On February, 16th, 7th graders are attending an optional field trip to Medieval Times. At 4:00 PM the 7th-grade students are going on a field trip to Medieval Times, because of this we are writing about what you can expect when you go to Medieval Times.

Something to expect when you visit Buena Park is to take a trip to the 11th century. The castle’s gates open sixty minutes before showtime, which gives you plenty of time to explore, take photos, and mingle with royalty. When you go into the castle you would be able to see suits of armor lining the walls. It’s like you traveled back in time. Giant candelabras hang from the ceiling, and you can find treasures everywhere. When it is time to take your seat, you will sit in your reserved seat, and feast on a 4-course meal. Finally, the light will dim, and when the cue music starts playing, the knights will fight in hand-to-hand combat while you are rooting for the team you want to win.

The food will include a four-course meal. They have special dietary options for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free people. The regular food consists of garlic bread, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, and an herb-basted potato. The vegan food includes hummus, carrot celery sticks, three-bean stew, fire-roasted tomato, brown rice, and fresh fruit or Italian ice. Vegetarian food is the same as vegan food but includes pita bread. The gluten-free food items are hummus, carrot and celery sticks, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potato, and fruit or Italian ice.

The show starts when you are seated in your color group, the lights will dim as the show starts. You root for your knight as you watch them joust, and fight with weapons including, axes, maces, and swords. Only one knight will win the tournament, crowned the Defender of the Throne! After the show, you are led back to the Hall of Arms. You have a chance to take photos with your knight. Also, the gift shop remains open after the show.

Each knight that fights is special in its own way. The green knight is a master of weapons, The red and yellow knight is known as the fiercest swordsman, and the red knight is passionate about fighting. The blue knight is the champion of the defenseless, the yellow knight is known as an untamable force, and the black and white knight is very competitive. There is also a queen that finds the knight worthy of being crowned.

Out of all the animals in medieval times you will see many animal stars, including a few horses and one falcon. One of the many horse species that you will see is called Andalusian. Andalusians have amazing power, agility, and the ability to perform intricate things. When Andalusians were young they were dark brown or gray, as they got older they became white or light gray, or sometimes they stayed dark brown. A second horse is called the Quarter Horse, it is very good at sprinting short distances. The name Quarter House comes from their ability to outrun other horses in a quarter mile. You will be able to see the Quarter Horse compete in the knight’s game which includes speed and skill, such as javelin toss, ring pierce, and flag toss. The last horse is called the Friesian Horse, it can carry heavy armor and a knight into battle with ease. During the Medieval Times, the Friesian Horse was very popular among knights, and they almost went extinct! But, luckily we still have them today. After a horse has been in the show for long enough, the horses retire and live the rest of their life on the ranch. Lastly, there is The Royal Falcon, this falcon is a sight to see. The Royal Falconer talks to the guests about the art of falconry.

After the show, you will be led out of the show, and you can explore the castle a little more. The knights you saw in the fight in the arena will be there so you can take a photo with them. Finally, you leave the castle. One student from our survey stated that they are looking forward to “Being able to have fun with my friends and just enjoy being there”. Atul Pillai said “I’m looking forward to experiencing going on a field trip with my friends in middle school because this is my first one. I also am excited to go and see the fights and action at Medieval Times for the first time.”