The "Magic" of staying at a Disney resort

The Grand Floridian, a deluxe resort located on the Monorail system

            

When working with clients, we are sometimes asked what advantage there is to staying at a Walt Disney World resort.  Many times, people feel that they can skip the resort and save money on their trip.  While there might be a savings, we believe the pros of being on property far outweigh modest, monetary savings.  Not sure if you'll save, request a free quote.

Disney World has over 25 different resort options spanning from budget-friendly value resorts, mid-level moderate resorts, extravagant deluxe resorts and even a campground.  Prices range from $130-$6000 per night and depend on the resort category, room category, and travel dates.  Generally, you can expect to spend $200-400 per night.   

 Time - You will spend time traveling to and from the off-property resorts.  Something to remember is that Walt Disney World is HUGE!  It covers over 20,000 acres and is the size of Manhattan.  Time is valuable, especially if you have a short trip.  It will be less convenient to go back and take naps mid-day if you aren't close to your WDW resort.

The Skyliner Gondola

      Transportation - You have free transportation once you arrive at your Disney resort.  So, there is no need for a rental car.  The resort shuttles run every 5-25 minutes which varies depending on the time of day.  Some off-property resorts offer shuttles but they may only come two times a day or every hour.  And this is all if the hotel even offers theme park transfers.   

     If you decide to drive or rent a car to give you more flexibility, keep in mind that theme park parking is $30/day for non-resort guests (free if you're staying on property).  

    

     Money and Promotions - Staying on property with a package, which includes a resort stay and ticket plus the option to add a dining plan, makes you eligible for Disney promotions.  If these come out, even after booking, we will apply them to save you money.  Also, a package requires a $200 deposit and final payment 30 days before travel.  You can cancel anytime before final payment is due.  If you book a ticket-only reservation (and stay off-property), the full amount of tickets is due at the time of purchase and these are non-refundable.

     Early Park Entry - Resort guests are eligible for entry to select parks 30 minutes before anyone else.  Rope drop is only possible if you are coming from a Disney resort.

     Lightning Lane Advance Purchase - If you decide to purchase LL passes, you can do so 7 days prior to travel if you're a resort guest.  For others, it's 3 days prior.  This could be the difference between getting or not getting a pass for a particular ride.  Not sure what a Lighting Lane pass is, read more here.

The Beast at Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom

      Dining Plan - You must stay on Disney property to purchase a Dining Plan.  If  you purchase the Disney Dining Plan, we will make those reservations for you as part of our free services.  Depending on your needs, the DDP or the simpler Quick Service dining plan, is designed for convenience and can be a way to save.  Check out this blog to find out if you'd benefit from a dining plan.

 Character Dining - Whether staying on property or not, you can still make reservations for a character meal.  WDW resort guests can do this 60 days before travel, others wait until 30 days before travel.  This might make difference of getting the meal you want to experience.

The "Magic" - As corny as it sounds, there is something to be said about being immersed in Disney.  If you stay on property, from the moment you arrive, you are enveloped.  Your off-property resort won't have Mickey-shaped waffles, Disney art, or  themed-pools.  No Disney gift shop, no cast members, and no whimsical Disney background music.  That special "something" disappears at the end of a long day visiting the parks when you pile into your car and head for your off-property hotel.  

Perhaps, one of the saddest signs of all times!

The "What if...." - I wrote this blog just one day after Hurricane Milton struck central-Florida.  Amanda, one of our agents, was visiting and offered a unique insight to being "stuck at Disney" during a storm.  Somethings we learned are that WDW has constructed buildings to withstand Category 5 storms, the resorts have generators, and maybe most importantly, Disney has a plan.  

Activity board at Contemporary Resort

After the theme parks and common areas closed, guests were sequestered to their respective resorts to ride out the storm.  It appeared that sufficient notice was provided about what would be closed and when.  The resorts that had interior access to a central lobby (mostly, your deluxe resorts) could access the amenities such as the store, arcade (which was free!), and restaurants.  Disney had a variety of activities to pass the time and once the storm has passed and it was safe, Disney start to shift back to business as normal.  

The theme parks were scheduled to reopen about 30 hours after they closed.  I added a couple of her photos below.

   

Extra towels and shampoo, furniture moved inside, and sandbags at the doors

One of the Monorails parked inside the Contemporary Resort

  

Carts and signs tied down for the hurricane

Lamps covered to prevent damage from debris

Don't forget to like us on Facebook.  Follow us here for more tips and tricks, not only for Walt Disney World resorts but all of the destinations we can help you plan and book.  And in case you didn't know this, our help is always free. ~Joe

Disney's Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, Explained

Disney's Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, Explained

If you've ever considered a Disney trip, you've probably run across the terms Genie+ and Lightning Lanes. If you aren't familiar with these terms, here's a quick overview of how these work.  For this article, I'm going to speak only about Walt Disney World in Florida:  

• You can purchase these options as an enhancement to your base or Park Hopper ticket. 

•  Once purchased, you can select rides and attractions (based on availability), permitting you to skip the regular line queue.  

• When your designated time to ride arrives, return to the ride joining the "Lightning Lane" line where you bypass the standard line. 

