Wisconsin Dells - Ottawa,IL

I would stay at the Waterpark - that way you don't have to worry about driving, and the admission to the waterpark is free. If you stay somewhere cheaper, it will probably end up costing the same after you pay for the waterpark. Plus, you generally get to go into the waterpark an hour before it opens (fewer people) and you don't have to worry that you've forgotten something or need to run back to your room for a second or for a nap. :)

Places like Great Wolf have zero depth entry pools for the little ones. Most of them also have playgrounds in the water that your three year old will enjoy. I think some of them have day care services for your infant, too, if *you* want to actually be able to play.

If I remember correctly, Great Wolf is only open to people who stay at the hotel. We have gone to Kalahari (great), and Chula Vista (my favorite of the three we've gone to). We've never gone in the summertime, so we've always been at indoor parks - but in September it still may be warm enough for outdoor parks.

Have fun!

It would be a good idea to stay at Great Wolf. Their waterpark is included in the price of your hotel room. Also nice for convenience. If your younger kids need a break you just need to walk up to your room.

We just got back from the Great Wolf Lodge 2 weeks ago. It was our 3rd time going there. We have a 2 year old and it's the perfect size for him. Kalahari is way too big for him. We think the Great Wolf is just right. It was nice to be able to take my son up to our room when it was nap time. As far as other things to do, I highly recommend the Duck Boats. My son loved it! It was my favorite thing, too. We also went to the Deer Park (my son loved feeding the deer and goats), walked around downtown and went to the Circus Museum. The Circus Museum actually puts on a miniature circus everyday. The only bad thing about it is that the Circus Museum could be an all day event. We only stayed for a couple of hours because my son needed a nap. For places to eat, we ate at Buffalo Phil's, which is right in front of Great Wolf. Your kids will love it there! If you get the right table, a train brings you your food. We didn't get a table next to the train, but we could still see it and my son loved watching it. Also, Loose Moose. They have great food. We also went to Uno Pizza, which was ok, but not my favorite. Great Wolf also has a Pizza Hut in the hotel for lunch and dinner. For breakfast, it's called Camp Critter and it's a breakfast buffet. It's awesome! We always go there. They make omelets right in front of you. One other thing we always do is go to the outlet mall which is next to Great Wolf. I always find a ton of good deals there. They have a Disney Outlet Store there that I always find good sales at. Last time I went there I got my son tshirts for $2.99 each! If you have any other questions, please feel free to message me! Have fun!

We've been to the Kalahari a bunch of times! LOVED IT! The best water park in my opinion. I think I read in a magazine that it's the largest one in the US!

They have a ton to do for all ages. Even "doorway" type jumpers in the water for babies to enjoy. They have areas that are made for younger kids that your 3year old would enjoy as well. And a BUNCH of slides, surfing, etc. for big kids/ adults.

They have a big "wave" type entrance where you walk in like you would at a beach! So kids can get used to the water easily. Their lazy river is HUGE too!

Since we've been there last they've even added a huge indoor amusement type park with rides, mini golf and more. And if you check in the lobby, they run different programs and games throughout the day for free!

It's best to stay AT a hotel that has a nice water park. We would go back to the room from time to time if we got tired then. The last time we stayed we actually stayed in a suite that had 3 bedrooms and a kitchen, dining room, and living room. IT WAS GREAT! We brought our own food and saved money that way. Just put something in the crockpot and forget about it!

Check them out online for more info and pricing.

If you do something off the hotel grounds, check out the duck boat rides. That was fun and even our 2 1/2 year old daughter enjoyed it.

PS> We stayed at the Chula Vista once and we all hated it. The water was soooo cold that our daughter was actually blue in just a few minutes. None of us stayed in long because it just wasn't fun. And the water park is quite small..................

I have been to Great Wolf about 6 times- I recommend staying there, so you don't have to leave the hotel when your little ones need to take a nap. I have also stayed at the Kalahari, but felt it was much larger and geared towards a bit older. They have a storytime at night, and your 3 & 7 year old will enjoy that. Also, there is a craft area that you can pop in on for free as well, if you want a break from the water.

The restaurant there is okay- we usually go to the Moose Pub (I may not have the name exactly right) a few minutes away, which has food for everyone.

Have fun!!

I'd stay AT the waterpark too. It's much easier to schlepp everything from your room, rather than dealing with driving and carting it all. Then with the LOs need a nap, you can take them back to the room for a real nap instead of making due at the waterpark. Another option, some of them have "cabanas" you can rent...they have tables, chairs, tvs...i.e. a place to drop all your stuff where the LOs could nap on a lounge chair away from everyone else. They aren't totally secluded, but may be worth the extra money considering how many small children you'll have.

We love Kalahari. It may not be the cheapest, but it's all in one building and has lots to offer. Some others are more outdoors, or have several buildings/separate water parks. We like the one stop location.

When you get your room I'd suggest asking for one closest to the water park entrance. It will help you to have a shorter distance to walk.

Also, we bought a HUGE duffle bag with back wheels. We filled it with all of our stuff and it was easy to tow instead of having to carry bags in. The stroller quickly gets filled up.

I think one of the benefits of staying at a place like Great Wolf or the Wilderness is that, if your 4 month old or 3 yo need naps, you can just take the baby to the room while the other parent stays with the 7 year old.