A video game escaped from the computer and landed in the hallways of the hotel. Kids cooperated and assisted while working to complete their individual quests.
We discovered MagiQuest back in 2009 while on a trip to Myrtle Beach.While we didn’t play on that trip, Camille researched it when we got back home and knew she had to go. For her 11th birthday, we took her and a couple of her friends on a Destination Birthday trip to Myrtle Beach. At MagiQuest, they all got wands, toppers (which give special powers) and game time. The idea is that they pick a quest and then have to follow clues that lead them through the “kingdom”. As they point their wands at different objects, this records that certain parts of their quests have been completed. Chloe, then seven, had som difficulties understanding how to do what needed to be done to complete quests, but with a little help, she managed to have fun. The other girls who were older and better readers had such a good time that they begged to go back the next day … so we did.
I’ve taken my girls back to the MagiQuest in Myrtle Beach at least once since then. I only wish that they had a nice cafe for the parents complete with wi-fi so that I could get some work done while the girls run around completing quests.
When considering what waterpark resort to take the girls to in order to kick off our new year of homeschooling, Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC, came to mind because of the MagiQuest inside the hotel.
The MagiQuest is spread throughout three levels of the atrium of the hotel. The kids move through the halls and levels (via the stairs since the elevators are SLOW) working on completing their quests. I was quite surprised to learn that $14 paid for FOUR days of MagiQuest at the hotel; what a bargain!
My kids had a blast, eventually completing every quest. I was happy; our room was right next to the atrium, so I sat in our hotel room and worked while they played (and played and played). Camille said that it is so much better than even a “social online game” because you could see people having trouble and give them hints or help them out. Chloe too liked being able to help other kids out.
With that, I suppose that the one problem I saw was that there were lots of confused people and no MagiQuest staff around to help out. If you don’t understand how the game works, it is really confusing and not so much fun … My kids would gladly exchange playing for free with “volunteering” as guides for a few hours!
unkike myrtle beach where they STAFF character throughtout the game kingdom, none of the GWL Locations are done in such fashion. There are always characters in the shop able to help and if there is more than one and you DO need someone to helptake you on a journey…just ask them. thats what they are there for. I actually liked that i could walk into the shop to ask questions. the people in the shop are really great with kids and always patient and supernice. sorry you had a bad spot with the game but me and mine had fun. the two guys that work there are the most fun and helpful of all their characterss.