Determine the other activities you want to do outside of the hotel.
Do you plan to go boating or to Cedar Point? The location of Castaway Bay, owned and operated by Cedar Fair, who also owns Cedar Point is very close to the Cedar Point Amusement Park. You will only need to travel across the causeway and through the parking lot to reach the Cedar Point gates. Cedar Fair typically offers packages with tickets to the park with a Castaway Bay stay. In contrast, Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge are a 10-20 minute drive to State Route 250. Both of these hotels are between State Route 2 and the Ohio Turnpike on SR 250. If you want to stay at these resorts and take a break in the middle of the day while you are at Cedar Point it will take you much longer if you are staying at the SR 250 hotels. Castaway Bay is also adjacent to a marina. There are boat slips available for rental.
Ask yourself and your family the most important features they want in a waterpark hotel prior to booking your reservations.
Is price, relaxation, room size, food, size of the waterpark, or slides and attractions at the waterpark the most important feature?
Kalahari is not only the largest indoor waterpark in Sandusky it is also one of the largest in the United States. The other department that Kalahari is tops is the number of slides and attractions, the size of the arcade, and the size of their largest suites. Great Wolf Lodge is second in waterpark size, arcade size, and size of their largest suites. Castaway Bay has 6 person suites and has a very nice size indoor waterpark, definitely worthy of this group of resorts.
Is it important to your group that there are outdoor water attractions?
If you plan to visit during the summer months and outdoor water attractions are high on your list, consider booking at Kalahari. Their outdoor area is a waterpark in itself. As you can image, since many people enjoy the outdoor area, the indoor attractions become less crowded. The younger kids slide area is one of the best you will find.
Are you a younger family looking for a friendly place to go?
Consider booking a room at Great Wolf Lodge where the waterpark has smaller slides and areas for younger children. Everything about
the result makes things easier for younger children including the attractions, slides, entry to the waterpark, parking, and locker rooms.
They have some nice medium size slides that cater to 4 to 7 year olds. There are also some great big slides for the parents or an older sibbling.
Consider the food choices of each resort.
If you plan to spend more that a few days at the resort, you may enjoy the food options at the resort. Although some prefer to bring their own food, especially at Kalahari in their Village or Combination Suites. Castaway Bay has the most food options with Kalahari being a close second. Great Wolf Lodge has a few options and other nearby dining.
Evaluate the special features of each resort
Castaway Bay: You are staying on Cedar Fair property, in the summer months enough said, right next door to Cedar Point.
Great Wolf Lodge: Very friendly staff, evening animatronic show to rival a Disney attraction, Very well themed, Great kids rooms.
Kalahari: Indoor wave pool, outdoor waterpark, indoor Tree Top softplay 5 story climbing area, supurb theming, better than the best Disney resort.