Before it was Genie+ and Individual Lighting Lane, we had the good 'ol (FREE!) Fastpass system, different names but it's all the same idea minus the punch in your pocket book.

Starting this week, Disney has once again revamped the names and features.  Here is a little info about what's new and what's changed.  

• Lightning Lane Multi Pass (LLMP) instead of Genie+
• Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP) instead of Individual Lighting Lane

These features are available for purchase from your MyDisneyExperience app.  Your package (resort and tickets) or ticket must be linked to your account.  

• Walt Disney Resort guests can make their purchase and select experiences up to 7 days before their check-in, for up to 14 days.  

• Guests who have theme park tickets can make their purchase and select experiences up to 3 days before the active ticket date through the active ticket date.  

• Annual Passholders can make their purchase 7 days in advance if they have a resort reservation, if not, it's 3 days in advance.  

• This is far better than making your purchase the day of use.  

You can make three Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections and purchase two Lightning Lane Individual selections.  The LLMP experiences are divided into two groups (except for Animal Kingdom).   After you've redeemed your first multi pass experience, you can make additional selections, one at a time, based on availability.

Some other new features are:

• You can see the rides and attractions that are available before you finalize your purchase.

• You can make multiple Lightning Lane Multi Pass and/or Lightning Lane Single Pass purchases in one transaction from your MDE.  

• If you have Park Hopper tickets - you can only make selections in one park until you've redeemed your first experience.  After that, you can make selections in another park.

One feature that managed to stick around is the price.  Yep, Disney is still charging us to skip lines.  These prices are dynamic meaning they adjust up or down by date.  Below is a video of the prices we are seeing this first week of availability (July, 2024).  Clearly, this can add up as you tack on LLMP and LLSP purchases for your group. 

The LLMP/LLSP purchases are non-refundable.  If you cancel your resort package or ticket, any Lighting Lane selections associated with your MDE account are automatically cancelled, too.

If you don't want to purchase the Lightning Lane Single Pass for Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, you can still opt to enter the virtual queue.  At select times, you can try to access the virtual queue.  If chosen, you are assigned a boarding group.  When your group is called, return to the attraction for your ride.  You can join the virtual queue at 7:00 am or 1:00 pm (but you must be inside the park in order to join the 1:00 pm slot).  Keep in mind, joining the virtual queue does not guarantee you'll experience the attraction.  Not an option for LLSP, but new to the virtual queue, is Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

Don't forget to like us on Facebook.  Follow us here for more tips and tricks, not only for Walt Disney World resorts but all of the destinations we can help you plan and book.  And in case you didn't know this, our help is always free. ~Joe

Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay:  What's the Logic?

Most cruises we book sail from and return to a US port in Florida.  The easiest way to reach these cruise ports is catch a quick flight into the port city.  Others, who either want to save a little cash or are "flight-adverse", opt to drive.  Either way, if we booked the cruise for you, there is a high likelihood that I mentioned at some point getting a pre-cruise hotel.   

Why are we trying to get you to spend more on "another night"?

It's easy to see why you might tsk at the suggestion you spend another $200 or $300 on your trip just so you can stay the night near the port before your cruise but there is good reason for this. 

While you may have always flown at the exact time your airline printed on your boarding pass, we've taken enough trips to know that a 6:15 am departure might result in you getting to your destination at noon the following day.  This typically isn't a huge issue unless after you land, your plan is to grab your bags, catch your transfer and scurry to the port with adequate time to check-in and board the ship.  

(fake boarding pass but the airline was NOT CHOSEN AT RANDOM!)

Oh, you're going to drive, cool.  Mechanical issues, foul weather, accidents and more might stymie the best laid plans.  Either way, hoping to roll up to the port on the day of the cruise might not be the best choice.  

They ain't waiting!

Typically, a cruise line will depart the port between 4:00 - 6:00 pm.  And, they will leave with OR without you.  So, what does that mean for you if you're not in your cabin, or more likely, somewhere gorging yourself on shrimp cocktail and cookies when the ship steams outbound?  It means you have paid for a really cool vacation that you might not be taking.

What does it look like when that happens?

You pace back and forth, trying to figure out if you're going to cry or throw up or both.  Seizing all your strength, you (or your travel advisor) scramble to make plans to get you to the next port of call and "catch up" with the ship.  No problem, right?  You just need to arrange, at the last minute, one-way flights to where ever the ship is headed.  Hopefully you have packed your credit card and passport because while you can sail to the Caribbean without a passport, you can't fly there without one.  No passport?  Well, this is the end of your Caribbean cruise. 

But luckily, everyone has a passport.  Let's hope that the ship hasn't altered the course and substituted the port where you'll soon be catching your flight to with alternative port.  This does happen due to weather or scheduling conflicts.  Now, you'll need a place to stay for the night until you can get on the plane.  Don't forget to complete the proper immigration forms online in order to arrive by air.  Oh, one way flights into a foreign country can be a real bear because if you're not leaving (or at least don't have any proof), you might need a visa.  Before you catch up, you've got two or three more meals for the family.  Finally, once you've landed at the destination, you'll need to get to the cruise port.  Get that credit card out again! 

