Tips for visiting Ren Fest with kids in tow
I was the Arizona Renaissance Festival expert in our family of five, having been six times. But I’d never gone with kids.
Seeing the festival through the openmouthed awe of three children is kooky fun, though in a very different way than when you’re drinking spirits and taking in the sights, sounds and giant turkey legs at your leisure. Kids want to do it all. Right now.
We got our tickets are Fry’s, because they’re cheaper than at the gate. The event is cheaper than either the Phoenix Zoo or OdySea Aquarium, and the festival is only here a short 51 days.
Here are the 14 things my husband and I wish we knew. My kids are ages 811, but these tips apply to toddlers through teens.
1. Expect slow-and-go traffic
If you’ve been, you know you can tack on an extra 30 minutes of slow-and-go to the actual exit. The backup starts at Tomahawk Drive off U.S. Highway 60, which is about 7 miles from the attraction. Pack snacks if you must. Make allowances for bathroom breaks. We live in the heart of Chandler and left around 11 a.m. It took us an hour and 15 minutes, just as the GPS said it would. Half of that time was spent in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
2. Go early
The Arizona Renaissance Festival gates open at 10 a.m. Some people who went when it opened said the the crowds grew thicker — and I’m guessing the traffic worse — as the day continued.
3. Apply sunscreen
Oops. As soon as we stepped out of the car and sniffed cocoa butter-scented air, I knew I forgot the sunscreen. A mom who had it together in the SUV next to us let me slather some of hers on my kids’ faces. Pockets of shade, especially under the awning of some of the buildings, exist but you’re mostly under the Arizona sun all day.
4. Hydrate before you go
Bottled water is $2, which is reasonable. You are allowed in with up to 24 ounces of a single “factory-sealed” bottle water. But no other outside food and drink is allowed. As you walk the 30-acre grounds, you will get thirsty.
5. Gotta go? Go now
Men have it easy, am I right? They walk in and out of a restroom a few minutes later. Lines are a given at the ladies restrooms at the festival. It’s probably best if you have girls or you have to take your little boy into the ladies room to go whenever you feel the urge, or even between attractions when you don’t. Lines moved quickly enough at the seven restrooms, but things tend to get jammed up at the sink.
6. Remember where you park
A vast dirt parking lot with only a few saguaros standing sentry does not making finding your car easy. I’ll admit we wandered around, arguing about who was right on where we parked. The 10year-old remembered, because she recalled a patch of grass, north of some Renaissance Festival signage. Smart. Closing time is 6 p.m., and finding your car at dusk may be even more challenging. At least parking is free.
7. Wear sensible shoes
We were all in tennis shoes, but my three kids complained of aching feet at the end of the festival. Probably because two of them wore Chuck Taylor’s with no arch. The gravel ground is decent, but your shoes will get dusty.
8. Consider a wagon
The wagon is the way to go if you have little ones. Strollers have an easy enough time on the festival’s gravel terrain, but wagons come with the added benefit of instant seating for multiple kids. Depending on the time of day and location, seating options near the food vendors are scarce. The festival rents wagons for $15 and strollers for $14 for the day.
9. Check showtimes online or immediately after you get there
Here’s our confession: We did not see a jousting match. Jousting shows are at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. We failed to get a map upon entry, and didn’t think to check online for times. People lucky (or smart) enough to attend a tournament said that to secure a good seat, you need to arrive at least 20 minutes before showtime.
10. Bring cash
We did something right by bringing cash, but many didn’t or underestimated how much they were going to need. The lines for the ATMs were 10 to 30 people deep. You can use credit or debit to by tickets at the gate, but food, beverage, games and rides are cash-only. Many merchants do take cards, but not all.
11. Know your shows
What’s great is that after you pay for your tickets, you can leave without taking any more money out of your wallet and still have a great time. Thirteen stages provide continual, free entertainment. Juggling, jokes, acrobatics, dance, music, glassblowing and falconry are just some. We caught the Fire Whip Show with Adam Crack. He’s funny, those whips are crazy loud, and we laughed and learned something about speed of sound.
We also took in the Living Mermaids show. The attraction was a 30-minute wait to see mermaids swimming and flirting underwater in an unbelievable feat of breath-holding. My 8-year-old asked after leaving, “I know mermaids aren’t real. But those ones were real, right?”
Ask around to others who have gone before about their favorite show, and arrive early to get a seat close to the action.
12. Decide what’s worth the cost
OK. So free is the magic word, but there are plenty of ways to watch your cash disappear while you’re at the festival. There are dozens of paid attractions at $3 and up. Our mantra was “one thing, one thing, one thing.” The one thing my kids opted for the “Pirates Code” at $7 each, so we got off easy. The bouncy swingset allowed them to leap into the air and flip, and they deemed their queasy stomachs afterward worth it.
Face-painting stations are $14, and
We had almost a three-hour window to see everything. It wasn’t enough. Sure, we were tired and had trouble walking to our car afterward, but it’s because we rushed from one attraction the next. Plan to spend at least four to five hours if you go - and plan the day around a jousting match.
Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through April 2. 12601 E. US Highway 60, Gold Canyon (free parking). $24, $21 seniors 60 and over or active/retired military ($11 dependents of active/retired military), $14 children 512, free children under 5 (tickets discounts available at Fry’s and online). arizona.renfestinfo.com.