Great Wolf Lodge Arizona announced it will welcome guests back to the resort beginning Tuesday, June 9, providing a close, convenient staycation for families looking to take that long-awaited getaway together. Additionally, Great Wolf Lodge introduced its new Paw Pledge program, a company-wide initiative focused on keeping families healthy and safe while they play together at the indoor waterpark resort, and developed based on guidance from heath authorities and public officials.  

“The health, safety and wellbeing of our guests, pack members and community has long been our guiding principle at Great Wolf Lodge. We have been working to develop and implement comprehensive reopening plans based on guidance and protocols recommended by the government and CDC, and we’re excited to get families back to having fun with confidence because of the new safeguards we put into place across our resorts,” said Murray Hennessy, Chief Executive Officer for Great Wolf Resorts. “During our closure we heard from countless families who said the destination they’re most looking forward to reopening is their local Great Wolf Lodge, and we’re elated because there is nothing more precious to us than providing a joy-filled escape for families.” 

Great Wolf Lodge collaborated with medical experts, sanitation specialists and industrial engineers to develop customized health and safety procedures for the 350-room resort.  The reopening plan focuses on disinfection and sanitization, physical distancing, personal protection, and minimizing surface interactions in all guest areas across the resort. This includes the 85,000-square-foot indoor water park, Great Wolf Adventure Park, various eateries, grand lobby area and all guest rooms.  Some of the measures include: 

• Great Wolf Lodge partnered with disinfectant experts to determine the best virus eliminating agents for use in its resorts and the most effective sanitization methods. Resort staff will sanitize all frequently touched surfaces in the waterpark, attraction areas, restaurants and all other public spaces continually using hospital-grade disinfectants.

• All guest rooms are disinfected and sanitized prior to check-in, with room attendants paying special attention to high touchpoint areas such as door handles, light switches, in-room phone, thermostats and television remotes.  

• Great Wolf Lodge will initially reduce occupancy levels at its resorts to 50% or less to provide an abundance of space so families can easily navigate the resort and waterpark with a minimum of six-feet of separation from those outside of their traveling party.

• Markers will be placed in queues for waterslides, attractions, retail shops, food outlets and front desk measuring six-feet of distance between guests, and the resort will remove, reposition or placing out-of-service, chairs and tables throughout the water park and resort to ensure family groups can properly social distance themselves from other guests.

• The number of hand-sanitizer stations throughout the resort will increase significantly and Great Wolf Lodge is providing personal protection amenities for its guests such as disinfectant wipes, sanitizer and face coverings.  Guests can request a complimentary mask at the front desk.

• In locations where a slightly longer interaction between pack members and guests is expected, and where social distancing may be a challenge, Great Wolf Lodge is installing plexiglass barriers to provide adequate separation. 

• Great Wolf Lodge will implement additional contactless payment options at the resort.  Guests can use credit card, debit card or their resort wristband for purchases to minimize touchpoints associated with cash transactions. 

• Food outlets will offer remote ordering with pick-up options so guests can enjoy their meal in the comforts of their room

• All pack members will undergo a wellness and temperature check before reporting to work.  Anyone presenting a fever, having recent ailments or indicating a possible exposure to COVID-19 will be sent home. Pack members will also be required to wear masks in situations where always maintaining social distancing may be difficult. 

In addition to these measures, the CDC continues to state “there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds” and that “proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection of pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds should inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”  Great Wolf Lodge’s filtration and chemistry system used at the waterparks is considered industry leading.  

Great Wolf Lodge will continue to make health and sanitation safety its first priority, and ensure its reopening plan meets or exceeds all recommended guidelines from the CDC.  While the modifications will make for a slightly different Great Wolf Lodge experience, the company went to great lengths to ensure its beloved family-friendly resort experience remains entirely intact.  To make a reservation for stays beginning Tuesday, June 9, please visit www.greatwolf.com/arizona. For more information about Great Wolf Resorts or the new Paw Pledge health and safety initiative, please visit www.greatwolf.com.