The Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells really shines in the number of indoor, non-waterpark attractions available for kids and adults. There is something to fit every taste. Two of them, Take Flight and DOA Escape Rooms, are available to guests and the public. The AMAZING indoor playground for guests 12 years and under is free and will provide hours of fun! The remaining activities, including laser tag, mini-golf, climbing walls, ropes courses, and go-karts, are paid per session, or you can get a Fun Pass for savings. Look below for the price breakdown to help decide if it’s worth buying for your family. Be sure to check their daily schedule for updated hours.
Looking for information on the indoor waterparks? Check out my review of the Indoor waterpark at Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells.
Dodge-Em City and Laser Tag
The Wilderness has several areas of activity within its park. Many, but not all, of the activities are in “Dodge’em City,” near the Wild West Waterpark. Laser tag was a big hit with my family. The course was fun and included three levels and several targets to hit in addition to the other players. The vests were smaller than many I’ve seen and adjusted to smaller sizes so even our 4-year-old could play. The workers will ask how you want to split teams up rather than doing so randomly, which is helpful.
Timberland Playground at Dodge’Em City
A climbing playground is designed for kids 12 and under, which is free to guests. This impressive play structure is one of the best we’ve seen! It has multiple layers for the kids to climb in and around. It features slides, swings, and trampoline areas. The entire structure is made of netting, so you can keep an eye on your little if needed. All entrances and exits are roughly the same place, so a parent can stay at the bottom and know their kid won’t get past them to run free in the nearby arcade. If your kid is younger and needs you to follow them, it is reasonably accessible for adults. In many of the areas, I could even stand up. The playground opens earlier (8 am) than most other attractions, which is great for earlier risers.
Kids have to wear socks here. If you forget, there is a sock vending machine, but it is not cheap.
Ropes Course at Dodge’Em City
The ropes course goes over the arcade. It is for kids and adults over 42″. There is a 300 lb weight limit. They fit you in a harness, and the system is designed so the participants never have to move carabiners or do anything to stay safe. The rope stays on a track above your head, allowing each participant to explore the different levels of challenges. My 6-year-old managed most of the obstacles, but you can avoid any that look too challenging. Want to make it harder? Try not to use your hands on the safety rope!
Additional Activities at Dodge’Em City
There are three climbing walls, each with fun designs and different challenge levels. You have to be 42″ and at least 22 lbs to climb. The ropes are self-belaying, so as soon as you let go of the wall, it lowers you safely to the ground. The weight limit is 300 lbs.
The mini golf, called Wild Abyss, has black lighting with an Under the Sea theme. It even includes a few aquariums. There are 9 holes that are all reasonable for kids and fun for adults.
There is a large arcade in the center of all these activities. Like most arcades, this is loud, with lots of flashy lights, and the sounds are always on. There are some fun driving games, but I was frustrated that many games were claw grabs, coin pushers, and other games that give you just one chance to win a prize. This is common, though, among new arcades. $10 buys you about 36 credits, and games vary from 2 cr to 10 cr per game.
The Fun Pass: Is it Worth it?
The Fun Pass and Fun Pass Unlimited are available. Suppose you have the time and desire to do all or most of the activities more than once. Then it is totally worth it. If you only have a day or two, you may be busy enough with just the waterparks. The price is the same if you stay one night or many, so the more nights you stay, the better deal this is.
We stayed three nights at Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells and had enough time to try all the indoor activities with the kids. We got the Unlimited Pass, which, for a family of 4, costs $148. The total price we would have paid individually for all our activities was $326. This did include one member who was too short for the climbing and rope course. Those climbs could have gone to a different person if we wanted. Short story: I recommend the Unlimited Pass if you are there for more than a night or two.
Activity | Individual Pricing | Fun Pass | Fun Pass Unlimited |
Price | $34.95 | $51.95 ($2 off if you pre-book) | |
Go-Karts | $9 | 1 | Unlimited |
Laser Tag | $8.50 | 1 | Unlimited |
Mini-Golf | $7 | 1 | Unlimited |
Rope Course | $10 (30 min) | 1 | Unlimited |
Climbing | $6 or 3 for $15 | 1 | 3 climbs |
Arcade | variable | 36 credits | 36 credits |
Savings | $15.50 | Unlimited. $9 if you do everything once |
Go-Karts and Activities near the Waterdome
The Waterdome is near the main lobby in the New Frontier section and is near the largest food area, Camp Social. There is an arcade, Take Flight, WildKids, and the Go-Karts. The Go-Kart track loops around multiple levels. They are electric karts, so they are quiet and don’t smell of gasoline. To drive the kart, kids must be at least 56″ and 10 years old, but you only have to be 4 years old and 36″ tall to ride along with an adult. If you have kids in the sweet spot between 6 years and 9 years who are at least 46″, they can drive themselves for the first hour after opening daily!
Take Flight
Take Flight is a 9-minute show with a massive screen (65 feet x 48 feet) and 4-D elements where the seats move, and you can feel water spraying when you get too close to the Icelandic waterfalls. See Machu Picchu in Peru, the Redeemer statue in Brazil, a ski hill in Switzerland, Big Ben in London, and so much more. The film is shot in high resolution, and you can see incredible detail even with the huge screen. We would have gone again if additional showings were available at a discounted price. I usually get car sick, but I managed to ride Take Flight without an issue. This experience is for 4-year-olds and over. This was my 4-year-old’s favorite part of the trip.
WildKids Crafts and Games
Another great indoor activity for kids at Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells is their crafting and play area. The WildKids area is near Take Flight and the Waterdome in the New Frontier section. It has a crafting area with basic free supplies, including coloring pages, markers, colored pencils, etc. Other crafts, such as painting, sand art, and more, are paid per activity. Price ranges from $2-$15 per craft.
If you complete a coloring page, you can submit it for the coloring contest. Three pages are selected as winners each day. If you stop by the following day and see your picture has been chosen, you get a free glitter tattoo. Yes, adults can submit pictures too. You can guess what happens when Mom wins the coloring contest and has two kids. Yup, we had to buy another glitter tattoo.
Next to the crafting area is a carpeted area with a teepee, a play campfire with s’mores, and stuffed “stone” pillows. There is a large TV screen that plays kids’ movies. There are also kids’ board games you can play. This was a great area to let my kids explore and play independently.
Escape Rooms
The DOA Escape Room is located at Wilderness on the Lake near Cubby’s Cove. Generally, the rooms are recommended for 8 years and up, but the Mars Mission is shorter and is designed for younger guests. There are several other Escape Rooms in the Dells, including Elusive Escape Rooms, Dells Escape Rooms, and Booby Trap Escape Rooms. These are all in the same price range (approximately $30 per person, though you get a discount as a guest). For younger visitors, I recommend sticking to the DOA Escape room in the Wilderness or Booby Trap at the Kalahari.
Polk-A-Dots Painting
The Polk-A-Dots Pots is similar to many pottery places popping up all over. The price varies greatly depending on the size of the ceramic you choose to paint. If you are planning this activity, do itrip, as it takes a few days for the pots to be glazed and ready to go home. This is located near early in your t Klondike Kavern in the New Frontier Hotel area.
Concluding Thoughts
If you are looking for awesome non-waterpark indoor amenities for kids, the Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells is a great choice, but they have great waterparks, too! My review of the rest of the resort is coming soon, so check back! I have a list of my favorite restaurants in Wisconsin Dells and a write-up about the best Dells experience for animal lovers.
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