Kalahari vs. Great Wolf Lodge: Which Waterpark Will Your Little Ones Love More?

If you’re planning a trip to Wisconsin Dells with young kids, you might be wondering whether Kalahari Resort or Great Wolf Lodge is the better choice. After visiting both with our toddlers (at ages 2, 3, and 4), we experienced firsthand what each resort has to offer. While both are great family-friendly waterpark resorts, they cater to different age groups and preferences. Here’s a detailed comparison, along with some personal stories, to help you decide which is best for your family!

Overall Experience & Atmosphere

One of the biggest differences between Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari is the overall feel of the resort.

Great Wolf Lodge is designed specifically with families in mind. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with warm, rustic lodge decor, friendly staff, and a welcoming atmosphere. Everything about it feels family-oriented, from the cozy, themed rooms to the interactive activities spread throughout the resort. You’ll often see families in their matching wolf ears, kids participating in lobby games, and plenty of character meet-and-greets happening throughout the day. There’s an intentional effort to create a kid-focused experience that feels immersive and engaging.

Kalahari, on the other hand, has grown into a much more commercialized resort. It still caters to families, but it has a broader, more corporate feel. Over the years, Kalahari has expanded with multiple restaurants, shopping areas, and entertainment options that make it feel more like a full-scale resort destination rather than just a waterpark getaway.

One of the most noticeable differences? Check-in. At Great Wolf Lodge, you’re greeted at the front desk by staff who give you your wristbands and help you settle in. At Kalahari, check-in is entirely self-service with digital kiosks, making the process more efficient but also a bit impersonal. It was a smooth process, but it reinforced the feeling that Kalahari is a large-scale, corporate resort rather than an intimate, family-first experience.

We also quickly realized that Kalahari required a lot more walking. Since it’s such a large resort, getting from our room to the waterpark, dining areas, or other attractions took extra effort—especially with little ones. We stayed in the Sands Building, which was nice, but it added a lot of extra steps (literally!) to our daily routine. This wasn’t a bad thing. Personally, I don’t mind the extra steps, but it is a lot for little kids. For kids three and under, I’d probably recommend bringing some sort of stroller or wagon along with you.

While Kalahari’s waterpark is more contained in one open space (making it easier to navigate once inside), the resort as a whole feels sprawling. Great Wolf Lodge, by contrast, is much more compact—making it easier to get from your room to the waterpark or dining areas without an exhausting trek.

Waterpark Comparison

Water Park Layout & Ease of Getting Around

One of the most noticeable differences between the two resorts is their waterpark layout.

At Great Wolf Lodge, the water park is split into three distinct sections:

One section features the famous tipping bucket and a small toddler play area.
Another section has a second toddler area and the wave pool.
The middle section houses most of the slides.

Because of this layout, it sometimes felt like we were walking between separate mini waterparks. While each area had plenty to do, we found ourselves constantly trekking back and forth depending on what the kids wanted to do next.

Kalahari, on the other hand, is actually the largest indoor water park by footprint, but because everything is contained within one large open space, it didn’t feel as big. Surprisingly, this made it quicker and easier to navigate. We could move between attractions without feeling like we had to “switch locations” entirely. Everything was right there, which made it more convenient, even though we still walked a lot given the resort’s overall size.

Exciting News: Kalahari is expected to get a large expansion to their indoor waterpark in 2026!

Toddler-Friendly Areas

One of my biggest concerns before visiting both resorts was whether my **petite kids **would be able to do enough activities (we’re a short family, okay!). At Great Wolf Lodge, I worried they’d be too small for the slides or overwhelmed by the larger water features. And at Kalahari, I remembered the resort having more “big kid” attractions from my own childhood trips, which made me question if there would be enough for my little ones to enjoy. Thankfully, both resorts delivered, and my kids had a blast!

When we first arrived at Kalahari, I had a moment of hesitation. Was this going to be too “big” for our little ones? But as soon as we found the toddler play zones, my worries disappeared. Leopard’s Lair and Tiko’s Watering Hole were the perfect blend of adventure and safety—our kids adored the slides, swings, and shallow splash areas. The swinging seats at Leopard’s Lair were an unexpected favorite, and I’ll never forget the giggles as they swung back and forth, kicking at the water below.

