Mom0012 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 (edited) We are just finishing up the Medieval time period in Sonlight and my husband and I were thinking about taking the kids to see the show at Medieval Times. Has anyone ever been there? Did you enjoy the show? Is it worth the price? I really think my kids would just love it. Also, what is the food like? I have a child who is allergic to a lot of things and I'm wondering if he would be able to eat there. If you have allergies in your family, were they accommodating at all? And another allergy question. Some of the people in my family are pretty allergic to horses as well. Has anyone with those types of allergies had trouble with the show? It may sound silly, but we went to a small circus a few years ago and I almost had to leave because I became covered in hives. This was in a pretty small tent though, and I'm hoping I'd fare better in a larger place like MT. Thanks! Lisa Edited February 16, 2009 by LisaTheresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkpan Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We went to a Medieval Times in Orlando a few years back for dhs company Christmas party. It was really fun. I would love to take my dc there some day. The food was simple (I suppose true to the times) - if I remember right it was chicken, baked potato, bread, soup... of course, you eat everything with your hands as they did. Kids would love that part. Sorry, cant help you with the cost or the allergy questions, but just thought Id chime in to say most dc would thoroughly love it! Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We took our boys to the one in Orlando a couple of years ago. They had a blast. The food was pretty basic as it's eaten with your hands. The meal consisted of a beef broth, roast chicken and ribs, potato wedges and a basic dessert (cake or cookies, I can't remember exactly). There was probably a vegetable in there as well. Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bailey Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We also went to the one in Orlando a few years ago. We loved it. My boys still think of it as one of the highlights of our Florida vacation. I am also allergic to horses and I had no problems being there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey in TX Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We took our kids three years ago. I thought it was awesome! The kids were not really impressed. It's a lot of money to not love the experience. We're finishing up the middle ages/renaissance and will attend a Renaissance Faire in April instead of Medieval Times. btw, our ps has 6th graders attend Medieval Times yearly. One school calendar printed "Mid-Evil Times"! Even my kids who were still in ps (2,3,4th grades) knew it was wrong!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in AL Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 To the one in Orlando. It was great! We were served tomato soup, roast chicken, ribs, baked potato, garlic bread, and an apple dessert. The drink choices were beer (in keeping true to the times!), Pepsi, or water. We all ate with our hands, and had a blast. If you just can't take eating with your hands, I think you can bring plastic utensils or request them. One party near us had an elderly gentleman with them, and he ate with plastic utensils. If this might be an issue for someone in your party, I would call to see if they provide the utensils, or if you need to bring your own. The arena is huge....much bigger than I thought it would be. I, too, was worried about the horses, as I'm allergic (hives if I touch, asthma if I breathe fur/dander), but they didn't bother me. What DID bother me was all smoke from the smoke machine and the dirt/dust that the horses kicked up. I did need my inhaler once, near the end of the show, as I got "tight" (I tried to wait it out, but decided to give in---it's fairly dark in the theater, and everyone is watching the show, so I just stayed at my seat and used it discreetly). As a side note, we sat near the front, at the 'bottom', so I'm thinking if we go again, I would request a seat more in the middle tier, higher up, as the smoke and dust settled quickly. I can't imaging there is a 'bad seat' anywhere. The cost wasn't too bad, as I found a coupon on their website that allowed a free child's ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket. I can't remember the cut off age, but my 11 y/o dd was free, while my 13 y/o ds was full price. One bit of warning.....we weren't prepared for the "trap". Merchandising is everywhere there, and everything looks nice. We did buy some goblets to bring home, and each child bought a necklace, but there is TONS of stuff. If your child has a birthday, you can tell someone, and they'll announce it "medieval style" with the king and queen at court...it's pretty cool. They tell you to arrive early for your table assignments, but then you are left to wander the shops for a small eternity while waiting to be seated. There are FEW seats in the shop area, so those with health/mobility issues might need to ask for assistance. One more bit....the Medieval Times Theater in Orlando has a really cool medieval village. We were told that Orlando is the only location with a village to wander through...the village, of course, isn't authentic, but is set up as such, AND there are tons of artifacts....my kids both LOVED the torture devices on display! :w00t: I highly recommend going if you get the chance. It was a bit costly, yet, when you see just how many people and horses are in the show, and the amount of food you are served, etc, we felt it was worth every penny. Everyone there was very nice, and we enjoyed every minute. We would go again in a heartbeat! Hope that helps! (the other) Heather in Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I have been to the one in Cali a few times. If we still lived there and were studying MT, we would definitely make a trip there. Sorry, can't help with the allergy part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 We've had great fun going to the one outside Atlanta. We've been twice at least... First, for the price, be sure to check the website for specials. They're nearly always running *something* that will save you a fair amount over the list price. For the food, they *do* have allergy options. You would