Which is the Best Indoor Waterpark Resort in Wisconsin Dells?

Are you trying to decide which indoor waterpark resort in Wisconsin Dells is best for your family? I’ve been to them all and can fill you in on the details! Like many things, what makes something “the best” depends on what is important to you. I’ll give you a quick overview of where each place shines and where they struggle, followed by details and links to the sites and more in-depth reviews of each of the five main indoor waterpark resorts in Wisconsin Dells. If you want ideas for activities or food in Wisconsin Dells check out my top recommendations. Here is my packing list for what to pack with kids when going to an indoor waterpark.

Wilderness and Kalahari have the most dryland activity options. All the resorts have features for the youngest guests, but Great Wolf especially focuses on those ten years and under, while Kalahari has a dedicated mini lazy river for young kids. If you are looking for fast and scary slides, they all have a few, but Kalahari really shines there. If you are concerned about price, Mount Olympus is the most affordable, followed by Chula Vista, while Kalahari is the most expensive. Wilderness is the biggest, with several separate indoor waterparks, so there is a lot of variety and lots of walking. Chula Vista is larger than Mount Olympus and has a better variety of slides and rides but is smaller than Kalahari and Wilderness. It is often the least busy and not so huge that you need multiple days to explore it.

Overview of Wilderness Resort-It has Everything!

Wilderness Resort will fit the bill if you want the indoor waterpark at Wisconsin Dells that you won’t ever have to leave. Wilderness has a ton of indoor dry activities. There is laser tag, go-karts, mini golf, ropes courses, arcades, and a huge free playground. The laser tag course here has multiple floors and is tons of fun. They also have escape rooms, a 4D adventure called Take Flight, and a kids’ craft area. Here is my full review.

Wilderness resort boasts four separate waterparks. Two of the parks are easy to walk between and there is a third that is a decent walk through the hotel. These three indoor water parks have a great mix of toddler areas, play/splash structures, and various slides for every age. The fourth indoor waterpark is dedicated to younger families and you will need to use the free shuttle to get there.

We loved the raft rides, which fit up to 4 people and don’t have minimum height restrictions, so our whole family, even the younger kids, could ride. Wilderness also boasts the largest wave pool, a lazy river, and an indoor-outdoor pool. There are several large climb and splash structures for kids where adults can tag along for the fun.

There are lots of food options here, but they are pricey. The main food court is called Camp Social, a cafeteria with something for every taste. There is a restaurant at each waterpark and a free shuttle that will take you to some off-resort options, including Fields Steakhouse, Monk’s Burgers, and Sarento’s Italian.

There is a wide range of lodging options, from standard hotel rooms to multiple-room cabins with full kitchens that can accommodate the extended family.

Highlights for Kalahari-Great Kids Features Plus the Best Rides for Adrenaline Junkies

Kalahari has some great park features dedicated to young visitors, and they really shine with unique and adrenaline-pumping rides. These include a water slide that starts with the floor dropping out from under you, a roller coaster-type water slide, a toilet-bowel slide that dumps you into a deep pool, and the Flow Rider, where you can try boogie boarding. Here is my full review.

For the younger kids, there is a large secluded area dedicated for young guests, including its own small lazy river and plenty of slides. There is also a medium-sized climb and splash tower. The weight limit for the slides on the splash and climb structure was 100 lbs, which limits parents from tagging along. There is a wave pool that is connected to the lazy river. Kids 48″ and under must have life vests on at all times.

Tom Foolery is a large indoor entertainment area connected to the hotel and open to the public. The arcade includes an impressive variety of classic driving and shooting games, coin drops, cranes, and a host of unique games I haven’t seen elsewhere. It also features multiple rides, some that take you upside down, a Ferris wheel, electric go-karts, laser tag, mini golf, and a ropes course. They even have a “Little Toucan” ropes course for kids under 48″ which my youngest loved!

Kalahari is one of the pricier resorts, but it is easy to see why. The waterpark is well-designed with lots of unique features, and the rooms are high-quality. There are three restaurants on-site in addition to food stands within the water park and Tom Foolery, and, as you would expect, they are pricy. Think $13 for a hotdog, $20 for a burrito, or $30 for a cheese pizza.

Similar to Wilderness, there is a wide range of lodging options, from standard hotel rooms to multiple-room cabins with full kitchens and space for the extended family.

Great Wolf Lodge Overview-Focuses on 10 Years and Under

Great Wolf Lodge is a fun resort focusing on families with kids 10 and under. When you check-in, you get a voucher for wolf ear headbands. Many of the rooms include bunk beds. They advertise several waterparks, but all three are linked together, so jumping between the different areas is easy. There is a wave pool, kids’ body slides, a lazy river, mat slides, and a funnel slide. Here is my full review.

