Medieval Times Dinner Show in Orlando

Orlando’s Medieval Times turns dinner into a noisy, colorful tournament. You enter a castle-style complex, inspect medieval weapons and coats of arms, then take a seat in one of six color zones representing regions of medieval Spain. The main event combines jousting and sword fights with horsemanship and falconry.

I like the clear family appeal and the way your color section gives you someone to cheer for. I also like that the ticket includes a substantial four-course meal, two rounds of soft drinks, and free parking. The main caution is sound quality: crowd noise and the arena’s audio system can make royal announcements hard to understand. Bench seating may also feel firm during the long show.

Key points to know before you book

• Two hours of live action: Expect jousting, hand-to-hand combat, horsemanship, and falconry inside the arena.
• Dinner comes without silverware: You eat the four-course feast with your hands, part of the playful medieval setup.
• Arrive early: You will want time for the Hall of Arms, photos, and a look around before taking your seat.
• Your seating zone matters: You are assigned one of six colors and encouraged to support that section’s king.
• Food is filling but seasoned: Chicken, potatoes, and corn receive praise, though some diners find the seasoning salty or spicy.
• The ticket covers the basics: The $82.72 price includes the show, meal, two rounds of soft drinks, and parking, but not hotel transport.

Entering the castle and Hall of Arms

The experience starts before the first horse enters the arena. You walk into a complex styled after an 11th-century European castle, then pass through the Hall of Arms. This display sets the tone with medieval artifacts, coats of arms, and a broad collection of weapons.

I recommend arriving early rather than timing your arrival to the minute. The Hall of Arms gives you something to see before the performance, and early arrival also leaves room for photos. One practical tip is to sort out your show time before you travel. A booking mix-up once left a family unsure whether it was scheduled for the 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. performance, and a manager had to fix the problem at the door.

The atmosphere is part of what you are paying for. This is not simply dinner in a room followed by a short stunt show. The castle entrance, heraldic decorations, costumes, trumpets, and color sections create a full evening out. If you enjoy themed attractions, that extra framing will matter to you. If you want only a serious historical presentation, the theatrical style may feel broad and highly staged.

Choosing your color and cheering for a king

Royal trumpeters announce the call to the feast, sending you into the arena. You are seated in one of six color zones, each linked to an authentic region of medieval Spain. The color assignment gives the show a simple game: choose your side, cheer loudly, and follow the tournament’s fortunes.

That shared cheering is one of the best parts of the evening. You are not sitting passively in a dark theater. The show asks you to react, and children in particular have an easy role in the story. Even adults who arrive unsure about the concept can get pulled into supporting their knight.

The show’s audience participation also explains why this works well for birthdays and family celebrations. One parent described bringing a 16-year-old son on a whim and finding that both had a great time. Another family had returned five times, which says something about the repeat value for people who enjoy the ritual of backing a color and hoping for a win.

The setup is not subtle. You will be encouraged to cheer, clap, and follow the action from your section. That is a feature for some people and a nuisance for others. If you prefer a quiet performance with a carefully developed plot, the crowd energy may be tiring.

Eating a four-course feast without utensils

Your meal arrives as the live production begins. The four-course medieval feast is served without silverware, so you eat with your hands. That detail surprises some people, including diners who expect a themed joke but not a full meal built around it.

The food is more filling than many first-time visitors expect. Chicken is often described as moist, and the portions are large enough that the staff may provide a take-home plate if you cannot finish. The basic meal includes two rounds of soft drinks, which helps the ticket price make more sense for families.

Seasoning is the most mixed part of the meal. Some diners find the chicken, potatoes, and corn flavorful, while others find the food salty or too spicy. A few people specifically wished the vegetables and chicken had different seasonings rather than a similar flavor across the plate. If you are sensitive to spice, keep that in mind.

One small disappointment is the lack of bread with the soup, mentioned by a first-time visitor. Menu details can change, so I would not build your expectations around a particular side dish. The important point is that this is a set dinner designed to keep the show moving, not a restaurant meal with a broad choice of entrees.

Dietary needs can be accommodated according to the supplied experience information and individual feedback, but you should raise any needs when booking or on arrival. The meal is part of the ticket, not an optional restaurant stop, so it is worth handling those concerns early.

Watching horses, falcons, and armored combat

The tournament runs for about two hours and includes the show’s main crowd-pleasers: jousting, sword fights, horsemanship, and falconry. The horses are not just background scenery. Their movements and training form a large part of the production, and the animal performances are a major reason many people rate the show highly.

The jousting provides the obvious payoff. Knights charge on horseback, weapons meet, and the action builds around the color sections. The hand-to-hand fights add variety, while the falconry gives the show a different pace and a chance to see trained birds working in the arena.

I would set your expectations correctly. This is a recreation of medieval combat presented as dinner theater, not a museum demonstration or a documentary about tournament rules. The action is choreographed and theatrical. Still, the combination of live horses, armor, weapons, and close-range arena action gives it a physical quality that a screen cannot match.

Some people want more jousting and less of the surrounding show. If that sounds like you, know that the performance includes several kinds of entertainment rather than one long sequence of horse charges. Others appreciate the change of pace, especially when falconry and horsemanship break up the combat.

The sound system deserves a note. At times, the king’s or queen’s announcements can be hard to follow because of crowd noise, microphones, or accents. You can still understand the basic action through the staging and cheering, but do not expect every line to come through perfectly.

