By contributing writer Christine Monta
Hear ye, hear ye! All ye families of the realm looking for ways to occupy your kiddos during spring break week, look no further than Medieval Times’ Maryland Castle, located in Arundel Mills Mall! From April 12-21, visitors can receive discount pricing to the Castle’s iconic dinner & tournament show (details and discount code below), and on April 17 & 18, young squires can participate in a memorable “Jr. Knight Training” before the 3 p.m. show.
My family received four free tickets in exchange for this review, but we paid out-of-pocket for souvenirs. All ideas are my own.
TRAINING WITH THE KNIGHTS OF THE REALM
On April 17 and 18 (Thurs. & Fri.), children ages 5-12 can train with the Knights of the Realm, free with admission, an hour before the 3 p.m. show. Kids get to enter the ring – the same sand-filled arena where the jousting and sword-fighting happens – and learn basic swordsmanship techniques from skilled knights, while parents and caregivers watch from the stands. (Don’t worry about safety – the kids are spread out, and they practice with the same wooden swords available in the gift shop.) After practicing a few rounds of sword fighting moves and defensive positions, the junior squires are asked to kneel, and the king and queen knight them en masse from the castle balcony. This was a memorable experience for my sword-curious 7-year-old and presented some excellent photo opportunities!
Space is limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis, so make sure to come and sign up early (doors open at 1:30 p.m.; Jr. Knight Training starts at 2 p.m.). Closed toed-shoes are required; the arena is also sandy, so best not to dress your kiddos in their Sunday finest if they’ll be participating.
THE MEDIEVAL TIMES EXPERIENCE
Afterwards, the kids rejoin their families for some time to explore the spacious castle lobby (aka the Hall of Arms) before the main event: the tournament and feast! The fun begins the moment you arrive: every member of your group receives a paper crown color-coded to the knight you’ll be rooting for (and the section you’ll be sitting in). Early arrivals (the castle opens 75 minutes before the start of the show) have plenty of time to browse the gift shop, grab a drink (alcoholic or non – my kiddo was particularly amused by the slushie machines, which he noted “they probably didn’t have back then”), take photos with the various armor displays, and watch the Knighting Ceremonies (available as an upgrade with your ticket).
At show time, guests are ushered into the arena for the feast. We sat at the front of the “Red” section, and thus were cheering for the Red Knight – who ended up being the villain of the show! (The “winner” and “villain” change every night, so you can’t predict it based on your section – even our waitress didn’t know our knight would be the baddie.) The scripted show has a loose plot and lots of action – including spark-producing sword fighting, horse-mounted jousting with splintering lances, and hand-to-hand combat with shields and various medieval weapons – but it wasn’t all bouts and battles. There were also skilled demonstrations of falconry and dressage, impressive equestrian displays, and lots of fun and oft-silly audience interaction with your section’s knight. It was easy to get immersed in the drama of it all – and to forget you’re still in a suburban shopping mall.
And while this is all happening, of course, you’re being served a three-course meal, to be eaten the medieval way – without utensils! All diners start with bread and soup (which you slurp straight from the bowl); meat-eaters then get a half rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob, and potato (again, all to be eaten by hand). I’m a vegetarian and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the veggie alternative – a satisfying bowl of three-bean stew with rice (and spoon!), plus the corn cob and potato. The dinner ends with dessert, coffee, and a moist towelette. They also offer to-go boxes for those who can’t finish their meals, which comes in very handy if you’re bringing kiddos (there are no kid portions, so even your littles get a half chicken).
If you stick around the lobby, er, Hall of Arms after the show, you may get a chance to meet your favorite knight up close and tell them what you thought of the show.
BIG SAVINGS
Through June 30, 2025, visitors can use coupon code 15MT to receive a 15 percent discount on tickets when booking online (making Child tickets $39.91 and Adult tickets $63.71). Military discounts and party packages are also available year-round.
