https://www.greatwolf.com/niagara
Physical Address: 3950 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, Canada L2E 7M8
Note to magi unfamiliar with the region: There are two towns with the name "Niagara Falls" in close proximity to each other, Niagara Falls New York and Niagara Falls Ontario. This realm is in Niagara Falls Ontario, on the Canadian side of the Falls. Magi traveling from the United States should double check that they are carrying the necessary ID to cross the border into Canada.
Realm Type: Forest Realm
Chronicle: Runes of the Quest Master
Primary Landmarks: Enchanted Woods, Whispering Woods, Piney Path, Tangled Woods, Dragon's Lair, Pixie's Perch, Forgotten Hallway
Runes Available: Dazzle, Enchant Creature, Healing, Portal, Freezing, Ice Arrow, Protection, Celestial, Wolf, Master Magi
Adventures Available: Red Dragon, Pixie, Ursa Major, Silver Dragon
The exterior of the Lodge has a bright First Nations theme. (First Nations is the term for Canada's indigenous people.)
At this location, MagiQuest is played primarily on the upper two floors of the hotel, though a handful of quests will send you to the Forgotten Hallway on the floor below.
This realm is mostly pretty much identical in floor plan to Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains, which I covered in more detail here.
The biggest layout difference is that the MagiQuest shop is not on the bottom floor as it is at many multi-storey lodges. It's actually at the back of the Trading Post, in a place called the Quest Cottage. This might lead to some congestion at peak times when both shops are really busy (my visit was in the off season, so it wasn't crowded,) but overall I think it's a good arrangement. It makes MagiQuest more prominent and makes it more clear to guests how to get started, and it would also be easier to get help from an employee if you had any problems.
Obviously the quests are not exactly identical between any two locations, but you will see some cool things that may remind you of other realms - for example, do you spot the Portal Star in this picture? Don't forget to enchant it five times, and then do so again. ;)
"Twinkle, twinkle, Portal Star,
How high above the realm you are..."
Unlike the Poconos, Niagara Falls does not have ShadowQuest or CompassQuest. As a result of having less content within the same basic area, there are a few spatial oddities, like the Forgotten Hallway being used in only a couple of quests and a weird stairway corner with a common game element in it - the fairy statue - that never gets used at all.
Seriously - you don't use this for any quest ever.
There's also a corner nook known as the "Training Room." No quests take you there, and as far as I can tell the staff never direct people there. Most realms have something like this, but in this particular realm it's sort of front and center right across from the Quest Stones, so it's noticeable but pretty much unused.
There are also a few uniquely Canadian touches, like this wrecked boat beneath a waterfall in the Dragon's Lair.
As with the other Great Wolf Lodge locations, is not necessary to be an overnight guest at the Lodge to play. Because Niagara Falls is such a popular tourist destination, there are loads and loads of hotels and motels nearby at various price points. During the off season, you can find very cheap accommodations within a short drive from the Lodge.
Overall summary: I had a fun visit. It was well worth the trip! The employees were (as always) friendly and helpful, the game elements were well maintained and in good working order, and this Lodge does a great job of accommodating non-Canadian guests.
~Annacat
Curious if anyone has drawn a map yet?
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