Wisconsin Dells - How is it?

[Verolovesdisney]

Hello all,

I've been reading up on "the Dells", and it seems like a pretty neat place to go. Has anyone visited, and be able to anwser the follwoing?

- How much time should one spend there. We would be driving in from quite far away (Ottawa, Canada, about 14hrs drive), so I'd want enough do to there to spend a week.
- Are most of the waterparks appropriate for a 5 year old and an 8 year old?
- We kind of like the korney stuff, so how is the Dells Downtown "Strip"? Lots of acrades and gift shops and stuff?

I guess that basically I am looking to find out if the dells is worth the vacation $$ we would spend there. Any feedback would be great.

Richard

[dundeehunter]

Richard,
If your family LOVES water, then the Dells is the place to come! My family lives about 2 hours away and we will vacation in the Dells ourselves, but usually for a weekend, not an entire week. You can make a week's worth of vacation though. Please PM me and I can give you more information. The water parks are in-doors and outdoors both. Your children will find more than enough to do there. Yes, downtown has many corny things to occuppy your time. When we are visiting WDW, we by-pass Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach due to our experience in the Dells. Wisconsin Dells truly is the WaterPark Capital!!! You and the family will not be disappointed...however, one warning...it can be pricey.
Tammy

[Jeff G]

I've been to the Dells many times and there are some very fun things but there are also some really cheesy things and it can get very expensive fast.

The old Main Street has a lot of shops that sell t's & sweatshirts & nick knacks, candy stores, a Wax museum, a Ripley's Believe it Not and a couple of very cheesy horror houses. It's OK to walk but gets repetitive.

A few of the things we enjoy:

* The upper & lower Dells boat trips. I believe the upper allows you to get out and tour the rock formations.
* The ducks which are boats that can run on land and in the water.
* The Go Cart tracks.
* The Tommy Barlet show is fun with water skiing and a variety show including acrobats and eats up an evening.
* Just a short drive to Baraboo is the Circus Museum which my kids really like.
* Devils Lake State Park is close and offers really neat scenery and hiking trails along with a nice beach(a cheap day too).
* Pirates Cove miniature golf course is fun.

Did I mention the water parks? There are a bunch to choose from. This is where the cost really comes in. You could stay at some hotels with water parks that will run up to $200+/night but then you don't need water park passes or if your staying several nights then you could choose a smaller hotel and just by water park passes for one day. A place I'd recommend would be Treasure Island Hotel, in the past with the room you got free admission into the indoor/outdoor water park plus unlimited Go Cart rides. We saved a lot going this route a few years back.

There is a lot more to do but just to for warn you nothing is cheap and it can get very expensive FAST.

I grew up at the Dells at least a week a summer as a kid and thought it was the best place ever. As an adult I find it to be a huge tourist trap but being only an hour a way we end up there a few days a year.

If you decide to give this a try PM me and I can work on finding coupons for you, a friend of mine is a radio sales rep and sometimes can get a lot of free passes.

[brewcrew26]

Growing up in Wisconsin, the Dells is that must-do summer vacation stop. While it is kitschy and very touristy, with people from all over Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota, it is still uber-fun.

My favorite water park is Noah's Ark. DH and I went three times last summer (and we're in our late 20s). They've got this really cool water coaster called the Anaconda. It will take your breath away. Plus, the wave pools are lots of fun.

We also will just go up for a day to go mini-golfing. There's 96 holes alone at the Pirate's Cove. It's not as impressive as the Pirate's Cove on I-Drive, but for central Wisconsin, it's cool. There's a deal where you can save money by doing all five courses. I forget how much it was.

There's also another place next to Pirate's Cover, I think it's called Timber Ridge Mini-Golf. It's also got a roller coaster and water ride.

We weren't that impressed by the Treasure Island hotel and the adjacent water park (it used to be Family Land), but it's called Mount Olympus now. It just wasn't worth the price we paid for a weekend and it was packed. But if you like go-karts and roller coasters, then it might be more your family's thing.

Another not-to-be-missed is Paul Bunyan's restaurant for our family. Totally kitschy. But, you eat at this logging camp, family-style meals. Huge pancakes, large portions, drinking milk out of tin cans. I remember the dinner to be fairly good, too.

My recommendations for accomodations would be the Kalahari or Wilderness resort. They can be pricy, but they have a lot to do on-site, as well. Restaurants, spas, activities for kids. The kalahari had baby tigers in the lobby and there were people on-hand to answer kid's questions.

If you're planning, call 1-800-22-DELLS, and ask for the free planning guide. It basically will give you maps, discounts, and all the attractions and activities you could think of. Or, visit http://wisdells.com

Have fun!!

[DonaldsWife]

We have been to the Dells three times since moving to the midwest and had a blast each time! We stayed at Great Wolf twice and Wilderness on the Lake once. We loved both resorts, but the condo we rented at Wilderness on the Lake was fabulous! Wilderness has several indoor and outdoor waterpark options, so our 3DDs never got bored. There is even a small beach and water shuttle to take you to one of the waterparks. There is a lovely infinity pool overlooking Lake Delton, as well.
While the condo was a little pricey, all of the resorts waterparks are included, and we cooked several meals in the condo which cuts down on eating out costs. Hope this helps! Have a great trip!