Unlike all of the other reviewers, I've never been snowboarding, snow tubing, or skiing at Wisp, in fact, I don't think I've ever been there in the winter. I have never been on the mountain coaster, or made the trip out to whitewater raft the Yough. I've also never bothered to stay in the overpriced resort accomodations or eaten at the clearly (at least by other reviewers' standards) sub-par resort food. There's a great affordable, albeit sometimes crowded so reserve ahead of time, camping at the Bumblebee Campground nearby, with excellent camp hosts and facilities. So why am I reviewing Wisp? One thing that Wisp does offer in the summer / fall, is decent, not great, but decent downhill mountain biking. This is not regular mountain biking like the singletrack you get out at Laurel Hill, Rosaryville, Shaffer Farms, but rather giving your bike a ride up a ski lift and then screaming down a mountain that is normally reserved for skiing or snowboarding through trees, branches, and rocks. Don't do what I did the first time and bring your regular hardtail mountain bike... or else you'll find yourself flipping over your handlebars more than a few times. You can rent pretty good downhill bikes, full body pads, and a full face helmet at a premium. Unlike during the winter, there are no lines at the ski lifts and I don't think I ever really saw anyone else on the trails. If you are a true beginner at mountain biking in general, its hard to find a decent intermediate trail. The single green is basically a fireroad straight down, not technical at all, and gets boring after a couple runs. Everything else seems to pop up to a black diamond or double black diamond and may not be the best for learning on as they are quite technical. It appears that Wisp has wised up this year (I haven't been this season) and are building a beginner downhill trail as well as introductory classes to teach the basics. I can't tell you if they are any good, but its good that they offer them. If you aren't into mountain biking, the mountain buggy tours and paintball were fun off day things to do. read more

We would highly recommend the flying squirrel canopy adventure with tour guides Tyler and Jake!! Super fun and very helpful in every way. Extremely knowledgeable, funny, and whether your an expert or not they will make you feel super comfortable. We loved it. Kayla and Marlana read more

Came to the area to ski at Wisp Resort on Saturday. Luckily, it snowed on Friday, so there was fresh powder on the slopes. Skiing was good, but beware, as there are several inexperience folks on the mountain. The green runs were like an obstacle course trying to dodge all the fallen skiers and snowboarders. Also, several people were walking down the mountain carrying their skis, which I thought was more dangerous then just trying to ski down (Ski Patrol gave this advice to me and my friend when we asked what the easiest run down the mountain was). Important to note - do not buy the gloves at the shop on site!!!! I saw Tony A.'s review before I came, but did not think much of it, until we were breaking for lunch and someone in my group was complaining about the gloves she bought here!!! We all passed them around and they felt fake (hard to describe). Also, she said the salesperson was pushing her to buy $250 snow pants and said her weekend would be ruined if she didn't! Come prepared and avoid having to buy anything at the shop at all costs!!! 3 stars because the beer in the lodge was cheap ($5 for a blue moon - better than happy hour at bars in DC!) and food court had lots of options (soup/chili bar with add-ons like cheese). read more

My friends and I spent one night in the Wisp resort, having the time of our lives in the day time, but as soon as it turned night time, everything changed. We were having some restroom issues in our hotel room, so we came up with a plan to go downstairs and use the restrooms. The workers were very quiet and suspicious, but you could say they were friendly. Us 5 sprung an idea that we would hit the gym, since it's open 24 hours. Let me mind you, everything still felt completely normal. We worked out in the gym, had fun, and shared some memories. Eventually, we got bored of the gym and left to go down the hall. 3 out of 5 felt that there was something very strange going on. Somehow, the atmosphere changed. We headed back to the gym room to find that the door had been locked. We weren't gone long enough for any of the workers to come and lock it. One of my friends happened to have the keycard so we could get back in. Plot twist, the door wasn't opening. We decided it was time to go back up from our little adventure, and took the elevator back up. The elevator started making beeping noises and all seriousness, it was never making noises before. We used the elevator all day. Not to mention, the whole day we have spent in this hotel, there has been no sign of people. Its dead. We aren't psyching ourselves out i promise, we know how we felt and we know what happened. We made it back up to the hotel room, and that's when my friend realized she left her phone in the workout room. My friend went to the worker who was LAYING on the couch, watching TV, and told them the predicament we were in. They said they couldn't help us until morning and not to mention, this happened around 3 AM. I hate this resort, doesn't even deserve 1 star. read more

We came across Wisp literally by Chance in deciding to find someplace to stop off on our trip from St. Louis to Washington. Our room was on the 7th floor and had fantastic views. The room itself was large and very nice. The outdoor activities is where it's at though. With legitimate mountain biking, ATV rental, the mountain coster, plus all the lake activities this place did not have the typical touristy feel and we had a great time. Prices at the resort itself seem reasonable and ere is good value for the money. We will be back. read more

