Today we feature a guest blog post from my young adult son, Sean. We were both recently driving around Scottsdale, Arizona and he blurted out, “What is that building (shaped like a castle)? I didn’t know they had a Medieval Times here!”

Well, every parent knows what comes next. 😏 I told him I would go with him if he wrote a guest blog post about the experience. So, here is his story below. Please keep reading until the end, as I will add a few comments myself. 😁

But first, here is the Medieval Times webpage, so you can purchase online tickets and see specific details for yourself. ⬇️

https://www.medievaltimes.com/

Guest Blogger (Sean)

Ever since I was young I could remember hearing about Medieval Times from influencers online and from friends who had traveled to the West Coast, and the venue had always occupied a sort of mythical space in my mind as a far-off experience that I would probably never get to have for myself until I was much older and could afford to fly myself to somewhere like LA or Dallas. While my recent trip to the castle in Scottsdale wasn’t perfect, it almost entirely lived up to my childhood standards and certainly would’ve made little me thrilled to know what was on the horizon.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Medieval Times is unlike almost any attraction I’ve been to, as the moment you leave the parking lot you cross over a moat bridge and enter a castle gate while being greeted by enthusiastic workers speaking in old English. After you’re adorned in a Burger King-esque paper crown, you have your photo taken and enter the main waiting area, which is fittingly decorated to look like the dining hall of a castle (also known as the Great Hall). This area has some light seating, a full service bar, two different gift shops, and photo opportunities with the king and queen that you’ll later be introduced to during the dinner and show. Just before the show begins, the the Lord Marshal appears above the crowd and makes a few announcements about safety and seating before you are ushered inside the arena to your seats and the show begins.

Show

Aside from the atmosphere, I think the show was the second most impressive part of the experience, especially if you enjoy animals or stunt work. The show starts by giving you the backstory of all the different medieval kingdoms and why they’re all gathered together. It then picks up fairly quickly and is accentuated by some very impressive performances by both the human actors and the animals they work with. I don’t want to spoil too much of the show, but my personal highlights included a falconry act that used the entirety of the space they were given and the jousting tournament that has made Medieval Times famous, and I would say for good reason. One of the things I enjoyed most about the experience of the show in general was the crowd work and the sense of rivalry they build up between each seating area, as you are assigned a color to root for when you step through the door. By the end of the show you really do feel a sense of camaraderie with the people sitting around you as you cheer on your jouster and relentlessly boo your opponents.

Deanna’s Comments:

As you can see, my young adult son loved it. I enjoyed it too, but would like to give you a few tips that I wish I had known prior to going.

First thing - buy tickets online ahead of arrival. It will save time when you arrive and you can see all the options and not have to make decisions on the spot.
The show’s communication encourages you to arrive early. That is very accurate. We arrived 45 minutes early and I wished we’d arrived one hour early. The reason (at least in my case) was that while there are some tables and chairs off to one side (in the Scottsdale Medieval Times), there were none available when we got there. If you are uncomfortable or not able to stand for a while before you are ushered into the main arena, you need to arrive when the outside doors open to the Dining Hall in order to get a table and chairs. If you would be very uncomfortable standing or walking around the Dining Hall until the show begins, be sure to select Accessible accommodations when you purchase tickets.
The seating in the arena is fairly tightly packed and you approach it from the step above. In other words, you may need to step onto the chair seat first and then step down to the floor or step directly onto the floor via a large step behind your chair and then maneuver into place (between chairs) to your seat. Also keep in mind you may want to get up and leave the arena to use the restroom. Plan accordingly.
The above items were clearly not an issue for most folks. But if it is, you might want to request Accessible seating when you purchase your tickets.
There are ample opportunities to purchase a keepsake treasure (I.e. souvenir) before, during, and after the show. I may or may not have purchased a large sword replica for the guest blogger above with some strictly-stated criteria. 😏 There are costumes, light-up toys, swords, and other items for purchase in the entry hall. Some small items are available for purchase inside the arena as staff occasionally come through the aisles showcasing their opportunities.

But, above all, have a blast yourself! Cheer loudly for your jouster (no table pounding due to scaring the horses), eat your meal with your hands (you can ask for silverware and extra napkins), intently listen to and watch the show unfolding before you, and (hey!) maybe even browse the keepsake treasures for a little something for yourself. 🤩 Oh, and take some photos of your family or companions. One adorable young family in the parking lot (with not nearly as many wisdom highlights as me) even dressed in medieval outfits for the occasion. I complimented them on doing that. What a wonderful idea! 😎 Make it an experience to remember. You won’t regret it!

Medieval Times Webpage -All Locations

https://www.medievaltimes.com/about