Medieval Times - A Review and A Giveaway!

 Evan turns 11 today! As usual, I cannot believe how time has passed. But that's not what this post is about...

 I was offered complimentary family passes to Medieval Times in Schaumburg, IL and they just so happened to be available the weekend before Evan's birthday!

 Talk about a kid who was thrilled with the entire experience! Evan thanked us, repeatedly, and told us he loved us, repeatedly, the entire night.

 The pre-show anticipation was pretty high. We had a very hungry teenager (not pictured) and that always causes him to be, shall we say, less than sweet? This in turn, causes me to be anxious and on edge. I was ready for the fun to begin!

 Thankfully, the lights went down and the horses entered....

 And we were all entranced. It really is a great show. A little cheesy in the acting at times, but the storyline and characters engaged the audience and there wasn't a silent seat in the house. The food was phenomenally delicious (and they ALL ate it. ALL OF THEM. Even the picky one!) and was served on such a perfectly-timed schedule; you could tell this was a well-oiled procedure. We did have a minor issue pre-show where Evan wasn't knighted with the group (we got him a birthday package that included being knighted by the king, an announcement, photograph, and cake). I caught the eye of the "chancellor" and he came over as the king was leaving the knighting area. He was exceptionally helpful and, after a few minutes of trying to figure out what went wrong, he arranged to have the entire royal crew (king, trumpet dudes, photographer, etc.) come BACK OUT just to correct the mistake. This in no doubt was a huge time set-back for the cast but they were all incredibly polite and helpful. A definite thumbs up for their customer service!

 Look who caught a flower from our knight! This was seriously the best souvenir she could have ever gotten. (which is handy, cuz this momma doesn't do many souvenirs!)

This shot makes me laugh and laugh because it is SO legitimate! My husband was leaping from his seat, screaming louder than the kids were, as the Black and White knight kicked some serious jousting ass.

Tickets for Medieval Times may seem a little pricey up front until you realize that the cover charge pays for not only the dinner and show, but also for the cast and crew, equestrian trainers/caretakers and 3 different equine ranches that provide the fabulously trained horses for 9 different castles. Suddenly, the cost makes a lot more sense. Still, it can be difficult to find resources for larger families to attend, which is why Medieval Times runs special ticket discounts on their website. You just need to make sure you plan accordingly!

From now until 4/07/13, use the code SBWEB to Buy One ticket and Get One Ticket free for certain shows through April 30th at the Schaumburg castle!!*

 I am beyond THRILLED to announce that Medieval Times of Schaumburg, IL has offered 4 tickets** to one reader on my blog!!

To Enter:

~ Just comment below! Have you ever been to Medieval Times before? Who would you bring if you won?

~ ONE extra comment if you share this giveaway via any social media site of your choosing. Please be sure to copy the link back here. (Facebook/Twitter/Google+/etc.)

Giveaway is open until Midnight CST, Saturday, April 13. I will draw 1 winner on Sunday. Giveaway is open to anyone 18 or older and I must have a valid email address to contact you by or I will have to choose another winner.

Best of Luck!

*Certain restrictions may apply. Be sure to check the Medieval Times website for all rules and regulations.
**Certain restrictions/time frames may apply.

Updated with winner information:

Congratulations to Meghan Winscott! I hope you guys have a fabulous time!