The main lift broke down with around 100 plus people on board. I was stocking and 5° weather for two hours before I was lowered by a rope. I was dropped the last 6 feet on the ice. When I went to customer service all day I could do to help me and my friends through this terrible experience with offer us a seven dollar gift card to the resort. I would never go back and I will advise everyone to be careful because they're not do regular maintenance on their equipment. read more

I was just at WISP for the first time this weekend. A group of us rented a house at Deep Creek Lake and bought a night and 2-day pass at the resort. Everything was fine until Saturday night (2/9) between 7:15pm and 8:00pm, my skis and poles were stolen right outside of the lodge. When I went to inquire about the theft, I was told "oh, yeah... that happens a lot here" from a staff member. My friend had his rentals stolen as well as two snowboards and a little kid's skis the same night. I called to report the theft to the police since the resort had taken no action. The officer also said WISP has a bad reputation for theft. I was very disappointed to hear that WISP once had surveillance cameras, but then took them down to not have to deal with police. Lock your gear and don't leave your equipment near the lodge. It is right next to the entrance where anybody can walk up and take stuff. They definitely need better security at WISP. Not to mention better customer service. The last thing a guest wants to hear after having their expensive equipment stolen is "oh yeah, that happens a lot here." So, not only did I have my $500 skis stolen, and spent $120 on lift tickets... they also made me purchase rentals the next day and didn't offer me a refund. WISP should be held accountable for not having enough racks with locks, no signs that warn guests, and no surveillance cameras. They basically make it effortless to steal. read more

Our Fourth of July stay was amazing. Darla at the front desk gave us the best suggestions (ask for her). Morgan helped us maneuver the area. It was an amazing trip. read more

Skiied on a weekday and it was not crowded and everyone was masked up. All the staff we interacted with were super nice and helpful. Had weird interactions with other visitors which makes me think people who go here are super rude. First, a guy cut between me and my boyfriend so I told him to go ahead of me into the lift gate. The guy got all annoyed and went "well move out of my way then!" even though he was the one who cut between us in the first place and even though he could have easily went through any of the other three gates. The other weird interaction was a snowboarder who screamed at us for skiing on the right side of the hill as he passed. He yelled that we should be skiing on the left side so he could use the right side. What? Two people aren't indicative of a whole culture but the western Maryland people need to get a little kinder. read more

Horrible slope conditions. Employees were rude and unhelpful. We had an injury asked 3 separate employees where we should go. No one knew. Finally found some and they called one of the medics. Took 30 minutes for them to show up. Utterly ridiculous read more

I've been to Wisp several times and have had mostly good experiences in skiing and tubing. Staff experiences are usually 80% good but a few who still need customer service training. Ultimately the skiing and tubing is good with a base of man made and natural snow. Today was different because of the customer base - several ghetto adults who had limited self awareness skills and thought it ok to talk loudly and used the phrase "mutha f@&ing" as the only adjective, noun, verb, adverb they were aware of. Plus constantly stepping in front of others. Really a rude crowd. It was the urban experience you'd think you would avoid by driving out to Wisp with small children. read more

This isn't a review so much for the resort but more for the skiing/snow experience at the resort. We went tubing on Saturday from 6-8pm. We were kinds thrown off when we arrived for tubing because there was this massive line that wrapped around the back side of the tubing hill. When we came earlier in the day we saw the lines for the ride and they were quite short. We waited out the first line which took about 15-20 mins to get to the top. Once there we picked the shortest line and went down. I'm guessing it was just the last wave of people who's 2 hour block ended at 6 because the line was substantially shorter once we went to go up the hill the second time and then again after 7 the line was where we saw it in the morning. Tubing was fun but you have to keep an eye out for some of the people who don't like to slow themselves down and just plow through the crowd of people waiting to go up the hill in line during the busier times where the lines are longer. We went skiing on a Sunday which had cheaper tickets then Saturday which was a plus. Getting rental equipment was super quick and easy. We were on the slopes in less then 30 mins after getting our equipment and securing out stuff in a locker. Lockers are a little on the expensive side. It would actually be easier and cheaper to just put your stuff in your vehicle. The routes are easy to decipher which are the easy, medium and harder slopes. It was a first experience so not much to compare to but some of the slopes are definitely shorter then others. I would guess from top to bottom where the chair lifts are took about 5 mins. After the skiing we did the coaster which was surprisingly fun, you can hold the acceleration bar forwards and give yourself one heck of a run to the bottom. It's worth the $9. We didn't do the iceskating which was apart of the package deal. The rink was really small and for us it just didn't seem to....well fun there for lack of a better term. The resort has an escape room there but if your like us and hit alot of escape rooms.....just go somewhere else! read more