The biggest indoor dry activity at Great Wolf is MagiQuest, a fun indoor playground open to the public. You can buy a wand for extra fun with older kids. There is also a regular clock tower show, bedtime stories, character appearances, and crafts focused on young guests.

The hotel restaurant offers all the essentials, including breakfast, hamburgers, and pizza. A candy/ice cream/coffee shop is near the front desk.

Great Wolf Lodge offers good deals on weekdays or at less busy times. If your schedule is flexible, keep an eye on the specials page, and you can get a discount on the regular room price. They have some larger condo rooms that fit up to 16, but most are similar to standard hotel rooms with fun kid details like bunk beds.

Honest Review of Mount Olympus-Most Affordable

The best part of Mount Olympus is the price. This is the most affordable and smallest indoor waterpark resort in Wisconsin Dells, which may be the best choice for those on a tight budget. We had a great time but had different expectations going to this more budget-friendly resort. The amenities are generally more outdated. Be careful about how you book your room. Many guests are booked at motels that are not connected to the waterpark. Here is my full review. They have some tent sites, cabins, and a limited selection of larger motel rooms but no multiple-room condos with kitchens available at other resorts.

There is a single waterpark, smaller than the other indoor resorts in the Dells. The biggest slide is Medusa, a fun and unique raft slide featured in much of Wisconsin Dells’ current marketing. I’ve never been on anything like it. There is a single tube slide, a single body slide, a lazy river, pools, and several areas for smaller kids. There is an “indoor amusement park,” similar to an indoor carnival, with most rides catering to younger visitors. Its indoor amusement center is nowhere as extensive as Wilderness or Kalahari.

The food options are basic in Hotel Rome. Many guests will be housed at adjacent motels and must drive to the park. Plenty of restaurants are nearby, and since you are already in your car, you can stop at places that fit your family’s taste and budget. Here is my list of favorite restaurants in Wisconsin Dells.

If you can afford to splurge, consider a different park. If a higher price is a deal breaker, try to book a room at Hotel Rome and go during the week. There are some great parts of this park. We enjoyed our trips there as long as we had the right expectations and stayed in Hotel Rome.

Chula Vista Review

Chula Vista is along the river at the edge of town. Here is my review of Chula Vista’s waterpark. The rooms are of higher quality than Mount Olympus but not as nice as Kalahari. There is a single mid-size waterpark with a lazy river with a wave maker, water coaster, kids climbing and splash center, mat slides, a toilet bowl slide, and tube slides. The waterpark is smaller, like Mount Olympus, but it has a better variety of options and a lot more slides. Perhaps my favorite part of Chula Vista’s waterpark is that it is often less busy than the others! There aren’t any indoor dryland activities options, but they have some hiking trails and a sledding hill. This is a good park if you don’t plan to spend your whole time in the waterpark but rather have other things planned. They have a variety of housing options, including multiple-room condos with kitchens.

In Conclusion

Which indoor waterpark resort in Wisconsin Dells is best for you? If you don’t want to leave the resort, have kids of all ages, older kids, or want to have lots of non-waterpark activities, you should go to Wilderness or Kalahari. For those on a tight budget or who don’t want to splurge, check out Mount Olympus. If you have kids ten and under and want lots of waterpark options and low-key dry activities, check out the Great Wolf Lodge. If you have a family looking for extreme rides or a more secluded toddler area, I recommend Kalahari. Try Chula Vista if you want a waterpark, but it doesn’t need to be the central feature of the trip, or if you are willing to go to a smaller waterpark in exchange for less crowds or a more affordable trip.

What indoor waterpark resort in Wisconsin Dells do you think is best? Comment below.

More Wisconsin Dells Recommendations

Here is a list of my favorite restaurants.

To see the natural beauty of the Dells, consider one of the state parks, Mirror Lake, Rocky Arbor, or Devil’s Lake. To see the beauty from the water, check out the Wisconsin Ducks boat rides, where the vehicle is both a truck and a boat! You can also try other boat tours, including a jetboat or sunset cruise. The Upper Dells Boat tour allows you to explore the infamous Witches Gulch. Rent a kayak from Vertical Illusions for a great way to enjoy the water.

For animal lovers, visit Timbavati! Our favorite time to go is in the winter with the VIP tours. In the summer, you can feed the deer at Wisconsin Deer Park.

If you go during summer, consider visiting Land of Natura‘s unique waterpark in a man-made lake. The park features a huge inflatable obstacle course and a relaxing beach.

For indoor activities outside of the resorts, try the Tommy Bartlett Exploratorium. It is a long-standing Wisconsin Dells fixture and focuses on the magic of science. Try checking out Buffalo Phils, where the food is delivered by model train and is connected to Knuckleheads Amusement Center. Check out Wizard Quest, an Escape Room, or the candy store Goody Good Dum Drops.

Wherever you find yourself in Wisconsin Dells, there is fun. Enjoy!