Great Wolf Lodge was the kid’s first waterpark experience, so it was a little overwhelming for them at first. The giant tipping bucket at Fort Mackenzie was of course intriguing to them, but also scary for their toddler bodies. We found that their favorite areas were Whooping Hollow, the lazy river, and the wave pool.

Tiko’s Watering Hole at Kalahari Resorts, Wisconsin Dells

Water Slides

One of the key differences between Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge is the variety and accessibility of water slides for younger kids. I wouldn’t say that one is really better than the other, but they’re different.

My oldest (age four at the time) was able to do quite a bit at the Great Wolf Lodge. The slides in Whooping Hollow were perfect for him. I also liked that there were some body slides that felt like “big kid” slides, and adults could go on them too. Some of my favorite memories were racing him down the body slide (I think this was the Mineshaft, but I’m having a hard time remembering the name). We would start at the top and see who could get to the bottom the fastest. I also liked that these body slides landed into open water which gave him exposure to going under water and “swimming” to the shallow area. For bigger water slides, the kids could really only go on the tube slide at the Great Wolf Lodge as long as they were with us. Our daughter (two at the time) was a little questionable because she needed to be able to hold on to the handles, which she did, but we definitely were supporting her with our legs to ensure she was able to ride safely.

I don’t believe the height restrictions at Kalahari were higher than at Great Wolf Lodge, but for some reason it felt that way. Many of the tube slides and body slides had height requirements that our kids didn’t meet, by just a few inches, which was disappointing considering they had been able to go on similar slides at Great Wolf Lodge the previous year. However, Victoria Falls and the Rippling Rhino were a huge hit because multiple people could ride together, allowing our kids to experience a bigger slide together. My only downside for waterslides at the Kalahari was that most kid slides at had run-out landings instead of pools, which meant that we lost some of that “swimming” aspect we want to teach our kids. Also, kids come down fast on those slides—sometimes too fast—and risk bumping into the sides. Our son actually smacked his head on one of these the last day we were there.

Overall, I think both resorts offered great options for kid’s at these ages (2-4), what they are able to experience is really dependent on their height and interest. I did find myself wishing we had gone back to the Great Wolf Lodge to experience it again since our daughter would have been more interested in some of the things my son was interested in the previous year, but Kalahari won in “toddler friendly” areas in my book. I just liked their little kid areas better.

Wave Pool

There’s not much to compare here. Both wave pools were a hit for our family! The primary difference is that the Kalahari wave pool feeds in to the lazy river so there are tubes everywhere, whereas at the Great Wolf Lodge, it’s more like a true swimming pool with waves. Having tubes in addition to waves meant there was definitely more rough housing and it was harder for the kids to just float with the waves. At the Great Wolf, our 4-year old was able to bravely venture into deeper water (while wearing a life jacket) more comfortably than at the Kalahari. Great Wolf Lodge wins this one for me!

Lazy River

There’s a clear winner in this category for me. As mentioned, the wave pool feeds in to the lazy river at the Kalahari, which means that you can’t really go through the lazy river without eventually going through a pool of agressive waves and screaming kids. This also meant that the lazy river itself was full of kids swimming, racing, and playing – which isn’t really an issue for me – they’re kids, let them play, but at the same time, it made it really difficult to truly relax. We still enjoyed floating around, but it was a much more active experience than we expected.

The Great Wolf Lodge is a true lazy river experience! This was hands-down one of our favorite moments—floating in the warm water, rocking our toddler to sleep, and just soaking in the joy of vacation. The lifeguards also didn’t tolerate rough-housing in the lazy river. If I remember correctly, they actually didn’t allow you in the lazy river without a tube.

Another win for Great Wolf Lodge in my book.

Our daughter napping with dad in the Great Wolf Lodge, Wisconsin Dells Lazy River

Activities Outside the Waterpark

While the waterparks are the main attraction at both resorts, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy while in the Wisconsin Dells, and each of the resorts offer different types of options.