I spend a lot more time at deep creek in the summer than winter so the additional activities at wisp are great. There is always something to do, year round. Over the last few years they have amped up their adventure sports center and now offer a ton of mountain activities! Stop by and check out all the options. If you are not into adventure sports you will still enjoy watching all of the action. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars I definitely would. My family and I went on the snow tubes, and 4 people got hurt within less than an hour of being there (two people broke a bone). There's barely anyone down at the bottom of the slope to stop tubers, so we would just fly past the barricades and go right into the fence. During that process people at the bottom of the slope would get knocked over by the tubers. read more

Terrible skiing conditions and poor customer service. We visited Wisp during New Year holidays in 2019-20. The slopes were sheer ice. It had rained the day before and the snow conditions were not great. The green trails were so icy in most of the parts, especially on the turns. It was dangerous. Two of the family members in our group got hurt, and the resort could care less. The process for checking in and getting equipment was confusing, and the layout for was strange and inefficient. It may have been easier to do it in one of the yurts, rather than in the main house. The gift shop was nice, and the staff there were friendly, but that was the only highlight. Will not be back. read more

To Lori Z. Nice try with a meaningless response. By the way, we left the mountain immediately after the gloves failed. My hands and my daughters hands were fine, but the gloves your associate recommended were horrible. And you wouldn't even speak to me about it while with both of my kids. Your customer service is a disgrace. read more

The Adventure area of Wisp during the summer is dangerously under staffed. Last year and this year I have found that there are only one or two staff members at the rope courses which are high up and require much more supervision. The staff there seem young and under trained. My ten year old son last year was pushed off the zip line section of the easiest rope course. The staff member who pushed him did not communicate to the receiving staff member on the other end. My brother in law jumped the fence to stop my son from crashing into another child. The only reason we went this year was for the mountain coaster which is enjoyable but over priced. I hope there are improvements in the future. read more

Pros: For a ski resort restaurant, DC's was actually quite good. Menu was exceptional and the food was good. Not over priced either. Great service and a decent wine list too. Fitness Center was surprisingly good in both size and variety of equipment. Cons: Not snowboard friendly. Lifts are dated, getting on is no problem but unloading you have very little clearance as the chair arrives and then getting off there is a sharp drop. So basically you have to try to stand and ride down the drop from a position of your knees being up over your waist. Trail system is OK for the region but there are better trails at White Tail which is only 1 1/2 hours from DC vs 3 hours to Wisp. Another problem... they obviously don't like snowboarders. As a life time skier, now a snowboarder, I know the attitude and the vibe. The people at Wisp obviously have not learned there is plenty of room for all of us. Hotel was a little dated too. But not too bad. If you want to sleep at night, bring a white noise machine. Ear plugs aren't enough to drown out the noise of the rooms heat pump. Best option for us was to shut down the system and bundle up. Our room was 50 degree when we woke up but at least we got to sleep. We've been talking about buying a condo at a ski resort. All in all the deal breaker for us is the lifts. We won't be back until they update them. Developing real estate is obviously their focus. That's where the money is. However, installing better lifts and modern snow making will maintain a client base as they are trying to sell all those condos they are building. read more

For what this place is, I was impressed. The snow was decent, with no ice all day. Runs, though short, were fun. Conditions were better than Snowshoe, thought the resort area is lacking. Oh, and we went on Sunday, and could not get beer without buying a meal, typically overpriced and mediocre. Overall, probably the best resort in the area, in terms of price, conditions, and locations. Only took 2.5 hrs from Arlington to get there, too! read more

The experience my family and I had was something that was totally unexpected. This was our first time staying at the Wisp Resort. The restroom inside the hotel lobby was dirty for several days, even after I told the front desk attendant that the bathroom needed to be clean. The pool was supposed to be heated/set at 84 degrees. After several attempts of trying to enjoy the pool we ask the front desk attendant, to check the temperature of the pool. At no time was it set to 84 degrees. So my family along with other guess were unable to enjoy the pool because it was too cold. During the COVID-19 time having an indoor pool was one of the amenities my family and I was looking forward to enjoying. In addition to COVID-19 we also couldn't enjoy the only working fire pit because of overcrowding and the inability to social distance. Each night our room key became deactivated, so because of this we had to get new keys made every day. The next to the final night the front desk attendant suggested the next Time we ask them to check the dates on the keys. We as guess should not have to ask them to check the date to ensure the keys would work for the length of our stay. Furthermore, Amanda was very attentive to our housekeeping needs though we were made aware there would not be any traditional housekeeping services. read more

