Six Flags Great Escape Lodge

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Why Go: It was only a matter of time before the indoor waterpark craze blew into the Northeast. With those long, cold winters and mild springs and autumns, the climate doesn’t offer many months to enjoy outdoor waterparks. Even in April and May, when the weather begins to warm, that first glorious pool day is still a long ways away. Or that’s the way it was before the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge opened last February. Now every day’s a pool day.

Six Flags Great Escape Lodge packs a surprisingly stylish punch for a theme hotel. The place has the feel of a grand Adirondack lodge, with a design that makes effective use of exposed wood, rustic-chic furnishings, wrought-iron light fixtures, and comfy, deep sofas accented with lumberjack plaids. Old-fashioned snowshoes and antique skis are tucked into corners and displayed on walls alongside period photos of local sites. In the atrium lobby, your eye drifts from the massive floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace to a big ol’ moose head mounted over a doorway to cute replicas of bear cubs and raccoons scattered here and there. And then there’s the predictable, yet somehow irresistible, appeal of 7-foot cartoon characters. Great Escape’s partnership with Looney Tunes guarantees that you’ll run into—and maybe even get a hug from—Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Taz, and Daffy as they stroll through public areas.

Show us a family that loves waterparks, and we’ll show you some folks used to waiting in long lines. No such hassles here. You have to be a hotel guest to get into the waterpark, so the place never gets overcrowded with daytrippers. This is an enormous plus, says our correspondent, Suzanne Kelleher, after spending a weekend with her family. (“You get an awful lot of bang for your buck. We occasionally waited in line for five minutes, max, and only for the most popular rides.”)

Six Flags deserves credit for delivering not only a kid-friendly, but a genuinely family-friendly, experience that goes beyond the waterpark. The desk staff is friendly and polite, the porters helpful, the lifeguards attentive and good-natured. But most impressive is how the hotel has resisted the temptation to nickel and dime its guests to death. (“The rate includes admission to the waterpark. Beyond that, it’s really up to you how much you pay for food and other extras.”) Meals are affordably priced in the restaurants and snack bars, and you can save more on your food bill by using the microwave and mini fridge in your room. The hotel has no problem with guests bringing in food purchased outside the hotel, as long as they consume it in the privacy of their suites. Prices are also reasonable in the lobby-level gift shop, which stocks the typical array of magazines, newspapers, tee-shirts, souvenirs, and stuffed toys, including Warner Brothers and Disney merchandise. There’s a weekly schedule of organized kids’ activities, all of which are free or cost a dollar or two to cover the cost of arts materials. Even the arcade isn’t the money burner you’ve learned to fear. Many games require just one token yet still seem to spew out dozens of prize tickets.

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Parents will appreciate conveniences such as the ATM in the lobby, the lockers in the waterpark, and the coin-operated laundry machines on the fourth floor. The hotel’s exercise room is open daily between 6am and 11pm. There’s even a closet full of board games that can be checked out for free. Only the spa seems to be of iffy value, with treatments priced higher than what you’re likely to pay in your hometown. Never mind. You don’t need a massage. You’re at the beach.

Getting Oriented: The lodge is located between Lake George and Queensbury, in the scenic Adirondack region of Upstate New York. It’s about 3-1/2 hours north of New York City and a 3-hour drive west of Boston. The address is on Route 9, a two-lane thoroughfare that’s chockablock with fast food chains and outlet shopping. Route 9 used to be the main corridor between New York City and Montréal before the six-lane I-87 (known locally as the Northway) was built in the 1960s. The hotel faces the Northway, just a few hundred yards away. Directly across Route 9 is Great Escape Splashwater Kingdom, an outdoor amusement park and waterpark that’s only open in the summer.

From the outside the hotel looks like a giant log cabin with a giant box attached. The grounds aren’t extensive and, when Kelleher visited, the hotel was so new that landscaping hadn’t yet started. Not that pretty flowers or shrubs would have affected her family’s experience much. When you’re inside the waterpark, it makes no difference what’s going on outside.

Getting Around: To really get your money’s worth, you’ve got to make this an indoor getaway. Plan to stay put. There are enough restaurants and food options inside the hotel that you won’t need to leave, except perhaps to restock your mini fridge. There’s ample free self-parking and also valet parking available ($3/day).

We Are Family: The 38,000-square-foot White Water Bay may be mid-size by waterpark standards, yet there’s plenty to keep a family happily occupied for days. The still-new facility is spanking fresh and clean, with an impressive attention to aesthetic details. Sculptures of fishermen, eagles, bears, and raccoons add fun and whimsy, and even the ceiling is handsomely lined with wood. During the day, immense skylights let in tons of natural light, while at night the waterpark gets floodlit like a football stadium. There’s been no scrimping on cheap pool furniture, either. Wooden Adirondack chairs line a plank boardwalk and the perimeter of the poolside area. There always seemed to be plenty of clean towels readily available, sometimes still warm from the dryer. At all times, the temperature of both water and air is maintained at a balmy 80-odd degrees.

