By Susan Shinn
sshinn@salisburypost.com
CONCORD ó Even midweek, the enormous lobby of the Great Wolf Lodge is abuzz with activity.
Families traipse through on their way to the indoor waterpark. A maintenance man stands on a ladder at the front door, making sure it opens and closes just so. Potential guests are taking tours.
The 402-room resort’s grand opening is this weekend, although it opened its doors the end of March.
Great Wolf Lodge’s Concord location is the company’s 12th location in 12 years.
The company is headquartered in Wisconsin, which just happens to be the nation’s capital for indoor waterparks, according to Julie Stokes, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.
The resort’s newest spot ó the second in the south outside of Williamsburg, Va. ó will bring in tourism year-round, Stokes says. “Which is great.”
Phillip Cunningham, the resort’s general manager, joined the company after a stint as the manager for Colonial Williamsburg’s resort division.
This is his first spring in North Carolina, and, like a lot of folks, he’s fighting allergies.
For those who have not visited a Great Wolf Resort, he says, “Think of it as a cruise ship on land. We are a total destination.”
A total destination that just happens to have an 80,0000-square-foot waterpark.
Frequently asked question: So why can’t you visit the waterpark if you’re not a hotel guest?
Because it’s a resort, Cunningham says.
On the other hand, the lodge does offer birthday parties at a cost of $45 per person with a minimum of 10 people. That gets you a birthday cake or cupcakes, pizza, soft drinks, five tokens in the arcade and eight hours in the waterpark.
Which brings us to another frequently asked question: How much does it cost to stay at Great Wolf Lodge?
“Our rates are seasonal,” Cunningham says, “so they do fluctuate.”
Right now, a family of four can stay for $179 per night, which includes water park tickets. A two-bedroom suite goes for $379 a night.
Beginning May 1, Cabarrus County residents can stay for $149 a night mid-week and $189 for the weekend.
Which brings us to comparisons with other waterparks.
Admission to a theme park, Cunningham says, runs $49, plus tax.
“Right there, you’re up to $200 for a family of four, plus accommodations,” he says.
And it’s all about “the experience” at Great Wolf Lodge, he says. “Here, we try to create family traditions, one family at a time.”
The experience can begin as early as noon, when families can begin using the waterpark. Check-in is at 4, but their rooms may or may not be ready earlier in the day.
The waterpark is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can enjoy the park again the next day until checkout at noon, Cunningham says.
“We look at it as two days at the waterpark for the price of one,” he says.
So far, Cunningham says visits to the resort are meeting expectations.
“When you open it right in the middle of spring break,” he says, “you never know. We were pleasantly surprised. We’re very optimistic for the summer as well.”
The waterpark is the main draw of Great Wolf Lodge, Cunningham acknowledges, but it’s not the only feature. MagiQuest is just as popular, he says.
Sort of a cross between “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings,” Cunningham says, MagiQuest is an interactive scavenger hunt with a fantasy twist that takes place on the second-, third- and fourth-floor hallways of the lodge.
You buy a wand for $25 ó they work at any Great Wolf property as well as MagiQuest at Myrtle Beach ó and you’re off to find treasures.
The good news is that the public can come in to play MagiQuest.
But wait! There’s more!
After all, Cunningham says, it is like a cruise ship.
So, anyone for shuffleboard on the Lido Deck?
OK, well, maybe not exactly like a cruise ship.
But there’s the Elements Spa Salon for moms who want to be pampered, the Scooops (with 3 O’s, please) Kid Spa for tweens and teens who’d like some pampering, plus the Iron Horse Fitness Room, the Cub Club for arts-and-crafts, the Northern Lights Arcade, the gr8_space for teens featuring Guitar Hero, Wii, X-Box …. whew!
If you get hungry, which of course you will, you can hit the Bear Paw Sweets & Eats or Camp Critter Bar & Grille.
Although other locations have Starbucks, the Concord location has a Dunkin’ Donuts shop.
“That has amazed us,” Cunningham says of its early success. “People love Dunkin’ Donuts.”
Great Wolf Lodge also has conference facilities available.
Cunningham sees the resort as a good value.
Even in the current economy, parents still want to take a break with their kids ó even for a day or two.
“We’ve become the answer to that,” he says.
Cunningham predicts an even mix of locals and folks from Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and beyond. Cunningham expects to draw guests from a 300-mile radius.
“That covers a lot of territory,” he says, “but it also covers 30 minutes away.”