I have had two sets of clients miss their ships departure.  Both had flight delays leaving LAX for a Hawaiian cruise.  Lucky for them, no passports are needed to fly from Honolulu to Maui!  I was able to help with the flights, hotel, and transfers.  But, the clients were out the cost of those expenses and missed the first night of their cruise as well as the full day in that first port of call.  And this is all only possible if we can find those last minute flights and overnight hotel.  Side note: both families had travel insurance and after some work on the part of the client, they were able to get reimbursed.   

Is that hotel sounding more appealing now?

You're right, this is sort of a scare tactic.  I guess it's so scary that I've scared myself into this same practice of arriving the night before for my own cruises.  I understand not wanting to spend extra money.  But, most hotels can be had for a couple hundred bucks.  If you'd like our help (it's free to use our agency), we'll look for someplace with a free airport shuttle and maybe even a free breakfast, too.  Plus, many hotels that are located near the cruise ports have cheap transfers ($10-15/passenger) that can be arranged the day you arrive.  If you're shipping out from Port Canaveral, FL, we work with GoPort who bundles a hotel and all of the transfers into one easy package.  

If you don't mind flying out late, there is a good chance you can find a good deal on those red-eye flights basically making the cost of pre-cruise hotel a moot point.  Either way, I'd say a few hundred bucks is cheap insurance to almost unequivocally avoid missing that sail-away food fest while sparing you any anxiety of not being there on time.

~Joe

Let us know how we can help you with your next trip by emailing dillontravels@gmail.com.  You can also visit our Facebook page or website.

 

 Club Mobay:  VIP Meet and Greet Review

We have visited Jamaica close to a dozen times and have always entered via Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.  We have had the wonderful experience of walking off the plane, breezing through Immigration and Customs, and to our transfer in under an hour.  We have also had the misfortune to deboard and after spending two or more hours at the airport, drag ourselves to the transfer bus.  The later is more frequent with the average time spent being around 1.5-2 hours.  

For our most recent trip, we chose to test drive the Club Mobay VIP Meet and Greet service.  For the cost is $50 per person, they advertise you'll be "fast tracked" through the entry process allowing you to get your vacation started that much sooner.

So, what was our experience arriving?

• We got off of the plane and were greeted by a Club Mobay employee with a sign displaying our name.

• We were whisked to the automated immigration kiosks where our host explained how to and then helped to scan our passports.

• We were escorted through the first check point using a line designated specifically for the Club Mobay guests.

• Next, she took us to the baggage claim area where we waited for our bags.  We had just enough time for a restroom break before our bags spilled onto the conveyor. She even grabbed one of those fancy carts you normally have to pay extra to use!  

• Finally, she escorted us through the second check point, again using a line specifically designated for Club Mobay guests.  

(our host and our sign)

Did we save any time?

We definitely did!  I would guess that from the time I stepped off the plane until I was delivered to the Sandals Club lounge, we spent a total of 35 minutes navigating the airport and "entering" Jamaica.  Other guests who were traveling with us said it was even quicker for them.  The longest part of the experience was waiting for Southwest to unload our bags but that did give us time for a much needed bathroom break.

(the throng of people we skipped at the 2nd check point because we are awesome...and paid $50 each)

Who should do this?

I would recommend this for anyone visiting Jamaica via MBJ airport.  This service is also available if you fly into Kingston International Airport but for most leisure tourists, this will almost certainly not be the case.  Who would really benefit:

• people travelling during a busy season

• people who are anxious travelers or have never navigated a foreign airport

• people who enjoy being greeted like your special, escorted around like royalty, and then delivered expeditiously after skipping the long lines for the paltry sum of $50

Sounds great! Does Club Mobay offer anything else?

I'm glad you asked.  As I mentioned, we were taken to the Sandals Club Lounge (a benefit for guests of Sandals and Beaches resorts) at then end of our whirlwind 35-minute adventure through Sangster International.  But, if you don't happen to have access to the Sandals lounge; you can freshen up, grab a snack, or just relax for a moment at the Club Mobay lounge.  I kick myself in the pants for not exploring the lounge.  I don't know for certain, but would imagine they assist you locating your resort transfer (which we can add to your trip), find a taxi, or rent a car. 

"...and, if you act now, for the amazing price of $35 extra"

You can receive the full deal by adding the Club Mobay departure lounge.  This service is designed for those returning home after their trip.  Again, you'll have access to wifi, snacks, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, showers, and more.  On one of our earlier trips, when MBJ was less "glamorous" we spent our pre-flight hours hanging in the lounge.  I enjoyed the snacks; treats like pre-packaged biscuits (cookies), bags of plantain chips, and hors d'oeuvres.  The first two of which could be taken with me to munch on while on the plane.  The free drinks were less appealing, especially after spending a week at an all-inclusive resort.  I guess I'd had my fill of Red Stripe.

Honestly, with the upgrades that have occurred at MBJ over the past decade, I don't know waiting in the terminal is any less comfortable than any other major US airport so we probably won't ever use the Club Mobay departure lounge again.

