Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Excalibur Fun Dungeon

About eight years ago, the Excalibur Hotel & Casino underwent a major transformation that softened the medieval/Renaissance theme made popular during the family-oriented “theme resort” strategy of 1990s Las Vegas.
 
Most of the theme aspects have been removed, including the entertainment area under the casino, which is known as the “Fun Dungeon.” When last I visited the Excalibur, the Fun Dungeon was full of kids cavorting and being entertained by singers, puppeteers, magicians, and other like-wise costumed characters.
 
It was a fun, joyful place to walk around while you carefully tried to avoid stumbling over unfettered youngsters.
 
 
I’d heard about the changes, and wanted to see what they had done. So I paid them a visit (my first in a decade or so). The casino is pretty much the same. I mean, a casino is a casino, lots of jingly beeps and boops, flashing lights, garish signs. But the Fun Dungeon has changed immensely.
No light-hearted fun anymore. Everything down in the dungeon is very … well, dungeonesque. It’s dark down there, and not too many kids are running around. It’s mostly video arcade games, with a few carny-type games that they tried to upgrade to a classier level.
 
The entrance to the jousting dinner show – The Tournament of Kings – is down there, and I suppose that when the shows are over, the place sees more action and probably makes a lot of coinage. I doubt that the Thunder from Down Under show produces as many Dungeon patrons as the knights on horseback show does.
 
 

Still, one should remember that the largest Megabucks jackpot of all time was hit at the Excalibur. Someone walked away with $39.7 million in March 2003.
Hmmm, I wonder if s/he spent any of it in quarters at the Fun Dungeon?

2 comments:

Hawaii Vegas Connect said...

I can't recall if I've ever been to the Fun Dungeon. Sometimes these casinos are so big that it's easy to get lost. I think I've been there (a long time ago), but didn't know I was in the Fun Dungeon. I wish I paid more attention! :-)

Craig Miyamoto said...

If you've been to the Excaliber jousting knights in armor show, you've been to the Fun Dungeon.

~ Craig