I'd seen billboards for the Medieval Times dinner show but didn't give it much thought until Brian came home with tickets through work. Little did
I know that Medieval Times is a huge, well-established theater company with shows near Orlando, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Dallas, Toronto, Myrtle Beach, and Washington DC. The first one opened overseas in Majorca in 1973 and the show is modeled after life in 11th century Spain.
The Atlanta area Medieval Times is located in Sugarloaf Mills mall north of the 316/I-85 split in Lawrenceville. (Click HERE for the mall website.) Walking up to the building, I suddenly realized this was not a small-scale outfit. Check out how small Brian and Eli look in front of it!
While waiting for the show to begin, there is a huge vestibule complete with gift shop, fireplace, and displays.
This is Kratos, a Eurasian eagle-owl born in 2005. He has a wingspan of six feet and stars in the show. Before the show begins, he is in a small temporary space with windows.
Everybody is given a crown to wear. The color of your crown decides which section you'll be sitting in and which knight you'll cheer for. (Even the lights are colored. Can you tell we were rooting for the Green Knight?) The seats are at narrow tables that overlook a large oval space with sand at the bottom -- the "circus ring" where the action takes place.
The lights dim. Fog begins to swirl. A light show and music begins...
I expected a whole lot of jousting. And there definitely was jousting -- complete with clashes and shattering lances. Yet I was pleasantly surprised how much more there was to the show. There were characters and a storyline to follow but also gorgeous, well-trained horses. The medieval games included all sorts of displays of skill with horses and weapons. All is so well-choreographed that there is constantly something new to see.
The story of the show led to acts of bravery and duels complete with sparks flying from sword-upon-sword. Eli was at the edge of his seat.
For a five year-old boy, it was a particularly wondrous and fantastic experience. We bought Eli a plastic light-up sword and for days afterwards I'd see him on the playground or the front yard with arms wielding a sword either toy, stick, or imagined. It's such fun to do an activity with your kid that rouses their senses and inspires them.
One Mama's Two Cents:
Medieval Times is pricey, yet we found it was really worth doing once or twice. It was a fun way to talk about history with Eli, discussing how the show was accurate and inaccurate. I suppose if you've got a kid who is constantly whacking things with sticks or turning everything into a toy gun that this sort of show might be overwhelming, but Eli really loved the Good vs. Evil aspect and seemed to understand that the actors (and knights of old) were all highly trained so they could do things he can't. He loved it, and the show has plenty for the grownups to enjoy too.
Surprisingly, the food was good. I expected rubbery, overcooked meat, but everything was tender and tasty. Meals are served without silverware, so wash hands before you go in and/or carry some kid-safe hand sanitizer as well as wet-wipes. Eli isn't a big meat eater, but there was enough variety to make him a decent meal. Everyone gets the same meal -- tomato bisque soup, bread, roasted chicken (light and dark meat), barbecue spare rib, herb roasted potato half (called a "dragon's egg"), and a pastry. Drinks are Pepsi, tea, water, or bar drinks served in a plastic tankard. (The plates were metal, which intrigued Eli to no end.) There is a vegetarian option as well, but I don't know what they serve for it.
We will definitely go again sometime. We saw some kids visiting for birthdays and being knighted by the king, so perhaps we'll do that in one of the coming years.
Next Post: A behind-the-scenes tour of Medieval Times! (Click HERE)
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