In the south central Wisconsin exists ‘The Waterpark Capital of the World.’ Haven’t heard of it? Well, it will shoot to the top of your family vacation list after you read this ultimate planning guide for a vacation at the largest waterpark resort in the country, one of our favorite waterparks: Wilderness Resort.
Wisconsin Dells Waterpark Planning: Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Resort
Wisconsin Dells is a family vacation paradise, even in the winter. Wilderness Resort has got game in all seasons with four indoor waterparks AND four outdoor waterparks, plus amusement rides and games for dry fun.
This popular Midwest getaway is a short drive from Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee. It’s sort of like our Disney World in these northern parts! So, naturally, there will be a lot of families, some lines and waiting, and the need to book reservations early for the best rooms and perks.
Wilderness Resort Indoor Waterparks
Wilderness Resort has FOUR indoor waterparks (and four outdoor waterparks, for the summer months!) It is also “America’s Largest Waterpark Resort.” During a recent stay we visited all four indoor waterparks and most of the dry land fun inside the resort. Regrettably, we didn’t experience the outdoor waterparks during this trip because it was a frigid winter getaway. I guess we will have to go back in the summer! Each waterpark has it’s own eatery, bar, and restaurant, which makes poolside snacks super convenient. Room charges are the absolute way to go here to avoid soggy dollars.
The Wild WaterDome
The Wild WaterDome is bright and airy with giant ceilings filled with sunlight from skylights — so don’t forget to use sunscreen or UV swimwear! The Great Wave is our favorite and is the country’s largest indoor wave pool! The Wild WaterDome also has a mammoth themed family slide and a shallow pool and play area for toddlers. There is a swim up bar which is a nice touch, but little else in the way of activities. The main event here is the wave pool.
The Wild West Waterpark
A favorite for many is the family raft ride in this part of the resort. Parents will enjoy Yeehaw’s Watering Hole swim-up bar. The Wild West Waterpark has brand new thrill slides, including a two-lane dueling mat racer slide which is a hoot to try for siblings! This indoor waterpark is perfect for friendly competition! Ransack Ridge is the fun children’s water feature with spray and play features and a bucket dump.
Klondike Kavern Waterpark
Cubby’s Cove
Wilderness Resort Indoor Activities (Not Waterparks)
After you can’t slide down another slide and your paws are pruned, towel off and put on some shoes. Take your fun to dry land with the myriad of indoor options at Wilderness Resort which are not in the waterparks.
Fun Pass Unlimited
Purchasing a Fun Pass Unlimited gives access to dry fun like: Lost Cabin laser tag, Northern Lights high ropes course, Wild Abyss Black light mini golf, Wilderwoods indoor go-karts, a giant arcade, and the Timberland Playhouse which is a megastructure kids climber which even older kiddos will have fun exploring.
Take Flight at Wilderness Resort
We really love these simulated flight rides. Take Flight is not included in your Fun Pass and is an additional charge. During our winter visit, a Santa flyover feature was one of the rotating flights available. Others include a world flight and a Hawaiian theme. Check the current offerings for prices and flight options.
Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
Depending on weather conditions, Wilderness Resort offers free horse drawn wagon rides for resort guests. We didn’t have time for this fun activity and it was rather blustery and cold outside, so we kept our fun itinerary indoors!
Rooms at the Wilderness Resort
The double suite wet bar room is perfect for a small family of three or four. There is a divided half wall separating your wet bar area and sitting room from the sleeping quarters. It’s a small partition but it makes a big difference! The rooms are newly renovated and perfect for your crash pad between sliding and gaming!
The sofa does fold out into a sleeper. The stools are a simple but fabulous touch to the wet bar area and is where the kids spent a lot of time snacking and sitting while they waited to go have fun.
Our room had a microwave, mini fridge, and wet bar for plenty of space to make small snacks and keep our leftovers from the waterpark restaurants. We also had birthday cake in the room, so this was the perfect amount of space for all the extra food!
There’s Never Enough Time
Whether you’re staying in the summer or winter, there is plenty to do and this guide will help you make sure your itinerary includes the best fun! It is SUPER hard to do it all in one weekend. Even a long holiday weekend just slips by so fast! Just realize that you’ll probably need to book another trip to truly do everything. There isn’t a bad time to book and there is fun no matter the weather at the Wilderness Resort!