By Alice Hill
RealTechNews
Ok – let me simplify this, because it took about an hour of digging around to figure out what on earth this was about. A company called Creative Kingdoms has come up with a way to meld the geeky wands and magic of MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) with the physical family vacation.
How it works: Instead of giving your kids some dollars for the hotel video arcade, you take them to MagiQuest and the whole family must participate in problem solving, duels, magic spells, and so on. Worse for your wallet is the MagiQuest Marketplace shop where you must first buy and customize your wand – the more features the greater powers and tricks it does. The shop is where you also adorn your kids in capes and hats, and basically get fleeced like you do at Disneyland or any other place that caters to parents trying to entertain their families once a year. Ca-ching.
Creative Kingdoms holds a number of patents and licenses the MagiQuest platform as a franchise for family-themed businesses. While they launched some initial sites like one in Myrtle Beach last summer, the big news comes today as Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. just announced that it was going to begin rolling in MagiQuest into a number of its Great Wolf Lodge properties. Great Wolf Lodge (an American chain) is like a family hotel on steroids, from crazy kid-themed bunk beds, to huge indoor waterparks and wacky theme restaurants, these lodges are like Vegas for kids. They are massive.
“We’re changing the face of family resort entertainment with the launch of MagiQuest,” said Dale McFarland, general manager at Great Wolf Lodge. “It is truly amazing to see how this game brings families together. It’s a game that is as much fun for the parents as it is for the kids and it achieves our goal of creating lasting family traditions – one family at a time.” Guests play using a controller that signals simple effects, including opening treasure chests, winding clocks, and creating music. Many quests can only be completed through teamwork with other participants, including family and friends. Families can choose to stay in a “Quest Master” suite, where the power of their wands will manipulate the appliances within the room. Source: NextGeneration
Pricing: The only info I could find was this, but you can bet it varies from location to location. Buy 2 hours of play for $13.99 and receive a free duel – a $3 value! This means, that for 3 hours, a family of five racks up about $210 in game playing fees, not counting meals, wands and other accessories. I would call this a $500 afternoon activity. And when you consider the Wolf Lodge announcement, I can only wonder what the “Quest Master” suite goes for so Junior can control the TV and microwave with his wand.
We Say: Ok – so I don’t have kids and would rather poke a magic wand in my eye than ever visit a place like this (think of the shrieks and noise level). But to those who have kids – we have to know. Does this appeal to you? On the one hand, I can see how it would have a family doing things together, and it makes the video game an active not passive sit-by-the-TV activity, but I have no idea. Sounds like it could really add up if you are a family of five and lord only knows what the cape and wand costs are. But then again no family trip is cheap.
Thoughts?
This game is sooooo awesome!:) If anyone needs help on the magiquest thing at great wolf lodge you can ask me because I am a master magi there.
We just got back from a two day vacation at the new Great Wolf Lodge in Washington state.
I literally said the words “this is like Vegas for kids” while we were there.
They had MagiQuest at the resort and my 4 and 6 year old both played, as did I and my wife.
It cost about $80.00 for the wands and the game-play for the two days.
It was a bit cheesey, but we had a lot of fun trekking around the hotel looking for clues and interacting with all kinds of fun, random critters, paintings, books etc.
Besides the fun you actually get a great work-out traversing stairwells, elevators and hallways. I am tired, but my family and I had a great time.
you need anew wand
micheal jackson
Sorry, but I had such a laugh at “Keith”’s comment, I was inspired to post. Keith, you said a “fake wand” LOL. Please tell where I can buy a REAL magic wand!
I was looking into this since it was recommended to me by a friend to check it out. I don’t understand the problem of not being able to find information on the costs. You can see on their website the costs. http://www.magiquest.com/home.html They have a special package for $34.99 where you get a wand, a topper, 90 minutes of play time. and 5 duels. I’ll gladly pay $40 for each of us to go have fun and be able to return at a later date if we like it. Myrtle Beach can easily rack up the costs for a family vacation. Supper for the four of us last time cost each of us nearly $65 a piece. We would rather eat PB&J and go to this. Than go see something else we’ve already done on a rainy day when we can’t be at the beach.
Just to let everyone know. It’s fun. I’m at Great Wolf Lodge right now. My kid is playing it and having a ball.
First, at this Great Wolf Lodge, your child (or you) will run around the entire resort finding clues and interacting with the environment. In the process, they learn the layout of the resort. Since all the children are doing it at the same time, your kid gets to know other children staying at the resort.
Now, as for the cost, we paid $15 – period. Not per hour, but per game. My kid has been playing for the past 2 days on the same admission fee.
Also, we have been back several years in a row and the wand keeps his place in the game. We even traded out wands (because my kid saved up and wanted another wand) and the new wand kept his place also.
Anyway, it’s a good time.
Take care,
Gene
It was a fun place
you mach it sound like you have to be rich to go. fi you go to there wed site you can see the thay have a lot of dills you can get. with 90 mins fo play and what ever wabd you what, the infinity room, holographic hallway, special fx piate golf. laser challeng, mirror maze, forest maze, for a famly of 4 it is gust $79.16. and my famly does not have that much mony. so it is not a $500 dollers for you to have a good time a magiquest. i go back when ever i cond. and i 16. oh and a girl so i now what i am taking about k.
We spent $25 for 4 days or $6.25 per day. You don’t need a topper or clothes. My 10 year old son spent at least 8 hours on the quest. I don’t see the need for the whole family to each have wands. In fact that would make it more crowded and less fun for for all the kids.