Knott’s Soak City Waterpark Kicks Off with a Splash!

Knott’s Soak City Waterpark Kicks Off with a Splash!

By Erin

*We were invited to the media day, courtesy of Knott’s Soak City for purposes of this post. All thoughts and opinions remain my own*

Last weekend was a scorcher! Good thing for us it was also the opening weekend for Knott’s Soak City . There’s no place I would have rather been than floating around the lazy river to keep cool. It was the perfect weekend for Knott’s Soak City Waterpark to kick off with a splash for the summer season to start an unforgettable summer season running through September 10th. It is Orange County’s largest waterpark and is the perfect destination to cool off during summer as it debuts two brand new water slide towers with seven new slides, Shore Break and The Wedge. Plus, Soak City has undergone a 2-acre expansion and thematic renovation, which includes new shaded seating areas, spacious cabanas and a newly remodeled Longboard’s Grill. So go grab your swimming trunks and sunscreen and plan a fun day at Knott’s Soak City Waterpark! Let’s take a look at what’s new and some of my favorite things to enjoy at Soak City!

SHORE BREAK

Shore Break towers over seven stories high and offers six different thrilling water slide experiences. Four of the slides will have guests climbing into an exhilarating Aqua Launch chamber which will send riders on a vertical free fall through a series loops and curves. When you climb into the chamber you await the chamber’s floor dropping from beneath their feet sending you on a high-speed free fall down a 60-foot tall slide and through a series of exhilarating drops and daring loops. I was way to chicken to try this one.

Shore Break also offers two dueling tube slides which riders go zipping through adventurous drops and turns as they soak up the warm summer sun. Now this one I can do!

THE WEDGE

The Wedge will take up to six riders on an exhilarating trip down on an open-raft ride as they descend down hair-raising twists, turns and unexpected dips. Now that one I’ll ride again and again. The Wedge was my favorite of the new additions.

LONGBOARD’S GRILL

Longboard’s Grill  returns for the 2017 summer season after a complete remodeling and expansion which now offers a newly redesigned sleek restaurant layout.  While Longboard’s theme remains the same, the menu includes new and delicious items such as fish & chips, hand breaded chicken tenders and assorted wraps. Classic favorites like grilled burgers and hot dogs are also available. A new shaded outdoor seating area has been added by the restaurant’s entrance, welcoming diners to fuel up with delicious meals as they take a break from the sun. I really love all the new shady spots at Soak City!

CABANAS

If you really want to get most out of your stay, you will want to rent one of these for the day! As part of the water park’s expansion, additional spacious cabanas and seating areas have been added to the park’s blueprint. Guests can relax and unwind in the new row of cabanas which will be conveniently located across the new Shore Break tower. A new seating area equipped with lounge chairs will allow guests to relax in the sun and is also located near the Shore Break complex.

WHAT ELSE?

The park has attractions for the whole family, from a fun zone for the little ones called Gremmie Lagoon to thrill slides for the adventurous and the Sunset River for the not so adventurous who just want to sit back and relax and float down the river. Make sure you don’t miss these fun attractions.

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Hard Hat Tour at the Great Wolf Lodge near Disneyland! | #GWLSoCal @GreatWolfLodge

Hard Hat Tour at the Great Wolf Lodge near Disneyland!

By Erin

Get ready SoCal! Great Wolf Lodge Southern California is a first-class, full service, indoor water park resort that is in the works to open its doors in early 2016. The other week I was invited to participate in the Hard Hat Tour at the Great Wolf Lodge as it is currently under construction. We even had a very special tour guide… 😉

Great-Wolf-Hard-Hats

Located on Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, it’s just down the road from Disneyland. I am very happy to report that it is on schedule to open in February 2016. The first indoor water park resort in Southern California, it is designed to impress with a 105,000 square f00t water park including over 4,000 feet of water slides exclusive to resort guests in woodsy-themed rooms (some with bunk beds) sleeping anywhere from 4 to 8 guests.

Great Wolf Lodge So Cal

What can you expect during a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge?

Accommodations:

  • Family Suite – Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Family Suite features two queen beds and a full sofa sleeper.
  • Double Queen Suite – Sleeps up to 4 guests. The Double Queen Suite features two queen beds.

