, located in Round Rock, Texas, is similar in many ways to Great Wolf Lodge. Both resorts have huge water parks and other indoor activities. A night at either place costs a small fortune, and the food is over-priced and mediocre.

But, my kids are little fish who love swimming, and they can’t get enough of this type of resort. Recently, my family visited Kalahari Resort for the first time. How does it compare to Great Wolf Lodge?

Theming/Decor

Great Wolf Lodge has a woodsy/lodge theme and decor. It reminds me of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Especially around the holidays, it has a warm and fuzzy fireplace vibe.

Kalahari Resort has an African safari theme. Life-size animal statues adorn the outside.

The inside is light and bright.

Winner: Tie

Water Park

Both resorts have huge water parks that include a wave pool, lazy river, splash areas and of course water slides. Great Wolf Lodge’s water park is 80,000 square feet, but Kalahari’s is over 220,000 square feet. Kalahari Resort’s water park has more of everything and also includes a Flowrider, which is popular with older kids and teens.

Winner: Kalahari Resort

Rooms

Both resorts have “normal” hotel rooms as well as themed rooms. My family has stayed in themed rooms at both resorts. However, Great Wolf Lodge has a higher percentage of themed rooms available at a more reasonable price. Kalahari Resort has a huge upcharge for the one type of themed room.

 

Winner: Great Wolf Lodge

Dry Activities

Great Wolf Lodge has an outdoor ropes course and indoor arcade. The wolf mascots host a nightly dance party and pj story time. The main dry activity, however, is the MagiQuest interactive wand game. This activity requires participants to roam all over the lodge to find clues and solve a quest. (Activities vary by location).

Kalahari Resort has Tom Foolery’s, a gigantic indoor adventure park. In addition to the arcade, there are six amusement park rides, including the Scream’n Centipede roller coaster with 360-degree rotating cart.

Tom Foolery’s also has a mirror maze, escape rooms, indoor ropes course, laser tag, rock climbing wall, XD dark ride and bowling.

Winner: Kalahari Resort (especially for older kids and teens)

Stuff for Adults

Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine has one adults-only hot tub.

Kalahari Resort has an entire grotto (both indoor and outdoor) for adults with a swim-up bar. The water is warm, but not too hot. Seriously, this place is awesome!

Kalahari Resort also has an adult spa and fitness center plus live music entertainment at the steak house and piano bar.

Winner: Kalahari Resort

Overall Thoughts

Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, TX is like Great Wolf Lodge on steroids. Overall, my family prefers Kalahari Resort. My husband and I especially like the adults-only area at Kalahari, and we don’t miss the late-night stomping of kids in the hallways playing MagiQuest at Great Wolf Lodge (if you know, you know). However, if our kids were younger, Great Wolf Lodge would be more manageable due to its smaller size and its mascots that appeal to younger kids.

Two of my kids are begging to go back to Kalahari. I’m not sure when we will make it back there since we have a lot of other travel plans. But, if or when we do return, I look forward to spending more time in that adults-only grotto.

Have you been to both Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Resort? Which do you prefer?

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