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I had my wedding at Wisp and the staff was absolutely terrible throughout the entire process. The venue is okay but not worth the price or hassle of dealing with the staff. We were charged more than expected after the wedding and all I got back was "The invoice is final". We were misinformed about a lot of fees, it was hard to get ahold of anyone during the planning, they did the absolute bare minimum the entire process. It was a terrible experience dealing with Wisp and (though I enjoyed my wedding day) I regret holding my wedding here. read more

The snow tubing on a Friday night was awesome! A tad busy but not too bad. These tubes go FAST!!! I was airborne at one point! Had a face full of snow when I landed. Wow. Could only do it once but my kids and husband went several times. Up next...the exhilarating mountain coaster OMG it was really fast. I slowed down the whole line cuz I put my breaks on a lot. My kids said I ruined the ride for the people behind me and I owed them a new ticket. Whatevs I'm old lol. Super fun - don't miss it! read more

Rooms are pretty average, but the mini kitchen area was a nice size with a fridge that could fit a box of pizza. We were on the first floor towards the slope side and had got the midweek madness package that included two lift tickets with the queen efficiency room. The weather was on the downside, although my husband enjoyed himself on the slopes snowboarding. I had to buy my rentals through wisp and the staff was just not accommodating when I asked to return them after ten fifteen mins for a refund. When I went to ask if I could reprint my receipt, the employee made excuses on why I couldn't print it out again to let another employee know in another corner that I had rented and returned my rentals and paid in cash. They just kept making excuses on how I should probably try going to the hotel to get the refund. Overall wisp was OK, but the employees could have some more knowledge on how to handle basic matters. read more

Took my grandson to Wisp Ski school. All day cost $170. Charged me $$59 more to rent the skis day two. Basically ski day care. He learned very little. Students to instructor ratio was too high. People were not customer friendly. Back when it was Willy Wisp for my children it was much better. Gpa read more

I wish there had been a 0 star option. I am an extremely understanding individual however I visited this resort on Saturday evening for night skiing with my boyfriend and received terrible service. The ticket booth was closed so we had to go inside to the information desk where we were "greeted" by a sarcastic asshole who proceeded to make jokes about the steep ticket prices. When we questioned if he was serious he said I don't joke about money in these challenging times for folks because they take it very seriously. Then he proceeded to talk condescendingly to us. It's unfortunate because we like skiing and up until this point we have both enjoyed our visits to Wisp. Very disappointed in the customer service. I will not returning nor will I be recommending it to friends. read more

We were very disappointed. The hallways smelled terrible, its very outdated, the free breakfast were nothing to get excited about. For memorial day weekend nothing going on there at all. The property was in need of help. The entrance is dark at night so you drive right past it, the entrance also was pothole heaven. They offer no coupons to other local attractions or restaurants. The main thing OVER PRICED!!!! We will not stay there again!!! read more

Just got back from celebrating a friend's 30th birthday at Wisp yesterday. We really lucked out with some beautiful weather! We had a group of 20, and had people in our party snow tubing, snowboarding and skiing. Everyone reported they had a great time, with one overwhelming exception... service. I would have given 3 stars for the outdoors experiences, but I am taking into account lack of good management, as they were apparently SEVERELY understaffed (why, I couldn't tell you - the forecast was perfect) on a Saturday with at least 4-5 large room blocks. The lodge bar served as a great meeting point for our group throughout the day, however the 2 bartenders were quickly overwhelmed, with no apparently backup plan. They were running to and from the kitchen for silverware, food, glasses, etc., leaving 10+ people in line waiting to be tended to. Once you were finally given some attention (approx. 10-15 wait time), their attitudes left a lot to be desired. Then I waited over 15 minutes to close my tab of $7. (I was going to pay cash, but they held my card and I had to wait for them to get to me to close me out -- which they charged to my card after I clarified cash.) Dinner at DC's was reserved ahead of time (at least a week) - 8pm, 20 seats. We were all sitting at the table by 8:20 and ready for service, but wait - they didn't have enough menus. We were good sports and passed the menus around the table. 15-20 minutes later we were greeted by our server to take our drink orders. Another 10 or so minutes later, we were given carafes of water (after they had to be requested). Now over 40 minutes into the process, we request bread, which comes out just after the drinks, and more water. We are now pushing 9:20 or so. Now we order our appetizers and entrees (which we were ready to order at the same time as the drinks, but were put on hold) -- appetizers arrived about 30 minutes later, cold. Cue second round of drinks, which came a bit faster. Entrees begin their entrance -- the ONLY meals to come out at the proper temperature were the salads, and the only thing anyone at our table seemed to be able to stomach were the crab cakes (which they said were VERY good), steaks (tough) and mashed potatoes. A friend and I split the Pot Roast (not recommended), and each got a side caesar salad, and one alcoholic beverage each (with tax both our meals should have been about $30 before tax & tip). When I was handed the check, the total was for $77, and gratuity apparently hadn't been added. They decided that the check would be split evenly amongst the table, each person paying $34 (this in the assumption that each person ordered their own entree and 1-2 drinks, which was NOT the case). When I brought it up to the server, she basically shrugged me off with "this is how we are doing it". ... To make a long story slightly shorter -- when a restaurant has a standing and confirmed reservation for 20 people, you need to prepare accordingly. If it means that you need to get our orders ahead of time, set up a prix fixe deal, so be it. If it means that you need to grab an additional server/busboy/kitchen help for the evening - do it! ALWAYS add gratuity to a table that size. Also - don't have a specialty drink that takes 3-5 minutes to prepare (each) with no barback. If you go to Wisp - pack your own food/sodas/water/booze/whatever and try to avoid dealing with any of the service staff. If you do need to use their services, don't be in a hurry. Enjoy the slopes and have a GREAT time. I will not be going back. read more

