Vidanta Riviera Maya Waterpark - Jungula

[Eric B]

Curious as to why you say this. Our trip in Feb to RM was one of our best. We were at our laziest. Just sat around at GL pool and beach most of the time. Had some nice meals in Salum marketplace. Had a great room in tower 3 (i think). We didn’t fight the beach club rat race. I think I read here where they were playing louder music there. Pretty peaceful at GL pool..

The major downside to RM over NV is that they discriminate between owners using their own weeks and people exchanging in at the same level. Of course, that could be an upside for folks using their own weeks because it helps alleviate the rat race for some of the things like the Beach Club. The last time that @pittle mentioned going to RM was on an exchange into the Grand Bliss through SFX and they weren't allowed into the Beach Club because it was an exchange. In my opinion, it's a problem to build more rooms for folks to stay in than you build facilities (e.g., pools) for them to use; it's ok to have different levels of facilities for the different levels of accommodations as long as that's how things are supposed to work, but they seem to exaggerate the fundamental issues with Vidanta of giving the sales department too much control over the guest experience. In RM this manifests as allowing exchangers the use of owners' facilities (i.e., the GL pool, Burger Custom Made, and the Beach Club) as compensation for attending a grueling sales pitch. Maybe this will change in the future; I could see giving a day pass to Jungala as a better option because it doesn't detract from the owners' access to facilities since it is a paid attraction for them, too, now. The problem I have with RM is that I continue to own other TS and would prefer to be able to exchange in (which costs considerably less overall than a usage fee) in the low season, but still have access to the facilities that I'm supposed to have access to. That's not an issue in NV, where you have access as an exchanger based upon the level of accommodations that you've booked (and the resort fee you're paying) to the appropriate facilities.

Don't get me wrong; we like RM and it's a much easier flight to get there, but the differential treatment just doesn't seem right and it's not well communicated. We also like to be able to sneak off the resort more easily, which is a possibility in NV even though inconvenient and allows us to wander around NV or PV for the cost of going for a walk and paying a bus fare instead of a taxi fare or the negotiated tourist cooperativo fares rather than the real costs. It's easier to shop like a local in PV/NV than it is in RM.

 

[StructureGuy]

I have only one complaint and that is the towel game. In RM this past February I went to the beach at 8:30 am to get a pair of lounge chairs under a palapa (mostly for my red-haired wife). By about 9:15 all palapa lounges had towels on the chairs but only maybe 20% of them were actually occupied. By 11:00 am maybe 70% were occupied. Two men finally showed up at the 5-towel palapa in front of us at 1:00 then they stayed until 2:00 and left. The Grand Mayan pool was a little better, but not much.

(PS: I wasn't totally wrong on the Jungala opening date. July 27 it opens to the public)

 

[pittle]

Curious as to why you say this. Our trip in Feb to RM was one of our best. We were at our laziest. Just sat around at GL pool and beach most of the time. Had some nice meals in Salum marketplace. Had a great room in tower 3 (i think). We didn’t fight the beach club rat race. I think I read here where they were playing louder music there. Pretty peaceful at GL pool..

We do not like not seeing anything but the jungle. We like to see the ocean or something from our unit. The 3 story buildings just to not work with the trees all so tall now. We went the RM quite a few times in the mid-200's and loved it as you could see the golf course from the MP units along it and when we were in GM building 2 in 2007, we could see the lagoon and a bit of the ocean. We even had a great time with family just a few weeks after the Hurricane in 2005.

In 2018, we went for our 50th Anniversary and made the mistake of exchanging in and declined to take the update - therefore, we were treated like total outsiders and assigned a 1st floor in building 4. (It is the closest building the area for the taxis & trolley charging area - just separated by a bunch of trees.) We only saw one other family in that building and saw no lights in building 3 at all. (It was not high season - late April/early May.) We were not near the shuttle stop. At least we were not disturbed by other guests and our private enclosure was pretty - but a little buggy. You would have never known that we were near the ocean. We walked back from the beach our 1st day and it was just over a mile on the walking bridges to our building. So we took the shuttle after that - we like to walk but it was hot and humid and when carrying beach stuff, it was more that new wanted to do daily. We were not allowed to use the Beach Club because we were exchangers - no great loss since it was closed the 2nd week we were there.

We have never stayed at the GL there, but again it is just jungle.

I think the biggest issue was that we exchanged in. We had some similar issues at NV when we exchanged to GM. It is always "If you take the update presentation, we will give you an Owner band." The RM staff was more pushy and less cordial - even at the Member Services office when we went to get our Photo ID cards. The Concierge that was between buildings 3 and 4 was very nice. The ones at the front reception area not so much.

We also like to leave the property some and that is also a hassle at RM.

