So last Friday, Ashley had her field day at school which I volunteered for. It was fun, but whatever happened to the three-legged race? And the sack races? Just curious.
So right after that was done, we headed home and hit the road for Concord, NC. Ray and I picked up lunch on the way, while Ashley had a bag lunch from school and Audrey had a hot dog from home. We left the house around noon, and we were in Concord, NC around 2:30pm. It was a really easy drive from Raleigh.
I wasn't sure if we were able to check in early, so right next door to the Great Wolf Lodge is Concord Mills, a huge shopping mall with outlets. We all had a bathroom break and a snack, walked around a bit, then headed pretty much across the street to the Lodge. We checked in about 3:30pm.
The lobby was already set up for the Mitchell Musso concert, which I did not get good pictures, but Carmen did! Yes, Carmen was there, but I did not get to meet her. We got all checked in, and of course the kids wanted to go to the water park. What I thought was really cool was the wrist bands we got. Not only did they get us into the water park, they also got us into our room and we could charge things to it at the restaurants and the vending machines. So we basically had to carry nothing to the water park with us since they provided towels.
We stayed at the water park until dinner time. Another plus to the Great Wolf Lodge? Audrey slipped at some point and scrapped her knee. The lifeguards were very attentive and cleaned her up and gave her a band aid.
Dinner was great, we enjoyed a buffet that sampled some of the items from the restaurants at the Lodge. Then it was time for Mitchell Musso - but by this time, it was after 8:00pm, and neither Audrey nor Ashley had slept in the van on the way there. So they were wiped out. We stayed for three songs and told Ashley that's all he was playing (yes, we are going to hell for lying, I realize this) and snuck back to our room.
Everyone crashed, and unfortunately we were woken up at 6:22am by the fire alarm. It ended up being a malfunction, but at that point, we were awake. The water park didn't open until 9:00am, so Ray went and got donuts at the Dunkin Donuts in the lobby. Everyone else had the same idea it seemed, but we lounged in the room and had donuts and got all packed up. On the day you check out of the hotel, you can stay and enjoy the water park (and even still charge to your room) until it closes at 9:00pm. There are showers and a locker room to keep your stuff. We stayed at the water park until 12:30pm and which point the kids were so freaking tired they didn't even object to leaving.
So yes, a great time was had, and we would definitely go back.
6 comments:
I'm so glad that you had a good time - if you want pictures, let me know!
Sounds wonderful! Glad you had a good time. Sucks you didn't get good pics though! The place looked amazing, and we will be keepingit in mind when we get to go on a vacation again!
We went to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX last April and LOVED it! Can't wait to go back.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Looks like an amazing place, and really - Dunkin Donuts in the lobby? An outlet mall across the street?
Where is this place again!?!?
I'll have to check it out the next time me and my family are in your neck of the woods.
that is just a great idea -- the wristband -- and how family oriented it is.
Makes me wish I still had little kids - almost. ha ha
Oh my goodness! That's where we go every May! You were right by the speedway (we stay at the Embassy Suites that was almost right across the street from you). We've actually contemplated staying at the GWL now that it's open. I love shopping at that mall...I always get such great deals on clothes for the kiddos.
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