One final note, the cost for kids (ages 2-12) is $25 for arrival and $23 for departure services.  Kids under 2 years old are free.

A little extra kudos to Club Mobay...

This trip was for a wedding and much to our dismay, an unnamed "Patriotic" Airline saw that we did not make our original flights.  Our arrival to Jamaica was not only the following day but occurred at two different times.  I was able to send an email and followed up with a phone call about our flight updates.  From a travel agent standpoint, they were very easy to work with.  As one of their customers, I was assured they would have staff there to accommodate us.  They definitely excelled.  

 ~Joe

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Moon Palace, Jamaica versus Beaches Negril, Jamaica

 Fall 2023 we stayed at two different family all inclusive resorts in Jamaica to compare them for families. I would encourage families to stay at either one with no concerns but different families are looking for different pros and cons. So here is how they compare:

Beach Scene

Moon Palace is situated in a bay in Ocho Rios with calm waters and a small beach area. There were always lounge chairs available so I wouldn't consider it "too small".  Beaches Negril is situated on the beautiful open 7 miles of white sandy beaches directly on the ocean. Here you will have more water activities to choose from. Beaches (and Sandals) always have luxury included water sports. At Beaches Negril you will have kayaking, hobie cats, paddle boarding, diving (free for certified divers), snorkeling, banana boats and ocean trikes. Moon Palace offers paddleboarding and kayaking. If you want to spend the day in the shade or sun beachside, Beaches definitely has a huge expanse of options even while at 91% occupancy during our stay.

Moon Palace had some water activities available at an additional charge including a dolphin experience on property plus snorkeling and scuba diving for a fee.

View at Moon Palace, Jamaica

Free Water Sports at Beaches Negril: Hobie cats, kayaks, paddle boarding, banana boats, snorkeling are all included in the price!

Pool Activities

Moon Palace had a mix of all age groups and everyone seemed to have enough to do. There is a surfing flow rider that never had a line, water volleyball and staff creating activities in the pool. Beaches definitely has their young visitors under 10 covered with an entire Pirates Water park fully staffed with lifeguards and servers stopping by to check on you. There is water  and beach volleyball and activities and crafts nearby at both resorts.

Beaches definitely wins on all accounts for the theming and pool features for children under 10. The staff clearly enjoys and engages with kids, there is a lazy river, slides, pouring buckets of water and a large expanse of water fun.

Kids Clubs

Both resorts offer kids clubs for all ages. The Beaches Negril kids area definitely wins in the category for guests under 10. They have a brand new facility opened in 2023, with the biggest climb through tunnels spanning two rooms I have seen. There are two "shoes free" rooms for the under 5 children so that any toddlers on the floor will be in a clean environment. Beaches partners with Sesame Street to bring the characters to the islands. There are parades with characters where the children join in, random character pop ups, theming and  activities for the children to experience the Sesame Street team. There is also a club for 12+ but that is more of a meet up location where kids can check themselves in and out. Staff here is autism certified, CPR certified and clearly well trained. We saw several groups out throughout the week with groups of children eating, playing, and doing activities. Kids were happy and well taken care of, staff was in tune with the kids and the staff to child ratio was perfect. 

My thoughts: Beaches for 10 and under, Palace for 10+. This is a general comment and of course many travel with extended family and have children that span that age gap. I would go on the side of the younger traveler if you want a peaceful trip where they will be occupied.

Spa

Both resorts have a spa and their spas do include some options for junior guests. I overheard some very excited teens on their way to their spa treatments. 

Tipping

This one is always something to plan for in pricing your trips. When Beaches Resorts (and their parent company, Sandals) say ALL-INCLUSIVE, they mean it. Tipping is forbidden on site. This is much easier because on these trips you find yourself at a swim up bar and there's no good place to keep your money dry to tip. You don't see a difference in service based on the biggest tippers. Three places where tipping during a Beaches vacation is allowed but not required: transfer drivers, spa treatment and butler service.

Palace Resorts do not require tipping but it would seem weird not to tip. We tip our transfer driver, the bellhop, the dessert bar, the meals, the room service, bars...you get the point, it adds up.

Safety and Security

We get asked a lot about the safety of a trip to Jamaica, we are always surprised by the ideas some Americans have about travel to Jamaica. I can only assume it is from people that are getting off at cruise ports that are notoriously a frenzied mess or from stories of others that wondered aimlessly through the streets. My husband is a police officer and keenly aware of the dangers most do not notice in our hometown and surrounding area. He has never been concerned. First, we suggest you stay on property or leave only with the designated paid excursions that the resort has already vetted on your behalf. Next, don't wander off property intoxicated or in search of anything from the local "farmers".  There are security personnel on property, video cameras on the beach and excursion desks available to book your trips should you choose to go somewhere. We waked the Negril open beach midday with no concerns and saw security, police and lots of tourists out. We did get approached by locals offering their wears but no one was aggressive, with a swift "no thank you", we were on our way.  Since the beaches are public, there are people walking through or people offering parasailing or marijuana, you can politely refuse and keep walking with no issues whatsoever. 

