For More Information:
Joan Collins or Deb Lea
Joan Collins Publicity, Inc
(608) 222-2899
or
Erin Payne, Director of Public Relations
The Great Lakes Companies, Inc. 1.608.251.6400 ext. 175
(Wisconsin Dells, Wis.)- A Howlin’ Tornado will take Great Wolf Lodge® by storm when the six-story tall extreme water tubing ride creates a whirlwind of activity, indoors! The world’s first enclosed Howlin’ Tornado touches down in time for Thanksgiving.
Beginning at 9 a.m., November 19, adventure seekers will climb the enclosed stairwell to the top of the giant funnel, which is covered by an innovative, clear sky dome. Riders head straight into the eye of the storm on four-person tubes. They whirl, swirl, and twist back and forth several times across the 65-foot funnel, dropping 30 feet every second before shooting down through a dark tunnel to the plunge pool below. The $3 million ride is reserved for Great Wolf Lodge over night guests who are at least 42 inches tall.
“This is the first enclosed ride of its type in the world,” said Eric Lund, executive vice president of sales and marketing with developer, The Great Lakes Companies, Inc, Madison, Wis. “Only a few of the nation’s top outdoor adventure parks offer the ride. Tornado chasers can now ride out the storm and be blown away at Great Wolf Lodge year-round.”
The ride, which features a 53-foot vertical drop, won the Best New Waterpark Product Award last year at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) annual convention.
Howlin’ Tornado blows in with “blow out” lodging rates. Overnight lodging for up to six people in suites are $199, Friday and Saturday nights and $139, Sunday through Thursday nights. The Howlin’ Tornado package is valid through February 28, 2005, based on availability. Black out dates and holiday periods may apply. Reservations must be made by January 15, 2004.
Howlin’ Tornado is part of Great Wolf Lodge’s 64,000 square foot indoor entertainment area. Favorite year-round attractions include 10 water slides, seven pools, a lazy river, kiddie bumper boats, the new aqua rock climbing wall and a four-story treehouse water fort, combining 12 different levels of water-based adventure interconnected with suspension bridges, cargo nets, web crawls, and over 60 guest-activated water effects. Every few minutes, a bucket at the top of the 40-foot tall structure fills with nearly 1,000 gallons of water, tips and douses the entire fort and everyone gathered at the bottom.
The award-winning Great Wolf Lodge, which the editors of Midwest Living named an “Outstanding Family Fun Waterpark Resort” in the 2004 “Best of the Midwest” publication, also provides “dry park” fun at the indoor attraction, Wiley’s Woods. The four-story live video adventure quest features 25,000 foam balls fired from multiple air cannons, 65 game consoles, bridges, mazes and more. There is no admission fee for Lodge guests.
The 309-room log Lodge also offers a full-service Aveda® Concept Salon & Spa; Iron Horse Fitness Room; Buckhorn Exchange Gift Shop; Loose Moose Bar & Grill; Bear Claw Café; Youkon Jack’s Arcade with ticket redemption; Wolf’s Den Snack Bar and Bîko’s 3-D Theater. An active Cub Club provides crafts, live entertainment, and bedtime storytelling following a 13-minute performance by the animated clock tower in the Grand Lobby.
Great Wolf Lodge is part of America’s Largest Family of Indoor Waterpark Resorts operated by The Great Lakes Companies, Inc. Other resorts include: Great Wolf Lodge, Sandusky, Ohio; Kansas City, Kan.; Traverse City, Mich.; Williamsburg, Va., (opening 2005); the Pocono Mountains, Pa., (opening 2005); Niagara Falls, Ontario, (opening 2006); and Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Centerä, Sheboygan, Wis.
Great Wolf Lodge is near the intersection of Highway 12 and I-90/94 at the entrance to Wisconsin Dells. For more information or to make a reservation call 800-559-9653, or log on to www.greatwolflodge.com for a list of activities and specials.
