Fairytale Genius or Medieval Disaster? 10 Fun and Weird Facts About Excalibur Hotel & Casino on its 35th Birthday
Beyond the well-lit casino floors with ample gaming tables and slot machines, Excalibur offers an all-around entertainment hub—close to the MGM Grand Garden Arena and filled with shows, dining, and fun for every type of traveler.
Even though the Excalibur Hotel & Casino was built 35 years ago, before many of the iconic structures that make up the city’s backdrop today, its quirky castles and towers still make it a noticeable landmark that’s hard to miss.
Since opening in 1990, the Excalibur has given Las Vegas players a blast from the past, although sometimes not in the best way. The iconic Excalibur recently celebrated its 35th birthday, so what better occasion to dive into its history?
Keep reading to discover the weird and wonderful history of this medieval kingdom nestled on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip.
Once upon a time… a fairytale with a Vegas twist
Once upon a time, 50 acres of land owned by Xanadu Corporation were destined to be developed into a 1,730-room resort. However, that ground had pretty much lain dormant since the 1970s as the company couldn’t agree on a deal with the county on sewage infrastructure to build such a large property. The project’s origins were humble, beginning with infrastructure challenges that had stalled development for years.
A knight in shining armor stepped in to save the day when Circus Circus Enterprises bought the land in May 1988 and announced the development of a castle-themed resort just a month later. Circus Circus founder William Bennett chose architect Veldon Simpson to design the castle, and the pair visited castles in England and Germany for design inspiration.
Simpson fixated on Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, the primary source of inspiration. However, Circus Circus Enterprises hired trademark experts to ensure the building didn’t mirror any at Disneyland or Disney World too closely.
The company searched far and wide for a name, accepting 180,000 entries, which produced 33,000 names. However, the winning name was pulled from the sword, and Excalibur Hotel & Casino was crowned.
Excalibur Hotel & Casino officially opened to the public on June 19, 1990.
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1. It was once the biggest casino in the world
When the Excalibur opened, it was crowned the largest casino in the world . The kingdom only held the crown for three years before MGM Grand Las Vegas, located diagonally across from the Excalibur Hotel & Casino, took the accolade.
Competitors have built several larger casinos since, but the Excalibur Hotel & Casino is still the 14th largest hotel globally. The impressive kingdom has 3,981 rooms, more than Las Vegas Strip competitors like Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and Circus Circus Las Vegas.
2. Yes, there was a dragon show and it was a disaster
It seems like humans have always been fascinated by dragons. From Smaug sitting in the Misty Mountains in The Hobbit to the dragons in Game of Thrones, people love reading about and watching these flying, fiery beasts.
An animatronic dragon at a medieval-themed hotel and casino seems like a surefire win, then, right? Well, unfortunately, this tale does not have a happy ending.
When the casino opened, it operated a three-story-tall and 70-foot-long animatronic dragon that fought against an animatronic Merlin, breathing fire at the moat entrance. The initial idea for the show was even more ambitious, with developers wanting to build a six-story dragon.
Before you rush to try to grab your tickets, there is a twist in this tale. While the concept of a 70-foot dragon breathing fire and fighting Merlin sounds like a lot of fun, the Las Vegas public and visitors did not agree. Readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal voted the attraction the worst in the city in 2002 and 2003, and the show ended in 2003.
While poor public responses may have slain this unique Vegas show, it did not kill the dragon. The dragon remains in its lair by the drawbridge, a frequent stop on the Excalibur Hotel Casino map for new visitors. Visitors have said that if the wind is blowing right, the doors open slightly, and you can still catch a glimpse of the dragon, waiting for its next battle.
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3. Infamous for outdated rooms and “stinky carpets”
While Excalibur Casino and Hotel wants to bring its guests a blast from the past, some customers get that in an unwanted way. Rather than experience medieval fun, some guests get old hotel rooms and stinky, damp carpets.
Customers frequently complain about hotel room floors being inexplicably wet and the suites seeming damp. Several patrons also report that the hotel has a bad smell that permeates throughout the property.
“The rooms are very very dated, to the point that they must be difficult to clean. They feel unclean. Everything felt damp (I will say I am used to a considerable lack of humidity, even indoors, as I live in a desert environment but still, the room felt damp). The main floor of the hotel reeks of cigarette smoke. The pool area was nice and the hotel is in a great location but we won’t be back,” said one reviewer on TripAdvisor.