We planned a three day mini vacation for two adults, a teenager and an 8 year old, and a baby. We arrived on schedule and the check in process was smooth. We decided to stay at the resort for dinner at DC Cafe. Big disappointment as we stood about 10 minutes waiting to be seated and there was no line and it wasn't crowded. The menu was somewhat limited, but everyone liked what they ordered, except there was no tartar sauce available for the crab cakes. who serves seafood without the appropriate condiments. The boys went for an after dinner swim. Worth mentioning... the is NO signage inside the lodge and it is very maze like, so you literally need to ask directions for everything. The room was clean, we had adequate linens and the beds were comfortable. Our days on the slopes were OK. Again, no signage outdoors either so you really don't know how to get to where you want to go. After we found the Mountain Park area, we paid over 200 dollars for 2 hours of tubing for 4 people, one session for ice skating, and one ride on the mountain snow coaster. We were excited to view and purchase our photos for the mountain coaster, but alas, the camera was not turned on. We had dinner the next two nights in the lodge cafeteria which was really pretty awful except for the fried shrimp and the soups. The morning of checkout, we just wanted to go home. This could really be a sweet gem of a place. Add signs everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Give the guests a map to plan and follow. Add a couple of souvenir stands (kids and adults LOVE that stuff). This is clearly not a high end resort although it seems to be advertised as such. Next trip to the area will be a private rental and meals at some local establishments. Go at your own risk, but don't expect much. read more

The description for 2-stars accurately describes this place. "Meh. I've experienced better." I'm REALLY surprised people would give it anything higher. I grew up skiing the terrible crud of Jersey since I was 6 and for people that ski/snowboard good mountains up in Vermont or out west would probably rate Wisp even lower than me. THE BAD: 1. Super slow and old ski lifts. Almost ALL ski resorts now-a-days have at least one detachable high-speed lift. Not here. Also, to reach most of the ski lifts you have to climb up a hill from the lodge. A real pain. 2. Terribly designed lodge. From the ski area, all you can see is the back of the lodge with emergency exits, a solid brick wall, some random broken parts and garbage. The only way in is from the side and there's a really narrow path between the lodge and ski racks to walk around to the side of the building. People are tripping over each other while trying to traverse the single-person wide path. On the inside, you definitely don't get that cozy lodge feeling. It's just a big open area (probably save on building costs). 3. Some of the shortest trails I've ever skied besides Craigmeur in Rockaway, NJ. 4. Insanely busy on the weekends. 5. This last one is NOT Wisp's fault: You can't buy any form of alcohol on Sunday's unless you purchase a whole meal with the drink. Extremely weird local law. IMO, the only reason they've kept the law is to feed the egos of the local authorities so they feel like they have power over the out-of-town tourists. News Flash, without the out-of-towners, McHenry, MD would have NOTHING. Appreciate out-of-towners which give McHenry it's economy and lift that stupid law. THE GOOD: 1. A lot of REALLY nice houses to rent in the area. I'm assuming this is because the wealthy people from the DC area come here with their families. 2. A couple (2) trails with challenging gradient (steep, but very short) 3. Great for beginners and intermediate skiers 4. Good selection of beer! read more

Surface conditions on black diamond trails are often reduced to ice due to crowded/overused trails. The trail routes are poorly designed and require skating across flats for 50-100 yards. This is especially notable at the summit off lifts 2 and 3. The lighting used after dark is too dim and too widely spaced to adequately light the trails after dusk. The staff appears willing to help but is often misinformed about ticket rates and special deals. Lift tickets are more expensive here than other local resorts which are superior to the wisp. A fierce biting wind on the hill is common. Obviously, this is not a management problem, but other local resorts have much more pleasant weather conditions. Geographic proximity is the major asset of this ski area. read more

