Wilderness Territory
Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort is a large water resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. It is one of the largest indoor waterpark complexes in the world with a combined size of 240,000 square feet (22,000 m2). It is part of a chain of two resorts, the newer and smaller one being Wilderness at the Smokies in Tennessee. The chain also includes four small outdoor waterparks.
Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort | |
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Former names | Wilderness Territory |
General information | |
Location | Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin |
Coordinates | 43.58655°N 89.78294°W |
Opened | 1995 |
Other information | |
Number of rooms | 1,163 |
Timeline
In 1995, the Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort opened for business along U.S. Highway 12 (Wisconsin Dells Parkway) with a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) water park named Fort Wilderness. In 1999, the hotel added its second indoor waterpark, Klondike Kavern, and an additional sixty guest rooms.
In 2002, the resort opened the Wild West region of the hotel which has 162 guest rooms. It also includes Dodge ‘Em City, a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) indoor play park featuring Timberland Playhouse and Lake Wilderness outdoor waterpark. In 2003, the Wild West Waterpark opened for business.
In 2003, a 108-condominium, upscale resort, called Wilderness on the Lake, opened for business. It is home to Cubby's Cove, a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) indoor/outdoor waterpark complete with an Infinity pool overlooking Lake Delton.
In the summer of 2005, to mark the resort's 10th anniversary, the Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort opened two thrill rides, the Hurricane and Black Hole waterslides.
In April 2006, the Wilderness opened its largest indoor waterpark yet, the Wild WaterDome. This 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m2) waterpark is home to a large indoor wave pool, the Dueling Mammoths family raft ride, and a toddler play 'n spray area. The waterpark also features a FoilTec roof that is permeable to UV rays, allowing people to tan indoors. The resort also closed Fort Wilderness Waterpark, its first indoor waterpark.
In July 2006, Glacier Canyon Lodge, the Wilderness's third property, opened along with a 3.2 acre outdoor waterpark called the Lost World.
In 2008, the Wilderness unveiled Wild Rock Golf Club, a championship 18-hole course containing a difficult hole 17 called "Boneyard North", and renovated the Klondike Kavern waterpark.
In 2009, the Wilderness unveiled three indoor, 3-D, blacklight mini-golf courses, an outdoor mini-golf course, go-karts and a zip line adventure. The resort also opened Tombstone Town Haunted Hotel and Mineshaft Mirror Maze.
In 2010, the Wilderness renovated all of the Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort guest rooms.
In 2012, the Wilderness opened the Northern Lights Sky Ropes Course, located in the Wild West region of the hotel. The resort also added the Lunar Loop and Cosmic Drop extreme thrill slides, and Pro Slide SuperLoopers in the Lost World Outdoor Waterpark.
Today, the Wilderness Territory occupies over 600 acres (2.4 km2) of land and provides guests with 1,163 lodging options among its three main properties (Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, Wilderness on the Lake and Glacier Canyon Lodge), in addition to its freestanding Vacation Villas, Cabins and New Frontier Condominiums. The Territory is home to four indoor and four outdoor waterparks totaling nearly 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2). The resort also features Wild Rock Golf Club, and the Wilderness Woods Par 3 Family Course. A skywalk is connected to the Glacier Canyon Lodge, and boats take guests to the Wilderness on the Lake Resort.
Resort Areas
New Frontier Area
This area is themed after Western United States forests and mountain ranges. Its buildings are painted brown with highlights of green and black.
Features
Klondike Kavern Indoor Waterpark
- 65,000 square feet (6,000 m2)
- Klondike-themed
- Klondike Krash, two 500 ft (150 m) tube slides
- Mine Shaft Drop, two high speed body slides
- Bonanza Brook, a 500 ft (150 m) lazy river
- Bonanza Bluff, an interactive water play structure
- The Hurricane, a 2–4 rider, multi-sensory ProSlide Tornado. This is a separately themed ride from the rest of the waterpark, similarly to its sister ride, Black Hole.
- Sulfur Springs, Indoor/Outdoor Spas & Pools
- Kodiak Kanteen, snack bar
Wild WaterDome Indoor Waterpark
- 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2)
- Beach-themed
- Transparent roof, for tanning and plant growth
- The Great Wave, wave pool
- Mini-Mammoths Cove, a zero-depth toddler activity area
- The Dueling Mammoths, racing family raft rides
- Survivor's Bar & Grill
- Wooly's Eatery, snack bar
- Private cabanas
- Margarita's Swim-Up Bar (opened in Summer 2014) [1]
New Frontier Outdoor Waterpark
- 110,000 square feet (10,000 m2)
- Gold Rush Tube Slide, a 400 ft (120 m) enclosed tube slide
- Gold Rush Body Slide, a mostly-open body slide
- Timber Falls Tube Slide, a tube slide that launches off a 30-foot tower
- Prospector's Creek, a 600-foot (180 m) lazy river
- Toddler's Cove, a zero-depth play area
- Banana Slides, short body slides for small children.
- New Frontier Springs, a large hot spa
- Bear Foot Island Sprayground, an oasis area for children under 48" and their parents
- Raccoon Saloon
New Frontier Atrium
Guestroom Area
- Polka Dot Pots, children's pottery studio
Wild West Area
This area is themed after the American West in the 1800s and its buildings are painted crimson with brown highlights.
