10 Tips For Planning Your Visit To Wisconsin Dells

A trip to Wisconsin Dells should be on everyone’s vacation list for kids. There is so much to do at the Dells no matter what age you are. Also, it makes no difference if you visit the Dells in the winter or summer, because there is something for everyone indoor and outdoor.

We have been wanting to take the kids here for a while now and finally got the chance. We stayed at the Glacier Canyon Lodge at the Wilderness Resort, which was top notch in our opinion. The price was incredibly reasonable for everything you get. We stayed in a 2 bedroom deluxe condo and the price was similar to the Wilderness Hotel prices but you get so much more at the Glacier Canyon Lodge. It is only about a 3 minute walk via the sky walk to the Wilderness Resort (which houses most of the water parks) and the hallways are much much quieter than the Wilderness Resort hallways. 🙂

With all that being said, there are some things you need to know before you go. Below are 10 tips for planning your visit to Wisconsin Dells, that you follow so that you can have the best experience!

To see the list of 10 tips for planning your visit to Wisconsin Dells, see the list at the end of the blog!

1. Purchase Some Kid’s Robes

There are a total of four water parks at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Three of them are within walking distance and one of them you have to take a shuttle to get to. The thing is, even though they are relatively close in proximity, walking from park to park through the hallways is rather cold, especially for the little ones who are wet from the last water park. The damp towels and shorts and tee shirt won’t cut it. If you don’t already have them, grab some of these robes and keep your little one’s toasty when venturing from park to park.

2. Bring an Extra Blanket

Again, most of your trip you are wet in some capacity. When you are wet, naturally you are cold. The hotels only come equipped with those scratchy hotel comforters, so if you can fit another blanket in your suitcase or car, it is definitely worth it. The condos have fireplaces in them so it’s always nice to cozy up on the couch with a blanket next to the fire. If you bring a large blanket, just put it in one of these space saver bags so that you can fit this with all your other belongings and it doesn’t take up too much space.

3. Pack Some Pool Toys

There are not a whole lot of things you can bring to the Dells water parks but they do allow inflatable balls. Of course they sell balls and water toys at the water park, but just as you expected, they cost a small fortune. Bring your own pool toys and goggles so that you don’t end up spending $7.00 on a ball. 🙂

4. Pick Up A Case Of Water Bottles

I feel like this is something we always forget to bring on trips. Grab a case of water bottles to keep with you at the hotel. The condos come with a full kitchen so you can even store them in the refrigerator. You can also grab a couple bottles and bring them with you to the park.

5. Bring Some of Your DVD’s

We brought DVD’s because at the end of a long pool day, it was perfect to sit the kids in front of the TV and watch a movie so that they can relax and have some down time before bed.

6. Pack Food

The first tip here would be to bring some of your own food. If you are staying in a standard hotel room, at the very least bring snacks. The cost of dining adds up fast. If you are staying at the Glacier Canyon Lodge, then bring snacks, breakfast and lunch if you can. We went grocery shopping prior to arriving and purchased most of the staples. We cooked our own breakfast while we were there and also brought our own snacks. For lunches and dinners we did dine out, but I am going to bring food for lunches next time as well and just dine out for dinner. This will save a TON of money.

The next tip here would be to try to avoid the poolside cafes. They are outrageous. We learned that tip real fast when we grabbed a few hamburgers, some fries and drinks and our bill was over $70.00. The dining restaurants are cheaper and sometimes located right above the cafes.

7. Purchase a Water Proof Camera/Camcorder

We brought a waterproof camera/camcorder and the kids had a blast with it. I mean, you spend most of the time in the water so if you don’t have a waterproof camera, you are missing capturing all the fun. We ended up bringing these waterproof camera/camcorders and they were perfect. They are small, hook on to your wrist and super easy to use.

8. Purchase Some Water Shoes

It is a good idea to purchase some water shoes for the kids. The grounds in the pool are rough (non-slip) on the kid’s little feet. With water shoes, they can run around and feel comfortable without scraping their feet on the bottom. They are walking around and playing all day in the water so they are nice to have. I would definitely invest in a pair of these, especially if you plan on staying for a few days or more.

9. Pack a Pop-up Hamper

I recommend pop-up hampers for any trip. They are a must have purchase if you travel anywhere. There is nothing worse then a pile of dirty clothes in the corner of your room. These pop-up hampers pack flat and keep the room clean and organized. I also mentioned these in my other blog, Follow These 8 Awesome Disney Tips Before Your Next Trip.

10. Pack a Night Light

No matter where you stay, hotel rooms get really dark at night. The drapes are almost always room darkening shades or blackout drapes. I always pack a night light for the kids so that they don’t get scared and can see the bathroom in the middle of the night. It takes up virtually no space and it makes the kids feel safe.

Summary

There you have it, 10 tips for planning your visit to Wisconsin Dells. This trip will definitely be a memorable one so make the best of it and follow these tips!

For a list of tips for planning your visit to Wisconsin Dells, see the list below!

1. Purchase Kid’s Robes

2. Pack an Extra Blanket

3.Purchase some Space saver bags

4. Bring Pool Toys

5. Grab some Water Bottles

6.  Bring Your DVD’s

7. Pack some Food

8. Purchase Waterproof camera/camcorder

9. Purchase Water shoes

10. Purchase Pop-up hampers

11. Pack a Night Light

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