Kissimmee, FL

Article & Photos by: Kelsey Walters

This past month for my birthday, my parents surprised our family with tickets to Medieval Times. Surprisingly, although we’ve been covering day trips and destinations throughout Florida for years now, it is one of the things I hadn’t had the chance to experience yet. 

Stepping into History at Medieval Times

We arrived at the well-known castle in the heart of Kissimmee excited, hungry and ready to feast. While your meal is of course the heart of the evening, there is so much more to this truly immersive experience!

Medieval Times brings you back to a bygone era in historic Spain, as you join the royal court for a banquet. You’ll follow along as a story of the top knights battle it out to determine who is most worthy of protecting the queen, with feats of skill on horseback, jousting and hand-to-hand combat.

Unless you purchase VIP or birthday packages, seating is assigned on a first come, first served basis, so it’s best to arrive early to get in line at the castle gates. We got there about 45 minutes before the show began, which was about 5 minutes before the gates opened and lucked out with the second row, right alongside the queen. 

As you enter the 11th century-style castle, you’ll be assigned a knight, or “house,” designated by your crown color to root for. Not only is cheering on your knight very strongly encouraged, but so is booing your opponents. Even though you don’t really have anything invested in your house, it builds a sense of comradery as you cheer together and excitement builds. At first, Avery wanted to cheer for every knight and hoped they all did their best. By the end of the evening, she was absolutely feral as she screamed for our yellow knight and stuck out her tongue at unworthy challengers. 

Shop and Sip at the Hall of Arms

Before taking your seat, you’re welcomed into the grand Hall of Arms where you can purchase souvenirs for the banquet, such as flags to wave for your knight, crowns and tiaras. You can also sign up to be knighted by the queen herself and join the royal ranks. Avery practiced her curtsy before approaching to greet the queen. Two full bars are available for themed drinks, cocktails, beer and wine. 

Dine Like Royalty

Soon, your house will be called to take your seat and it’s time to enter the arena. We made our way towards the front and chose our grog (your choice of water, lemonade or Pepsi) and the show began. The queen’s squires introduced the knights and each completed various feats on horseback to win the queen’s favor, including target and ring jousting. 

As we cheered and jeered, our feast arrived, beginning with “hot dragon’s blood,” (AKA tomato bisque). The fun of the feast is to truly dine like a Medieval guest, and that means no utensils (if that’s absolutely a no-go for you, they are available upon request). We began sipping and slurping our dragon’s blood as half a roast chicken was slapped down onto our plates alongside roasted potatoes and corn cobs by our castle wench (vegetarian meals are also available). Avery’s eyes were the size of dinner plates as she took it all in – one of her favorite meals is a whole chicken leg. 

She squealed with delight, waving her chicken leg in the air, as our knight was up for battle against the green knight in a round of jousting. The horses’ hooves thundered through the arena and the wooden lances exploded, sending splinters everywhere as our knight was thrown from his horse. The knights grabbed their weapons and battled on foot as our opposing sides screamed each knight on in the intense fight. 

Each knight went head-to-head until only one was victorious and won the favor of the queen. Sadly, our knight wasn’t crowned the winner, but we were served dessert soon after to soothe our woes. Afterwards, you are welcomed back into the grand hall and will have the chance to meet the queen or maybe even your favorite knight. 

Why Medieval Times a Must-See

We finished the evening giddy with excitement from the show, while Avery still debated which knight was best, and which one won her heart. Whether you’re celebrating something special, or want to embark on an adventure with your friends or family, Medieval Times is sure to get your adrenaline pumping and fill your stomach! Huzzah!

MEDIEVAL TIMES DINNER & TOURNAMENT
4510 W Vine St, Kissimmee, FL 34746
(888) 935-6878 | MedievalTimes.com
$67.95/ adult; $40.95/child
Royalty Upgrade: $15 each; Celebration Upgrade:
$22 each; Queen’s Royalty Upgrade: $27 each