*This is a sponsored post. We were given free and discounted tickets to Medieval Times Orlando Castle to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own, or those of my family.*
I have wanted to take my daughters to a Medieval Times Castle for a while now. The idea of cheering on a knight while eating dinner with no utensils sounds like something kids would really enjoy. Turns out I really enjoyed it too!
“Medieval Times is based upon authentic Medieval history and is the true story of a noble family with documentation dating back to the 11th Century. It began with two dinner/entertainment complexes located in Majorca and Benidorm, Spain,” states their website.
Medieval Times Orlando Castle was the first location in North America. They opened the Orlando Castle in 1983, and it remains the only location with a medieval village you can visit while waiting for the show.
We took a walk through the village and admired all the artifacts there that are hundreds of years old. There were two interpreters in the various buildings, ready to answer questions or share more information. We also went through the stables, though the horses were not present – likely getting ready for the show!
Tips to best enjoy Medieval Times Orlando Castle
Arrive early – the castle opens 75 minutes before show time. The VIP ticket holders get the best seats, but then it’s first-come-first-served. I’m pretty sure there’s not a bad seat in the house, but being in the middle was pretty great.
Come hungry – they give you half a chicken to eat, after soup and bread. And there are sides and dessert! They offer refills of soup, and anything else you would like. I thought all the food was delicious, though I did leave some on my plate. (Not the soup though – I ate all mine, and had some of both my girls’!)
Be prepared for your cute child to be “chosen” during the knighting ceremony – Emma was chosen (and Rose could have done it too) after the VIPs and people who had planned (read: paid) to be knighted. They took her up on stage and the queen knighted her with her sword. She is now Lady Emma Foley and she has a scroll that says so. (And a photo – we paid for the package.)
Bring your best cheering voice – part of the fun of the evening is cheering for your knight – or booing the other side’s knights! We were seated in the Black & White Knight’s section. We could cheer for him and the others on our side of the arena. It was encouraged to boo the knights from the other side.
Our thoughts
We had a great time watching the joust and being immersed in the Spanish Court. Eating with our hands was an interesting experience. Rose, who rarely uses utensils at home, was very hesitant to tear into the food with her fingers. The rest of us attacked our meals with gusto!
They bring you a warm cloth to wash up with at the end of dinner. That was a very nice touch.
I had a glass of wine with dinner, which was lovely. I could have purchased the bottle and they would have sent the un-consumed portion home with me. That was tempting, let me tell you! There is an option to pay for your glass (or bottle) of wine at the bar ahead of the show and have it delivered to your seat. I did that.
The crowd was just raucous enough, and the knights ranged from arrogant to respectful – it was a very fun evening. We brought home a flower, which our knight threw up to the girls during the show, as well as our paper crowns and some souvenirs.
There are eight Medieval Times castles across North America. Visit their website to find the one nearest you. The show felt a little long for my eight year old (her normal bedtime is 8pm, and our experience started at 7) but she still said it was one of the best parts of our trip to Orlando.
Interested in reading what else we did while in Orlando? Read up on Visiting Orlando with Tweens.
Overall I’d give it 4.5 out of 5. The horsemanship, joust and duelling were very well done, but the story dragged out a bit at the end. Our knight didn’t “win it all”, but only one can win. Hopefully they change it up for each show so all the knights can win in turn.
Have you visited a Medieval Times location? I’d love to hear what you thought. Leave me a comment about your experience – and how you liked eating with your hands!
Jess
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