Ok Ninjamoms, you know me...I will give you the good and the bad.
We spent Thanksgiving week 2018 there, 7 days. My kids are 8 and 4.
Note most all inclusive resorts have the same amenities, all you can eat/drink, high shelf liquor, 24 hour room service, etc.
I will be touching on the things we LOVED that set Moon Palace Grand apart from the rest.
YES:
1) The rooms are huge! We had an adjoining family suite- 1 King bed in one room, 2 Doubles in the next. Jacuzzi in both rooms, large bathroom... it was literally too big.
2) Mini bar w/FULL hard liquor pour spouts (hello Captain and Coke all day everyday). They will bring you wine/champagne if you ask for it. (as always travel with dollar bills for tips)
3) The food on site was probably the best I have eaten in Mexico.
4) You have access to the other 2 resorts on the property (Sunrise and Nizuc). Sunrise has a Japanese restaurant (hello Sushi) (photo below)
And you take a quick 3 minute bus ride from lobby to lobby.
5) Turtle release program on the beach.
-------------------------------------------
Now drum-roll please....
6) The Kids club: a Johns Incredible Pizza/Chuck E Cheese/Dave n Busters like experience for the 8+ year old- bumper cars, full room Ropes Course, arcade, climbing jungle gym w/slide, and MORE. Mom and dad played in there as well!!! (no alcohol inside, it's a kids club.. I get it). And they feed them... I didn't see much of my 8 year old.
Mini Golf!
7) Water park. YES, a full on water park that wraps around the Johns Incredible kids club.
8) Bowling alley! We watched football, had bar food/beer and bowled! (use resort credits)
(In the main lobby, not near Chuck E Cheese land)
9) Chefs Dinner- extra booking (use resort credits)- we cooked a meal and sat and ate- best soup I've ever had!
10) Wine events (xtra, use credits)- we learned a TON about wine.
11) Service- it was impeccable!
12) Diffuser's available w/oils :) A nice touch coming from me the oils lady! Love my Peace and Calming!
The Bad:
1) The 7 and younger kids club was a baby daycare with NO interactive programming (not the 8+ Nirvana, this is for the younger kids). Other resorts have something every hour like crafts, swimming, art, movie time. Not here. The baby club had things to bounce on that a 2 year old would LOVE.
My 4 year old hated it because you have to WALK THRU Johns Incredible/Chuck E Cheese land to get to the baby zone. He wanted the big kid stuff w/big brother and I could not leave him. He can play in the big area with our supervision, but remember why we go to all inclusive resorts- so the kids can have fun in their own space while I drink by the pool!
My take away for you: If you have a 2-3 year old, they will LOVE it. It's safe, you get a pager... the ladies are awesome, but not that engaging. Because of this, we will not return to the grand until our youngest is 8 years old! Hello Chuck E Cheese land, go play and let me drink and take a nap.
This is the BABY "ride". It slowly rocks back and forth. (compared to the bumper cars downstairs in Nirvana land)
This cool thing is in Baby Land. Fans w/Balloons! But my kid only lasted 5 min in it ("Don't leave me" he cried as I tried my hardest).
This baby thing spins slowly... not sure it's purpose for a 4-7 year old. Would your 7 year old LOVE this?
2) The place is so big (ahem GRAND) you need to wait for the golf cart express service to get you. It was a 7 minute walk from my room to the lobby where all the food/fun for adults is (with kids in tow, make it 10 minute walk). The golf carts are on a shuttle/bus service and you go to the "stop" and wait for a cart. I am completely serious. And we were in the MIDDLE of the resort! I could not imagine the furthest buildings! If you are going in the summer, note this... it will be really humid and HOT! Bringing little's? You need a stroller!
My take-away: stay between the lobby and Kids Club... only a 3 minute walk. But then you will be FAR from the ocean (take the carts). This place is so big that at capacity we felt like the place was EMPTY!
My take away: prepare to walk and pick the building that BEST serves your family needs.
