A Houston location of the famous Great Wolf Lodge will be opening sooner than anticipated. New information from the developer puts the opening at August 29, in time for Labor Day weekend getaways, and the first looks at the facilities are now available.
The famous string of resorts and indoor water parks began construction on a Houston location in September 2022 at an estimated cost of $200 million. Situated south of the city in Webster, it’s the second Texas site after the Grapevine location opened in 2007.
The new attraction will feature 532 rooms, a 92,000-square-foot indoor water park, and a 61,000-square-foot family entertainment complex. The latter includes an indoor rope course traversed by climbing harness, a 150-foot indoor zipline that gives riders a panoramic view of the entire park, and Great Wolf Lodge’s MagiQuest.
MagiQuest is a live action role playing game that lets players use an infrared wand to cast magic spells as they explore a dungeon. The series of games first launched in 2005 and the experience has grown steadily more intricate and impressive since. Players use a variety of spells to change the environment and solve puzzles. The Webster location will also debut a new virtual reality game called Spirit Water Forest starring the Lodge’s mascot, Oliver Raccoon.
Guests can also play a 9-hole miniature gold course, pan for gemstones to take home in a sluice, bowl, and visit the 24-hour arcade.
Obviously, though, Great Wolf Lodge is most famous for its waterparks, and the Houston location has unveiled some impressive features. There will be two large interactive play zones and 13 slides. One of the new slides debuting at the park is the Texas Twirler, a raft ride that seats up to five and actually takes the riders outside the building and back in.
At first, the idea of a Great Wolf Lodge in the Houston area may have seemed an odd choice. Though the city has lacked a full-on theme park since AstroWorld closed in 2005, the Houston area has three major water parks (Hurricane Harbor, Typhoon Texas, and Schlitterbahn in Galveston). However, the Houston summers can make even outdoor somewhat tiring to attend, and the prospect of frolicking inside seems far more appealing. Another selling point is that Great Wolf Lodge will be open year-round.
The Great Wolf Lodge series of parks was founded in 1997 by the original owners of Noah's Ark Water Park in Wisconsin, the nation’s largest water park. Since then, the chain has expanded to nearly two dozen locations around the United States, with a possible park in El Paso also under consideration.
Park opens August 29, 2024. Tickets can be purchased at their website.
Courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge
A rendering previews Great Wolf Lodge.