What the other reviews are saying is true - this place is a bit older and is in need of a remodel. However, that didn't really stop us from having a great time. The Hotel: we got a great deal back in November, so sign up for their email list to get in on the best deals! We got a pet-friendly room (they are all in the Tower, and are 1 bedroom suites), and that is huge for us. We love to travel with our dog, so this was a huge plus. They charged a one-time $50 fee which was fine with us. While room was a bit dated, it was immaculate - very clean and smelled fresh. The set up is slightly wonky - there's the bathroom right as you walk in, and then a long, dark hallway to the back. There's the bedroom and the living area. The living area was nice, and the murphy bed was entertaining. Kind of funny to pull your bed down at night and then put it back up in the morning! I think the only thing I would warn is that the walls and floors are pretty thin - we could hear a little dog barking and also children running back and forth above us. Downstairs there's a game room, and your ski lockers are just down from the front desk. It's a very, very short walk to Chair 2 or 3. The rest of the resort is connected to the hotel through a system of hallways, which is quite convenient when it's freezing and/or snowing outside. There's a pool, hot tub, sundries store, a large cafeteria, DC's restaurant/bar, rentals, lockers, and gear shop. The skiing is pretty good for east coast. There are a decent number of greens and blues (for my cautious self), and also plenty of black diamonds and terrain. I appreciate that there are a lot of different combos with the greens and blues so you can change up your route each time. While we were there (first week of Jan 13), we had powder. The first day was what felt like a blizzard, and the snow machines were going strong. It was great! The second day had powder as well but also some ice. Most of the time the lift lines were very short which was nice. Some of the lifts are in dire need of new seats - Chair 7 seemed to be the worst we saw. Tip: join the email list to get the best lodging and lift ticket deals Tip: local Costcos sell discounted lift tickets Tip: if you can work it out, go during the "mid-week" which for lift tickets is considered Monday - Friday. Your lift tickets will be amazingly cheaper M-F than S-S. Tip: if you can, get a room with a kitchen. There is no breakfast included in the hotel rate, and the restaurants close by aren't the greatest. read more

just came back from a long weekend at the resport with mixed feelings. The staff at the adventure park was fantastic. They were knowledgeable, outgoing, and great the the kids. This was the best part of the resorts. The golf at Wisp as good. Challenging with the trees, elevations, and water. Very scenic views and well kepts holes. Again, the people working there were exceptional. The desk staff were friendly and knowledgeable Pricing for food and activities was reasonable The bad part of the stay: the noisey, drunk crowds once the wedding parties showed up. We were awaken at 1 AM by our noisy, rude neighbors. In fact, since the price of the resort is low enough, it seems to take in guest that are not used to being considerate of others - but you pay a discount price, you get a discounted crowd. The hotel itself does not have an scenic views of the mountains or the lake which is a shame considering its locations. The room was strange with the murphy bed and the wall they put in so that it could be called a suite. if they had left out the extra way, the room would have been oversized and comfortable. As it was, it was very cramped. Our room was not cleaned every day Service in the restaurant was spotty and slow. The sandwich i bought from the cart girl on the golf course was nasty. The workout space was dingy and dark and the pool area had low spot where water pooled - both were nasty. The resort promoted the use of the lake side club that turned out to be a tent along some docks with a strange slide and trampoline - not very "club" like We will not stay there again. If we go to deep creek, we will stay elsewhere and drive to the resort if we want to indulge in any of the activities. read more

This place is pretty run down, housekeeping came once in the 3 nights we stayed here .but our kids loved it. We went during the off season so things were quiet . Do not eat at DCs-the restaurant in the resort.so grosssss. If you are looking for a get away for a long weekend go here and keep your expectations very low. We made the drive from Philadelphia and it was not that bad. read more

