When it came time to plan my son’s 11^th birthday, I considered doing something low-key with only the family.  After all, we did just celebrate his milestone birthday with a trip to Maine last year.  But given that our big move to Southern California happens in a couple months, and it’s one of the few times he’ll get time to spend with his friends, I wanted to celebrate this birthday in a special way.  So, instead of giving him the option for a birthday party or an experience, I decided to do both.  At first, this seemed kind of extravagant, but when I looked into my options, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t have to break the bank. That’s where the Great Wolf Lodge comes in.  When I saw a deal pop up on Groupon, I took advantage, and today, I am excited to share all the fun decorating ideas and tips I came up with to make this splash-tastic celebration memorable for him and his friends.  

Theme

Every party starts with a theme.  Our son loves to splash.  He always has, ever since he was a baby.  So, naturally, a waterpark adventure themed birthday party was the perfect theme for his special day.  

Invitation

And, with every celebration, invites are a must.  Etsy is my go-to when looking for a unique party invitation and they never disappoint.  I always find what I am looking for and for this party, it was no exception.  I fell in love with the cute design and colorful palette of this waterpark adventure invitation.  Then, all I had to do was customize it with our party details and get it printed.  

Décor

In terms of party décor, they weren’t really necessary.  But I knew that I wanted to do something to make it feel special and festive for my son and opted to personalize our decor*.  

(*Side note: When planning your birthday party, it is important to note that table availability at the Great Wolf Lodge is on a first come, first serve basis and I highly recommend getting there a few hours earlier to secure your table(s).  Additionally, you may bring in party decorations or supplies for the event.  However, the facility does not allow certain items like candles or anything that can create a hazard.  So, make sure to check with the concierge what is allowed).  

That said, here’s how I brought this simple party look together:

Table

By now you guys know that whenever I host my son’s birthday party, I like to focus on one area to create an impact and the kid’s table set-up is always my favorite to put together.  For this celebration, I bought this table decoration set from Walmart.  Not only did it fit the theme perfectly, but it allowed everything to stay cohesive.  To start, I laid the table cover.  Next, I topped it with the disposable light blue plates, utensils, and white napkins that came with the set.  After that, I placed the party favors on one side of the table to add charm and visual interest.  

Party Favors

Speaking of which, I wanted to give the kids fun, water-friendly party favors to take home, but also practical ones that can be used after the event, too.  And, it all started with these adorable swim backpacks I found on Shein.  Then, I filled them with a personalized towel, a pair of googles, flip flops, snacks, and water bottle.  They were such a hit, and the kids absolutely loved them! 

Food

In terms of food, it was easy, and everything was from the Great Wolf.  All I did was add the birthday package* to our hotel reservation which included a large pizza, drink, and cake.  I opted to add another large pizza for a little extra.

(*Side note: The package also included a birthday poster on our room door, balloons, themed plates and utensils, as well as a $40 game card for the arcade).  

Activities

Once all the kids arrived, we kicked off my son’s birthday party with lunch, followed by cake.  Then, we all beelined to the waterpark* and for the next 7 hours, they splashed around, lazed about, and went back and forth on the different water slides.  Before we knew it, it was closing time and was time to wrap up!

Once all our guests have been picked up and gone, my family and I went to dinner. We ate at Barnwood, and we all enjoyed our meals. 

Afterward, we moseyed on up to our room to enjoy it for a bit before calling it a night.  

Hotel Room

As I mentioned above, I booked an overnight stay at the Great Wolf Lodge.  While there were many rooms to choose from, I ended up reserving a standard suite and it was plenty of space for our family.  Inside, it has 2 beds, a full sleeper sofa, a microwave, and mini fridge which came in handy for our leftovers. 

There was also this cute treasure chest table that I just adored, and how about this view!

Of course, the fun doesn’t stop there because the next day, my son and I were back at the waterpark for another round of splashing, sliding, and lazing about!  

(**Side note: Overnight stays include water park passes and you can access the water park any time after opening on your arrival day and until closing time on your departure day!)

And, that’s a wrap!

If you are looking for more birthday party ideas, I linked the previous years’ parties below.

Art Themed Birthday Party

Golf Themed Birthday Party

Train Themed Birthday Party

Train Engineer Birthday Experience in Maine 

Tell me – what’s your favorite party theme?

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.  If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you).  

**Additionally, some items linked above are not the exact item shown because it is either old or sold out, but I linked similar items for those that are unavailable.