Great Wolf Lodge Breakfast Review: What’s Worth Eating (and What to Skip)

For my youngest son's fifth b-day, we took a trip to Naples Florida and spent a few days at Great Wolf Lodge. The company runs a nice little promotion that allows you to bundle your stay with food and activity packages. We opted to get the one with the breakfast buffet as my wife vaguely recalled it being delicious when we visited the location in North Carolina a few years back.

The dining experience overall was a mixed bag. A lot of the food was what you would expect from a buffet. Low quality produce and meats to keep costs to a minimum for the restaurant. Even the juice bar tasted like a giant budget cut. The orange juice was so sweet it tasted like Kool-Aid with half a bag of sugar added. The fruits were fresh...I think but somehow tasted like they resided in a can for a few months.

All wasn't lost, however, there were a few winners on the menu that saved the experience for me and made it worth visiting the second day of our stay. Though I already paid for 2 days so I would've probably gone anyway...even if I found out they were serving fried bat.

The Best Food At Great Wolf Lodge's Breakfast

I went into this trip ready to be disappointed. Maybe I’m getting jaded, but it seems like every "inclusive" deal lately is a money-saving scheme for the resort, not the guest. That said, the omelette and brisket combo surprised me.

Omelette - The omelettes here are surprisingly good. I ordered a veggie omelette with American cheese, but if I wasn't cutting weight, I would have opted for something with meat. The veggies were great and the cheese, though they used sliced and shredded, was tasty and complimented the texture.
Brisket - Man, who would've thought buffet brisket would be worth writing about. But this brisket was almost normal restaurant quality. It was a big step above Arby's and served with delicious BBQ sauce. I couldn't tell if it was a house sauce or just Sweet Baby Ray's with a twist, but it was well worth it and paired wonderfully with the omelette.
Mini Muffins - I personally loved these. I would take just the muffin tops from the chocolate ones and eat them with just a little butter on the bottom.
French Toast Sticks - I didn’t expect much here, but they were warm, crispy on the outside, and soaked up syrup like champs. Not too eggy either, which is where most buffets mess up.
Apple Danish - The apple danishes were almost on par with the Apple Pies you get from McDonalds. It was flaky, flavorful, and actually tasted like real apples might have been involved in its creation. These were great, just stay away from its ugly cousin, the cheese danish.
Chicken Nuggets – Kudos to them for even having nuggets at a breakfast buffet. But these were a far cry from what you get from McDonaldsThey were tasteless but the fact that they were there was enough for me.
Seasoned Patatoes – These go great with the made-to-order Omelettes. They were perfectly cooked but will fill you up quick, so tread lightly if you're early on in your visit.

What To Avoid At All Costs

Not everything was a win. Some items were straight-up cafeteria quality. Here’s what you might want to skip:

Scrambled Eggs – Dry and rubbery. Probably powdered. My five-year-old said they "felt weird on his tongue." Enough said.
Sausage Links – Greasy, chewy, and oddly bland. I don’t know how you mess up sausage, but they found a way.
Fruit Bar – Looked pretty. Tasted like disappointment. Maybe it was just a bad batch, but it felt like flavor had left the building.
Oatmeal – I've never been to prison before but I'm sure something like this is being served in Cell Block D as you read this. I would show a picture but I fear I'd be de-monetized and possibly sued.
Tater Tots – These tasted microwave and didn't have much crisp to them at all. If you're craving something hasbrown-like, stick to their seasoned patatoes.
Pancakes – I don't like a ton of toppings on my pancakes, just syrup, butter, and the occassional banana. As such, the batter and consistency of the pancake matter a great deal to me and these were too firm for me. It tasted like someone forgot to add an egg or milk to the batter when preparing. But, kids may enjoy it as their topping bar is extensive. You can forget about the consistency after piling marshmallows, chocolate, and sweets on top of it.

Chicken Nuggets and Tater Tots at Great Wolf Lodge

The Fruit Bar at Great Wolf Lodge

How To Save Money on Breakfast, Lunch, and Lodging

If you’re traveling with family, bundling is the move. The Wolf Pass or Pup Pass includes breakfast and a bunch of kid-friendly activities—arcade credits, gem mining, even Build-A-Bear if you want to blow the budget. We saved about $60 by bundling breakfast in versus paying a la carte, and you won’t have to scramble for food first thing in the morning.

If you’re local or not staying overnight, you can still eat there. Just call ahead and make sure the breakfast buffet is open to outside guests. Sometimes they close it off during peak seasons. However, in most cases if you plan on using the amenities or jumping into the water park a few times it's more economical to grab a room.

You can save even more if you go during the weekday vs weekend. For example, we were originally going to stay Friday - Sunday at a rate of $438 per night. But, by simply switching our stay to Thursday - Saturday the rates dropped to $223 per night. So, if your dates aren't set in stone already try to get in on one of the more boring days of the week. It can save you hundreds.

How Much Is Breakfast At Great Wolf Lodge?

Prices vary by location and season, but expect to pay around $24.99 for adults and $14.99 for kids at a minimum. Infants and toddlers under 3 usually eat free. That said, the value really depends on how much your group eats. For my kids, we got our money’s worth in muffins alone. If you go with one of their specials, like we did, you'll pay a little less than $100 per visit.

Is Gratuity Included At Great Wolf Lodge?

Yes, gratuity is baked into your purchase when you buy the meal add-on package. In our case, we purchased breakfast for two days and saw a charge of $17.10 applied to each meal. So, there's no need to tip any extra for your meal. But, I'm sure the servers would appreciate a little extra cash on the table. Particularly if your toddler left a flurry of syrup, muffin crumbles, juice and more in their wake.

Is The Menu The Same At All Great Wolf Lodges Nationwide?

Nope. There are some core items you’ll find everywhere—like waffles, omelettes, and mini muffins—but the meats, pastries, and sides may differ. Naples had brisket. Our last trip to North Carolina didn’t. So your mileage may vary.

Is The Breakfast Buffet At Great Wolf Lodge Worth It?

If you’ve got picky eaters or a hungry crew, absolutely. You’ll save time and probably money by not scrambling to find breakfast off-site. But if you’re expecting resort-level quality across the board, you might be disappointed. Think upgraded cafeteria food, not five-star dining. Still, the vibe is great for families, and there are enough wins on the menu to justify the visit.