Great Wolf Lodge - Pocono Mountains Unveils " Great Wolf Story Explorers"

SCOTRUN, Pa., Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing that today's children are growing up in a world where touch-screen tablet, smartphone-using parents expose them to the newest technologies at the youngest ages, Great Wolf Resorts®, Inc. (NASDAQ: WOLF), North America's largest family of indoor water park resorts, today unveiled its newest attraction, called "Great Wolf Story Explorers."  Designed with this young, tech-savvy generation in mind, Great Wolf Story Explorers™ is a modern-day adaptation of the classic storytelling experience, but using technology that's undeniably futuristic.  The new attraction blends the best of classic storytelling, interactive engagement, and imagination into a fully participatory, hi-tech experience that's first-of-its-kind.  Great Wolf Story Explorers is being debuted at Great Wolf Lodge® - Pocono Mountains, PA., with plans for future installation at other Great Wolf Lodge locations.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110926/CG74835)

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110628/CG27475LOGO)

"The family entertainment landscape is evolving just as rapidly as the technology used by our guests, and that changes expectations entirely," said Kim Schaefer, CEO of Great Wolf Resorts.  "Great Wolf Story Explorers is our expression of how the power of imagination combined with cutting-edge technology can captivate the minds of a whole generation of children who have grown up experiencing entertainment in ways never before seen."

Built upon a proprietary software platform developed by Creative Kingdoms, creator of the resort's popular MagiQuest® game, the attraction not only takes its young guests on an adventure throughout the resort, but makes the experience fully interactive by making the players the main characters.  Unlike traditional interactive story-telling, the "explorer" is fully integrated into their chosen story and has the ability to choose their particular course.

The experience begins with the young "explorer" choosing a plush toy, which becomes the child's companion.  Players then pause to strike several pre-determined poses for a camera before becoming the main character in an interactive story which will lead them through a series of video screens.  As they move from location to location, they must scan the RFID wristband worn by their plush toy at the various video screens.  

Each time the RFID wristband is scanned, an animated video character comes to life on -screen, tells more of the story, and guides players to the next stop.  The story, which was developed in collaboration with Creative Kingdoms, is told entirely by the animated characters in the game's video screens.  The same characters are the resort's animal mascots known as the Great Wolf Kids®.  After completing the entire storybook, players are given a keepsake of their adventure: A personalized storybook which integrates the photos taken at the beginning of their adventure with the actual story illustrations, literally making them the main characters in the story.  

"What's really exciting about Great Wolf Story Explorers is that it never really ends," said Maggie Moore, corporate director of kids experience for Great Wolf Resorts.  "Not only do explorers get to take their plush animals and storybooks home, but there will be new stories for them to experience during future visits.  This is just the first of many stories yet to come."

The installation of Great Wolf Story Explorers at the company's Pennsylvania resort is the final phase in a capital project that added over $2.1 million in resort enhancements this year, including a six-lane, scaled-down bowling alley called "Ten Paw Ally," expanded birthday party space in its Scooops Kid Spa, and the remodel of many existing areas throughout the facility.  

Story Explorers is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Although a usual experience can take anywhere from one to two hours, there is no time limit to the game, and group and birthday party packages are available.

More information can be found online at http://www.greatwolf.com/poconos.

About Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.® (NASDAQ: WOLF), Madison, Wis., is North America's largest family of indoor waterpark resorts, and, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns, licenses  and/or operates its family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge® brand.  Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; the Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Wash.; and Concord, N.C.

The company's resorts are family-oriented destination facilities that generally feature 300 to 600 rooms and a large indoor entertainment area measuring 40,000 to 100,000 square feet.  The all-suite properties offer a variety of room styles, arcade/game rooms, fitness rooms, themed restaurants, spas, supervised children's activities and other amenities.  The company's consolidated subsidiary, Creative Kingdoms, LLC, is a developer and operator of technology-based, interactive quest adventure experiences such as MagiQuest®.

Additional information may be found on the company's Web site at www.greatwolf.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amanda Roark, Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Ph: 608-852-7249, email: [email protected]

Angie Amberg, Fleishman-Hillard.
Ph: 314-982-8646, email: [email protected]

SOURCE Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.