We had planned a trip to Hershey Park this past weekend. A long-awaited trip. The last two times we went, we actually didn’t even make it into the park – rained out. This time, I got smart and obsessively checked the weather forecast, and when it reached a 60% chance of rain on Friday morning, we canceled our reservations and went to Plan B. Medieval Times.
I’ve actually never been, and it’s one of those places that I felt should be on my bucket list. Do. And cross off. Move on. It made our Summer Bucket List, which was originally going to appear tonight, but the best laid plans and all that. It will be here tomorrow. Full of Medieval joustings, fighting knights, princesses who need their honor protected and food, Medieval Times is two hours of fun. Never having been before, I wasn’t sure of the layout and how Madeline would do sitting still and keeping entertained for two hours, but there was only one way to find out. Just suck it up and go.
Medieval Times can get a little pricey, for sure. A few things I learned. Buy your tickets online to get the biggest discount. They have a host of discount codes available at any given time, and if you play around a bit, and get creative, you can really drive the price down. There were nine of us going, and after working with the codes a bit, I figured out the biggest discount was if I bought the adults tickets together on one reservation, and the kids on another. I ended up saving 50% off the total that way. I know. Go me!
They request you get there an hour before the show starts. Now I know why. They’d like you to browse all their gift shop areas, drink up at the bar and buy overpriced lights for the kids to wave during the festivities. No thank you. We practiced saying no quite a few times. Worked like a charm.
Once inside, it’s set up like a stadium, with a long counter-type table in front of you, and candles throughout. Candles + Madeline = one nervous Mama. But she couldn’t reach them. Children two years old and under are free as long as they sit on a lap and share an adult’s food. And if you’re crafty like me, you can finagle a seat for your child anyway. Just sayin’.
Much like the circus, the vendors come around with light sabres and all sorts of things that will end up on the floor of my car or under the kids’ beds just hours later, money just thrown away. More practice in saying no. Everyone got paper crowns displaying our “team colors” (free), and that was enough for then. A wench came by selling these little flags for everyone to wave, to cheer their respective knight on, and at a buck a pop, that was money well spent. Each of the kids got one, and days later, Madeline is still waving that darn flag around. Her hat, a little torn and tattered now, still firmly planted on her little noggin.
The food. Let’s just say you don’t go there for the food. You eat with your hands (even the soup!), but everything was in desperate need of salt. Like a lot. Like there is no way I could have seasoned it enough. We started with Tomato Bisque soup with Garlic Bread, then moved on to Roast Chicken, a Spare Rib, and then a Roasted Potato. Dessert differs from day to day, but ours was an apple pastry, which everyone deemed their favorite part of the meal. The food isn’t bad, I’m just not going to be craving it any time soon. Although I did promise to make the apple pastries this weekend.
For two straight hours, the kids were thoroughly entertained, screaming, cheering, and feasting along with everyone. Nick’s favorite phrase was “The blue team sucks!” Imagine what he’d be saying if not for the Catholic school education. ;) Madeline loved seeing the horses, and didn’t fuss or squirm or ask to leave. Not once. For her, this is huge. Maybe with a few knights and horses in our dining room, I can get her to sit that still for dinner here. If only.
Our team came in second and all in all, a great way to spend an evening, and it took the sting out of having to reschedule Hershey Park. And the weather? Totally poured. Thank goodness. It was a lot of pressure to make the final executive decision on that one.
Tomorrow? Our Summer Bucket List.
Project 365
June 16, 2010, Photo #112
Three days later, the crown and flag are still a favorite.
Who knew all it took was a paper crown to make her happy? And you’ve been buying toys all this time!
Medieval Times sounds fun. I’ve actually never been (nor have I been to Hershey park) but I’ll remember it for when I have kids!
That is similar to Dixie Stampede which my husband and I experienced before Nick was born. I said it was something I only needed to do once in my life but just now I realized I’ll probably take the kids back someday.
We have a Renaissance Faire around here that I’ve been wanting to visit. It’s kind of expensive though so it always gets pushed to the bottom of the list. It will be a little more worth it when the kids are older.
How fun! Most of my kids have been there – that is one of the 5th grade field trips. My husband works about 1 minute from there.
Hit the BK Lounge (burger king) for more crowns and love that pink chair!
We definately don’t have one of those in Mississippi. Sounds interesting though.
Isn’t it funny that the simplest things are the biggest hits?! That is SO funny about Nick’s opinion of the blue team. When my mom was a newlywed, she taught at a Catholic school. One day, one of her students decided to voice his opinion about KISS, saying “KISS sucks!!!” Well, my mom, being the sweet little Southern Baptist girl that she is, was SHOCKED!! She immediately sent him to see Sister whoever-was-in-charge. When she told my dad about it…his response was “well….they do!” HA!
Looks like a fun night. Evan would love something like that but we don’t have anything similar near us.
Looks like fun! Great pics of the kids, too!
we have one here to….got to take the boy soon.