Features
Wild West Indoor Waterpark
- 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2)
- Western gold mine-themed
- Wilderness Express, tube slide
- Fantastic Voyage family raft ride
- The Black Hole, a single-rider, multi-sensory ProSlide CannonBowl, separately themed from the rest of the waterpark
- Wild West Body Slides, four high-speed slides
- Ransack Ridge, an interactive water-play structure
- Wild West Bumper Boats
- High Plains Hot Springs, an indoor/outdoor spa
- Grizzly's Grill, snack bar
- The Thirsty Buffalo Saloon, restaurant
Lake Wilderness Outdoor Waterpark
- 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2)
- Rafter's Rage Tube Slide, a 300-foot (91 m) tube slide
- Rafter's Rage Body Slide, a 220-foot (67 m) body slide
- Lil' Chutes Banana Slides, two side-by-side body slides for little ones
- A children's wading pool with hands on water features
- Island Pool, a 13,000 square feet (1,200 m2) lazy lake complete with sideline play activities and built-in lounging ridge
- A lap pool and water basketball
- Lily pad obstacle walk
- Volleyball pool
- Hot spas
- Mackinac Tap & Snack Shack
- Midway Macs Outdoor Grill
- 9 private poolside cabanas available for rent
Wild West Atrium
- Northern Lights Arcade
- Timberland Play Park, children's play structure
- Mini-Golf, two indoor, glow-in-the-dark, mini-golf courses, one pirate-themed and one western-themed.
- Pistol Pete's Ice Cream
- Thirsty Buffalo Bar And Grill
- Goody Gum Drop Candy Shoppe, privately owned
- OP's Marketplace, convenience store
- The Trading Post, gift shop
- Giddy-Up Pub
- CyVRspace, a virtual reality arena
Guestroom Area
- Fitness Center
Wilderness on the Lake
Wilderness on the Lake is an upscale, 108 condominium resort. The property features a 35,000 square feet (3,300 m2) indoor/outdoor waterpark, called Cubby's Cove, which features a pool overlooking Lake Delton. This area is only connected to the main resort by a 10-minute shuttle bus ride, year-round, and a ferry service in the summer. The area is built to appeal to young adults with small children.
Glacier Canyon Lodge
The newest resort of the three Wilderness properties located on the Wilderness Territory, this facility is a condominium resort with 460 units. It has an outdoor waterpark (Lost World), which with an interactive river, three hot tubs, activity pools, and Halley's Comet Racers. This area also includes a 55,661-square-foot (5,171.1 m2) Conference Center, a mega-arcade, go-karts, and nature trails. Half of this area is owned by Wilderness Territories, the other half is owned by Wyndham Resorts.
Features
Lost World Outdoor Waterpark
- Largest outdoor waterpark, spanning 3.2 acres
- Dinosaur-themed
- Lost World Adventure River, an interactive lazy river
- Halley's Comet Racers, a four lane mat racing slide
- Fossil Falls, a play-'n-spray structure with a 750-gallon tipping bucket
- Crocodile Cove, an island pool designed for lounging
- Dino Mania, an area with water basketball, lily pad water walk activity, and two sport slides
- 15 private, poolside cabanas available for rent
- Lunar Loop and The Cosmic Drop, two 5-story body slides with launch capsules
- Three outdoor hot spas
- The Big Dig Restaurant
- Dinosaur Crossing Restaurant
- T-Rex Retreat
- Jurassic Joe's
Outdoor Area
- Go-Karts and Kiddie-Karts
- Jurassic outdoor mini-golf
- Wyndham outdoor pool
- Jurassic Journey Nature Trail
- Lost Canyon Zipline
- Picnic area
- Lost Canyon Carriage Tours, private, not advertised by Wilderness, only accessible outside the resort. The land is leased to Lost Canyon Riding Stable by Wilderness Territory.
GCL Conference Center
- Conference Center
- Bean Bodega Coffee Shop
- Convenience store
Wyndham Lobby
- Canyon Ridge Tap Room And Restaurant
- Campside Coffee Shop
Wilderness Wing
- OP's Fresh Market (coffee and quick foods)
- The Trading Post Retail Store (clothing, shoes, swimwear, hats, souvenirs and toys)
- The Candy Cabin (hand-dipped chocolates, caramel apples, and more)
- Fitness center
Outlots
- Field's Premier Steakhouse, part of the Wilderness resort, on Wilderness property.
- Sarento's Italian Restaurant, part of the Wilderness Resort, short shuttle bus down the road.
- Monk's At The Wilderness restaurant, private, advertised by Wilderness as part of the resort, on Wilderness property.
Wilderness Transportation System
The Wilderness operates a shuttle bus system with three lines:
- Blue Line - between the main campus and Wilderness On The Lake
- Red Line - between the main campus, Sundara Inn And Spa, Wild Rock Golf Course, Wilderness Condos, and Wilderness Vacation Villas.
- Green Line - between the main campus, Glacier Canyon Lodge, and Wyndham Glacier Canyon. Stops at many more locations on the main campus than the other two lines.
In addition, Wilderness Territory operates a ferry service called Wilderness Water Shuttle between the Wild Rock Golf Course, Wilderness On The Lake, and two other Lake Delton harbors during the summer.