I'll give the resort overall a 3 star, however the ski school gets 2 stars and that's even generous! As the other reviews make note, the lodge is not very convenient to where the ski lifts are; it's a hoof! I'm not sure who the architects were who designed the lodge..??? The lodge was spacious; always seemed to have spare seats for eating or coming in for a snack. There were lockers conveniently located in the lodge (got the impression these were just recently added) that you could rent for $5/day. The food options were fairly decent; there were 2 bar-style restaurants with seating in addition to the main lodge dining area. We grabbed a couple of beers and 2 pretty good sandwiches at Wispers. The food there was hot and proved to be made to order vs. the food we had at the main lodge which was not very good. It might take a little longer to eat, but it's well worth it to eat at the one of the restaurants if you want some good chow. The slopes were decent too. We mastered all of the greens and blues and even tackled one black diamond; Squirrel Cage. The ski lifts are slow, but the lines seemed to move fairly well given it was a holiday weekend. Some of the runs were very icy but given the weather and after all, we are in Maryland. Sadly, we aren't going to get Colorado or Vermont conditions or slopes in Maryland. The ski school was horribly managed. We were told to have our 3 children there at 8am for registration. They were in the ages 8-12 ski school. I happened to use the bathrooms down by the ski school registration area and couldn't help but notice the chaos and hundred or so kids (including mine) sitting waiting to get out to ski. It was 9:45am!!! I was shocked and also very disappointed since the cost for the 2 days of ski school was nearly $700. I wasn't paying that for my kids to sit with all their ski gear on sweltering while the instructors/managers got their act together. Come on, people! Are you new to this? I was beyond pissed! We spoke with the 20-somethings behind the desk and they apologized for the chaos and gave some lame excuses for it. They also said that our children could stay longer than the 3pm ending time if we chose for a private lesson until 3:30pm. That was never given. They also refused to refund our money for the 2nd day since we weren't so sure we wanted to sign up for a morning of our kids sitting around waiting when we could take them out to ski ourselves. The ski school was definitely a huge disappointment and I wouldn't recommend it. The amount of real skiing is questionable since they don't begin their day until 10am (although the website and staff tell you to be there at 8am!!!) and then ends at 3pm; that also includes a break for lunch and snack. How much time do they actually ski? It's questionable. We'd consider returning to Wisp despite the horribly managed ski school. We thought the resort of decent and was an easy 3 hour drive for us from Northern VA. The ski school however needs some new management. It's got a ways to go. The rental return area was also very unorganized. There were no signs; just people everywhere trying to unload their skis and boots. Some people were telling us to put our kids' ski boots onto a shelf; another man told us to put them in a corner since they were ski school gear. Someone at the door to direct people or some signage would be hugely helpful. That also could use some better managing. read more

We stayed here for a wedding at the resort. The room we were given was in the "old" part of the hotel, not the tower. It felt like an old hotel room. It was clean, which is always the most important thing to me, although it had very antiquated bed spreads which I find repulsive. The beds were pretty horrible in terms of comfort, as well. The room had two double beds. One was the most uncomfortable thing I've ever sat on, and had a plastic type mattress protector that crunched when you moved around on it. We moved to the other bed which wasn't much better in terms of comfort, but at least didn't have the same plastic cover. The room did have a mini fridge which was a plus, and a coffeemaker. read more

First time in Deep Creek area with my husband and loved it. Stayed at the Will O'the Wisp condos (highly recommended) and had such a wonderful time at Wisp. Mountain Coaster: Among the available activities at the resort, we rode the Mountain Coaster. Everything from getting coaster tickets ($14 pp) to the friendly and helpful staff providing coaster instructions, and the safety measures taken was such a smooth process. The Coaster ride can be single occupied or 2 people can ride in a car. It allows you to go as slow or as fast as you like with the handbrake. Going up the mountain side slowly allows you to view the hills and greenery at your leisure and then comes the downhill experience with lots of curves and straightaways and spirals. Again, going as slow or as fast as you like, just don't completely stop! This endangers others on the track. Of course you can purchase pictures of your adventure if you choose to at the end. All in all, a lovely time to have in the late afternoon. White Water Rafting: Next day, White Water rafting. The best! (Ask for Instructor Bob). Again everything from reservations to getting equipped to the awesome staff was top notch. The fact that we made reservations same day at last minute, the reservation staff (thank you Paige!) made sure to call me back to confirm space was available. Once we arrived at ticket desk ($49 pp), again great staff to let us know everything we needed to do to get ready (signing waivers, lockers, etc.) Instructor Bob was so patient with us and gave clear instructions on how to navigate the calm waters and fantastic RAPIDS. He is a great instructor, great personality, and never failed to give us the adventure of our lives. I can't say enough positive things about our trip to Deep Creek lake and The Wisp and the activities it provides for couples, singles, and even families. Worth the 3 hr drive from VA. Be sure to stop once in a while at the various scenic outlooks along the way there and back. read more

