On Vacation With the Sleepys

It's that time of year again - time for vacation with the Sleepys. This year, we decided to stay a little closer to home and so, after much thought, settled on a short trek down to Great Wolf Lodge. Or, as it shall now and forever be known to me: Mostly Adequate Wolf Lodge.

Granted, we just got here today, so have yet to experience the wonders and joys that are the water park (and I'm sure elder boy will adore that and younger will enjoy some splashy splashy himself. I'm less excited for my own self thinking of all the whale rescue groups that are liable to be called when I appear on the pseudo-beach all decked out in my bathing apparel. Honestly, I really wish we could go back to the bathing suits that had knees.) Regardless, the accommodations are, shall we say, not up to the par of this particular hotel princess.

Oh yes, I admit I'm a princess. My preferred hotel is a Hampton Inn. That has the perfect amount of luxury and cleanliness and function over form. And typically you can get a suite there (reference princess: now with kids having a separate bedroom is a needed item. Stick kids in bedroom at bed time, grown ups hang out in main room until their bedroom. Kids sleep, grown ups don't have to huddle around the light of a laptop shushing the children until they also sleep) for a reasonable price (especially for what you're getting.)

Here at the MAWL, we have a "Wolf Den Suite". This means that there is a little portion of the room walled off to look like a cave and inside is a bunkbed for the kids. In theory, AWESOME. In practice...a little less so. See, said cave has a window and a doorway but no coverings for either. And both our kids are used to sleeping in the dark. As in super dark. (Ok, this is slightly less true for the older boy, but the younger seriously must have pitch black to sleep.) So still, in effect, a suite - but considerably less useful in terms of grownups not having to hover around the light of the laptop. The older boy has already been out of bed twice to ask when we're going to bed (stern warnings and dire consequences explained if he doesn't go to sleep - but I can still hear him in there talking to himself and generally screwing around and if he doesn't get to sleep soon we very well may just pack up and go home because honestly if he doesn't sleep, he's going to be a terror tomorrow and the water park will not be fun for anyone.) I suspect this is because it's not truly separate from our room and thus the light and marginal noise of the keyboards is enough to give him something to focus on and thus keep him from sleeping.

Beyond that...I'd rate the quality level somewhere around a Best Western. And really, there's nothing wrong with a Best Western. I grew up staying in a Motel 6 or that ilk on our trips (if we didn't camp) so it's not as if there's anything wrong with this place - it's just not what I'd prefer and, for the price of the room...I had higher expectations.

Hopefully the water park will live up to those a little better - otherwise to quote numerous characters in Star Wars, "I've got a baaad feeling about this."

At least we're not that far from home.