A big THANKS to Matt, our Calvert Macaroni Dad Ambassador for reviewing the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series presented by AMSOIL! Matt & his family had a fun experience at the show!
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There is something really cool about a truck with giant tires flying through the air and smashing into parked cars. It is something that’s hard to explain, but everyone seems to enjoy it. Fortunately, the good folks at Monster Jam have built an event that brings together flying Monster Trucks, parked cars, racing, flying dirt and so much more – and it travels around to cities near you!
For almost three hours, our family and a few thousand new friends were transported to a crazy world where all that mattered was how fast a few crazy drivers could whip their ATVs, Speeders and Monster Trucks around a dirt track in the Verizon Center. With reckless abandon, they charged into huge jumps, giant wheelies, and more than a few rollovers – all of which just added to the excitement. The MCs of the event explained each stage of the competition, and kept the crowd engaged, even during the times when the ground crew had to flip one of the big beasts back onto its wheels.
By the end of the show, we had all chosen sides, and were fervently rooting for our favorite driver to win each heat and the overall event. It was a high octane microcosm of sports, no prior knowledge of the event required for you or your kids to become fully invested in the outcome. It was a great spectacle, and the kind that parents and kids can enjoy together without remorse. There was no need for hidden adult humor or the explanation of overly complex topics to the kids – Monster Jam is pure high octane entertainment for all ages!
That isn’t to say there aren’t any downsides. The first, and ever present drawback is the noise. Many sporting events are loud, and sports arenas are known to be deafening. However, the screaming fans are easily drowned out by even one – much less eight – of the enormous trucks as they rev their engines or scream around the track. Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem. The organizers are happy to allow outside hearing protection into the event, and sell both in-ear foam inserts ($2) and monster truck tire shaped ear muffs ($20). We bought four pair of the foam inserts and they did a great job of keeping my ears from hurting throughout the experience. In consideration of this, if your kids are too young to understand that they need to keep the earplugs or earmuffs on, then they may be too young for this event (and their hearing could be damaged). I saw more than a few parents fighting a losing battle to keep hearing protection on their 3 and 4 year olds.
You expect the prices of concessions at any event like this to be a bit on the steep side (and they were), but we were a bit unprepared for the advertising barrage. While the organizers do a great job of keeping the crowd entertained during downtimes – often caused by a wreck on the track – the way they fill the time is with product placement and demonstration. As you might well guess, this has the desired effect on the impressionable, young minds and it makes it very hard to pass the souvenir booth on the way out the door!
Overall, Monster Jam is a great show, and it’s a lot of fun to experience as a family. It has an appeal for everyone, and it’s very hard not to get caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the moment. We highly recommend it, and we highly recommend hearing protection to make the experience as comfortable as it is fun!
**Disclaimer: We receieved free tickets from Feld Entertainment in exchange or a review, but all opinions are of my own**
