Medieval Times is a family-friendly dinner show featuring staged medieval -style games, an epic battle of steel and steed and jousting. You will also experience the flight of the royal falcon and witness elegance and finesse as the knights ride their horses, and the most beautiful horse dances you will ever see.
There are ten North American locations for Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. Our family had the opportunity to experience the Chicago show. Below I have given you my best tips for making sure you have a memorable experience when visiting a Medieval Times Dinner Show.
Things To Know Before You Go To A Medieval Times Dinner Show
- For Mommas with little ones know that the show will last approximately 2 hours. So be prepared!
- The Castle doors will open 75 minutes before the showtime so plan to arrive early.
- Seating is first come, first served and to get the best seats available you should arrive as early as possible.
- If you arrive early, don’t worry, you won’t be impatiently waiting for the show to start. There is quite a bit to do in the Hall of Arms. Moms, make sure to bring some spending money for your kids because there is an extensive gift shop with tons of exceptional items for everyone in your family.
- There is a full-service bar, museum of torture and you can observe the master falconer and his birds of prey up close.
- Knighting ceremonies are typically performed after the show.
- Parking is free!
- Children under the age of three are admitted free as long as they sit on adults’ laps and eat from their plate. If you prefer the child to have his or her own seat and meal, then the child rate would apply.
- If you are bringing a child under three and you do not purchase them a seat be prepared for your child to be on your lap the entire two hours of the show. I had my eight-month-old with me, and we pretty much played hot potato with him the whole night because strollers can’t be brought down to the seating area.
- Tipping is not included in your ticket price. So be sure to plan for tipping your server at the end of the show.
The Knights Tournament At Medieval Times
Six knights battle their way to Queen’s champion. All knights are highly trained in the use of various medieval weapons, including swords, alabardas, mace, armor, and lance. The tournament between knights is very entertaining and gets very intense, so be prepared to go home with a sore throat from all of the yelling and cheering you will be doing for your knight.
As knights successfully completed each round, they would receive roses from the Queen to throw in the crowd. Most of us women and girls were on our feet cheering for our knight to give us a flower, and at the end, the knight who wins the tournament gets to pick his princess. We had so much fun cheering on our black and white knight. We proudly wore our paper crowns, waved our flags, and cheered our knight to victory.
Menu at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
At Medieval Times you get to experience a 4-course meal fit for a Queen! Medieval Times’ guests are treated to garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potatoes, the dessert of the Castle, coffee and two rounds of select beverages.
There is also a vegetarian option, as well. The vegetarian option includes hummus, warm pita bread, carrot and celery sticks, three-bean stew with fire roasted tomato and brown rice, fresh fruit or Italian ice, coffee and two rounds of select beverages.
I didn’t taste the vegetarian meal; however, if it is made with the same quality as the regular meal, I can tell you that it is probably just as delicious! The tomato bisque is creamy and rich in flavor! It is the perfect start for your 4-course meal. Then you are served a roasted chicken, corn and herb-basted potatoes. The chicken is tasty and is very well marinated, and the corn is buttery and fresh.
It is also important to note that you will not be given eating utensils when dining at Medieval Times. It is the show’s goal to preserve the authenticity of the 11th century. So be prepared to eat with just your hands!
Splurge on some extras during the show for added fun
Purchasing a general admission ticket will guarantee you lots of family fun however for extra added fun I recommend spoiling your family and either upgrading your tickets and/or purchasing some souvenirs. Medieval Times offers three different packages for their guests: The Queen’s Royalty package, the Celebration package, and the Royalty package. Each package provides a variety of various perks that can take your experience to a whole other level!
Queen’s Royalty Package
- Priority Castle Access
- VIP First Row All Section Seating or Second Row in Center Section
- Priority Seating Access
- Cheering Banner
- VIP Lanyard
- Framed Entrance Group Photo
Celebration Package
- Priority Castle Access
- VIP seating
- Priority Seating Access
- Cheering Banner
- VIP Lanyard
- Group Photo for Each Member of the Party
- Slice of Birthday Cake for Each Member of the Party
- Personalized Announcement During the Show
Royalty Package
- Priority Castle Access
- VIP Seating
- Priority Seating Access
- Cheering Banner
- VIP Lanyard
You can also purchase great souvenirs from the gift shop as well as can buy flags, lights and other souvenirs to cheer on your knight during the show. I chose to pay for an upgrade to have my husband knighted during the show, and I am so glad I did. It will be a memory that we will remember for a lifetime. We chose to celebrate Armed Forces Day since we are a military family, and my husband decided to be knighted with a spectacular dagger and framed photo that we were able to take home!
Medieval Times Supports the Military
Medieval Times is honored to salute the men and women of our armed forces and their families by providing exclusive offers and discounted tickets.
Military tickets can be purchased in two ways:
1. At participating military bases throughout the United States – free Royalty upgrade included.
2. Via our partnership with ID.me – discounted ticket rates provided.
I think it is also important to note that Medieval Times has donated tickets to participating USO’s in the area to help military families experience this awesome show. So be sure to check with your USO as well.Thank you Medieval Times for supporting our troops!
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament is a show that you must take your family to. The show is family friendly and fun. So what are you waiting for? Plan your trip today!
Disclaimer: I kindly received complimentary tickets from Medieval Times in exchange for sharing them on my blog and social media. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.