I have not received any compensation for this post.  All opinions are my own.

My husband and I have been to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre more than a half dozen times in the past decade and that’s even where we chose to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary this past September.  We were back to the Dinner Theatre again in January for a showing of Fiddler On The Roof when we learned that The Little Mermaid was going to be the next big production.  During intermission, we decided to purchase tickets to surprise our two older children with a visit (our daughter was turning 9 in March) and share the wonderful experience of dinner and a show with them.

We decided to attend the 1:00 matinee showing because the evening showing ends up going quite late.  Here we are on arrival at about 11:15.

We had taken both of the older kids to the ballet this past year and they have also been to the local dinner theatre that our church puts on, so they have had some experience in theater arts.  However, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre’s brings the experience of theatre to a whole new level.  Chanhassen Dinner Theater first opened in 1968 and have invited over 10 million guests through their doors to enjoy their productions.  One thing that makes this particular theatre unique is that they are a producing theatre company and they are able to create all the production elements from scratch, all right there in Chanhassen.

When we first arrived at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, the kids were so excited that we decided to head in and get seated in our booth right away.  Meals were already being served as guests arrived so we ordered our food and beverages and the kids waited in anticipation of what the day would hold.  My husband upgraded his order to the Grilled Top Sirloin (which he ate most of before I could get a photo), both the kids ordered Bacon Cheeseburger, and I ordered the Bolognese Lasagna.  While a side salad is included in evening ticket prices, I had to pay an additional $2.50 to get it with my matinee meal.  Each one of us raved about our particular meal choices.  So delicious!

After we finished eating, we had about 25 minutes before show time so we decided to tour the theatre and gift shop.  Being an old building, there was lots to see and so much character every where we looked.  Winding stairs, little nooks, fireplaces, and more.  The kids had so much fun soaking in the history of the building.

The atmosphere of the theatre is wonderful.  There is a light placed at each table and the stage is absolutely beautiful.  The kids were enthralled with the fact that the musicians were going to be up on the stage during the show.

While there is no photography allowed during the show, I will never forget the way the kid’s faces lit up throughout the performance.  Multiple times during The Little Mermaid, the cast made there way into the audience and danced and sang right next to us.  One time, the kids were each handed a maraca to help make music during the song.  It was truly a magical day for the kids and they have been talking about it often since our visit.

The costumes were beautiful, the food fantastic, and the service was top notch.  We had an amazing experience at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and definitely plan to go back again in the future.  At what age have you taken your child to a play?  Share your experiences below.

Miranda

I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
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