Kids Bunk Beds

  • Wolf Den Suite® – Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Wolf Den features a queen bed, full sofa sleeper and a themed Wolf Den, complete with a set of bunk beds.
  • KidCabin® Suite – Sleeps up to 7 guests. The KidCabin suite features a queen bed, full sofa sleeper and a Great Wolf Kids-themed KidCabin complete with bunk beds and a twin bed.

Great Wolf Lodge Rooms

  • Grizzly Bear Suite – Sleeps up to 8 guests. The Grizzly Bear Suite features two private bedrooms, one with a private master bedroom with a king bed and full bathroom and a second bedroom with two queen beds.The main area includes a full sleeper sofa and a second bathroom.
  • Grand Bear Suit-Sleeps up to 8 guests. The Grand Bear Suite features a private master bedroom with a king bed and a full bathroom. The main area includes two queen beds, a full sofa sleeper and a second bathroom.

Great-Wolf-Lodge-Resort-Room-Animals

  • Great Bear Suit- Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Great Bear Suite features two queen beds and a semi-private living room complete with a private master bedroom with queen bed.
  • Great Bear King- Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Great Bear King Suite features two queen beds and a semi-private living room complete with a private master bedroom with king bed.

Indoor Waterpark

*Great Wolf Lodge Southern Califormia’s 105,000 square foot indoor water park is exclusive to resort guests.*

  • Fort Mackenzie® – Multi-level tree house water fort that combines suspension bridges, treetop slides, swinging cargo nets and spray stations. The park’s signature tipping bucket dumps one thousand gallons of water every four minutes.
  • Totem Towers – Five three-story body slides attached to Fort Mackenzie.
  • Wolf Tail™ – 360-degree thrill ride with a vertical plunge through a trapdoor into an enclosed tunnel.
  • Howlin’ Tornado™ – Six-story funnel slide.

GWL-SoCal-Water-Slide-Garden-Grove-Disneyland

  • River Canyon Run™ – A 476 foot long family raft ride.
  • Alberta Falls® – Two four-story enclosed tube slides.
  • Coyote Cannon – Pipe-style spiral flume ride with a 40’ drop.
  • Mountain Edge Raceway® – Four-story water slide with body surfing mat allows riders to race one another as they slide down the hills.

Great-Wolf-Lodge-WaterPark

  • Whooping Hollow – Kiddie slides exclusively for guests under 48” tall.
  • Slap Tail Pond® – Gigantic wave pool complete with waves reaching up to three feet in height as they roll through every five minutes.
  • Chinook Cove – Water playground for children of all ages featuring basketball and floating obstacles.
  • Big Foot Pass – Unique water obstacle challenges kids and adults alike to balance on floating logs and lily pads and hold on to hanging nets as they try to get across the pool.
  • Crooked Creek – Winding lazy river.
  • Cub Paw Pool – Zero-depth entry children’s pool with water fountain features and spray-and-play adventures.
  • Raccoon Lagoon® – Zero-depth entry pool extends the water park fun outdoors.
  • Wolf Rider Wipeout – Double indoor surf simulator with ocean-like waves that reach five feet; perfect for knee-boarding and surfing.

Dining

It’s no secret that I enjoy checking out new places to dine at! I can’t wait to try all of these!

  • Lodge Wood Fired Grill® – Full service a la carte restaurant open for lunch and dinner with delectable shareables and unique signature items to create the perfect place to eat.
  • Hungry as a Wolf® – Family meals on the go for lunch and dinner featuring fresh made pizza, sandwiches, salads and pasta.
  • Bear Paw Sweets & Eats™ – Confectionary that offers a variety of treats, such as fresh-baked pastries, ice cream, lodge-made fudge and more.

GWL-Foodie

*Fresh made fudge from Bear Paw Sweets & Eats and Donuts from Dunkin Donuts. Yum!*

  • Buckets Incredible Craveables® – Located inside the water park, the casual menu offers burgers, hot dogs, French fries, cold beverages, ice cream and more.
  • Loose Moose Family Kitchen – Open for breakfast and dinner, this buffet style restaurant has options for the entire family.
  • Grizzly Jack’s Bar and Grill – Located by the outdoor water park and with a variety of food and drinks to choose from, this is the place to refuel for more fun in the sun.
  • Dunkin’ Donuts® – America’s favorite all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, right in the resort.