3) No beach view rooms. Apparently the only rooms with views are the Elite high paying (good for them) members. My building was a 5 min walk to the beach. I have always loved sitting on my balcony and enjoying the ocean view with my coffee in the morning, I did not have that experience here! Just a view of the middle grounds that are being renovated (lake/pond type gazebo things).
My take away: When I buy in, spend a shit ton money?! idk
4) Do you love to stay up late and do things? Well... we found past 8pm, there was not much to do. AND our room was soooo far from the lobby the fact we had to walk all the way there (or wait for the cart service) was a downer.. "we can go to the lobby to see what is going on, or go get ice cream..but it's soooo far". So we stayed in and fell asleep (boooooring)!
We did go to the club once.. and ahem... well... all age groups dancing to current hip-hop/rap/dance music- let's just say very entertaining. The club is only open every other day, and other than that--- restaurants, bowling, bars... not much else to do. I was hoping for trivia nightly, comedy shows, a movie nightly, etc.
-----------------------------
I know it seems my negatives outweigh the AWESOMENESS, but I feel I needed to explain in detail the "bads".
If you have 8+ age children, book it! This place is amazing.
If you have little ones and you are preparing to be with the them the whole time.. BOOK it! If you have a pre-school-7 year old... I would look at other resorts that have engaging kids club programming (if you are looking for a place to pawn off the kids to go do adult things)
(Now Jade, Hard Rock, etc)
We will return, but in 3 years when the youngest minion is 8 :)
As always I explain our my family spends 25K a year on vacations while still have a $630 a month daycare bill.
1) Working REWARDS!
a) Disney Chase Credit card. 2% back. Use if for EVERYTHING except 3 things. We have one of us cruise for free on Disney every other year. AND Disney Vacations are 6 months 0 % interest.
b) Costco Citi card! We make over $1500 a year back from 2 cards and the Executive Membership. That cash (sent as checks you cash at Costco registers) is used to pay for our entire Carnival Cruise this spring break!
c) Alaskan Airlines Credit Card- companion fares, free baggage, miles.
d) EBATES! In 8 days I have made $63 in cash and $30 is pending travel. You start at the EBATES website and simply shop like normal online. The referral link within Ebates makes you money.
ex: Amazon says "hey EBATES send me people to shop" Ebates loads up the % back and posts it. You start on Ebates and click the Amazon link, it sends you to Amazon KNOWING you will earn cash back. You shop on Amazon like normal (be sure to stay in that referral link) and BAM % back in your EBATE account the next day. It is THAT easy!
Cash is sent to your Paypal account (or paper check) every quarter. This alone pays for our spending money for our Thanksgiving Cancun Trip. Here is my snip-it proving what I have earned and (promise, legit)! And the link to sign up.
Below in the photo #1) All money made on Ebates to date (8 days people)! #2) My last PayPal deposit. #3) how I earned cash back on shopping.
LINK to sign up: https://www.ebates.com/r/OOGIEN3?eeid=28187
2) We do not have car payments. Hubby drives a 2003 Accord, me a 2010 Swag Van we paid off in 2 years (hence, didn't travel much those years).
3) Our mortgage is lower. We are both full time educators and could have afforded over 2K a month on a mortgage, instead we opted for a cheaper home for a cheaper mortgage.
4) Shop travel deals online during good sales. Our entire April spring break Carnival cruise is $1400 for all of us. Our Alaskan Cruise we got the alcohol package for FREE when we upgraded to a Balcony (which I had always wanted). In Mexico always Kids Stay FREE deals.
5) YNAB! You Need a Budget is an online cloud budget tool. It is budgeting on steroids! You have to account for EVERY penny! I have been using YNAB for 5 years and I am able to FULLY fund my vacations thru budgeting each month. I set aside 2k a month for travel, this tool allows me to budget monthly and set goals. It tells me what we spend the most money on (ahem, food and shopping) and allows us to have discussions about habits we NEED to change to reach our goals. They have amazing training videos, and a FREE 30 day trial. Try it, no obligation (it is better than MINT which I used for 2 years and EveryDollar). Try it here: https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=G6Kp8nTV4XKAQNSX&utm_source=customer_referral
Travel on Everyone!
