Food tips
Pack in your own Snacks, Food, and Beverages
At the Grand Mound WA location, there is not a lot around the facility itself within walking distance: A gas station and a burger restaurant. There are lots of on-site restaurant options for mealtimes, but we have a pack of grazers in our group.
Consider the Great Wolf Lodge Paw Pass
Great Wolf Lodge Pup Passes, Wolf Passes and Paw Passes are available to purchase. they offer up to 30% savings compared to purchasing activities by themselves. The MagiQuest game is very popular (as is the ShadowQuest game for those who have already completed the MagiQuest) but it does require you purchase a wand and the game itself. the PAW PASS and the WOLF PASS offer the wand and a game in addition to arcade credits, a Great Wolf Kid at the Creation Station and more! If the passes are not in your budget, discuss the options with your kids ahead of time and plan where you will and will not be spending your money. When expectations are clear, meltdowns can be much easily avoided! Read more: Is the Great Wolf Lodge Paw Pass Worth it? Read Great Wolf Lodge Reviews on Trip Advisor
Bring Extra Coffee
if your mornings tend to start with more than one cup of coffee, consider bringing your own coffee and a small basket filter. The line ups for Starbucks in the lobby was always lengthy in the mornings. And besides, I am a Mama that needs coffee before even finding my glasses in the morning. There is a small 4 cup coffee maker in the room or a single-serve style cup and you can brew in your room (they do supply the prepackaged in a filter coffee).
Great Wolf Lodge Tip #1 Grab a Luggage Cart from the Lobby
Great Wolf Lodge has airport-style luggage carts in the main entrance. Take advantage of them on arrival, especially if you have packed in your own food! I have seen these carts loaded up with coolers, flats of water, and a Costco bag of snacks, on top of luggage! Save a few trips to the car and grab one of these before you unload!
Express yourself
There’s an art in plating food; it’s where chefs can allow themselves to be creative and have a high impact on how guests perceive the dishes they’re eating. Chef Brian Poe of Bukowski Tavern in Cambridge, and Parish Café and Tip Tap Room in Boston, believes that chefs should approach food plating and presentation just as an artist would approach their next piece. “Presentation should be approached just like art, cooking, and music,” says Poe. “Take a moment to relax and look at what the others are doing, learn a bit of the technique and then find your own voice and style.” One of Poe’s favorite approaches is to go “Jackson Pollock,” holding out the plate like a canvas and splattering it with sauce. “Other times we might look toward a more linear approach with could either be Picasso or street graffiti style,” he adds. “Other times the negative space technique might work.”
When in doubt, keep it simple
Michael Welch also emphasizes the value of simplicity. “Overcrowding the plate with unnecessary oils or spices or microgreens just takes away from the food you worked so hard to make,” he explains. “Subtraction is your best ingredient.” Rather than piling on a zillion garnishes or swirls of sauce, let the quality of the cooking speak for itself. “A properly seared steak with some fresh watercress and perfectly roasted baby potatoes will look better than the fanciest of plates with subpar cookery,” Welch says. “Proper cooking will give you a lot of contrast within your ingredients with both texture and color.”
Get to the pool at opening if you want a table
If you are planning on spending the day in the waterpark or at least want a table to enjoy some snacks, Send ONE parent in the am, to grab a spot. People DO line up before the doors open. So if you want a table, and they are limited, best to jump on the band wagon. You can also rent a cabana if you want to be guaranteed a good spot, but the vantage point may not be ideal for your family.
Serve smaller portion sizes
Smaller portion sizes were named by the National Restaurant Association as one of the top five hottest restaurant concepts for 2019. Of course, you still want to serve enough food to satisfy your guests and portion sizes can vary depending on the type of establishment you’re operating, but smaller portions are typically easier to style. Stick to no more than six elements on each dish to prevent them from looking overcrowded.
Maximize every meal with the Disney Dining Plan.
Since you paid for the dining plan in advance, in full, your priority is to make the absolute most out of it. And don’t be cheap either.
Use your dining plan snack credits during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival or Flower and Garden Festival.
You can actually use your snack credit (worth $5) on tasting proportions during the Food and Wine Festival. It’s a good way to truly maximize your credit.