Seating, sales interruptions, and comfort

Your color section gives the arena a clear structure, but it also means you have limited control over your exact location unless an upgrade is available. One couple wished they had upgraded for better seats and free pictures. If a premium seating or photo package is offered when you book, compare the cost with how much you care about your view and keepsakes.

The benches are functional rather than plush. Several comments describe them as hard, which may matter during a two-hour performance plus dinner. This is not a quick meal followed by a short show. You will be seated for much of the evening, so anyone who dislikes firm bench seating should factor that into the decision.

There is also some selling during the performance. Staff may walk through the aisles offering glow-in-the-dark items and other souvenirs. One family felt this interrupted the show. If you dislike merchandise sales in the middle of a performance, that is a real drawback, not a minor detail.

On the positive side, the serving staff receives frequent praise for being friendly, attentive, funny, and helpful with dietary needs. Individual servers named in feedback include Jess and Ashley, though staffing can change. The service is an important part of the experience because the meal is served while the action continues around you.

What $82.72 buys you in Orlando

At $82.72 per person, this is not a cheap dinner. The fair comparison is not with a basic restaurant meal, though. You are paying for roughly three hours at a themed attraction, a two-hour live tournament, a four-course dinner, two rounds of soft drinks, and free parking.

For a family, the price can add up quickly. For an evening activity that replaces both dinner and entertainment, the value is easier to defend, especially if you enjoy live performances and do not need hotel transport. The ticket does not include pickup or drop-off, so you must arrange your own way to the venue.

I see the value as strongest for families, first-time visitors, birthday outings, and anyone who likes theatrical attractions with audience participation. It is weaker for a couple seeking a refined dinner, a quiet night, or a deeply historical presentation. You should also consider that the arena is described by some people as smaller than expected. That can make the show feel more immediate, but it may disappoint if you picture a huge stadium.

The overall rating is 4.6 from 141 reviews, with especially strong praise for the horses, costumes, staff, food portions, and crowd involvement. The lower ratings focus on booking confusion, sound problems, hard benches, aisle sales, and expectations about the size of the arena or amount of jousting. Those complaints are specific enough to take seriously.

Timing, transport, and booking cautions

The experience lasts about three hours, with the tournament itself listed at two hours. Allow extra time before the performance for parking, entry, the Hall of Arms, and photos. Free parking is included, and the venue is near public transportation, but hotel pickup and drop-off are not part of the ticket.

Mobile tickets make entry simple once your reservation is correct. Confirmation is provided at booking. Because showtime errors have caused real trouble for some people, check the date and performance time carefully before leaving for the venue.

The booking is normally made about 22 days ahead, so this is not usually a last-minute decision for many visitors. If you have a fixed dinner reservation, taxi, or other evening plan, leave enough space around the show. A delayed flight was accommodated with a rescheduled performance in one case, but the stated policy is strict: the experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason after booking.

The weather policy is unusual for an indoor-looking attraction. The experience requires good weather, and if it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered another date or a full refund. That protection does not apply to an ordinary change of mind, so book carefully.

Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The venue is near public transportation, though the supplied details do not provide a specific route or hotel shuttle schedule.

Who will have the best time here

I would recommend this show to families with school-age children and teenagers who enjoy costumes, horses, cheering, and simple good-versus-bad storytelling. Preschool children may find the performance too long, so I would think carefully about their attention span before booking.

It also suits couples who want an unusual evening rather than a quiet meal. Several couples enjoyed the food, horses, and crowd energy, while one couple found the price high for two people. Your enjoyment will depend on how much value you place on live spectacle.

Adults can enjoy it too, especially if they treat it as playful theater rather than a serious history lesson. One self-described skeptic ended up loving the atmosphere and the chance to do something different in air conditioning. That is a fair description of the appeal: it is a break from Orlando’s standard park routine, with dinner built into the performance.

I would hesitate if you have trouble with firm seating, need every announcement to be crystal clear, or dislike staff selling merchandise during shows. I would also check the meal expectations if you want a choice of dishes or lightly seasoned food.

Should you book the Medieval Times dinner show?

Book it if you want a full evening of costumes, horses, cheering, and theatrical combat, and if the four-course meal makes the price workable for your group. The strongest reasons are the impressive horse work, friendly service, lively color sections, and the fact that dinner and the tournament happen in one place.

Think twice if you want a large arena, a quiet performance, flexible dining, or a history lesson. Arrive early, verify your show time, expect to eat without utensils, and prepare for firm benches and possible aisle sales. For the right audience, this is goofy, polished family entertainment with enough live action to make the $82.72 ticket feel worthwhile.

FAQ

How long does the Medieval Times dinner show last?

The full experience lasts approximately three hours. The live tournament itself runs for two hours.

What food is included?

Your ticket includes a four-course medieval feast and two rounds of soft drinks. The meal is served without silverware.

Is parking included?

Yes. Free parking is included with the experience.

Is hotel transportation included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

How many seating sections are there?

You are seated in one of six color zones representing regions of medieval Spain. The audience cheers for one of six Kings of the Realm.

What entertainment is included besides jousting?

The live production includes sword fights, horsemanship, falconry, and jousting.

Can I cancel or change my booking?

The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If poor weather causes the experience to be canceled, you are offered another date or a full refund.