While that is enough for most people, many testimonies from people who have stayed at the Excalibur claim the rooms are outdated and look worn.
Maybe Excalibur Hotel & Casino does not want to offer customers a medieval experience, but the moldy floors and bad smell might be the most realistic aspects of the place.
4. There is a Fun Dungeon
Before you start speculating, the Fun Dungeon is a family-friendlyarcade area of Excalibur Hotel & Casino where you can play various arcade games. There are over 200 games, including 60 arcade games, 10 sports games, 10 carnival midways, and 10 kiddie land games. There are also 106 redemption games where you can claim prizes like stuffed dragons (smaller than the animatronic still in the moat, thankfully).
The fun dungeon is open from Monday to Thursday at 10:00 to 23:00, and Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 00:00. If you plan to visit the Excalibur resort with some young ones, you’ll want to check this area out for some entertainment.
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5. You can still eat with your hands at a jousting tournament
The jousting dinner show has been one of Excalibur’s signature elements since its opening in 1990. It lets customers enjoy food in a 900-seat theater while watching actors and horses perform jousting. In traditional medieval custom, customers can eat their food with their hands (at least without catching funny looks from other diners) as they are not given any utensils.
The initial show was called King Arthur’s Tournament and started when the casino first opened. The initial show saw 45 actors and 15 horses perform jousting combat in a dirt arena and hit around 5,600 shows before stopping in 1999. This wasn’t a pause like the dragon animatronic because of poor reviews. The Excalibur simply revamped the show and launched it a month later with Tournament of Kings.
Excalibur’s legendary Tournament of Kings has earned its reputation as the ultimate dinner and a show experience, plunging you into a medieval spectacle brimming with swords, knights, and a feast fit for royalty.
Tournament of Kings continues to run today. Featuring dozens of actors, a score of horses, and plenty of pyrotechnics, the show continues to impress diners by whisking them back to this old form of battle.
The show must be popular. It’s the longest-running dinner show on the Las Vegas Strip and one of its longest-running shows in any format.
As a fun aside, Excalibur’s commitment to this show means it is the top buyer globally of Cornish game hens, serving 6.7 million from 1990 to 2018. Also, if you’re wondering about the horses, resort personnel keep them in an air-conditioned facility behind the resort.
6. The Thunder from Down Under has sparked plenty of drama
Excalibur Hotel doesn’t strictly adhere to its theme with all of its entertainment. For example, ripped Australian exotic dancers have nothing to do with medieval history, but guests still love the hotel’s regular Thunder from Down Under performances.
Australia’s Thunder from Down Under was formed in 1991 and is an Australian male revue that focuses on choreographed dancing and muscular Australian men to impress audiences. The concept has proven successful. The group has performed globally in Russia, Canada, Australia, and Mexico.
So, what exactly can you expect? Shirtless men in various themed costumes, including cowboys and riot police, dance through a 90-minute show. In fairness to the Thunder from Down Under, some performers wear t-shirts, although those are quickly ripped off.
The company releases a yearly photo shoot if you want to enjoy the months of the year, accompanied by these Australian hunks.
The Thunder from Down Under has resided at Excalibur Hotel & Casino since 2001 and runs 12 shows a week. The hotel’s showroom, which holds 400 people, has been renamed The Thunder from Down Under Showroom in honor of the long-term residents.
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7. Dick’s Last Resort – where the waiters roast you (sometimes too hard)
While there are dozens of restaurants in Exclaibur Hotel and Casino, Dick’s Last Resort might be one of the most famous. Dick’s Last Resort is a chain which has made a name for itself not for its food, but for its service. The idea is you come to Dick’s Last Resort and expect to be insulted by the staff.
The staff fire insults at you and may also throw napkins and straws at customers. You may receive a free paper hat with a custom insult written on it to wear while you dine. It’s not for the faint of heart.
However, there is more to this restaurant than its unique service. Each restaurant has wacky design. You may wonder why there is a giant horse in the restaurant, or about the mixture of bench seats and traditional tables, but that’s part of the charm.
You can even leave the restaurant with a few gifts, as the chain sells merch like bumper stickers and t-shirts. Of course, these fit the theme with bumper sticks like “I Love Dick’s” and t-shirts such as “Putting the F.U. in Fun.”
