Recently, Arizona Health & Living had the opportunity to visit Great Wolf Lodge Arizona. The 350-room resort opened in September 2019 and features an expansive 85,000 square-foot indoor waterpark and a 27,000 square-foot Great Wolf Adventure Park filled with family-friendly attractions.

The waterpark is kept at 84 degrees year-round to offer weatherproof family fun. The park boasts 13 water slides alongside a number of other attractions to keep the entire family entertained.

Among the attractions, Talking Stick Treehouse is a multi-level water play structure for all ages featuring suspension bridges, slides and spray stations to keep children entertained. On top of Talking Stick Treehouse is a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket that empties onto guests below every 3-to-4 minutes.

The thrill-seekers in the crowd can get their rush at the Wolf Tail, a launchpad that plays the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat while waiting for the floor to drop out from under them. Once the floor falls out, guests are sent down a 20-foot free fall that is followed immediately by a 360-degree, high-speed loop.

To amp up the adventure, the resort recently introduced a first-of-its-kind four-person, high-speed raft ride called Diamondback Drop. The ride will take a raft down large, curving tunnels before the slide drops riders into a large funnel which finally ends with riders being deposited into the pool.

“Great Wolf Lodge Arizona [is the] first waterpark in the world to offer this slide,” says Great Wolf Resorts chief executive officer Murray Hennessy. “We think families will absolutely love this thrilling new addition.”

Upon opening the resort, access to the waterpark was exclusive to guests of the resort but given the success of the resort and the park, Great Wolf Resorts has opened the Great Wolf Lodge Arizona waterpark up to locals through full- and half-day passes. Passes must be purchased at least a day in advance and the number of passes available each day is limited to maintain a safe, comfortable and enjoyable waterpark experience for all guests.

Great Wolf Lodge Arizona sits adjacent to the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick and is located within the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Talking Stick Entertainment District. Guests who want to explore the local scene will be less than 10 minutes from attractions such as OdySea Aquarium, Butterfly Wonderland, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, and RoadHouse Cinemas Scottsdale.

Guests who would prefer to stay at the resort can do so comfortably. There are multiple entertainment, dining and shopping options for guests looking for all-in-one options. Once guests and families have finished enjoying the waterpark, they can participate in a mini-mining adventure at Moonstone Mine or get the ball rolling with bowling at Ten Paw Alley. Families looking to go home with a special keepsake for their little ones can stop by the Build-A-Bear Workshop, where children can create their very own Great Wolf Kids character.

Great Wolf Lodge Arizona boasts a number of on-site dining options ranging from grab-and-go style pre-made meals at Freshwoods Market to Campfire Kitchen offering up regional favorites every day from breakfast to dinner. Guests can start the day with coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts for mom and dad and end it with Ben & Jerry’s for the little ones. Dining options at the resort also include Buckets Incredible Craveables, an American fare option that allows guests at the waterpark to grab a bite to eat just steps from the activities.

Beyond entertainment and dining, Great Wolf Lodge Arizona offers a variety of event options to accommodate everything from weddings to meetings. According to Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, wedding parties can expect master chefs, elegant settings and guest accommodations while groups and meetings have options such as customizable menus, happy hours and wellness programs.

Families can turn birthdays into an adventure by booking a party at Great Wolf Lodge Arizona waterpark. Cake, pizza, beverages and a t-shirt for the birthday child are included in the package, while goody bags and character appearances can be added on.

Great Wolf Lodge Arizona is located at 7333 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale. For more information on the happenings at the resort, birthday or meeting packages, planning a stay, or to purchase passes for the waterpark, visit http://www.greatwolf.com/arizona. For regular updates about Great Wolf Resorts, follow along on Facebook @greatwolfwaterpark and Twitter and Instagram at @greatwolflodge.