The ski runs here were pretty darn good. I was here with a sort-of-beginner, so we stuck to the greens for the most part. She enjoyed it, said it was better than Whitetail or Liberty. You definitely have more options here than at those places, at least for greens. One thing I have to warn you about: Big Dipper is completely flat. No point going down there unless you want to ski the black or blues at the bottom of that hill (which looks great, but I did not get a chance to try them out). As long as we are talking about specific runs.. why not go for it? -Possum: Excellent for beginners. Comparing it to Whitetail, I would say that it is like Sidewinder. Comparing it to Liberty, it is like Nova. Really, there is no direct comparison at Liberty. Somehow Possum seems better than Whitetail's Sidewinder, maybe because it winds through trees. It is a really nice cruiser. Plus, you do not need to skate across to the lift. -Wisp Trail: Really nice one! Great variety, as it changes pitch several times. However, beginners should be warned that there is one short steep part, and the bottom is a little steep. When you are getting on the lift to go up there, look to the right, and you will see Wisp Trail coming down. If you feel you can handle that, go for it. It is more fun that Possum (but I am not a beginner, so... fun is relative). -Longview: This is a short blue that takes you from Wisp Trail to Possum. I challenged my greenie friend to try it, and she liked it! It is not much steeper than the "steep" part on Wisp Trail. A great little run for those looking to upgrade to blue. Comparable to Lower Heavenly at Liberty but not as wide. -Little Dipper: A nice little green on the backside. I do advise you to take lift 6 up to the top rather than continuing onto the flat and boring Big Dipper. Little Dipper is generally more steep than Wisp Trail, except for the one spot on Wisp Trail that gets a wee bit steep. -Ridge Run: If you take Big Dipper all the way down and come up on lift 7, you will take Ridge Run to get back to the top. This is an easy little cruiser, really just a people mover. It get a little steep at the bottom but it generally enjoyable. I think those are all the trails we took. We did Wisp Trail quite a few times--it was the most fun for us. Second for us was Little Dipper. If you are a green skier (not first timer but still on greens), I would first try Possum, then Little Dipper, then Wisp Trail. Then Longview to challenge yourself--just tell yourself that it is not much steeper than the "challenge" area of Wisp Trail. The lifts: No high-speed or detachables around here. The lifts move at a reasonable speed for kind of crappy ones like this. Faster than the green mountain lift at Whitetail (hate that lift). They move you around, what else can you say? Staff: Not friendly. Lodge: Crappy. Tiny little food area, no good choices. Large cafeteria. Tiny shop upstairs. Another small shop downstairs, with limited selection of clothing and gear. They have tiny lockers along one wall of the cafeteria, but they do not work--they do not even have the keys in them. I guess you can use them as cubbies, but most people seemed to toss their bags on the floor or leave them on tables. No normal cubbies. I hated that we had to carry our skis upstairs. Seriously? Must worse design than Whitetail or Liberty--or places out west. Not even trying to compare with Park City resorts, but come on, at least keep pace with Whitetail. Parking: You will not be close to the slopes. Here is the worst part, what made us downgrade this by at least one star: You have to carry or skis or skate about 150 yards to get to a lift. I KNOW. You are worn out before you even start. To me, this was unforgivable. All they need to do is create a second exit on the right side of the cafeteria, and you will be near the main two lifts. Really stupid. So when you look at the trail map, notice that you will be picking up tickets on the left side of the building, walking up to the little porch, walking up onto the snow, then walking/skating WAY TOO FAR to the lifts. My advice is to walk partway up the hill where the black runs (sorry, not sure of names) let out in front of the lodge, put on your skis, and use that momentum to ski at least part of the way to the lifts before skating the rest of the way. Speaking of the little porch I mentioned.. the rusty formica fake marble tables were an embarrassment. But what bugged me about the porch was that it is basically a smoking zone. Cigarette butts on the deck. At least one person was smoking every time I was on the porch, and I cannot stand smoking. Thanks, I can do without your carcinogens. The small "entrance" from the porch to the snow is way too steep. Coming back down was a little hairy when it was icy. They need to put rubber mats here. The place struck me as crappy and run down. The slopes are fine (again, not comparing to nice resorts), but they sure make it hard to enjoy your time h read more

I didn't ski, but did snow tube and go on the mountain coaster. Snow tubing is $25 for 3 hours, high season. The mountain is great for tubing and the conveyor belt that carries you up the mountain is fun to talk to people as you wait your turn. If you go tubing down the hill and go through the barrier at the end of the lane, the staff will give you a 'red bottom' tube which will slow you down. The mountain coaster is $10 per single ride and is a fun ride, but you'll be happy with one ride.It takes longer to get up the mountain on the coaster then the ride down. I was at Wisp in February and it was packed with people skiing and snowboarding. We had a fun weekend at Wisp. read more

The ski school is awful. Both of our kids had great experiences at other slopes. Here, the "instructors" left them at the top of the hill alone and waited for them at the bottom of the hill. It was like pulling teeth to get our kids to ski again. Fortunately, we went back to Timberline in Davis, WV and the kids were won over again. Wisp facilities are more modern and nice. Food is good. Just don't trust the ski school!!! read more

Wisp Resort.! Is ok the skiing during the winter it's good it depends on on how the season is going. During the winter it gets packed a lot of people. Now some people will say different. Like it is Rund down and the food here is ok.! If you are looking for somewhere to ski this is a good place to ski people like the skiing here.? read more