Are you looking for a resort packed with so many activities you never have to leave? Do you want diverse and reasonably priced accommodations? Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells might be a good fit for your family. Here is our review of the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells to help you plan a winter trip with kids!
Wilderness Resort has four separate indoor waterparks with a wide range of features, including slides, pools, dumping buckets, toddler areas, a wave pool, a lazy river, and more. There are also tons of indoor activities, including a ropes course, laser tag, mini golf, go-karts, and an impressive indoor play structure. With all the activities and food options, you won’t ever have to leave the resort!
You can read ahead for all the important details, but here is a chart of key pros and cons. If you are interested in activities or food outside the resort, here are my top recommendations. If you aren’t sure what to pack, I have recommendations here.
| Pros | Cons |
| Tons of indoor dry activities | More Expensive |
| Four Waterparks with activities for all ages | Lots of Walking as the waterparks are not all together |
| Huge variety of housing options, including affordable places with kitchens and/or groups | Limited specials/deals |
| Huge wave pool | Expensive Food |
| Amazing Indoor Play Structure | A lot of traffic in the halls |
| Convenient Towel Policy | Wyndham Resorts will try to give you a sales pitch |
| Free Shuttle Service | |
| Exciting raft slides without a minimum height |
Lodging Options: Which Part Should I Stay in?
Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells is a big resort covering a large area. There are three main areas: Wilderness Hotel, Glacier Canyon, and Wilderness on the Lake.
The typical hotel rooms are in the Wilderness Hotel. These rooms have the basic options you would expect from a typical hotel and generally sleep up to 4-7 people. There is a mini fridge, a counter with bar stools, coffee tables to eat at, a coffee maker, and a microwave. Ours had two queen beds plus a pull-out sofa. Unfortunately, there aren’t any options for kids’ bunks. These hotel rooms allow you to walk to three of the four indoor waterparks. There is a lot of foot traffic along these halls on the second floor. Request the 3rd floor for a quieter room.
Glacier Canyon is attached to the main hotel via a skywalk, but it is a bit farther away from the indoor waterparks. Here, you still have typical hotel rooms available, but you also get options for multiple-room condos that sleep up to 16 people. These larger units may include kitchens, private hot tubs, patios, and more.
The third large lodging building is Wilderness on the Lake. This is across Lake Delton from the rest of the resort. These options are even larger, with the smallest room accommodating 9 people. They all have full kitchens and living areas. From Wilderness on the Lake, you can walk indoors to Cubby’s Cove, but to get to the rest of the attractions and waterparks, you must take the free shuttle. There is also a water taxi in the warmer months.
Finally, there is a selection of cabins, villas, and condos. These are generally separate buildings that should be quieter, but you will likely have to walk outside and take the shuttle to reach the attractions. These lodging options all have full kitchens. The smallest can sleep up to 9 people, and the largest can sleep up to 22 people. It’s time to gather the whole family! Pay attention to where you book; these are sprinkled around the resort.
Check-in
The standard check-in time is 4 pm, but you can pick up your waterpark wristbands as early as noon! Watch your email and complete the pre-check-in paperwork before you arrive to speed up check-in. Here you get a map, parking pass, and wristbands. They will text you when your room is ready, which will be by 4 pm. There is an option to pay extra for early check-in.
Right after check-in, you will be directed to the Wyndham desk to pick up a coupon book. The salesmen will pitch a great deal to you if you stay and listen to their long sales pitch. I don’t think these have good value, and I recommend you look into timeshares before you go, so you don’t get pressured into a decision. They are very convincing.
Room Keys and Wristbands
Like many water parks, Wilderness uses room keys in the form of wristbands. This is really convenient. The elastic wristbands come in small, medium, and large, so each member of your family will get one that fits. They are $50 to replace if you lose one, which scared me a bit. In addition to serving as a room key, you can choose to link some wristbands to your credit card. Then you can use it to purchase food or activities throughout the resort. You choose whether you want to give the kids access!
Unfortunately, the Fun Pass has a separate wristband. This is a traditional disposable, non-transferable wristband. In addition to those two wristbands, we also got arcade cards. The rock climb credits are on the arcade cards. These were not specific to a person, so if you get a couple of fun passes and one person doesn’t want to climb, they can be used by other people in your group. I thought the Fun Pass was worth the price if you are staying a few nights. When we do quick one-night trips, we skip it. It’s the same price for one night or many nights. If you want more details, check out my price breakdown.
