Construction officially began Wednesday on the new $300 million Great Wolf Lodge Southern California, located in Garden Grove, just down the street from the Disneyland Resort.  The woodsy-themed Resort will offer 600 Suites total each designed for large families, as they can accommodate at least six guests.  When it opens in 2016, each Suite is expected to start at about $250 a night.  

For those not familiar with Great Wolf Lodge, this is not your average Good Neighbor hotel.  It would actually be closer to a Disney Resort Hotel, just not on Disney property and no Mickey Mouse.  Your hotel stay includes admission to their private indoor 100,000 square foot water park including areas for toddlers to adults, The Howlin’ Tornado slide will start in a funnel and drop six stories, and the Wolf Tail slide will take riders in a 360-degree loop.  The water park and other attractions are open exclusively to hotel guests and not the general public.  

Above, the wave pool at the Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. (Great Wolf Resorts Inc.)

Besides the water park, they will also offer miniature golf, a motion-simulation theater, an arcade, “mini” bowling, and a kid spa offering ice cream-themed manicures and pedicures. There will also be an adventure game in which kids embark on quests through the resort, and evening story time by the lodge’s grand lobby fireplace.  

Dining options will include a bar and grill, a pizza parlor, a hamburger joint and a sweet shop.  This will be their 13th Resort.

In our opinion, Great Wolf Lodge should be a welcome Resort to the Disneyland area and should be a draw for locals as well as international guests. 

UPDATE:  (June 1, 2014 7:15 pm)  To be clear…this is not a Disney Resort, Disney property, or a Disney Vacation Club property. This is a different company with Water Park/Hotel Resorts across the country. It is in no way associated with Disney.