Can my program run with bad weather?
Yes, your program can run with bad weather. The only time that Manitoqua staff will cancel a program or temporarily move a program inside is in instances of thunder, lightning, or extreme high winds. We have the standing policy that as long as the group is willing to be outside, so is our staff.
What is your cancellation policy?
- If your program gets cancelled by the Manitoqua staff, you will receive a full refund.
- If you cancel at least 120 days before the scheduled event, deposits will be returned less the contract fee.
- If you cancel your program the day of or decide to leave during your program, we are unable to provide a refund.
Can I bring my own lunch?
Yes you can! We provide coolers for groups to set their lunches in throughout the program. We just ask that participants remember in which cooler they placed their lunch.
Can you work with kids/groups with differing abilities?
We understand that participants have varying gifts and abilities when it comes to taking part in activities on our course. Our facilitators are able to work with participants or groups who have a wide range of abilities. In order to best serve each participant, we ask that the appropriate information is made known to our facilitators on the medical release forms.
If you are particularly interested or concerned about a participant’s experience on our Adventure Zone and if he/she is able to participate, please do not hesitate to contact us via phone at 815.469.2319 or email retreats@manitoqua.org.
What is your ideal group size?
- We can accommodate a total group size of roughly 100 people at a time. However, each activity has its own group size limitation.
- For our initiatives/team building course, we prefer our group size to be around 12-18 participants. We have found that this works well managing participants.
- When it comes to our High Ropes course, we can have a maximum of 28 participants on the course at a time. If you have more than 28 participants, we would attempt to work out a way to set up rotations to get everyone through the High Ropes course. This would depend on the length of your program and the number of participants in your group.
Do you have bathrooms?
Yes, we have two unisex bathrooms equipped with two stalls and two sinks in each bathroom. We also have a hand washing station on the outside of the building.
Is there a minimum number of people needed to bring a group to the Adventure Zone?
We suggest that groups have at least 12 participants in order to come out to our adventure zone. We can make the rare exception of running a group with 10 participants, however groups in this situtation will need to cover the cost of 12 participants.
Do you have open climbs, or can I just show up?
Due to the nature of how we run our Adventure Zone course, we do not offer programming for people who just show up nor do we facilitate open climbs. All programming must be booked ahead of time with our Guest Services Coordinator.
What if my group numbers change last minute?
We completely understand that group numbers can change week to week or even hour to hour. We ask that you call 815.482.7345 if your group’s numbers have significantly changed. The number of participants on the contract is the minimum number you are committing to. That number can grow from there, but it cannot decrease. If the numbers have gone down, let us know, but you will be charged for what is on your contract. If the group numbers have gone up for some reason, depending on the program, there may not be much we can do at that point as our staffing for the day depends on the contracted numbers being accurate. Final numbers need to be submitted no less than ten days prior to your program date to allow for staffing adjustments.
What age do I have to be to participate in...?
- Tree Climbing | 3rd grade & up
- Initiatives | 5th grade & up
- Climbing Tower | 5th grade & up
- Zip Line | 6th grade & up
- High Ropes | 7th grade & up
- Power Pole | 7th grade & up
How far in advance should I book my group?
We suggest that groups have their Adventure Zone experience booked at least 30 days in advance (no more than a calendar year in advance). We do understand that this may not be possible for some groups, so we can try to accommodate groups with a tighter window of booking. However, booking with this tighter window requires group leaders to be timely regarding the paperwork and deposits that go along with booking a group for our Adventure Zone. For other months in higher demand, we recommend booking at least 6 months out. Our busiest months are April, May, September, and October and fill up pretty quickly.
What should I wear for my program?
Closed-toe shoes are a must for every group. Depending on the time of year you are coming to our Adventure Zone, we ask that participants dress appropriately for the weather. In the colder months, please come in layers. In warmer months, we ask that if shorts are worn, they are at least fingertip length. As we said earlier in question one, we will run your program in rain or shine as long as you are willing to be outside.
Can anything from the Adventure Zone be added to a weekend retreat/day meeting?
We are more than willing to work with retreat guests to see how an Adventure Zone experience could work into their retreat. As long as the space and times are available, we can generally grant these requests for our retreat guests. To see if this can work for your retreat, please click here.
Do you require medical release forms?
Yes we do. To see the form, please click here.