Toodles,
Auggie
We spent Thanksgiving week 2018 there, 7 days. My kids are 8 and 4.
Note most all inclusive resorts have the same amenities, all you can eat/drink, high shelf liquor, 24 hour room service, etc.
I will be touching on the things we LOVED that set Moon Palace Grand apart from the rest.
YES:
1) The rooms are huge! We had an adjoining family suite- 1 King bed in one room, 2 Doubles in the next. Jacuzzi in both rooms, large bathroom... it was literally too big.
2) Mini bar w/FULL hard liquor pour spouts (hello Captain and Coke all day everyday). They will bring you wine/champagne if you ask for it. (as always travel with dollar bills for tips)
3) The food on site was probably the best I have eaten in Mexico.
4) You have access to the other 2 resorts on the property (Sunrise and Nizuc). Sunrise has a Japanese restaurant (hello Sushi) (photo below)
And you take a quick 3 minute bus ride from lobby to lobby.
5) Turtle release program on the beach.
-------------------------------------------
Now drum-roll please....
6) The Kids club: a Johns Incredible Pizza/Chuck E Cheese/Dave n Busters like experience for the 8+ year old- bumper cars, full room Ropes Course, arcade, climbing jungle gym w/slide, and MORE. Mom and dad played in there as well!!! (no alcohol inside, it's a kids club.. I get it). And they feed them... I didn't see much of my 8 year old.
Face Painting in the Big Kids area:
7) Water park. YES, a full on water park that wraps around the Johns Incredible kids club.
8) Bowling alley! We watched football, had bar food/beer and bowled! (use resort credits)
(In the main lobby, not near Chuck E Cheese land)
9) Chefs Dinner- extra booking (use resort credits)- we cooked a meal and sat and ate- best soup I've ever had!
10) Wine events (xtra, use credits)- we learned a TON about wine.
11) Service- it was impeccable!
12) Diffuser's available w/oils :) A nice touch coming from me the oils lady! Love my Peace and Calming!
The Bad:
1) The 7 and younger kids club was a baby daycare with NO interactive programming (not the 8+ Nirvana, this is for the younger kids). Other resorts have something every hour like crafts, swimming, art, movie time. Not here. The baby club had things to bounce on that a 2 year old would LOVE.
My 4 year old hated it because you have to WALK THRU Johns Incredible/Chuck E Cheese land to get to the baby zone. He wanted the big kid stuff w/big brother and I could not leave him. He can play in the big area with our supervision, but remember why we go to all inclusive resorts- so the kids can have fun in their own space while I drink by the pool!
My take away for you: If you have a 2-3 year old, they will LOVE it. It's safe, you get a pager... the ladies are awesome, but not that engaging. Because of this, we will not return to the grand until our youngest is 8 years old! Hello Chuck E Cheese land, go play and let me drink and take a nap.
This is the BABY "ride". It slowly rocks back and forth. (compared to the bumper cars downstairs in Nirvana land)
This cool thing is in Baby Land. Fans w/Balloons! But my kid only lasted 5 min in it ("Don't leave me" he cried as I tried my hardest).
This baby thing spins slowly... not sure it's purpose for a 4-7 year old. Would your 7 year old LOVE this?
2) The place is so big (ahem GRAND) you need to wait for the golf cart express service to get you. It was a 7 minute walk from my room to the lobby where all the food/fun for adults is (with kids in tow, make it 10 minute walk). The golf carts are on a shuttle/bus service and you go to the "stop" and wait for a cart. I am completely serious. And we were in the MIDDLE of the resort! I could not imagine the furthest buildings! If you are going in the summer, note this... it will be really humid and HOT! Bringing little's? You need a stroller!
My take-away: stay between the lobby and Kids Club... only a 3 minute walk. But then you will be FAR from the ocean (take the carts). This place is so big that at capacity we felt like the place was EMPTY!
My take away: prepare to walk and pick the building that BEST serves your family needs.
