One of my April goals was to visit a new place in Chicago as a family. Graham had suggested Medieval Times for months because neither Victoria nor I had been there. I wondered if it was appropriate for a toddler, though, so I did a bit of research via online review sites. We decided to give it a go and we are glad we did: It turns out toddlers fit right in!
You receive a crown as soon as you walk in, which Victoria loved. (She still wears it.) You also eat with your hands — it doesn’t get more toddler than that! And no one will judge you if your toddler screams and cheers throughout dinner because everyone else is doing it, too.
Victoria was thoroughly entertained during the entire two-hour show. She loved the horses, the knights and the princess, whose throne was directly to our left. We also gave her a light-up rose, because when in Rome …
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| The Red Knight gave us a flower. 🙂 |
That Medieval Times Chicago is family-friendly doesn’t mean childless adults can’t fun, too. In fact, we saw many people on date nights as well as large birthday party groups. You can get your share of adult beverages in souvenir cups with your four-course dinner. (Either buy drinks before the show or order them from your bartender during drink service. Cash and credit are accepted for drinks.)
Vegetarians are welcome as well. I called ahead to request a vegetarian meal, but the server also asked about vegetarians or those with dietary restrictions. I ended up getting served my meal slightly ahead of others, which I was not at all upset about. My veggie meal began with hummus and veggies and pita bread. Next, everyone was served the “dragon’s blood,” aka tomato soup, with garlic bread. The main course was a veggie stew that I found satisfying (I didn’t have to eat it with my hands, don’t worry.). It contained rice, potatoes, tomatoes, and three beans, and I was offered hot sauce to go along with it. Meanwhile, everyone else munched on chicken, potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. (I, too, was offered the potato and corn.) Lastly, we capped the meal off with pound cake that I paired with one of the signature drinks.
After the show, the knights walk out together and you have the opportunity to take photos with them. Victoria loved waving to them and she introduced herself to the Red Knight. He was sweet to our toddler as we said goodbye.
Overall, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament was an easy night out with Victoria. We didn’t have to worry about her being entertained and making a mess. She had an absolute blast and has been asking every day since if we can go back. I found it a win because I was completely relaxed and we had a fun night out together. Win-win!
Have you been to Medieval Times?
P.S. If you’re wondering about the horses, I found these links interesting:
Watch our Medieval Times video:
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.