Christmas Magic Arrives at Pirates Dinner Adventure!

Find Christmas magic and holiday merriment at Pirates Dinner Adventure! Located near International Drive, this exciting dinner show is full of family-friendly fun, delicious food, catchy music, and awe-inspiring feats.

Now through December 31, enjoy a festive version of this Orlando favorite attraction with seasonal songs, special decor and even a shipside visit from Santa himself. We were thrilled to be invited to experience this lighthearted holiday show. Thank you, Pirates Dinner Adventure, for having us out!

About Pirates Dinner Adventure

For 25 years, Pirates Dinner Adventure has delighted tourists and local with its year-round swashbuckling dinner shows and special seasonal productions (like October’s Halloween overlay Vampirates). Distinguished by its interactive nature and state-of-the-art performance technology, Pirates Dinner Adventure has become an iconic piece of the Orlando attraction landscape. 

Arrival to Pirates Dinner Adventure

It is recommended that guests arrive for their Pirates experience at least 60-90 minutes prior to showtime. Seating is assigned on a first come, first served basis – so earlier arrivals will presumably secure the most favorable tables. When you walk in to the building, you’ll wait to check-in at the front desk. After giving your name and locating your reservation, you’ll receive a paper receipt showing your theater section and seating assignment. 

After checking in, you and your family will have the opportunity to pose for a souvenir photograph before briefly heading to a highly-themed holding area. 

In this room, you’ll wait for a tour guide to take you into the main hall and show you around the available preshow activities. 

Preshow Activities

As previously mentioned, Pirates Dinner Adventure asks guests to arrive between 60-90 minutes before their scheduled showtime. But what will I do with all that extra time? you might be wondering. Pirates Dinner Adventure provides a large main hall with multiple activities and options to explore while waiting for your epic meal and show experience! 

Shopping

Every attraction has a gift shop, and Pirates Dinner Adventure is no exception. The preshow period is a great time to browse the available selection and purchase any wanted toys, clothing, or other souvenirs. 

Armory

If you’re a weapons collector, armored combat enthusiast, or simply want to see a real sword – head to the armory. They have a beautiful assortment of full length swords and other handheld knives (including replicas of weapons from popular fandoms like Game of Thrones). And, yes, they are all real! 

Treasure Hunt

Kids can hunt for real treasure at the Mining Sluice! Grab a bag of mining rough and search for buried gems. Miners can keep any booty they manage to uncover. 

Beverages

And finally, parents and adult guests can find pirate-inspired refreshments at two stocked and themed bars! 

The Pirates Dinner Adventure Experience

A few minutes before showtime, the theater doors will open and you will be ushered into a grand, 700-person auditorium with tiered seating. Show your check-in receipt to a friendly crew member, and they will help you locate your table. 

The Theater

I’m willing to bet that the Pirates Dinner Adventure Theater is unlike anything you’ve seen before! The stage is a modified replica of an 18th century Spanish galleon, sitting in the center of a 300,000 gallon water tank. There are multiple levels of platforms, complicated rope bridges and swings, retractable sails, water effects, row boats, projection mapping details, and so much more in this technologically advanced and majestic show venue.

The Show

In 2022, the Christmas celebration includes a festive holiday overlay to the year-round Secrets of the Deep production. While the majority of the show remains unchanged from what you might see during other portions of the year, there are definite touches of holiday cheer throughout the show – adding a bit of magic and Christmas spirit to your experience.

The Story!

Here’s a summary of the holiday plot from the Pirates Dinner Adventure website:

You are are cordially invited to Treasure Bay for our annual Christmas celebration. [The party] will be filled with games, songs and fun. But you must be good!

Danger lurks just outside the safety of Treasure Bay. A ruthless crew of pirates, led by the greedy Captain Sebastian the Black who only wants to take things for himself, including The Solzana’s Eye, a magical necklace that holds a terrible curse. But will a special visitor from the North Pole be able to change the Captain’s heart in time for Christmas?

It is up to YOU to join forces, defeat the crew of Pirates and bring peace back to Treasure Bay this holiday season. We will be setting sail on our holiday adventure from November 30th to December 31st.

The Action!

This show is nonstop action from start to finish! While I don’t want to give away any huge spoilers, I will tell you that Pirates Dinner Adventure uses a spectacular combination of acrobatics, sword fighting, stage combat, comedy routines, musical numbers, aerial acts, animatronics, and lively games to tell its engaging story. In fact, there are so many different types of performance styles and storytelling methods that every single member of the family is bound to find something they really enjoy. And as a fan of live theater, it is really awesome to see so many different elements blend together to tell one, cohesive tale. 

While this is decidedly a holiday show, it is important to note that many of the Christmas touches (such as a festive sing-a-long and special visitor from the North Pole) are reserved for the final scenes. If you’ve recently attended a performance of Pirates, many of the melodies, action sequences, and characters will be unchanged from your previous visit.

Audience Participation!

Something that really sets Pirates Dinner Adventure apart from other local dinner shows is the sheer amount of audience participation and interaction (particularly children). So many kids were invited to take active roles in pirate games, climb onstage for a pirate oath, or even assist in the show’s ultimate battle and final conclusion. Unlike other productions that only pick a few children for this kind of opportunity, every single young audience member was able to participate. As a parent, I deeply appreciate that no child was left out of the experience! 

Pirates Dinner Adventure Food

Your admission to Pirates Dinner Adventure includes a scrumptious three-course meal, including a salad, choice of entree, and special dessert. 

Our first course consisted of a Caesar Salad with croutons, parmesan cheese, and tasty dressing.

For the entree, guests can choose between a pork loin dinner, roasted 1/4 chicken meal, or vegetarian pasta. I selected the Captain’s Chicken served with Yukon Gold potato purée and seasonal vegetable. This meal is absolutely delicious. The chicken is well seasoned, the vegetables taste fresh, and the potatoes are simply unforgettable! I could eat an entire bowl of these potatoes. If you’re not sure what to order, I definitely recommend the Captain’s Chicken option!

The third course, Princess Anita’s Royal Dessert, is a chocolate brownie drizzled in white icing and covered in sprinkles. 

If you’re unsatisfied with any of the above choices, Pirates Dinner Adventure does offer multiple upgrades for each available course. You can order additional appetizers (like cheese sticks and chicken wings) before the start of the show. Or by paying a little bit extra, you can substitute a premium entree (like beef tenderloin or grilled salmon) or dessert (like cheesecake or Caribbean Moonshine Cake).

Freaky Thoughts: Pirates Dinner Adventure Christmas Show

Between the preshow activities, three-course meal, and action-packed 1.5-2 hour show, Pirates Dinner Adventure is a full evening’s worth of entertainment for the whole family. Kids will enjoy the lively pirate games, colorful costumes, visit from Santa Claus and audience participation. Adults will love the delicious food, seasonal songs, amazing acrobatics, and inclusive atmosphere. I highly recommend Pirates Dinner Adventure’s Christmas show for local families and tourists looking for a festive way to celebrate the holiday.

To learn more about Pirates Dinner Adventure and their exciting, seasonal productions, check out their website!

Know Before You Go

• It is recommended to arrive 60-90 minutes prior to showtime to secure the best available seat. 
• Pirates Dinner Adventure will run between 1.5 to 2 hours, so plan accordingly! 
• Pirates Dinner Adventure does include loud music, gunshot effects, a brief scene with an intimidating animatronic, and fight sequences. Please use discretion when bringing sensory sensitive children or adults.