If you want to skip the service but still want the food, you can order Dick’s Last Resort room service while you stay at the Excalibur.
8. Excalibur Hotel & Casino is part of the MGM Rewards
Considering the MGM Grand Las Vegas took the crown of largest hotel globally from Excalibur Hotel & Casino, you’d think these would be two kingdoms at war. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth, because Excalibur Hotel & Casino actually falls under the rule of MGM Resorts.
Circus Circus Entertainment became the Mandalay Resort Group in 1999, which purchased MGM Mirage in 2005. The company rebranded as MGM Resorts International in 2010. However, Excalibur Hotel & Casino isn’t actually owned by MGM anymore.
The Excalibur was transferred to MGM Growth Properties in 2016, which was acquired by Vici Properties in 2022.
This tale has a lot of confusing backstory, but to skip to the happy ending, Excalibur Hotel & Casino is part of MGM Resorts under a lease agreement with Vici Properties. Playing at Excalibur’s casino can contribute to the MGM Rewards program.
Although the Excalibur isn’t owned by MGM Resorts International anymore, anytime you play a casino game at Excalibur Hotel & Casino, you can earn loyalty points. You can use those points to claim rewards at Excalibur, other MGM Resorts properties across the US, or BetMGM Sportsbook and Casino.
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9. There was a wrestling-themed steakhouse – it Fosbury flopped spectacularly
Everyone associates medieval knights and castles with wrestling, right? The owners of the Excalibur clearly did, as the hotel opened a wrestling-themed restaurant in 1999 through a partnership with World Championship Wrestling.
The WCW Nitro Grill was named after the company’s flagship wrestling program, Monday Nitro. WCW was competing hard with the WWF (predecessor to the WWE) in popularity then and boasted famous wrestling names like Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Sting.
Part of the agreement between Excalibur Hotel & Casino was for WCW to send wrestlers to the restaurant each month. Not knights in shining armor, but wrestlers in tiny spandex for people to enjoy. There were also weekly watch parties for WCW Monday Nitro and WCW Thunder.
The 16,000 sq ft dining space could seat 300 people and cost $2 million to create, so it seems surprising the restaurant closed after 16 months in 2000. However, WCW peaked in the mid 90s, beating out WWF for viewers for 83 weeks into 1998, but by 1999, it was declining in popularity. Just six months after the restaurant shut down, WCW sold its assets to WWF.
On the bright side, the location where WCW Nitro Grill once stood is now home to Dick’s Last Resort.
10. Allegations of bedbugs
While mythology has a catalog of dangerous and legendary beasts, perhaps none have been more dangerous in Excalibur Hotel and Casino than… Bed bugs.
The casino has frequently been reported to have bed bugs on the premises. As recently as February 2024, health officials confirmed there were bed bugs at Excalibur, which included another three Vegas hotels. In October 2023, there was another high-profile bedbug report, which an inspector confirmed.
There have been plenty of allegations of bedbugs throughout the years, with reports at bedbugs.com dating back to 2014. There are dozens of online reports there, and considering not every guest will be reporting these findings on online forums, there may have been many more issues.
Guests considering a stay should be aware of these reported issues and may want to inspect their rooms upon arrival.
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What’s next for Excalibur Hotel and Casino?
While Excalibur Hotel and Casino gives guests a glimpse into the past, Vegas is always looking to the future. New entertainment ideas are popping up in Sin City all the time, from KISS World Mini Golf, themed around the famous rock and roll band, to the Sphere , a 17,000+ capacity immersive entertainment stadium. How will Excalibur Hotel and Casino keep up?
Broadly, the hotel plans to stick with the theme and service that has worked for 35 years. Its dinner-time jousting show is the longest-running Vegas dinner show for a reason. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for the hotel and casino to innovate.
For example, in 2025 the casino launched a new MaxFlight 360 aircraft simulator which simulates flying at significant speeds. The hotel and casino also underwent major renovations in 2017 to modernize its facilities.
Additionally, across South Las Vegas Boulevard, the New Las Vegas Stadium is being constructed. On the former site of Tropicana Las Vegas, the stadium will house the Athletics from the MLB following their move from Oakland. The project is expected to cost $1.5 billion.
What impact this will have remains to be seen. Will baseball fans flock from the new stadium to Excalibur to enjoy some medieval delights? Or will the new project be a dragon that the hotel must face down? The end of this story isn’t written yet.
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