Accommodations

This really comes down to what you are looking for and what you value in your stay. Beaches properties are very clean with constant staff stepping up to clear all area of drinks, trash, and unused towels. Palace didn't seem to have the same high employee to customer ratio but it was certainly sufficient. The rooms, most meals and snack areas at Palace are in an air conditioned interior building. Our room was oversized with a nice stand up shower (important to me), our "resort view" was just laughable, we were looking at the dirty rooftop of the rest of the resort out our 5 inch French balcony. If a view matters to you, be intentional with upgrading to a room that is beachfront.

Beaches rooms have a very large range and one main reason that booking with a travel agent instead of booking yourself is so important. Again, we have the lowest category of room, it is clean and sufficient. The lowest level here is a garden view, so no dirty red roof! It is a full balcony and not the tiny fake balcony. However, the bathroom does show it's age and the intention of having a tub for bathing children. Then on the other extreme, there are the nicest beach front family accommodations I have seen on any property of any brand. They are astonishing (reach out for a video if interested). As this resort undergoes continual refurbishment I believe the lower categories will be more inviting.

The common areas at Beaches are designed for children under 10. It is smaller than some giant resorts allowing for maneuverability with small children without extreme hassle. There are a lot of multigenerational families and returning guests.

Restaurants

Both resorts have hibachi, sushi, brick oven pizza, jerk shacks, buffets and only a couple require reservations that were easy to secure at check in. Beaches has a delicious new option, Yaku Peruvian food which was excellent. We also enjoyed the Mexican restaurant, Mariachi at both lunch and dinner. They had me at fresh churros!

Moon Palace Jamaica has an area of different food court style options open most of the day. Grab sushi, pizza or sandwiches to order. Their dessert and coffee bar just keeps begging me to come back!

The great thing about a resort focused on children...those of us that eat like children are in great shape. This frozen yogurt restaurant never turned me away...even on my third visit in the same day.

Both have designated dessert restaurants open all day and ice cream which is a big plus for me! Beaches pulls ahead in this area with YoYos frozen yogurt with toppings.

One difficulty at Beaches is that the majority of the dining is outside under covered patios with fans. If you have someone that really needs to get into air conditioning to enjoy their vacation, this would be a frustration. There are no indoor breakfast or lunch options. 

Price Comparison

Looking at entry level, balcony rooms September 2024 for 6 nights for two adults and two kids (14 and 9) the resort cost before flights:

Palace: $2,762.96

Beaches: $5,031.20

(this is not a quote for travel as prices continuously change and are different depending on dates and times of year)

Palace is nearly half the price so you can compare what matters most to you. As Disney enthusiasts, it really reminds me of Pop Century compared to the Grand Floridian. You pay more for the different amenities. So you have to decide what type of trip or experience you are most interested in.

Why choose Beaches?

We book and visit all locations and don't have an interest in one over the other. As travel agents we want our clients happiest so they make memories with their families and book return trips through us. As I contemplated the price difference, I considered who I would think would prefer Beaches.

Sesame street characteres roamed the grounds of Beaches Negril

• Divers: Free diving on site. If you have a diver in the family it is completely free for certified divers to dive twice each day by signing up the day before and showing credentials. Joe dove twice a day for 4 days, those 8 dives would have been expensive to book separately.  All equipment is provided.

Joe between complimentary dives at Beaches Negril

• Sesame Street enthusiasts: The characters are readily available throughout the trip, they stop for photos and interaction, have the on site parade and an inexpensive character breakfast option. There are also shows and activities with the characters included for no additional charge.

Not even jumping into the trash with Oscar could ruin a great Jamaican day!

• Beach Lovers: If being on the beach and in the ocean are important to you, this beach is miles long in both directions and clear water. The Palace beach is small and a bay without clear water.
• Butler service: If it is in your budget, the butler options here are more worthwhile than Sandals in our parenting opinion! Start your day getting ready in the room while the butler brings an sets up your breakfast for the family. Butlers will beat the rush to grab your spot on the beach and mark it as Butler Elite, they bring a cooler to your site, fill it with your family's requests and refill as needed. They bring meals from restaurants, pizza or bbq out to your family at your request. Drinks are never empty and they are a quick call away for any needs you might have, forgot your sunscreen in the room but have toddlers at the beach? No problem, call the butler. This service would make the trip a lot less exhausting with young children.

Airport Transfers

Airport transfers are seamless and included at both resorts.

When you are ready to book this or hundreds of other locations, please reach out, there are never any fees to book with us and have traveled to bring you the most important insider info from each location! dillontravels@gmail.com

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The Grand at Moon Palace

Written by guest blogger, David Dillon, my son. He did a thorough job of reviewing The Grand at Moon Palace after our stay in July 2023. There were four adults in our group myself, David, Emma (our daughter) and Brendan (her fiancé that proposed on property!) Enjoy, and let us know when you are ready to book!

     For the reader, I am a 24 year old male who has traveled somewhat extensively. I have pretty high standards across the board and have been to a fair number of all-inclusive resorts. I ask that you know my expectations are tempered through this lens and may vary some from your own experiences - especially that I can be particularly harsh when nothing is really wrong.