We Are Family: The 38,000-square-foot White Water Bay may be mid-size by waterpark standards, yet there’s plenty to keep a family happily occupied for days. The still-new facility is spanking fresh and clean, with an impressive attention to aesthetic details. Sculptures of fishermen, eagles, bears, and raccoons add fun and whimsy, and even the ceiling is handsomely lined with wood. During the day, immense skylights let in tons of natural light, while at night the waterpark gets floodlit like a football stadium. There’s been no scrimping on cheap pool furniture, either. Wooden Adirondack chairs line a plank boardwalk and the perimeter of the poolside area. There always seemed to be plenty of clean towels readily available, sometimes still warm from the dryer. At all times, the temperature of both water and air is maintained at a balmy 80-odd degrees.

A special section of White Water Bay has been designed especially for babies and toddlers. Tip-A-Kanu-Beach, a 1,500-sqare-foot activity play lagoon, has a safe zero-depth entry before deepening gradually to about 18 inches of water. Baby swings, tiny waterslides, and spurting fountains are in keeping with the wildlife theme. As well-conceived as Tip-A-Kanu Beach is, you might consider whether it’s good value to take your child to a waterpark when he can only enjoy 10 percent of the facility. To really get bang for your buck, your kids should be able to use the vast majority of the park. This happens not at a certain age, but rather at a certain height: 40 inches. When a child hits this height, she’s able to take on about 90 percent of the attractions.

Even toddlers can enjoy Tak-it-eesi-Creek, the lazy river, if they’re with an adult. Kids and adults can swim or ride on large inflatable tubes while being periodically sprayed by fountains and mini waterfalls as the river winds its way through the park. If you forget to bring your child’s swim bubble, you can borrow one of the life vests that are available free to guests. While the river is shallow—varying in depth from 28 to 42 inches—the current is strong in places and it’s common to see small children clinging nervously to their parents.

Preschoolers and young school-age kids have the run of Tall Timbers Treehouse, a multi-level cedar play structure that’s replete with over 150 fun, interactive elements like arch jets, steering wheels that control fountains, hydro blasters, pull-cords that start showers, and swivel water rifles. Three of the most popular rides in the waterpark are the trio of twisting body slides that range from 137 to 156 feet long. The minimum height for these slides is 40 inches. High above the fray is an enormous wooden bucket that’s constantly being filled. Every few minutes it tips, dumping hundreds of gallons of water on the squealing crowd below.

The Kelleher family’s favorite ride was the Avalanche, a large raft ride that carries up to four people while whooshing and banking down a 382-foot twisting, turning tube with a 41-foot drop. The experience simulates a white-water rafting adventure, but in the dark. The minimum height is 42 inches unless accompanied by an adult. It’s a safe-yet-wild family ride, and Kelleher’s 3-year-old son, MacDara, couldn’t get enough of it. (“Whoa! Let’s do it again!”)

Glacier Run and Snow Shoe Falls are two side-by-side tube water slides, 287-feet and 291-feet respectively, with a 41-foot drop. In both, the rider goes down on an individual inner tube through a looping, curling dark tunnel. They both deliver a really fast ride and small kids—especially those afraid of the dark—might want to give these a pass. The minimum height is 42 inches. These rides would be even better if double rafts were available, as they are at some other waterparks, so that a parent and child could ride down together.

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Wanna catch a wave? Check out Boogie Bear Surf, the first FlowRider in the Northeast. Kids and adults can try bodyboarding or surfing on a continual sheet wave of water. Note that children have to be as tall as the boogie board (about 40 inches) to try it, and the water force is extremely powerful. Kelleher watched a few brave little kids get blasted right off the water and onto the platform. Older kids and teens fared much better, with the occasionally spectacular wipe-out. The FlowRider is best-suited for kids 9 and up.

Finally, teens and adults who want a bit of downtime can hang out at Soakum Springs, a 190-square-foot warm water spa. This area is the only letdown in the waterpark. (“The water temperature is about the same as in the lazy river.”) An adults-only hot tub would likely be a more desirable addition.

At check-in you receive a schedule of kids’ activities offered every day that week. Kids 12 and under are welcome, but those 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Most activities are geared to kids 3 to 8, and cost between nothing and two dollars. On any given week, activities might include kite making, coloring, mask making, scavenger hunts, bingo, and craft projects like stamp art, jewelry making, or creating butterflies from tissue paper.

The Star Light Arcade, located just off the lobby, is a large and expectedly noisy place. There are nearly four dozen machines of every ilk. Even preschoolers can manage most of them, and many games cost just one token to play. When the tokens are gone, your kids can exchange their winning tickets for prizes.

Throughout the entire hotel, the dress code is extremely casual. The only rule: Cover-ups and footwear are required outside the waterpark. Most people wear shorts or tunics with flip-flops or sandals, regardless of the weather outside.

Where to Eat: The hotel is commendable for delivering good food at affordable prices. (“Everything was very well-prepared and nicely presented, and we didn’t feel like we were paying through the nose.”)