Kalahari’s Extra Attractions

Tom Foolerys Adventure Park – Kalahari’s indoor amusement park features arcade games, mini-golf, a ropes course, and more. While it looks incredible, we found that most of the attractions were geared toward older kids, and our toddlers weren’t tall enough for many of the rides. The rides they could have gone on felt similar to those you’d find at a Chuck-E-Cheese and it wasn’t worth the expense for us. We would rather do
Bowling – Kalahari offers a bowling alley, connected to Tom Foolerys, but we didn’t take advantage of that. Bowling is something we can do close to home, so this didn’t feel like it would be a unique experience.
Build-A-Bear Workshop – Our kids loved making their own stuffed animals, and our son even picked out glasses for his plush puppy to match his own. This was a core memory moment for sure!
Seasonal events, crafts, and programs – We stayed at the Kalahari around spring break time frame so I’m unsure if some of the events that were advertised were regularly hosted or if they were seasonal, but while we attended there were arts and crafts available in the Build-A-Bear Workshop space, story time in the evening, and a few other events. However, they weren’t well advertised and I’m not sure about attendance either. We attended story time one evening and it was in a small lounge next to a loud hallway, and we were one of three families in attendance. The kids loved it, but you could tell that these types of activities weren’t what they were known for.

Great Wolf Lodge’s Extra Attractions

MagiQuest – This interactive wand game was surprisingly fun for our 4-year-old. While we didn’t complete the full quest, he loved waving the wand at objects and seeing things light up and move. We probably wouldn’t have opted to do this had it not been included in the pass we purchased with our stay.
Northern Lights Arcade – Near the waterpark, the arcade is a small footprint, but had some really fun games. Again, this is probably not something we would have done had we not had some arcade credit from the pass we purchased with our stay.
Oliver’s Mining Sluice – A small gem mining experience where you can purchase a bag of sand that contains a variety of gemstones inside it. You dump the sand into some pans and sift the sand away to reveal the gems. This is a fun, interactive, and educational activity for young kids.
Character Meet & Greets – The kids adored meeting the Great Wolf Lodge characters, and they loved watching the animated clock display in the lobby.
Yoga Tails – A short family yoga class that takes place in the morning before water park begins.
Story Time & Dance Party – Each night, Great Wolf Lodge hosts a story time followed by a family dance party. It was clear that this was a major event, with employees in character and dozens of families joining in. It felt like a special way to wrap up the evening.

Vacation Package Add-Ons

One major difference we noticed between the two resorts was the availability of vacation package add-ons.

We opted for one of Great Wolf Lodge’s vacation packages, which included, ice cream for the kids, souvenir towels for the whole family, MagiQuest wands and entrance to MagiQuest, arcade credits, and Oliver’s Mining Sluice gemstone mining experience, and dining credits with souvenir cups that got us free refills.

These extras elevated the experience because we never had to question whether or not to participate in an activity—it was already included! It made everything feel like part of the trip, rather than an extra expense.

Kalahari, on the other hand, didn’t offer as many bundled packages. The few they did have included Tom Foolerys access which wasn’t something our kids were big enough to do at this age. It surprised me that they didn’t do some sort of dining credit deals with all the restaurants they have at the resort. Since we didn’t opt for one of the few packages they had, everything was à la carte, and we found ourselves considering the cost before deciding on extra activities.

This made Great Wolf Lodge feel a little more all-inclusive, while Kalahari felt more like a pay-as-you-go resort.

Which One Is Best for Young Kids?

Both Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari have a lot to offer families, and each resort provides a different experience. While both are excellent destinations, the best choice for your family depends on a variety of factors, including your children’s age, interests, height, and what kind of experience you’re looking for.

This comparison is based on my personal experience traveling with my kids at ages 2, 3, and 4. Every family’s experience will vary depending on how adventurous their kids are, how tall they are for the height restrictions, and whether they prefer structured activities or free play.

For this specific age group (2-4), I personally felt like Great Wolf Lodge was the clear winner due to the variety of activities outside of the water park. The story time, dance party, character meet-and-greets, and interactive games made it easier to keep the kids engaged all day long. At Kalahari, we found ourselves waiting around for the water park to open or trying to fill our time in the mornings. Since young kids tend to wake up before 7 AM, having four hours to fill before the water park opened wasn’t ideal.

For toddlers (ages 2-4): Great Wolf Lodge is the best choice. The smaller, more compact resort layout, engaging activities, and vacation packages designed for younger kids made this a much smoother trip for us.
For mixed-age families: Kalahari may be the better option. If you have older kids looking for bigger slides and more attractions, Kalahari offers more thrill rides and entertainment beyond the water park.

Final Verdict

If you’re traveling with toddlers and want a manageable, engaging, and stress-free experience, Great Wolf Lodge wins. But if you’re looking for a resort that has something for all ages—including bigger thrills for older kids—Kalahari might be the better fit.