Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament aims to reopen its Schaumburg castle by late April after closing more than a year ago because of the coronavirus pandemic, its leadership announced Tuesday.
“We see a light at the end of the tunnel and soon valiant knights on horseback will be charging through it,” said Perico Montaner, Medieval Times president and CEO, in a statement. “In consultation with health experts and government officials we’ve created a substantial reopening plan that ensures our guests and staff remain safe, without compromising the majesty and excitement fans expect from our tournaments.”
In line with Illinois' expansion of Phase 4 guidelines, which allows 25 percent capacity at indoor performing arts venues accommodating more than 200 people, Medieval Times said guests will be "socially distanced in the 85,000-square-foot castle while cheering their favorite knight from behind the safety of securely-positioned masks."
This would mark the seventh of 10 Medieval Times castles across the country to reopen.
All guests must wear masks and get a contactless temperature screening before entering. Occupancy will be reduced to 25 percent, and all parties will be seated a minimum of six feet apart in the Grand Ceremonial Arena.
In addition, the group outlined additional precautions including, "high-touch areas disinfected multiple times per show, digital menus accessible through smartphones and disposable table cards, team members screened prior to the start of each shift, team members will wear a mask at all times and gloves while handling food or drinks, and disposable silverware available upon request."
Tickets, available to purchase online, include a four-course meal and a two-hour jousting tournament.
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