The No. 1 complaint from Manteca residents leading up to the opening of the Great Wolf indoor water park resort in 2020 was the inability to access the amenities without booking a room.

The resort has always offered half day (4 p.m., to closing) and all day passes on select days for $28 and $48 respectively on select days.

That still doesn’t make some people happy who first were unhappy they couldn’t get a day pass on holidays or weekends and then — when they could — were irked the resort restricted day passes to a certain number.

Now almost any day can be booked providing the allotted day pass spaces haven’t been sold. It is a resort, after all, so it is in Great Wolf’s best interest – and that of guests — not to overbook the waterpark facilities between guests staying in rooms and those there on day passes.

This year Great Wolf for the first time is allowing those that buy their new anytime season pass to access the water park May 1 through Aug. 31.

Anytime season pass

costs $500 per person

It is free entry for all visits with all park amenities included. The cost is $500 a person.

A weekday season passes for May 1 through Aug. 31 is somewhat restricted as it is good for free entry to all water park amenities Monday through Friday excluding holidays and special events for $130 a person.

All children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult that is 21 years of age of older. Season passes can only be used at the lodge selected during purchase.

Before those that claimed that they went to Manteca Waterslides frequently through the summer and it was a lot cheaper, the cost for a day visit in its final year of operation in 2004 was $25.

Based on the Consumer Price Index, $1 in 2002 is equivalent in purchasing power to approximately $1.84 in 2026. This reflects an 83.55% cumulative inflation rate over 24 years, meaning a dollar today only buys about 54% of what it could buy in 2002.

That would make the $25 Manteca Waterslide pass $46 today.

If you — or your child — uses the anytime water pass 11 times between now and Aug, 31 , it will be the same as gaining entrance to the Manteca Waterslides 11 times in 2004.

Go more than 11 times, and you save money when compared to the Manteca Waterslides.

The best part if you can live without your 14 year-old plus kid not being able to visit the waterslides on weekends and holidays, 11 trips between now and Aug. 31 will cost only $11.18.

Of course, there are still those that believe the city should never have partnered with Great Wolf to get them to locate here because “they can’t use” the waterpark based on price and available days that are restricted unless you book a room.

Forget the fact Great Wolf is climate controlled at 84 degrees, is open year round, and has water play features that are definitely several cuts above what Manteca Waterslides offered.

And forget the city gave up money they would have not have had if Great Wolf hadn’t located here — a percentage of the hotel tax the resort generated for 25 years.

Youth under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com