Considering booking a visit to Great Wolf Lodge Manteca? The newest California location is open and I spent a weekend celebrating a child’s birthday. Read on for a full review of Great Wolf Lodge Manteca California!
Check-In Process
We purchased a Groupon discounted package and I did the pre-check-in process about a week before we arrived.
I’m going to be blunt. The check-in process at Great Wolf Lodge Manteca needs some serious overhauling. The check-in lines snaked around the lobby and I waited 1.5 hours to check-in and that was WITH PRE CHECK-IN! I saw an employee handing out wristbands in line so families with multiple adults could take kids into the water park but apparently, that doesn’t happen on the regular.
There are no bellhop services so you have to hunt for your own luggage carrier. Upon checking out I called the front desk for one, and they told me to get it myself. We went down to the front desk and were told they had run out. I saw several other people following other families into the parking lot to grab the one they were using.
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca Rooms
We opted for the Wolf Den suite which offers a queen bed and a separate bunk bed room across from the open sink area. Our room was very minimalist, in fact, it felt a bit empty and the bunk bed is a great idea however, there are no shades on the open windows so if anyone uses the sink area, the lights shine directly into the bunk bed space.
The rooms were clean and spacious. We had a refrigerator and coffee maker in our suite plus a table and two bunk beds. Great Wolf Lodge also has multiple bedroom suites that can sleep up to 13 guests for large families. Note: there is NO microwave in any of the rooms and this is problematic for anyone who wants to bring food to their room to reheat.
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca Water Park
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca has a 95,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, heated to 84 degrees and featuring a variety of water slides, tube slides, raft rides, the Crooked Creek (lazy river), Slap Tail Pond (wave pool) and Fort Mackenzie, Great Wolf Lodge’s signature, multi-level water play structure with a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket.
This Great Wolf Lodge Manteca location has Sequoia Splash, a multi-person raft slide that starts by sending riders down a steep drop into a giant funnel, where the raft’s momentum sends it careening up one side of the funnel to the next
The waterpark opens at 9 am and most of the loungers are already claimed by 9:30 am. Some guests throw a towel and some personal belongings on the chair and come back later. Guests can access the waterpark starting at 1 pm on the day of check-in but rooms may not be ready until 4 pm. Guests can also access the waterpark for the entire day when they check out.
My little one loved the wave pool and the lazy river which was crowded the majority of the day. We went down the raft slides several times as a family. I noticed some cleanliness issues like dirty stairs on the raft slide and the bathrooms in the water park that need to be cleaned more often.
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca Cabana’s:
Considering the wait to check in was 1.5 hours and the place was packed it was no surprise that there were no chairs available that evening. I ended up calling the concierge to book a cabana for the next day because there was no way I was going to fight for a chair.
Although pricey ($500), the cabana is definitely the way to go, so you can have your own private area. We were able to celebrate our birthday girl in a space that was dedicated to our family.
The cabana is nice with plenty of seating. There was a couch, a table with 4 chairs and two loungers. The cabana also had a TV, four bottled waters, towels, a fridge, and a safe to keep important belongings.
We also had a dedicated server which was nice although you cannot order alcoholic drinks through your server. Click for a full rundown of the Great Wolf Lodge Cabana!
Great wolf Lodge Manteca Food Options
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca has nine dining options, including a collection of eateries inside the Great Wolf Adventure Park, a Dunkin’ Donuts, and an ice cream parlor called the Wood’s End Creamery.
The resort also features Barnwood, a full-service elevated dining room with craft cocktails. Hands down this was the BEST food option in the resort. A lovely employee who hosted our cabana was able to fit us in for reservations and we had a really lovely meal.
Most food lines were at least 45 minutes including the bar area inside the water park. I would highly suggest getting extra snacks and drinks to store in your room. The salad and chicken strips we tried weren’t fresh at all.
Thankfully, Great Wolf Lodge Manteca is near a Costco and several eateries that are convenient to grab food to go. Click here for the best restaurants near Great Wolf Lodge Manteca!
Other Great Wolf Lodge Manteca Activities
There are other activities dance parties, storytime, morning yoga, and craft projects. There’s a small Build-A-Bear plus a rope course. The rope course was a long wait and honestly, it wasn’t worth the additional cost.
What to Bring To Great Wolf Lodge Manteca
Consider bringing chlorine shampoo! The chlorine is very strong and will tear your hair apart. Also, consider investing in a phone waterproof case, they are $30 at the resort.
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca Coupons and Deals
The best deal is through GROUPON which offers off to 50% room rates!
Need Discounted Great Wolf Lodge Tickets?
Groupon offers up to 45% off Great Wolf Lodge tickets and rooms! Click the button below to book!
Great Wolf Lodge Manteca FAQ’s
Can you bring outside food to your Great Wolf Lodge Manteca room for the kids?
Yes, you can! There is a Costco next door so guests stock up on snacks and drinks.
Does great wolf lodge Manteca allow in and out privileges?
They do however you need a wristband to access the water park.
Are there microwaves inside rooms?
No, but there are microwaves in the common rooms on each floor. Not especially convenient for those who like to heat up food in their own rooms and the microwaves we saw were filthy.
Can you bring outside food into the Great Wolf Lodge Manteca?
Yes. We brought bottled water, snacks and ramen cups for a quick bite because the food lines were so long.
Are day passes available at Great Wolf Lodge Manteca?
Yes, the Great Wolf Lodge Manteca day pass ranges from $50-100 per person depending on the day of the week and holidays. They include:
- All-day access to the indoor water park
- Free life jackets for all the family
- Free passes for kids aged 2 years and under.
Coolers aren’t allowed in so be sure to plan accordingly!
Is it worth a trip?
Great Wolf Lodge is a fun albeit expensive experience. We experienced staff shortages and long lines so I would plan ahead, especially for food and snacks and either send someone down early to get chairs or rent a cabana.
I’d recommend the Anaheim location over this one and for those interested in visiting Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim, I have a full review here!
Other Great Wolf Lodge Articles
The BEST Restaurants Near Great Wolf Lodge Manteca 2023
What to Know About Renting A Great Wolf Lodge Cabana! 2023
Thank for the review!
Why do you prefer the Anaheim location?
Hi! Anaheim seemed to have more staff and it didn’t take an hour to order food and drinks!
If you are staying overnight, can you access the waterpark at anytime? 24/7?
Hi! The water park is usually open from 9:30am to 8pm.