A sanctuary for the senses, an all-pool villa ALL five-diamond resort & five stars Forbes, Banyan Tree Mayakoba welcomes you to the essential Banyan Tree experience. A resort that provides a joyful habitat for the spirit, a place where ancient civilizations embrace each other and where the passionate nature of Mexico is soothed by the gentle touch of the Far East. In the ancient Maya language, Mayakoba means village over water. Banyan Tree Mayakoba is located in a private gated community linked by canal waterways, the resort is surrounded by an arcadia of untouched nature in a carefully maintained ecosystem. With a private pool for every villa or plunge pool for every suite, an array of international culinary offerings, a PGA golf course, a signature Banyan Tree Spa and curated experiences for all ages. Through the expansion, Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers villas, beachfront pool suites, including 7 lagoon & sunset rooftop pool villas. Minimum villa size is 3,145 sq ft.
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Grand Velas Riviera Maya is an AAA Five Diamond Luxury Ali-Inclusive resort located in the most sought-after region of the Mexican Caribbean, just 35 minutes from the Cancun international Airport and 10 minutes from Playa del Carmen. Visitors can't help but be carried away by the area's breathtaking enchantment, with its lush jungle greenery and turquoise ocean waters. A wide range of attractions, many famous world-wide, are located just a short distance from the resort, making it the perfect option for both adventure and deep relaxation. Clients enjoy the jungle's mystique and endless ocean views at this resort for all ages. A different side of the Mexican Caribbean in the Zen Grand Ambiance surrounded by pristine jungle, or ocean breezes in the Ambassador and Grand Class Ambiances. If they explore the entire resort  will find the  SE Spa and eight restaurants, the Kids' Clubs , Teens' Club, an Eco-tour,  miniature golf and much more, for a vacation that's anything but ordinary.  
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Opened September 1, 2018, Solaz is a sanctuary for guests seeking an immersive destination experience. A masterpiece in modern design, the hotel features iconic architecture with a vast private collection of original works of art, and endemic landscaping which paints a beautiful scene full of life and color, cradled by two natural rock beds allowing guests to enjoy the swimmable beach. Designed as a contemporary cascading architectural sculpture, each of the 128 guestrooms offer breathtaking panoramic sea views from your private balcony/terrace and a dedicated Artisan (butler) service. Indulge in gastronomic offerings that satisfy the soul. Al Pairo seafood market prepares local dishes with fresh ingredients from the sea. For contemporary Mexican fare, Cascabel is a vibrant venue. Take in the sounds of lapping waves and breathtaking, unobstructed sunrise and sunset views at Mako. Cap off the day with a glass of wine from La Cava’s selection of more than 2,500 bottles, or enjoy a treat from Dos Penisulas chocolateria. Positioned in the most desirable location with equal proximity to San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, the Art and Soul of Baja awaits you.
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If paradise had a name, it would be Turks & Caicos. My husband and I first visited Beaches Turks & Caicos in 2008 for our honeymoon. We’ve been on many vacations since then, but have always talked about the crystal clear waters we experienced on Provo. We were excited to bring our girls, 10 & 12, to the island and found it to be just as beautiful as we remembered. 
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There’s nothing better than the convenience of an all inclusive. With 22 different dining options, there’s something for everyone to love for each meal… and plenty of snack options in between! This resort has five different distinct villages each with a variety of room types. We’d love to help you find the one that’s best for you!

We loved our vacation on Royal Caribbean and would definitely do it again. As an avid Disney cruiser, there were some things we missed but the entertainment and activities for our 12 year old was everything we wanted and more. We also enjoyed the Casino every night, that was a lot of fun!

Book a suite category to have access to the suite pool and lounge.  The pool was so serene and relaxing, the lounge had delicious snacks and drinks, the service was impeccable. 

Book a preferred category room. Preferred rooms will put you closer to the main pool, lobby and bus stop. 

POP Century is a great resort for families who are on a budget. While this is one of the more basic resorts at Walt Disney World, it offers fun theming, comfortable rooms, 3 pools, and fun activities during the day. 

There is only one dining option at POP Century, which does offer some variety, but the quality is not comparable to the moderate and deluxe resorts. My family usually prefers to grab a quick breakfast and the rest of our meals will be eaten at another resort or in the parks. (The Mickey waffles are the same no matter where you go!)

