Go keyless, cashless at Great Wolf Lodge

My wife and I just took our three young kids to the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls over this past long weekend, and aside from the amazing time we all had -- um, can you say 103,000-square foot indoor waterpark?! -- this technology reporter couldn't help notice some very cool tech worn around our wrist over the course of the weekend.

I'm referring to the orange waterproof wristband you receive upon check in, which contains a tiny RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag inside. RFID tags, or transponders, contain programmed information -- in this case, our room info -- which is then read by receivers that interpret the information.

After all, we spent the majority of our time on waterslides, on rafts or in the wave pool, so this one bracelet replaces the need to carry around room keys or cash.

Specifically:

* Press the bracelet up against your hotel room door -- by matching the eyes of the wolf on your bracelet with a panel located near the door knob -- and you're immediately granted access to your room.

* Want to buy some food or pick up a keepsake from the gift shop? No problem, employees simply scan your wrist band and the charges are applied to your room.

* Since you're allowed to stay at the waterpark for the day after you've checked out, I found out the way to use your locker in the change room is to press your bracelet up against the lock. Repeat the process again to open it.

Very convenient technology indeed! I wish every hotel had this…

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