I didn’t bring a computer with me and instead took notes daily about what we did. I will include my thoughts in addition to the walkthrough of the days. I think, presented in this manner, you see through my thoughts that we enter a sort of “flow state” and start to turn certain actions into habit. If you’re looking to have a supremely relaxing vacation, I recommend that approach.

Tuesday July 4, 2023

We woke up early and got to the Indianapolis airport before light. We parked at the park and walk section and strolled in. The lines were longer than I’d have expected at the desk, but we were through in no more than 25 minutes regardless. Security wasn’t too bad considering it had only opened about 15 minutes before we arrived and we got through security without much incidence. The new TSA machines are clunky and big. They take a little more time, but depending on the people around you, it could be as fast as the old system. The longer from this date you are reading this, the more likely it is that the new system is just as fast as the old one. From Indy we connected through Baltimore, which was obviously much busier (due to time of day and amount of travelers) and then flew to Cancun. The flights themselves were unremarkable in a good way.

In Cancun, the airport is immediately different to an American traveler. The modernization of American airports is more startling in comparison. However, from the last time I remember it to now (a little more than a year ago) it was much nicer. In-processing is now through a futuristic booth. You scan your own passport, walk up to facial recognition, and scan through. If you fail that you go through the old booth. Then you walk to baggage claim down the way. It takes about 3x longer than you’d expect. Like if you thought 30minutes was reasonable, try an hour and a half. Afterward, you go out to the parking lot. Depending on your destination, there are options. Individual transportation was our choice, and I have to admit, price dependent, it’s probably worth it. We went, almost instantly, from the parking lot, to the black escalade, to the road. The company gave us the driver and he loaded the bags, put us in, and we were off. Buses, on the other hand, seemed to take MUCH longer.

Upon arriving to the Palace Resort’s the Grand, we walked immediately up to the counter, the checked us in via a pretty reasonably short process and we were told no rooms would be available until 3pm. Not a big deal, just check luggage with the bellhops. A seamless process. We explored the Grand for a few hours and realized that it is much larger than we had anticipated. 

This is a 'visualize in your head' section so watch out. The Grands property is situated on the rightmost third of the Palace Resorts overall beached section. The Grand itself (lobby and main building) is situated on the bottom left corner of the Grands bottom right third of the property. The lobby building is weird. I view it as three sections. The middle section which is the lobby, then its right and left. Main floor lobby went back into a bar, then to a few places we only toured (to include the circus which was well done). Main floor left extended past Tavola (Italian), Le Chateau (French), and Unique (night club) to the coffee bar (which said it had beignets in the name but most certainly did not) and the business presentation rooms. Here, you’ll find a staircase down. We’ll come back to that. Main floor to the right extended past Jade (Asian), a series of souvenir shops, and Wired (teen hangout) to the Grand buffet and JC’s (Steakhouse) which were cornered by a staircase. If it helps, view the whole building as an big lowercase n. The lobby is the middle connector, and each side has a staircase down to the basement I guess we could call it. 

On the left side of the “n” under the coffee shop, there was a bowling alley, the prohibition bar, La Cantina (Mexican food) and its’ sister restaurant. On the right side of the “n” under the Grand buffet is, ironically, the gym, and a smoothie bar. 

Tavola Le Chateau Coffee bar Business Conference Rooms	Lobby Lobby Bar Circus	Jade Shops Wired JC’s Grand Buffet
Bowling Alley Speakeasy La Cantina		Gym Smoothie bar

This layout is not super intuitive and dictates that if you want to get from the gym to the smoothie bar you must either go upstairs, across the building, and downstairs OR you must exit and reenter the building after a 5 minute outdoor walk.

Furthermore, and my final geographic, quasi visual section, the pathing outdoors is hard to get a grasp of. I’m pretty good at maps, solid with a compass, and not terrible with GPS - I had some trouble navigating the resort. Not only does everything look similar and all the grounds are accented with the same coconut trees, pools, and walk up bars, BUT the paths aren’t straight and don’t rely on like a highway system of big roads and small offshoots. All the paths wind endlessly, are boxed in by tall vegetation, and are the same size (which is only rough when golf carts try to pass you at 35mph). Anywho the phone app has a map. 

 Our first fooding was at the Grand Buffet.

Coming off a day of travel we were all hungry. Options are more plentiful than other Palace resorts and the food is of a half point higher quality minimum across the board. Dessert was significantly better and the dining spaces (outside of the buffet at dinnertime) are never entirely full. Furthermore, at this point already it was clear that waitstaff here spoke better English than at the lower cost Palace resorts.

After some exploring, which again emphasized the massive size of the resort, we got to our room.The room was great. As you enter, a minibar to your side greets you. A few steps later and you’re flanked on either side by the enormous closet and the bathroom. In the bathroom two sinks guard the shower with the toilet separated by another door, for privacy. In the room itself, two double beds sit with nightstands and a dresser. Down two steps is a desk with two chairs, a jacuzzi and the double glass doors to the balcony. I am realizing now that I am not sure I ever went fully outside the balcony because I could not name the furniture there. Weird. Whoops.

