Xavier Part Three: The Real Hero of MagiQuest?

So... why are we back to talking about Xavier again? There have been two major developments since the past entries about him were published here, and it has completely upended much of what we thought we knew! This new information was such a bombshell that it seemed necessary to return for a Part Three.

If you want to refresh your memory about past coverage, check out Part One and Part Two. For the purposes of this third post, I'm assuming that the reader is starting with a basic knowledge of who Xavier is, so if that is not the case please do take a minute to click back and reread.

Without further ado, on to the news! I will then follow up with some in-depth commentary with my own musings of what it all means.

Spruced Up in the Poconos

As promised, I returned to the Poconos with Lutra to update about the renovations. Things are looking good! Read on for more info.

Photobomb!

Things Afoot in the Poconos

Friends, all I wanted was fudge. But I found something much more intriguing than a sweet snack.

My trip back from visiting a friend in New Jersey took me right by the exit for the Poconos Great Wolf Lodge, and I stopped there for a quick food break. As you may recall, fudge is my favorite treat. The sweets shop had been replaced by a Ben and Jerry, so fudge was not on offer. But that is small potatoes compared to what happened next...

News Update: A Sad Closing (Plus Some Happy Upcoming Openings)

This week brought some sad news indeed: the realm in Downers Grove IL (a.k.a. the Chicago realm, Adventure Realm) will be closing its doors permanently after May 21st of 2017. The announcement was made via Facebook and their website. Per a statement from the owners, "Unfortunately, we are not able to earn enough revenue and compete with other entertainment options to create a sustainable and profitable business."

That news both is and isn't a surprise. It is no secret that the "legacy" locations have been gradually fading away. With the demise of the Myrtle Beach and East Hanover locations, we were concerned that the writing might be on the wall for Downers Grove eventually too. Sadly, this is indeed the case not too long after East Hanover.

It appears that the future of MagiQuest is tilting toward being a Great Wolf Lodge thing only. And we do love the Lodges, don't get me wrong! That thought is still sad to us, though, because the legacy locations bring a certain uniqueness that will be lost if everything is Great Wolf.

On the other hand,it also means that via Great Wolf, MagiQuest has a future, and we'll get to continue our adventures for years to come... and that's a wonderful thing!

I will have the opportunity to pay a visit to Adventure Realm in Downers Grove right before the closing. I'll be back with information to report, and lots of pictures. Magi Lutra will be taking a MagiQuest trip of her own soon, and will be bringing us a wealth of information about the realm in Colorado.

To end the post on a positive note with some good news: As well as the departures, there are some new realms coming! Great Wolf is currently working on construction in Orlando FL, LaGrange GA, Bloomington MN, and Gurnee IL. Bloomington is currently slated to open at the end of 2017, with Gurnee following in 2018. I don't have specific info about when the other two will open - would love to hear about it if any of our readers are in the know!

And so it goes. Realms go, and realms come... and we enjoy the adventure, even when the news is sad or bittersweet!

~Annacat

News Update: MagiQuest at the Funplex (NJ) and Tokyo Dome Closing

Bad news, fellow magi: Two of the "legacy" MagiQuest locations are closing this September. :(

The last day for MagiQuest at the Funplex (East Hanover NJ) is September 5th. The last day to play at Tokyo Dome (Japan) is September 30th.

I was tipped off to this news by a video posted by sinkillerj on Reddit. The information can also be found on the venue websites for the Funplex and Tokyo Dome respectively.

If you are hoping to visit either of these locations, please make sure you plan to do so in time!

Read on for some thoughts on the closures...