Shuttle Service around Wilderness
We found the shuttles to be prompt, convenient, and polite. There are shuttle icons on the resort maps for typical shuttle stops. They don’t just make a loop, though; you call when you are at the stop. Tell them how many and where you are going, and a shuttle will be by shortly. They drive all over the Wilderness Campus, including Aquivina Lumina. They will also take you to restaurants near the Resort, such as Monk’s, Fields Steakhouse, and Sarento’s. For more information on the shuttle service, check out the FAQ page under miscellaneous
Waterpark Attractions
There are four separate waterpark areas at Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells. While the Waterdome and Klondike Kavern have a direct walkway between them, the Wild West is a considerable, albeit indoor, walk from the other two. You could also take a shuttle if you prefer. Cubby’s Cove is across the lake; you must take the shuttle to get there. For a full review, check out my dedicated review here. It includes recommendations for each park and for each age group. For a quick overview, read ahead.
Overall, the parks are well-balanced, and each has something for everyone. I recommend exploring them all! Over the years, from ages 4 to 8, my kids’ favorite was the Waterdome, with the wave pool, with the Wild West being the second favorite. They also loved the lazy river an indoor/outdoor pool at Klondike. As a parent, I think the Wild West is my favorite for the mat slides and the family raft slide.
One GREAT thing about the Wilderness indoor waterpark is their towel policy. Wilderness provides each guest with a “ticket” for a pool towel. Give your ticket to any waterpark towel desk and get a towel. You can keep that towel for as long or as short as you want and return it to any waterpark! We like to dry off with their towels and then exchange them immediately for dry towels to return to the room.
Waterpark Amenities and Food
Each waterpark has bathrooms with small changing rooms. There are a limited number of family room options. Life vests in various sizes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. They always had plenty when we went offseason, but if I was going on a peak week and needed a life vest, I would consider bringing my own. There are lots of beach chairs and tables at each place. People tend to “claim” areas with their stuff, though, so seating isn’t always available.
Wild West is near one of the hotel’s main hubs, which features a gift shop, coffee shop, candy shop, and fried chicken restaurant. There is also a funnel cake place.
Klondike Kavern is near a bar and pizza restaurant, a choose-your-own-toppings yogurt bar, and a pottery-painting area. It is conveniently located between the Waterdome and the Wild West and is close to many areas of the hotel.
There is a bar/grill inside Cubby’s Cove, but it limits its hours to peak times, which we generally avoid. This waterpark is right next to the escape room. There is a gift store and a small arcade nearby as well.
At each waterpark, there is a cafeteria-style burger/fry joint selling fries, etc., in addition to fresh fruit cups, veggies, and more options.
The Waterdome is near registration, the main food court, Camp Social, a gift shop, go-karts, Take Flight, Wildkids, a candy shop, and an arcade. There is also a restaurant you can reach without leaving the waterpark, in addition to another à la carte food place. Camp Social is the main hotel restaurant and offers breakfast buffets during peak times and à la carte during off-peak times. They sell burgers, tacos, pizza, and a Korean BBQ food truck (that is only open during peak times).
While the Wilderness food is convenient, it is also expensive given the quality. If you are on a budget, pack food to eat some meals in your hotel room. We love easy-to-grab foods, sandwiches, and a pre-made crockpot meal.
For example, we got a small fries and a cheese/sausage cup, which cost us $13 in 2024. In 2026, breakfast meals ranged from $13-$15 with “Junior Camper” breakfast meals at $9. Burgers at Camp Social were $14 and served with chips. A jumbo hot dog was $10.
Dry Activities at Wilderness
The Wilderness Resort really shines with the number of indoor and non-waterpark attractions available. There is something to fit every taste. Please take a look at my dedicated post on Wilderness’s indoor activities, including a price breakdown for the Fun Pass and height restrictions, or read ahead for an overview.
WildKids is near the main lobby and is a place for both free and paid crafts as well as an area for younger kids to hang out, play, and watch TV. The Go-Karts are multilevel and fun for a variety of ages. They are electric, which means they are quiet and don’t smell like gas. Take Flight is a 4D film shot in high resolution, giving you the experience of visiting some amazing places on all 7 continents.