 

[MoPops]

Gotcha. Ok. We only go in Jan & Feb and use our weeks. (Probably not the most economical way to go, but it’s been working for us). Last year we were on 3rd floor and could see across the valley to other third story rooms. Lots of birds in the treetops. I agree an ocean view would be better, but we aren’t in the room much past 10:00 am, and then again after dinner.
We were frustrated at NV the one time we stayed because we had a room (GL Jungle) that was at the very back of the property, and they hadn’t worked out trams yet. It was a brutal walk to get anywhere. We upgraded to a 1BR GL so we could be in the original GL buildings. It’s worked well ever since then. The downside was sitting thru the sales presentation. Which we found were equally horrendous in RM or NV. Ha


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[pittle]

Gotcha. Ok. We only go in Jan & Feb and use our weeks. (Probably not the most economical way to go, but it’s been working for us). Last year we were on 3rd floor and could see across the valley to other third story rooms. Lots of birds in the treetops. I agree an ocean view would be better, but we aren’t in the room much past 10:00 am, and then again after dinner.
We were frustrated at NV the one time we stayed because we had a room (GL Jungle) that was at the very back of the property, and they hadn’t worked out trams yet. It was a brutal walk to get anywhere. We upgraded to a 1BR GL so we could be in the original GL buildings. It’s worked well ever since then. The downside was sitting thru the sales presentation. Which we found were equally horrendous in RM or NV. Ha


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We go go to PV in November and have the Buganvilias for Thanksgiving week. Starting next year, we may use our two 2-bedroom GL weeks in November also, as hubs turns 75 and as long time Mayan World owners, the Sr. Certs kick in. So we will most likely use the GL week(s) along with Buganvilias. We can always split our weeks and try other places, but NV & RM the only ones with GL, so we will try to use a week for 2 weeks in another location at a different time at a GM or GB. We would also consider 2 weeks at the PV Marina in November (super location) and then 2 weeks elsewhere. Options are nice.

 

[pittle]

Video of the park.

 

[Irish_Reign]

This fee is higher than the Hurricane Harbor Water Park in Texas and the kids tickets are higher than they are at the Disney Water Parks. This water park is not as big as those. That is pretty pricey for a family already at the resort! It will cost a family of 4 about $350-$400+ when you include food and beverages for a day there.

This can cause some issues with families who go for the beach and pools. Once the kids learn about this option they will start begging to go. I remember when the lazy river & kids area in Acapulco charged about $10 for a day there and many parents would tell their kids they could not do that. After a few years, it was available to anyone at no charge. The Acapulco MP just off the golf course has a really nice lazy river and kids water play area too - no wave pool or water slide though. No extra charge. So many people have been looking forward to just a lazy river and now it is a big expensive deal.

I am disappointed that Mayan World is going this route. If they want to charge non-Vidanta guests, that is fine, but guests at the resort should get to use this for free or a very minimal amount. Just my opinion.

The Disney water parks are $74 for adults and $69 for children. There is no REAL difference in the price for Jungala and Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach for adults but Jungala is definitely less expensive for children. Jungala is a luxury water park that will have limited capacity unlike the Disney water parks that pack every person they possibly can into the park until you can't find a seat to sit down on. Unlike Disney you won't have to wait an hour in line to go down a water slide. Disney focuses on large dramatic scenery which is nice but at the end of the day you have to walk a mile to get to a waterslide and/or food. At Jungala there are a lot of new technology waterslides that Disney does not have and they are all within close proximity. Also, Jungala has plush cushioned lounge chairs and food/beverage service as well as cabanas and spa services. The lazy river at Jungala is also the longest is Central America so you can't compare it to Acapulco, Puerto Penasco or Nuevo Vallarta. And if you have the Park VIP package you get 7 days at Jugala for the price of 1.5 days along with other VIP amenities. I also doubt the food and beverages at Jungala will be as expensive as what you find at the Disney water parks. Not to mention as a member you can leave and eat at one of the resort restaurants or go back to your unit and cook a meal if you would like. You don't get that option at any other water park.

I honestly think it's a great addition to our resort. It beats taking a shuttle or taxi to some other location 30 or 40 minutes away... To think that because you are a member at Vidanta you have a right to use a water park that they spent millions on for free is ludicrous!!! Too many people in this world are looking for everything for free. Vidanta is giving members a generous discount at Jungala. Non-members are paying a significantly higher price for entry.

 

[pittle]

When I posted, the member prices had not been determined and were higher than the prices on the Disney site. The member prices are now lower than Disney and I am sure many owners will love this option for entertainment.

RM is not on our list to visit again. We did 2 weeks last year and decided that we prefer the other locations. We like the PV/NV area much more than the RM area. The Park area at NV is not on our radar either, but we will just go to the original GL area and enjoy our unit, pools, and beach because that is what we go for.

I still think it is a shame that they do not have a lazy river for the general population as was originally planned more than 15 years ago. People of every age like to float a lazy river.

 

[bizaro86]

To think that because you are a member at Vidanta you have a right to use a water park that they spent millions on for free is ludicrous!!! Too many people in this world are looking for everything for free.

I don't have a horse in this race, but I think the folks who bought at RM and were promised a lazy river (which they've been doing for years) probably have a cause to complain now that they've finally built the thing and are including it in an extra charge area.

 

[vantovidanta]

So the open date has passed. Anyone been there and any news?

 

[VirginiaKat]

I am largely out of touch with a lot of the latest going-ons at Vidanta - like the Jungula water park. We are planning to book our Senior Discount for 2020 soon and considering trying RM as we haven't been there for years. My question: is the long awaited lazy river a part of this jungula thing which I assume is extra cost, or is the lazy river something different and is it still in work or available to Luxxe owners.

Is there anything else new (other than Cirque) that I would find enticing for switching to RM from PVR.

Thanks for any thoughts?
Mike

Was there July 19-26. Salum's restaurants are wonderful. The water park is open; we did not go to it.