-Kaydee Emperley
Disney Parks, Cruise, & All-Inclusive Specialist
Kaydee@mickeysdreamvacations.com​

There are limited reasons to stay at All-Star Sports. If the other All-Star Resorts are full and you really can’t work Pop Century or Art of Animation into your budget, stay at Sports. 

Sports has everything we love about the value resorts—cheap food, fun theming, and big energy. It’s simply easily beat by the other value options.

Since it doesn’t have refurbished rooms, has the least “Disney” theming of the All-Star resorts, and frequently plays host to large groups of unsupervised teenagers, we try to skip this resort when possible.

Ziplines-There are two different routes
The full red tower tour took about 45min. After each zipline you have to walk to the next line and climb a good number of stairs. The red route is very physically demanding.  
You are allowed to double ride on the zip lines if your total weight is less than 300lb. I saw a lot of parents double riding with their kids. 
The other zip line route is the green towers this one only has 3 towers and is more suitable for kids (Still must meet height requirement). 


Amphibious Vehicles-Drive a 4-seater UTV on jungle trails through caves and over bridges. 


Rafts-Adventure paddling with your own hand paddles through two different routes in the underground river. 

River Swim-Swim through the underground river through caves and surrounded by stalacites. 

Hammock Splash-Walk through the caves and finish with a hammock ride into a waterfall.  


Cave Walks-Explore all the trails going through caves and jungle trails. 

Surprisingly, I would say the UTVs were our favorite! While you have to follow the trail, you have a lot of flexibility to do your own thing. You can drive as crazy and fast as you want! 

9am arrived (took some time to check in and put your stuff away in lockers) 
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9:30-10:15am did red tower zip lines first (10 routes, finishing in water fall) 

10:30-11 did the hand paddle rafts through underwater caves.  

11:15-11:45 ate lunch at the buffet. The buffet was SUPER big. The food was pretty much your average all-inclusive buffet, maybe a little step up.  

12-1 Drove the UTV vehicles. We loved this and did it twice. We did the first route (20ish min) and then did the second route (30ish min). You have to follow the trail but they allow you to do your thing.  

1:30 pick up and headed back to our resort! 

We felt like the timing was perfect. We were ready to go back at 1:30, however you could easily make a full day of this park! 

Water Shoes are needed. I bought ours on Amazon before the trip for $10. They were selling ones there for $35. 
​Sunscreen: Make sure to put sunscreen on before arriving, they will confiscate your sunscreen if it’s not environmentally friendly. 

My husband and I went to Xplor Park during our trip to Mexico. The park is full of trails/caves to explore on your own, but it also has 6 different extreme activities to participate in as well. The grounds are very well maintained, the staff is kind and friendly, and the buffet lunch is quite yummy! 
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We went for a half day, but you could easily spend an entire day there. Our favorite activities were the ziplines and the UTV trails. I would highly recommend visiting this park if you are an active and adventurous couple! 

-Kerilyn Gatto
All-Inclusive & Disney Vacation Specialist
630-341-3058
keri@mdvtrips.com

Staying in a hotel room can sometimes be inconvenient, but necessary. You might forget to pack something, or you might need a particular fix for something that is bothering you.

​Next time you're set to stay in a hotel for an overnight stay or a long vacation, be sure to remember these 10 hotel room hacks!   ​

​Enjoy live music at Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace and then make your way to the Tambu Lounge and be sure to order the "secret kitchen dessert"-it's not on the menu and simply delicious!

Disney's Polynesian Resort never disappoints. We fell in love with this resort at our first stay in 2015 and stay here whenever we can.  The recent refurbishments have maintained the original character from it's 1971 opening as one of the first Disney resorts.  The moment you step on to the property with a lei greeting, you are transformed to the islands. From character dining at O'Hana to pineapple drinks at Trader Sam's this resort can be thoroughly enjoyed by all ages!

​What can be better than beautiful grounds, fresh room décor, one of a kind views, tasty food and drink--watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the beach and ending the night with the Electrical Water Pageant simply cannot be replicated! There's something about catching your first glimpse of the castle from across the Seven Seas Lagoon that says, "Aloha"!
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-Katy Thompson
Disney Parks, Cruise, & All-Inclusive Specialist
Katy@mdvtrips.com
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