3) No beach view rooms. Apparently the only rooms with views are the Elite high paying (good for them) members. My building was a 5 min walk to the beach. I have always loved sitting on my balcony and enjoying the ocean view with my coffee in the morning, I did not have that experience here! Just a view of the middle grounds that are being renovated (lake/pond type gazebo things).
My take away: When I buy in, spend a shit ton money?! idk
4) Do you love to stay up late and do things? Well... we found past 8pm, there was not much to do. AND our room was soooo far from the lobby the fact we had to walk all the way there (or wait for the cart service) was a downer.. "we can go to the lobby to see what is going on, or go get ice cream..but it's soooo far". So we stayed in and fell asleep (boooooring)!
We did go to the club once.. and ahem... well... all age groups dancing to current hip-hop/rap/dance music- let's just say very entertaining. The club is only open every other day, and other than that--- restaurants, bowling, bars... not much else to do. I was hoping for trivia nightly, comedy shows, a movie nightly, etc.
-----------------------------
I know it seems my negatives outweigh the AWESOMENESS, but I feel I needed to explain in detail the "bads".
If you have 8+ age children, book it! This place is amazing.
If you have little ones and you are preparing to be with the them the whole time.. BOOK it! If you have a pre-school-7 year old... I would look at other resorts that have engaging kids club programming (if you are looking for a place to pawn off the kids to go do adult things)
(Now Jade, Hard Rock, etc)
We will return, but in 3 years when the youngest minion is 8 :)
As always I explain our my family spends 25K a year on vacations while still have a $630 a month daycare bill.
1) Working REWARDS!
a) Disney Chase Credit card. 2% back. Use if for EVERYTHING except 3 things. We have one of us cruise for free on Disney every other year. AND Disney Vacations are 6 months 0 % interest.
b) Costco Citi card! We make over $1500 a year back from 2 cards and the Executive Membership. That cash (sent as checks you cash at Costco registers) is used to pay for our entire Carnival Cruise this spring break!
c) Alaskan Airlines Credit Card- companion fares, free baggage, miles.
d) EBATES! In 8 days I have made $63 in cash and $30 is pending travel. You start at the EBATES website and simply shop like normal online. The referral link within Ebates makes you money.
ex: Amazon says "hey EBATES send me people to shop" Ebates loads up the % back and posts it. You start on Ebates and click the Amazon link, it sends you to Amazon KNOWING you will earn cash back. You shop on Amazon like normal (be sure to stay in that referral link) and BAM % back in your EBATE account the next day. It is THAT easy!
Cash is sent to your Paypal account (or paper check) every quarter. This alone pays for our spending money for our Thanksgiving Cancun Trip. Here is my snip-it proving what I have earned and (promise, legit)! And the link to sign up.
Below in the photo #1) All money made on Ebates to date (8 days people)! #2) My last PayPal deposit. #3) how I earned cash back on shopping.
LINK to sign up: https://www.ebates.com/r/OOGIEN3?eeid=28187
2) We do not have car payments. Hubby drives a 2003 Accord, me a 2010 Swag Van we paid off in 2 years (hence, didn't travel much those years).
3) Our mortgage is lower. We are both full time educators and could have afforded over 2K a month on a mortgage, instead we opted for a cheaper home for a cheaper mortgage.
4) Shop travel deals online during good sales. Our entire April spring break Carnival cruise is $1400 for all of us. Our Alaskan Cruise we got the alcohol package for FREE when we upgraded to a Balcony (which I had always wanted). In Mexico always Kids Stay FREE deals.
5) YNAB! You Need a Budget is an online cloud budget tool. It is budgeting on steroids! You have to account for EVERY penny! I have been using YNAB for 5 years and I am able to FULLY fund my vacations thru budgeting each month. I set aside 2k a month for travel, this tool allows me to budget monthly and set goals. It tells me what we spend the most money on (ahem, food and shopping) and allows us to have discussions about habits we NEED to change to reach our goals. They have amazing training videos, and a FREE 30 day trial. Try it, no obligation (it is better than MINT which I used for 2 years and EveryDollar). Try it here: https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=G6Kp8nTV4XKAQNSX&utm_source=customer_referral
Travel on Everyone!
Toodles,
Auggie
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