It isn’t often that the four of us go on an adventure anymore. My teenage stepson, six-year-old son, husband and I seem to always have something going on in our busy schedules. My teenager works a part-time job. My husband and I are usually worn out by a weekend of little league, cleaning the house and all the other things that come along with being an adult. And so, when it comes to experiencing fun, family-friendly activities around Orlando, we usually opt out for the sheer fact that – we’re busy. However, this past weekend, we had the opportunity to check out the Pirate Dinner Adventure in Orlando, and we definitely went on a family adventure.
Read on to see the details and what I would recommend (and not recommend) if you’re thinking about bringing your family to this local dinner theater show!
Pirate Dinner Adventure: The Details
The Pirate Dinner Adventure is a lively dinner theater experience off International Drive in Orlando. It offers shows at various times, usually a mid-afternoon and evening showing. (We went to the 7:30 PM show.)
Who would like it? After seeing my son’s eyes glued to the stage for most of the performance, I’d say the dinner show will be mostly of interest to kids, ages 5-10. There is a LOT to look at, at all times!
What’s included in the General Admission tickets? A “three-course meal,” which includes soda and/or water, and the show itself. For us, the three-course meal included: a Caesar salad, your main entree (chicken, pork, or pasta) and a brownie.
How long does the performance last? It’s about a two-hour performance. However, Pirate Dinner Adventure encourages you to get there 60-90 minutes early and then you’re invited to stay for a “dance party” after the show. The whole endeavor can easily last 4 hours, start to finish.
Pirate Dinner Adventure: The Good Stuff
The seating was good. You can pretty much see from wherever you are in the theater, with raised rows and plenty of space between your party and any other. I was sitting in the orange section, and could see the entire show well. I would recommend sitting in purple, orange, red or yellow. While I didn’t walk over to the blue and green sections, I felt like those seats were at a bit of an angle and might cause it to be hard to see everything.
Parking was easy. We found the theater pretty easily and the paid parking ($8) was also not a big stressor for me (someone who usually avoids this area!). It was quick, easy and convenient.
Very elementary-aged kid friendly. My six-year-old son was very intrigued by all the loud blasts and acrobatics and pirates swinging about. There is a storyline to the show, but I think it was lost on him; he was more into the visuals, of which there were plenty! He was especially into the “competition” among our color-coded pirates (We had the “orange” pirate, Andre!) and absolutely loved cheering him on. It was easy for him to understand and follow and who doesn’t love to cheer on your very own pirate?!
This is my son booing the other pirates during the pirate competition. He was all in for our Orange Pirate, Andre!
The Part I Didn’t Love
A full 90-minute pre-show arrival. When you arrive, you’ll take pictures in a few different poses in front of a green screen (that are for purchase later), and then you’ll be escorted into a large room full of a whole lot of stuff. There are two bars for the adults and then there’s the marketplace. The items for sale are cool, but it was tough to be in a room full of things to purchase and not much else to do and keep my son from being disappointed that he couldn’t have any of it. I wasn’t prepared to spend money on items, and I felt like that was the point of being there 60-90 minutes early. There’s also a mining station for kids, but again, it’s for purchase. If you are in the market to spend a bit and purchase a few (again, very cool) items, then there are plenty in the marketplace!
The takeaway: get there early, but not that early. I would recommend an hour before the show.
What I Needed Clarity On
The appetizers. Your registration states that you have a three-course meal and the website says you’ll be able to enjoy appetizers before the show. I assumed the appetizers were Course 1 of the three courses, but I was wrong. When we sat down at our seats, we saw an appetizer menu placed on our table that listed appetizers and their prices, which confused me because I thought it was included. Alas, we did buy a sampler appetizer for the four of us, but we soon realized that the first course was actually the salad that started to be served briefly before the show started.
You live and learn. The appetizers are not included, but they’re be a tasty way to keep littles busy before the show starts.
Ultimately, What Did I Think?
Overall, the Pirate Dinner Adventure was a delight for my son. I could totally see this being a fun excursion for a kid’s birthday. (Bonus: if you let the Pirate Dinner Adventure know ahead of time, they’ll acknowledge your birthday in the first part of the show!) The show catered to adults and kids alike, with kids being super into “being a pirate” for a few hours. The show also offered ways for the audience to participate, so there were ways to enhance your experience at the show.
I’m thankful my busy family of four was able to spend a night together, watching a show that will certainly stay in our memories for a time to come! Even though we’re locals, the Pirate Dinner Adventure reminded me that there are gems that even people who live and work in Orlando can experience with their families to create meaningful memories to be cherished for a lifetime.