Attractions and Entertainment

  • Character Appearances – Daily appearances with Wiley® the Wolf and Violet® the Wolf.
  • Story Time – The entire family gathers in the Grand Lobby each evening to hear a story about the Great Wolf Kids characters before bedtime.
  • Wolf Walk™ – Learn about the many animals and wildlife living in the Northwoods, and make an origami wolf to take home.
  • MagiQuest® – Battle dragons, befriend a pixie and wave a magic wand in this live-action adventure game throughout the resort. The games features three unique chapters, each with their own challenges and quests.
  • The Great Wolf Kids® Program – Daily activities for kids that take place around the resort, including dance parties, face painting and games such as Wiley bingo, character floor memory and character trivia.
  • Howly Wood® XD Theater – This motion thrill ride transports riders directly into the movie action with every effect amplified creating an unforgettable experience.

GWL-Entertainment

  • Howl at the Moon™ Mini Golf – 9-hole themed indoor miniature golf course.
  • Northern Lights™ Arcade – More than 100 interactive video and redemption games that allow guests to redeem points for prizes.
  • Scooops® Kid Spa – A unique spa created just for kids complete with ice cream-themed manicures, pedicures and more. Each service also includes a real ice cream treat.
  • Ten Paw Alley™ – Family-style bowling with pint-sized bowling balls.
  • Clubhouse Crew – Interactive scavenger hunt through the resort starring the Great Wolf Kids characters.  Perfect experience for the resort’s youngest guests.
  • Lazer Frenzy – Exciting arcade-style game with the latest in touch and LED technology. Players can see who is fastest as they dart between the “laser beams.”

Shopping

  • Buckhorn Exchange™ Gift Shop – Remember a Great Wolf Lodge adventure by taking home the perfect souvenir.
  • Bear Essentials™ Swim Shop – From flip flops to swimwear, Bear Essentials has it all and is conveniently located in the water park.
  • Great Wolf Kids® Store – Find a Great Wolf Kids character on an assortment of apparel, toys, drinkware and more.

Conference Center

GWL-Conference-Room

*Featuring over 20,000 sq. feet of meeting and banquet space with 12 separate and configurable meeting rooms.*

Seasonal Events

*Month-Long Seasonal Events*

  • Howl-O-Ween™ – October
  • Family-friendly Halloween celebration all month long featuring:
    • Trick-or-Treat Trail
    • Spooktacular Story Time
    • Daily Costume Parade
    • Monster Bash Dance Party
  • Snowland® – December
  • The resort is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with:
    • Daily snow showers in the Grand Lobby
    • Special appearances by Santa Claus
    • Dine in the life-size Gingerbread House
    • North Pole University

For more info  on Great Wolf Lodge– Garden Grove, CA click here

12681 Harbor Blvd. | Garden Grove, CA 92840

Reservations: greatwolf.com/southerncalifornia | 888.960.9653
I can’t wait until February to check the place out when it opens! The food, the waterpark, the rooms, glow golf, there are so many fun things here to look forward too! 🙂

 

Making a Splash at Knott’s Soak City! #SoakCityOC

Making a Splash at Knott’s Soak City!

By Erin

The other week the weather was beyond scorching hot. Imagine my delight when I got an invite to attend a media event to come enjoy Knott’s Soak City OC on opening day last weekend. I was ecstatic to get the chance to be able to cool off after these insane 100+ degree days in MAY! I have always enjoyed swimming and spending my summers in a pool, ocean, river, lake, water park, slip in slide or whatever other source of water I could get into.

This summer, I plan to do more of the same. So come join me and relax by the water at Knott’s Soak City, a 13-acre water park adjacent to Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park. Experience the wave pool or cruise in the lazy river. If you’re a bit more daring enjoy the 17 speed, tube, and body slides.  If you prefer to live on the wild side, try the Pacific Spin, which drops you  into a 75 foot, six-story funnel! You will find me floating around at Sunset River, the lazy river at Knott’s Soak City.

Take a look here at some of the fun you can find here!

Soak City OC

Soak City on Opening Day! May 17th, 2014.

Soak City OC GS

Look at all the super cool stuff at the Wipe Out Surf Shop inside Knott’s Soak City OC! I love the mermaids and the dolphins! Those Big Squirts look like a lot of fun too, especially since you can use them in the park. They even have filling stations to fill up your Big Squirts at! 😉

Soak City OC 2

Welcome to Soak City! There also is a cool map of the park on the wall near the Wipe Out shop.

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