In 2023, one of my goals is to manifest more family outings. The pandemic put a serious damper on my social calendar and I am happy to feel semi-comfortable being in public again.
This past weekend, I decided to take the children to Medieval Times Lyndhurst, NJ. I have taken each of my older children (14 and 11) and now it was the youngest (2) turn to have the experience.
This is my complete honest review and not sponsored.
First off, my first opinion is that Medieval Times Lyndhurst offers a great experience, but the tickets are quite pricey. Especially, for a family of five like us. Adult tickets are $69.95 and $39.95 for children. There are specials and promo codes that you can get if you do your research.
Since this was a last minute decision, I unfortunately had to pay full price. I did, however, only need four tickets, since our toddler could sit on our laps. I upgraded to the Queens Royalty package which was an additional $25/per person each. The arena is pretty intimate, so anywhere you sit you are going to get a great experience.
Now onto the show. We attended a Friday night 7:00 pm show, which was a bit late for an active toddler. This particular weekend, the earlier shows were sold out. Ideally, I would have wanted to do the Saturday 1:30 pm or 4:30 pm show.
The parking lot is busy so be prepared to walk. I recommend bringing the stroller for those with little ones. Upon entering Medieval Times Lyndhurst you instantly feel as though you are taken back in time. The large castle welcomes you with its beauty.
We arrived very close to 7 pm and luckily enough there was no line. We went directly to the counter for ticket retrieval and received our VIP passes, 1 photo frame ticket, and 3 drink tickets that I also added for slushes for the kids.
We were assigned the black and white group, received our headwear and were escorted to take our family photo. Sadly, this was the first time all five of us have taken a family photo. Usually I’m the one taking the picture or the little one is off running somewhere. For our first family photo, I have to say it came out great.
The photos were delivered during the show and we were all amazed at how beautiful they were framed. We still have the one from my daughter’s visit, and they have definitely upgraded.
We headed to the bar area to get the kids slushy drinks that included a plastic castle shaped cup that lights up.
Photos taken. Drinks Ready. We dropped the stroller at the gift shop, because you aren’t allowed to carry it to the seating area and went to find our seats.
With the Queens Royalty package you are assigned either the first or second row. We were in the second row, assigned with our hat color. Again, in my honest opinion, the seats are very tight and close together. You don’t have much room to move around. Being primarily a kid attraction, I would recommend that they consider having more space for outerwear, bags, and everything else that moms carry when traveling with a family.
Now remember, I said we only purchased four tickets and our toddler would sit in our lap. Thankfully, there were two empty seats next to us, because sitting in our lap for the entire time would have been a challenge. It was that tight!
The food is delicious! You are given tomato soup and garlic bread to start, followed by a large serving of roasted chicken, then corn on a cob and a baked potato. The entire family enjoyed the food and was surprised at the portion sizes. Later on, you get a chocolate eclair (served cold) with coffee if you choose.
Honest time: the food is not really toddler friendly. Due to the time era there are no utensils or kid-friendly plates. Therefore, there was nothing he could eat. Luckily, thankful to my mom’s Christmas gift a Dagne Dover backpack that I had been eyeing (because once you reach my age you no longer request gifts for yourself – you want things like Target Plates or diaper backpacks to make your travel life easier), I was able to pack his sippy cup plus snacks and dinner.
Some additional fees that you should be aware of:
- The Light-up swords are $20.00 each
- Bottle Water: $3.00
- Gratuity is not included and the recommended tip is $5-$10 per person (do the math and it will have you second guessing your career lol)
The show begins during the serving of the feast as the Queen speaks about the evening’s festivities. The fun really begins once the Knights start competing. Our Knight won both rounds and was the overall winner. He rode on his horse and threw pink flowers to the girls. My daughter was a lucky recipient and smiled the entire rest of the evening.
After twenty minutes into the show, my toddler had enough and wanted to run up and down the walkway, climb over the chairs to play with his brother and sister, wave the flags and entertain the waitstaff. So after that I have no idea what happened throughout the show. The kids however, enjoyed every minute of it. Especially the horses. They were beautifully groomed and gracefully entertaining.
The family friendly experience is a must-do! I would highly recommend that you add this to your family bucket list. Medieval Times Lyndhurst is quite pricey, but the kids will surely have a great time. Book in advance and check out discounted offers.
Currently they have a promo offer for 20% if you book on the website. | Promo code: MT {valid until 4/30}
P.S. There is absolutely no Wi-Fi or cell service in the arena.