        The room was great and nice. Cleaned and consistent. No weird decorations or abhorrent cleanliness violations. We really only changed, showered, and slept in the room, but if a family with little ones had to spend more time there, it is absolutely doable. 

As we went outside for our first bout of pictures (as a guise for Brendan’s proposal) (Happy engagement btw), we walked some on the beach (once again plagued by seaweed as it also was last year), the winding paths near the beach, and by some of the pools, trying to vibecheck the most usable. Brendan and Emma returned to the room to change for dinner and we scouted the best spot for the proposal. Incidentally, the staff proved extra special again in their willingness to offer suggestions for locations. 

Skipping that (because most of it is recorded if you really want to hear about it), Michelle and I split off for dinner at Caribeno  - the Caribbean Restaurant separate from the main lobby and straight out toward the beach from it. We got drinks while waiting, were seated near instantly and enjoyed some of the best food we had the whole time. The approachability of this restaurant is great for kids or for the “everything is too hot, I’ll have a salad” of the elderly (Looking at you Shirley). Lobster bisque, Shrimp quesadillas, and shrimp macaroni and cheese were absolute highlights. So much so that without referencing my notes, I can name the courses I had during that meal. 

We met back up with Emma and Brendan and (unfortunately) were convinced to go to Michael Jackson (the exhumed experience). Summarily… it isn’t what I would call PG. We checked the MTV (as Michelle insists) music videos for Thriller and Dangerous. There are literally NO scantily clad ladies in those music videos which is NOT the impression you’d get if you only saw the exhumed experience. I wouldn’t bring my kids, IF I had them AND I had to go again. 

Wednesday July 5, 2023

Breakfast at the Caribeno yielded plenty of options. Hispanic, breads, American, fruits, yogurts, carved ham, and hot chocolate. No wait either. I believe we did this for the rest of the week and I highly recommend AVOIDING the hubbub of the Grand Buffet if possible for breakfast and dinner. Unfortunately, and Wednesday is my only day with this note, low population made the food sit longer. I never noticed this another day, but it is a risk you run. I think we may have been there VERY early though. 

We were in building 85, along the left side of the Grands watchful eye. Next to us was Los Tacos (separate from main building). It has its own pool and was dead until 1130. I had a cabana there 2 days in a row with absolutely NO opposition. For lunch we ate there. Great tacos. Melted cheese, flautas, quesadillas, and tacos. Really really good tacos. Good especially to be able to order from your cabana or poolside seat. Live music arrived while we ate, which was great because it didn’t interrupt my reading. It was there for probably 2 hours. 

That night came the great fall. Cusco. Cusco is Peruvian cuisine and again is separate from the building and as far from the rest of the resort as anything can be. I know why now. Everything we got, we did not finish. I don’t know if I can put my finger on the exact problem, but I promise you, when I read the menu I thought “WOW I'm gonna order everything”, and I tried. I really tried. I didn’t like very much at all. And neither did anyone else. Frankly, avoid it. Unless you can try every other restaurant, make it absolutely dead last. 

Afterwards, in a vain attempt to rebuild a desire for food, we returned to the lobby to check the coffee bar. When I tell you it was jam packed, I mean it. The entirety of the main building felt at capacity. Ultimately, after watching a man drop the ice cream off his cone, sigh, pick it up with his hand off the floor, return it to the cone, and continue eating it - we left. 

Thursday July 6, 2023

We had breakfast at Los Caporales in Nizuc. Fair plug to say that if you’re at the Grand, everything on every Palace property is at your disposal. Jump around, find stuff you like. The food was good and we ultimately returned to the Los Tacos pool, but then everybody except me decided there were too many kids and it was too loud so we went to Unique the Day Club pool. 

We were here the rest of the week. The pool is mostly not. It’s largely a space to lay and drink, but technically the water in the middle is there and people congregate in it. You won’t swim laps here is where I’m going with it, so don’t expect to. Also it’s an 18+ area and that rule was abided to. I didn’t ever see kids in this area. 

Everyone else left to get coconut drinks while I held down the fort. Coconut drinks were really good, albeit, there was very little actual liquid. Turns out that a lot of the coconut is coconut and is thusly difficult to fill with a beverage.

Before lunch, I ran to the money exchange, a window in the lobby and asked if I could trade an 20USD for 20 USD 1’s. He did it immediately, no paperwork no problems. There maybe fees if you cross USD to Peso, but I don’t know. If you want US to US, no problem. 

On this glorious fooding, we met Tavola. Potentially the premiere highlight for the Grand, Tavola offers Italian food that is actually good. About a year ago we had some of the worst pizza I have ever witnessed in Palace Resorts other resort. I was skeptical of this, and frankly, somewhat bummed as we came in because the food looked really good (so the letdown would be more I presupposed.) In truth, the ciabatta was great, meatballs were heavenly, the Alessia pizza was divine. If you wanted to start a new religion, it would be no mistake to start at Tavola. We returned later.

After Tavola’s blessing, we went back to our spot at the pool. 2x we did this manuever, but the pool is safe enough that we left our bags and things there while we ate and returned to our spot unconcerned. We partied until dinner. 