need to call them to discuss what that means, and I've heard that what they offer is pretty blah. But it may or may not suit your needs. The food isn't fantastic anyway, lol -- people don't go for the *food*. ;) Despite his allergies, my son was able to eat most of the food on their regular menu, but that will depend on what you have to avoid. Give them a call. I'm very allergic to horses and had a lot of trouble one time when we went. And almost no trouble another time. I did take a kids' dose of Benedryl before we went the second time (enough to dull the histamine response, but not enough to put me under the table, lol), and I keep extra strips (the Triaminic ones have the same ingredient but are cheaper than the Benedryl ones) in my purse. That way if any of us needed another half dose, it was easy to dole out in the semi-dark of the show. You might also want to ask to be seated further up in the stands. The closest seats are considered the "best" and most desirable, but there really aren't any bad seats either. And being up just an extra row or two can make a difference in how much dust and dander reaches you. (The good thing is that since you're inside, there's no wind blowing the stuff on you, and that's a big problem for me at horse farms and such.) They will tell you to go an hour and a half or more early. Don't. Once you do that, you're stuck inside where there's not much to do but wait and buy stuff. You'll want to be there a bit early so you can see the hunting birds and any other "street shows", and things like that, but half an hour or so before show time is probably plenty. Do budget a few extra dollars to buy your kids a pennant for "their" knight. (I believe they range from $1-5 depending on how fancy you buy.) It makes cheering that much more fun. But otherwise, there are lots and lots and lots of things to buy, and they range from a little to a lot overpriced. You would want to be prepared to say "no" a lot (warn the kids ahead of time that you won't be buying anything), or be prepared to spend extra $$ on top of what you're already paying to be there. There are some fun wooden swords and shields and things like that... Have a great time! It's not super educational or anything -- but it can be *great* fun for the kids to see the jousting and tournament games up close. It's a little cheesy, but if your family can get "into" the cheering and raucousness, it's also a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 Thanks for all the great advice! I really think my kids would enjoy this and I'm so glad to hear it may be manageable for us with the horse allergies. I'll definitely be sure not to get one of the front row seats. I've e-mailed MT to see what we can work out for food for my son. We'll actually be going to the one in Maryland, so hopefully it's as good as the Orlando one since that seems to be where most of you have gone. I'm also hoping to do the Renaissance Festival in Maryland this summer. I'm not a "fun" mom as far as school goes, but I'm trying.:) Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolin'mygirls Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 My kids were in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court at a local theater group, and Medieval Times was one of the sponsors. We got to go at an incredibly cheap rate. I'm not sure we'd have gone otherwise. They will do group rates (homeschool group maybe?). However, just a note. My friend took her kids to a "school" show and they were served pizza! Plus an abbreviated show. She was very disappointed, although her kids didn't know the difference. It was tremendous fun--my dds dressed up to add to the fun. Can't add anything to the allergy discussion except to get a higher up seat to avoid the dust. nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 OK - I have to ask. A number of you said that you ate with your hands. I get that. But then one of you mentioned beef broth on the menu and another mentioned tomato soup. With your hands?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 You drink the soup, Jean. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 :blush: Oh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 The soup bowls have handles... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 The food was simple (I suppose true to the times) - if I remember right it was chicken, baked potato, bread, soup... of course, you eat everything with your hands as they did. Uh, no. Potatoes and tomatoes are New World crops. If you are interested in food history "Cabbages and Kings" by Jonathan Roberts (I think his name is, I never remember authors!) is a great read. The medieval world did actually know about cutlery. In fact there are numerous etiquette guides around from the Middle Ages, and I can assure you that while the average peasant was eating pretty plainly, the nobility wasn't. If you are looking for some real medieval cooking, you could try seeing if you have an SCA group in your area and go along to one of their feasts. They are well priced and they'll do their best to cater to allergies if you mention them when booking. Rosie (http://www.sca.org) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in FL Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Thanks for all the great advice! I really think my kids would enjoy this and I'm so glad to hear it may be manageable for us with the horse allergies. I'll definitely be sure not to get one of the front row seats. I've e-mailed MT to see what we can work out for food for my son. We'll actually be going to the one in Maryland, so hopefully it's as good as the Orlando one since that seems to be where most of you have gone. I'm also hoping to do the Renaissance Festival in Maryland this summer. I'm not a "fun" mom as far as school goes, but I'm trying.:) Lisa You might want to ask about attending one of theor field trip days. They do allow individual homeschool families to attend (at least they did in Orlando). And the price is much better. They start the show with some educational features as well. (We had a falconing demo). I agree with others about checking for other specials - the one near Atlanta seems to be always having a buy one get one free special coupon in the papers. There is one now thru the end of February. