That said, not every money-saving option is created equal. Where can you cut corners and still have a great time? What aspects are non-negotiable to get the full MagiQuest experience?
Read on for opinions about ways to stretch your money further... but also things that might seem like a good deal on the surface, but aren't worth it in the end.
You do not have to stay at Great Wolf Lodge to play MagiQuest.
There are a lot of fun things to do at the Lodge, but it's also quite pricey. When we travel to a MagiQuest location, we normally stay at a cheap no-frills motel nearby to save money. You can go to the Lodge and purchase MagiQuest game time, play till the activities close for the night if you are so inclined, and then sleep wherever you want. Paying the nightly Lodge rate is not necessary to be able to play.
That said, keep an eye out for deals on Great Wolf rates.
If there's a Lodge you'd be interested in staying at, it's worth signing up for their e-mail offers. They frequently offer quite significant discounts if you're able to go mid-week, during the off season, and/or are willing to purchase during a certain booking window - and that can make a stay a lot more affordable. They don't send out the e-mails too frequently, so you won't be getting constant spam, and it's really worth getting signed up so you'll know when rooms are on sale.
Bring your own snacks and drinks, and take a break to get your meals elsewhere.
Some treats made by the venues are special and worth splurging on. (Personally, I always get some fudge when I go to a Great Wolf Lodge!) For standard snacks and drinks, though, you are going to pay a premium for the convenience of getting them on site. A little planning ahead to work in a trip to a grocery store or gas station on the way can often get you the same drink or snack for less money, and that adds up.
Likewise, you will generally save a significant amount of money by eating your meals at a local restaurant (and even more by packing a picnic!) instead of getting a pricey Lodge meal.
Some MagiQuest locations offer a choice between paying by the hour versus purchasing unlimited game time. In our opinion, unlimited is almost always a better value.
MagiQuest offers a lot to do, and with only an hour to do it in, you are just going to be scratching the surface. Paying for an hour may be slightly cheaper at the outset, but there's a good chance you won't be tired of playing when your time runs out and you will want to add more time anyway. For just a few dollars more, you could instead be playing for as long as you want. Even if you only play for, say, two hours, you will still usually pay less for unlimited time than if you paid for each hour separately.
Unlimited time also makes your gameplay more relaxed and leisurely. If you have a time limit, any trip to the restroom, pause to drink some water, breather sitting on a bench, or moment spent puzzling through a clue is going to count against your playing time. Without a time limit, you don't have to worry about that; you can tend to any needs that arise and complete quests at your own pace.
Not all locations offer a choice, but if you're at one that does, we think it's worth it to choose the unlimited option.
Buy your wand, don't rent.
Again, not all locations even offer the option of a rental wand. Even if you happen to be at a location that offers that choice, though, renting a wand instead of purchasing is not something we recommend. There are multiple reasons for this.
When you have your own wand, your progress counts. The things you do will be saved on the MagiQuest servers as long as MagiQuest exists. When you use a rental wand, anything you do gets erased at the end of your session. It's a lot harder to become invested in playing the game when you know nothing you do is going to last. Having your own wand lets you hang onto the things you achieve, which in turn makes your progress feel a lot more meaningful. Having borrowed a wand before I got my own, I have personally experienced this, and it makes a big psychological difference, trust me!
Your purchased wand will work at any MagiQuest or ShadowQuest location. (You just have to have more game time added.) If you visit another site in the future that does not offer rentals, you may have to own a wand to be able to play there anyway, so you might as well just have one to keep from the start, right?
Another thing to consider is that a few dollars here and there to rent a wand can add up. It doesn't take very many play sessions before what you've spent on rental could have paid for the cost of buying one of the cheaper wands, and with the rental option you have nothing to show for it.
When you purchase a wand, it's brand new. A rental wand may have been handled by hundreds of other people, many of whom will not have been careful with it. For this reason, the wand you buy will likely work better, making your gameplay less frustrating than with a rental wand that may be wearing out or have damaged internal components.
All this to say - it can look very tempting on the surface to save money by renting rather than buying your wand. Renting doesn't really give you the same experience, though, and the costs can add up over time. This is one of the areas where we recommend just spending the money rather than trying to cut a corner, because ultimately having your own wand gives you more value.
By the same token, we don't recommend sharing wands.
Obviously there are some exceptions to this, such as a parent who is primarily assisting a small child in the game, but in general we don't recommend multiple players sharing the same wand. As described above, if you don't have your own wand, you likely won't have the same investment in the game. It isn't yours in the same way, and you don't have the same ownership of your progress. The same principle applies to shared wands as it does to rental.
Harry Potter was told, "The wand chooses the wizard." In reality, you choose your wand, and it's a great way to express your personality. When you pick out your wand, you get to select the style that suits you best and shows your uniqueness. If you don't get to pick out a wand for yourself, you miss out on the experience of finding one that reflects your individuality, and that's a really fun aspect of MagiQuest.
Shared wands may seem like a good way for a family or group to economize, but we feel that's another area where you lose out by declining the full experience. We would suggest making sure every player has their own wand to use, and instead saving money on things less integral to the experience like choosing a less expensive food option or sleeping in a budget-friendly motel.
...But toppers are optional.
Seriously, we love toppers. We own more toppers than any two sane human beings reasonably should need. They're a fun way to give your wand more personality, and some of the topper powers can be a real lifesaver when things get tricky.
That said, they aren't necessary. You can play the game fine with just a wand. People tend to assume that a topper has to be part of your purchase, but you can skip it if you need to save some money or you aren't sure you're going to like the game enough to go all in on buying supplies. You can always add a topper to your wand at a later time if you change your mind.
And needless to say, buying collectible runes, costume items, or other merchandise can be fun if you have the extra money but is not in any way necessary for enjoyment of the full game experience.
Ultimately, it's about having fun in your own way.
Hopefully these tips have given you some ideas for how you can fit a MagiQuest adventure into a reasonable trip budget. If you have any tips and suggestions of your own, or any thoughts on ours, please drop us a line in the comments!
~Annacat
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