JC’s steak was not too shabby. I had calamari and clam chowder (It was good, I’m not from Boston. I have no loyalties). The 10oz Ribeye and the 3 Musketeers left something on the table and frankly, in retrospect, JCs is the only restaurant with upcharge pricing on the menu for some items. While the steak was good and I paid no money to eat there because all inclusive, it’s probably about the same tier as Outback Steakhouse. It’s good.

Friday July 7, 2023

Breakfast at the Caribeno was sparsely populated, but very fresh. 

We returned then to the Unique Day Club. At this point, I have to be honest or the entry for the day would look strange. My notes here… leave a lot to be desired. I had convinced the family to do tequila shots, but our waiter, Alfredo, was on his second day with us. He knew my games. So after 2 double shots for everyone, I did a triple shot, then nursed some drinks. As such, my notes for Friday July 7th are barely legible and not very helpful. 

        If memory serves me… we ate there at the pools bar. I had barbeque wings which were great and Brendan and Emma had food too. We did a variety of other shots there (possible for you too. Just ask the waiter to bring you shots or whatever kind he wants). 

        

For some reason we went back for a nap.

        Dinner at Le Chateau is recommendable. I had a shrimp bisque, escargots, Mediterranean salad, and Cornish hen. I don’t recommend the Cornish hen because all three other people I was with got the steak which was better than any single steak we saw at JCs. My Cornish hen was probably fine as far as Cornish hens go. I really couldn’t tell you. 

    After Le Chateau, we went to the Speakeasy. The interior design there is better than anywhere else, save maybe the Circus. It is designed to be a library that became a speakeasy. The drink choice and presentation is top of the line and really well done. They have taken classic prohibition drinks and modernized them without totally forgoing their roots. Really commendable job all around. Highly recommend. 

    We ended this night with the most spectacular entertainment offering available. Luchadore wrestling. This luchadores had the same level of acting skill as professional WWE fighters, but none of the cheeky camera angles to make it all look real. The environment and crowd for the event was great, and the excitement from, mostly but not entirely, children was palpable. Solid way to spend an hour, probably doubly so if you’re still utilizing the bar there. 

Saturday July 8, 2023

By Saturday we’d routinized our day entirely. Breakfast Caribeno, Unique day club with Alfredo, Tavola for lunch, Unique day club with Alfredo til dinner, and 

Dinner at La Cantina was good. I had a drink made with honey from Mayan flowers and I think it opened a third eye. Everyone else had normal good drinks. Food was great, albeit not always totally clear. My sangre de toro bean cream soup was more palatable to Americans with me than “beans” were which is weird because mine sounded so much crazier. The food itself was fantastic and generally normal. Shoutout to the waitstaff and management (Angelica and Geraldine (I really should remember) because I asked for a weird dish I had in Guatemala (atole blanco) and they offered to prepare me atol (which is not the same but I didn’t know that). After a long wait they brought forth sweetened corn milk with cinnamon. For dessert I’d asked for cafe de olla which I recommend. Also I ate Michelle’s ice cream which was great because everyone knows it doesn’t count if you don’t order it. 

 

Cafe de Olla...not Guatemalan Atole Blanco but delicious

Sunday July 9, 2023

    We woke up early, had Caribeno before we left the resort after making sure to put our bags outside the door. Our transfer to the airport arrived before 8 and we were at the airport by 830. We traded information at kiosks and our bags at the desk (REMINDER - keep your visa ticket printed by the new machines during customs. As it says, you need it to leave). The flight to Indy was fine, except that, I personally felt the screens that generally say your destination didn’t say anything until we were already boarding. Pay close attention to tickets, conversations with tickets people, and the flight boards. 

    Reprocessing on the Indy side was fast. Off the plane into the baggage claim room took 10 minutes and only about 25 more for baggage. We were in the car no more than an hour after we got off the plane.

Some major takeaways: 

- Don’t pack pants, necessarily, you don’t need them. 

-Pack too much sunscreen. It’s expensive there.

-Don’t shy away from only eating things you love and eating more often. Try everything and really double down on things you like (Mexican Coca-Cola for instance - way better than ours).

-Pace yourself with alcohol. I had too much on the 7th and was really disagreeing with it on the 7th at dinner and the 8th, kinda took a chunk out of my free drinking time

-Consider hanging out near the beach if you don’t care about the water. Given the lack of people there it would be very quiet if the seaweed is flaring

-Move around til you find what you like. Maybe its not pool 1 or 2 or 5. Maybe its pool 6.

-Do stuff. As much as I’ll talk smack about Michael Jackson by calling it an exhumed experience, it is as much a memory as day 3 of laying out in the sun or time number 43 we ate at Tavola. The events they offer may feel dorky (Luchador-ing) but give it 15 minutes.

-For men specifically, when you’re thinking dress shoes for dinner - I wore tan HeyDudes with no socks. You don’t have to pack gold toe socks and penny loafers

-If you wind up in the same place everyday, meet the wait staff there. I know our service was better because we actually talked to Alfredo and tipped as we went - not all at once at the end

Ready to book your getaway? email us at dillontravels@gmail.com