An accessible stay at Great Wolf Lodge is fun at its finest. This is not a sponsored post, but we did stay free during our campaign with Ohio’s Largest Playground. We had a fantastic, barrier-free stay that I thought deserved its own post.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly adventure that accommodates everyone, Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio, is a top choice. From the hotel rooms to the water park and extra amenities, they’ve made it possible for families with disabilities to enjoy a seamless experience. I know there is some overlap between Great Wolf locations, but this is what you need to know before visiting Mason, Ohio!
Accessible Hotel Rooms
We’ve experienced a pretty wide array of room styles at the different Great Wolf Lodges we’ve visited, so I highly recommend you call ahead and ask for any specific needs. We’ve stayed in the family suite that featured a large, open bathroom with a flat roll-in shower, roll under sink, and hand bars by the toilet, which made navigating so much easier. The family suite also has two restrooms – which is a game changer for families with time consuming bathroom routines. There’s also a small kitchen, dining, and living room area, making it easy to navigate any ongoing family needs. We’ve also experienced rooms with smaller roll-in showers that had a lip at the entrance, which was manageable but not ideal.
Just communicate about any specific features like a roll-in shower, a lower bed height, or extra space for medical equipment that you may need. The convenience of having these accessible options, especially with the spacious suites, truly sets Great Wolf Lodge apart. It felt a bit like a home away from home!
Inclusive Water Park
The crux of the fun at Great Wolf Lodge is the water park, and it’s one of the most accessible we’ve ever encountered!
When you enter the water park, you can pick up a specially designed water chair that allows wheelchair users to roll through the water park and even into the water. These chairs are a game-changer for navigating the fun on wheels. We left our chair at the door, so we didn’t have to worry about it getting soaked, and continued to roll in and through all the fun. The water chair gives manual chair users the freedom to independently navigate the park, provided they can support themselves in a manual chair. We rolled right into all the fun and my eight year old was able to choose where he wanted to play and lead the way, without waiting for someone to push his chair or carry him around.
The water park offers a variety of features to make your experience enjoyable:
- Zero-entry pools: There’s no barrier to access the splash area, wave pool, and the regular pool. You can simply roll right in. The wave pool gets a little wild – I don’t recommend rolling beyond the point of floating.
- Chair lifts: These are available for the lazy river, the hot tubs, and the main pool, making it easy to transfer in and out. I can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to have a functioning chair lift for the lazy river—something many places just don’t offer. (Have you ever tried carrying a kid into the current to set him up in a tube? Nightmare.)
- Waterproof wheelchairs: These are absolutely free, but first come, first serve.
While there are some limitations, like the water slides and upper levels of the water fort, the sheer amount of accessibility in the park means that everyone in the family can enjoy a full day of fun.
Extra Lodge Fun
Before visiting a Great Wolf Lodge, I didn’t realize that the waterpark is just the beginning of the fun. The on-site restaurants, arcade, and entertainment options are all fully accessible, meaning you don’t have to leave the resort to experience an entire vacation.
- Restaurants: You’ll find a buffet, a sit-down grill, a pizza shop, Dunkin’, an ice cream shop, and multiple snack bars throughout the lodge. The convenience of having so many options in one place is perfect for families like ours, where getting around can sometimes be a challenge. But, fair warning—you do pay for the convenience of staying in and dining on-site. If you want to head off-site, check out our post on the area for some worthy food options!
- Free Activities: There are free activities offered throughout the day – from crafts and yoga to games and dance parties – all in easily wheelchair accessible locations. There’s enough extra fun to keep you busy all day without ever entering the waterpark!
- Attractions: You can also pay to add on several additional attractions. MagiQuest is an interactive wand experience that takes you on a quest around the lodge, there’s a miniature bowling alley, mining for gems, an arcade, Build-A-Bear, and glow in the dark mini golf. We ran out of time for mini golf, but I can verify that everything else was ramped or zero entry with plenty of space for easy wheelchair navigation.
- Extras: There’s also a sensory guide for families who need it, part of Great Wolf’s partnership with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This guide provides insight into the accessibility of each slide, pool, ride, and attraction—perfect for planning your day.
Great Wolf Lodge has become one of our favorite family getaways. I love that everyone gets to be included in the fun, and I love the event scheduling that creates extra fun for siblings while medical needs are being taken care of in the room. It’s a safe, supportive environment where staff have always been happy to help with our needs. I also appreciate that everything is on site. Once you’re there, there’s no need to leave, even if you forgot to pack something. Their stores carry it all… even bathing suits! (So maybe I did forget the bottom half of my suit. I had a lot on my mind!)
Great Wolf Lodge provides an inclusive accessible family getaway like nothing else.