The Madison, Wisconsin-based company applied for a special use request to allow for gated entry to the park with three entry lanes and three exit lanes. Both Grapevine Planning & Zoning Commission and Grapevine City Council approved the request during the Sept. 17 meeting.
Blake Ford, assistant general manager of Great Wolf Lodge Water Park, said this part of the plan originated in 2019 but the permit expired the following year without construction happening.
There will be no cost for those coming to the lodge for 30 minutes or less, but a fee will be required for longer periods, Ford said.
The overview
Ford said Great Wolf Lodge, located at 100 Great Wolf Drive, has partnered with Amano McGann Inc. for self-pay parking entries at every location in the United States. He said five locations have installed them and Grapevine is one of five remaining locations that has not.
Ford noted the parking system being installed is the same one used by the Gaylord Texan, which is across the road off Northwest Highway. The entry gates will be 15 feet from the entrance off the highway to help alleviate any traffic concerns on Northwest Highway, he said.
Guests of the hotel will use a wristband they receive upon checking in to enter and exit the parking lot as many times as they want during the stay, Ford said.
What else?
Ford said the entry system will be wide enough to be accessible for emergency response vehicles. The strobe lights on those vehicles will allow for the gates to automatically open.
Some questions were raised about technology issues that could limit the entry and exit of the property. Ford said there will be a call center available 24/7, but on-site security and maintenance could also raise the gate if mechanical or technological problems prevent it from working.
A closer look
The hotel and water park is undergoing a $17 million renovation, which was announced in 2023.
Two new attractions, Ten Paw Alley Duckpin Bowing and The Virtual Frontier, a VR experience game, are both open. An outdoor adventure trail was also approved by council and planning and zoning in January.
Other new additions include a grand staircase, arcade relocation, restaurant expansion and an outdoor bar, according to previous reporting.
The lobby is closed through Oct. 11 due to ongoing construction, according to the Great Wolf Lodge website. The temporary check-in location is inside the conference center.
The background
The wolf sculptures that lined the outside of the lobby entrance have been removed and will not return to that spot. Instead, they will be replaced by a singular 14-foot wolf statue on the west side of the main entry drive, said Billy Avila, an architect representing the project, in the January meeting.
Avila said the reason behind the new statue location was to maintain a photo opportunity but move it away from the vehicle traffic that may use the hotel’s covered entry.
Quote of Note
The removal of the wolves was still a point of contention for council member Sharron Rogers and Mayor William D. Tate.
“I still hate to see the wolves go,” Tate said. “I think you're making a mistake, and when you decide that you did, you come back and tell me, OK? It's a picture opportunity; it is what distinguishes you from every other hotel in this country. To tear them down is a great mistake.”