Most of the Activities are near the Wild West part of the Resort. This includes Laser Tag, Black Light Mini Golf, a ropes course, and a climbing wall. They also have an impressive play structure for children 12 years and under. This is one of the best we’ve seen, and it’s free for guests! There is another large arcade here as well. We loved their Laser Tag course.
There is a smaller arcade at Wilderness on the Lake as well.
Near Klondike Kavern is Polka-A-Dots, which is a pottery and ceramics painting place. Prices depend on what you pick to paint.
In 2024, they opened Aquavia Lumina, a 1-mile “multi-media pathway of light.” This experience is self-guided, and you can go at your own pace. Image mystic instrumental music coordinated with 1,000’s of lights scattered in unique ways across the trail. There are also projected animations on various rock faces. If you look forward to Christmas lights all year, you will love this! It is open at dusk year-round and costs $25 per person. Aquavia Lumina is family-friendly, and my 6- and 8-year-olds walked it without a problem. It was late for us since we went once the days started getting longer, they were tired and ready to get to bed.
Wilderness has offered escape rooms in the past, and as of early spring 2026, they are closed for revamping, with new ones reportedly coming out this summer.
Food Options at Wilderness and Wisconsin Dells
Caffeine and Other Adult Drinks
Just because you’re coming for the kids doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself. There are plenty of options if you need a morning caffeine pick-me-up or an evening refreshment. My favorite coffee option is at Camp Social, which sells local Bella Goose Coffee. The rest of the coffee joints sell Starbucks and can be found in Wild West, Wilderness on the Lake, and Glacier Canyon.
Each waterpark has a bar, and you will see large margarita cups everywhere. These cups are huge and pricey, but you can refill them for a discount, so be sure to hang on to them. If you aren’t sure you want the massive mixer, they have a full-service bar with plenty of options.
Food Options off the Resort
The shuttle will take you to several local places, including Sarento’s, featuring Italian and pizza, Monks, a famous burger bar local to the Dells, and Fields Steakhouse.
If you have time to leave the resort, I recommend Denny’s Diner (not the chain) for breakfast and cinnamon rolls, and Bella Goose for a coffee shop. For a quick lunch, check out the Brat House Grill featuring German favorites, MAC’s for every type of Mac and cheese you could want, or Dells Pizza Lab. For a really fun drinks-and-dining atmosphere, try the Grateful Shed. My kids LOVE going to Buffalo Phils as a train delivers food. Check out my dedicated article on Wisconsin Dells restaurants for more information.
A Few Issues
We had a couple of minor complaints. Though I researched all my trips thoroughly, I didn’t realize Klondike Kavern would be closed for the entire time we stayed, which was disappointing. I did contact customer service, but they had nothing to offer, saying I was responsible for not looking closely at the scheduled closures. Interesting, two years later, the same thing happened, but it was a different waterpark that was closed. This probably happened to me as I look for low prices and off-peak times.
Due to the hotel’s layout and the separate waterparks, there is a lot of walking, which can take its toll on families. Trying to visit all the waterparks in one or two days with young kids probably isn’t reasonable for most families. Many hotel rooms are along the main hallway, where everyone walks. Overall, that was fine, though there were a few times when people in the hallway were loud.
Each waterpark has changing rooms, but they are small, and they feel cramped even during less crowded times. They also only have hand soap in the showers at the waterpark, which is not a great option when you have already checked out of your room and are leaving.
Check-in was a bit overwhelming as we had to keep track of wristbands, fun pass bands, arcade cards, and more. With all the food and amenities, you never have to leave the resort, but we found the food expensive and not of great quality. I recommend keeping your hotel room stocked with snacks and exploring some local restaurants.
In Conclusion
We had a great time with kids at Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells, and I can see how families of all ages would have a blast here. There are plenty of fun things to do in the water and out. You wouldn’t ever need to leave the resort if you don’t want to. We can’t wait to go back!
Check my other posts if you are looking for even more detailed information on the waterparks at Wilderness or dry activities at Wilderness.
While in the Dells, consider doing a Duck boat tour to see the natural features that first put the Dells on the map for tourists. The state parks Mirror Lake and Rocky Arbor are great places to do a little hiking. If you are considering other water parks, here are my thoughts on the Great Wolf Lodge, Khalari, or Mount Olympus. If you are there in the summer, check out Land of Natura! For animal lovers, we love the Timbavati Zoo VIP winter tour.
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