• Trapper’s Adirondack Grille, on the waterpark level, is done up to evoke a bygone era of Great Adirondack Camps. It’s a tad more upscale than the hotel’s other eateries, but still quite casual. Every Sunday morning, there’s a “Brunch with Bugs” from 7am to 11am. At lunch and dinner, the kids’ menu features favorites like chicken tenders, grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, and burgers. Note: The adult dinner menu is significantly more expensive than at any other in the hotel. (Breakfast: buffet $10.95/adult, $5.95/child; Average à la carte breakfast $6.95/adult. Lunch: Average entrée $8.95/adult, $5.95/child. Dinner: Average entrée $20.95/adult, $5.95/child.)

• Tall Tales Tavern, off the lobby, was the Kellehers’ favorite place to eat. There’s an “outdoor terrace” on a balcony overlooking White Water Bay, as well as indoor seating. The same light menu is offered at both lunch and dinner, featuring appetizers like grilled shrimp and mozzarella sticks, delicious mixed salads, and hearty sandwiches. Kids get an activity placemat, crayons, and fun cups for their drinks. Service is friendly and attentive but a tad slow. (Open lunch and dinner: Average entrée $8.95/adult, $5.95/child.)

• Birch Bark Grill is the waterpark’s snack bar, with counter service only for fast fare like hot dogs, burgers, French fries, and ice cream. (Average meal $5.95/adult, $3.95/child.)

• Coffee Corner is a small breakfast bar in the library offering Green Mountain coffee and a selection of yogurts, cereal, bagels, pastries, juice, and milk. A family of four can easily fill up for under $15. (Open breakfast only.)

Room service can be ordered off the Tall Tales Tavern menu, with identical prices ($3 delivery charge, plus 15 percent tip).

Nightlife: Every evening at 8pm, little kids gather 'round the library fireplace for story time with Bugs. The selected book is typically geared to preschoolers and kindergarteners, and most kids who attend are 6 and under. Many arrive in their pajamas.

There’s no late night partying here, by design. With the exception of the front desk, the public areas of the hotel close at 11pm. Tall Tale Tavern serves food and drinks until 11pm. White Water Bay stays open until 9pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 10pm Friday and Saturday. (“After dinner is a really great time to visit the waterpark. It empties out, so you can have the place practically to yourselves.”) The arcade stays open until 10pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 11pm Friday and Saturday. Note: There’s an 11pm curfew for kids under 18 unaccompanied by an adult.

Where to Stay: The 200 suites at the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge vary in size. At the lowest level, a standard suite is big enough for a family of six. At the top end, some 2-room suites can accommodate 12 people with four queen beds, a pull-out sofa, and bunk beds.

Kelleher’s standard suite was very spacious and extremely comfortable for her family of five. It had an open layout similar to a studio apartment. At the far end of the room, there was a sleeping area with two queen beds, a small table and chairs, and a TV armoire. In the middle was a small living area with a pull-out sofa and a coffee table. The Adirondack décor from downstairs is echoed in the suites, with a similarly high attention to detail. Hanging on the wall were framed illustrations of bear, deer, and other Adirondack wildlife and even a pair of old-fashioned snowshoes. (“Our room was much more attractive than what I had expected from a theme hotel, with a lot of nice, quality touches.”) In-room entertainment includes cable TV, Nintendo ($6.95/hr), and pay-per-view movies ($8.99-$9.99). Cribs are complimentary for guests’ use on a first come, first served basis.

A small L-shaped kitchen area was defined by a peninsula with counter seating for two. There was a microwave, coffeemaker, and mini fridge, plus a stock of plastic cutlery and dishware. While not equipped for full meal-making, the kitchen was serviceable for light snacks and reheating leftovers. Two quibbles: Paper dishes would be handier, so guests could use them for microwaving food. And the tiny waste basket in the living area is laughably inadequate, given that guests inevitably bring in food.

Note: The incoming and outgoing crowds both hit the front desk at the same time, around mid-day. The hotel should strongly consider introducing express or video check-out to cut down the considerable line that stretches through the lobby.

Price Tag: To figure out whether a stay-and-play resort delivers good value, just calculate the hypothetical cost for admission to the main attraction. In this case, consider that a family of four would likely spend at least $115 for one-day passes to any top waterpark. Here, you get two days of fun with very little waiting in line. Consequently, we think this hotel offers very good value, which improves with the more time you spend in the waterpark. (For tips on how to get more for your money at indoor waterpark resorts, see More Splash, Less Cash).

Insider Tips:

1. Don’t be tempted to buy a package with tickets to the Great Escape outdoor amusement park or other local activity. To get your money’s worth, you need to stay put and use the waterpark.

2. To save on your food bill, plan to make use of the mini fridge and microwave in your suite. There are several grocery stores located on Route 9 within a mile or two of the resort.

3. If your child is not a strong swimmer, bring her swim bubble or borrow a life vest. She’ll feel safer on the lazy river.