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 Uh, no. Potatoes and tomatoes are New World crops. If you are interested in food history "Cabbages and Kings" by Jonathan Roberts (I think his name is, I never remember authors!) is a great read. The medieval world did actually know about cutlery. In fact there are numerous etiquette guides around from the Middle Ages, and I can assure you that while the average peasant was eating pretty plainly, the nobility wasn't. If you are looking for some real medieval cooking, you could try seeing if you have an SCA group in your area and go along to one of their feasts. They are well priced and they'll do their best to cater to allergies if you mention them when booking. Rosie (http://www.sca.org) Thank you, Rosie, for the SCA link. That looks really interesting. I will have to spend some time looking over their site. I never knew such a thing existed. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 You might want to ask about attending one of theor field trip days. They do allow individual homeschool families to attend (at least they did in Orlando). And the price is much better. They start the show with some educational features as well. (We had a falconing demo). QUOTE] Great idea on the field trips! I will have to check into this. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 (edited) We went to the daytime "school" show several years ago. We registered as a homeschool "group", though there were only 5 of us (two moms, three kids). It was wonderful! The school time show is less expensive, and includes some historical aspects that the "all show" evening performance doesn't have. Our lunch consisted of a half chicken, an apple, and a drink. I'm sure there was more, but I honestly don't remember what it was. Baked potato, perhaps? There are no eating utensils. You have to eat with your hands (Medieval style). :o) The girl who took our reservation had been homeschooled herself. She gave us excellent seats. My dd, who was six years old at the time, was selected by the "winning" knight to be the Queen of Love and Beauty. She was taken to the upper platform, where they gave her flowers and a sash. It's one of our favorite memories. That was in Anaheim, six years ago. I have no idea if it's the same now. But, if you can go to an afternoon "Educational" show, I'd highly recommend it. If not, the evening show would be great fun (just more expensive). Edited February 17, 2009 by Suzanne in ABQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Thank you, Rosie, for the SCA link. That looks really interesting. I will have to spend some time looking over their site. I never knew such a thing existed. Lisa For about $30 per adult (less for kids, and that's Australian dollars) we usually get a three course meal, with about 6 dishes per course. Not bad huh? Even if you do have to BYO wooden or ceramic crockery ;) Meat cooked with cinnamon is better than you think it will be and I've never met a modern spinach tart recipe I've liked, but the cooks in my local area make a very nice medieval one!! :) Rosie loves food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 The dungeon tour of medeival torture devices really freaked me out. I don't recommend it for the nightmare prone like myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Great time, decent food, but I'm not too keen on taking littles through the dungeon to view the torture devices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Uh, no. Potatoes and tomatoes are New World crops. If you are interested in food history "Cabbages and Kings" by Jonathan Roberts (I think his name is, I never remember authors!) is a great read. The medieval world did actually know about cutlery. In fact there are numerous etiquette guides around from the Middle Ages, and I can assure you that while the average peasant was eating pretty plainly, the nobility wasn't. If you are looking for some real medieval cooking, you could try seeing if you have an SCA group in your area and go along to one of their feasts. They are well priced and they'll do their best to cater to allergies if you mention them when booking. Rosie (http://www.sca.org) We were heavily involved in the SCA for a number of years (it's where I met my husband :)) and enjoyed it very much. Folks need to know it is entirely participatory, however, not a show. You will be expected to make an attempt to dress in an appropriate style, bring your own things to eat and drink with, etc----it's not really very similar to MT or a Renn Faire, IMO. From their promotional literature and descriptions here, Medieval Times is more like the Disney versions of Pocohantas or Mulan than, say, Colonial Williamsburg. Fun, entertaining and meant to evoke the modern romantic image of the period rather than being all that concerned about strict historical accuracy or showing a full range of true to life activities. Renaissance fairs are similar. They have value and can be fun, as long as they are understood to be what they are-----entertainment and a way to separate you from your money;) rather than something primarily designed to educate accurately. Sounds like some of the school shows do make a greater attempt to include some accurate educational materials, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Sorry, I've just got a thing about food and didn't want anyone thinking tomato soup was common fare during the middle ages, or that no one had table manners. I hang around with people who drool over the sexiness of medieval eating forks so I may well be over reacting. Did you know the first documented avocados on mainland Europe were written as growing in Spain in 1601? So yeah, the SCA definitely requires participation, but who'd want to stand around and watch other people eat? Alright, I'm getting silly now, but if anyone is thinking of going along to an SCA feast, you can borrow garb if you ask when booking. Don't go and spend a fortune on costume hire or anything, that's *completely* unnecessary. ;) Rosie- who is going to a war next weekend, hahahhahhaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Great time, decent food, but I'm not too keen on taking littles through the dungeon to view the torture devices.One is a chastity belt with two areas if you get my drift. I don't plan for my children to see that until they are out of the house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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