Moon Palace Cancun with Kids: Your Family Vacation Guide
I think Moon Palace is the best place to stay in Cancun with kids and teens. Our family has stayed at both Moon Palace Cancun and Moon Palace The Grand Cancun with kids, and we were so impressed with how much the resorts cater to families.
Kids and teens are treated as important guests, with activities and spaces designed just for them.
Plus, the fact that kids 17 and under stay free with one paying adult is a huge perk for families travelling with children.
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Is Moon Palace Cancun Kid-Friendly?
Absolutely. Moon Palace Cancun is an incredibly kid-friendly resort, making it a great option for families looking to visit Mexico.
We also felt really safe staying at this luxury, all-inclusive resort. This allowed us to relax while giving our teens the freedom to take part in activities on their own. Resort-wide WiFi also helped us stay in touch with our kids too!
Activities designed specifically for kids and teens include the kids club and playrooms, the FlowRider surf simulator, a large water slide, family pools, children’s menus, and so much more!
Here is a list of just a few of the family-friendly features available at Moon Palace Cancun:
- Family Pools for young children
- Water Slide at Nizuc
- Mini Water Park at Sunrise
- FlowRider Surf Simulator
- Pool inflatables
- Kid Menus at Restaurants
- Kid-friendly Spa Treatments (additional cost)
- Playrooms for kids aged 4-12 with free childcare
- Wired Lounge Gaming Centre
- Free activities like mini-golf, bike rentals, kayaks, and basketball
- Entertainment and shows like movies on the beach, foam parties, Magic Shows and mini-discos
- Kids under 17 years stay free with a paying adult
- Safe resort with excellent WiFi across all areas of the property
Moon Palace Cancun Property Overview
Moon Palace is located 13 km south of Cancun International Airport on the south shore. With high security to enter the resort and it’s location outside of the Cancun Hotel Zone, we felt very safe staying at this resort.
The resort is huge at 123 acres. Moon Palace Cancun is made up of two large beachfront properties: Nizuc and Sunrise. Both are family-friendly and packed with kid-focused activities.
Attached to Moon Palace Cancun is another property, Moon Palace The Grand Cancun. Guests staying at The Grand have access to all three properties. However, if you’re staying at Moon Palace Cancun (Nizuc or Sunrise), you’ll need a day pass to access The Grand.
Even though this review primarily focuses on Moon Palace Cancun (Sunrise and Nizuc), I’ll also mention some kid-friendly features of The Grand so you can ultimately decide which resort best suits your family’s needs for a memorable vacation.
My recent review of The Grand at Moon Palace can also give you many more specific details of that property.
Pools at Moon Palace Cancun
Moon Palace Cancun offers fantastic pool options for families across both properties. Both have massive resort-wide pools, but within each property, you’ll also find family-friendly features.
Family Pools
Each section—Nizuc, Sunrise, and The Grand—have shallow pools perfect for young children.
These areas are separated from the main pools by barriers or pool walls. This helps to make the pools safer for toddlers and young swimmers. These shallow pools are integrated within the main pools, allowing parents to still enjoy the poolside service and comfy loungers!
Pool Inflatables
On select days, huge pool inflatables are available at different pools. My kids loved the obstacle courses and basketball inflatables that showed up during our trip.
Check out the Palace Elite App during your stay to find the exact schedule for all pool activities.
FlowRider Surf and Body Boards
Teens absolutely love the FlowRider wave simulator. There is one located at the Sunrise pool and another in the Water Park for guests of The Grand.
There are minimum height requirements and parents must sign a waiver to ride the wave simulators, but kids can ride again and again. We definitely saw that for some families, this was their favourite resort activity.
The minimum height for the Flowboard is 52” (1.32m) and 42” (1.06m) for the Bodyboard
Waterslide at Nizuc
Nizuc’s pool has a large spiralling waterslide. It is monitored by a lifeguard and guests have to be 4.1 ft (1.25 m) to go down the slide. We did find that this waterslide was much less busy compared to the water slides at The Grand’s Water Park.
Again, the water slide is in the Nizuc pool so parents can continue to enjoy the pool while the kids go down the slide again and again.
Water Park at Sunrise
The Sunrise pool also has a small water park with a pirate theme for younger children. There are slides, dumping buckets, and splash areas. Again, lifeguards are on-site in this section of the pool.
I think this small water park it is likely best for kids aged 3-6.
Water Park at The Grand
One of the biggest draws for families is the massive water park at The Grand. It has everything kids love—large water slides, a lazy river, an aqua park, a surf simulator, and more.
In the centre, there’s also a huge playroom with laser tag, a massive climber, lots of video games, bumper cars. The list goes on.
While the Water Park is only accessible to guests staying at The Grand, guests of Moon Palace Cancun can choose to purchase a day pass, allowing them to visit the Water Park for the day.
Moon Palace Cancun Beach
The Moon Palace properties each have direct beach access from the resort. The beach area has loungers with umbrellas and servers bring refreshments and food all day long.
Free water sports such as sailing and kayaking are included with your stay. Not everyone will find the water ideal to swim in, but guests were certainly out in the water.
The resort also works really hard to keep the sand free of the seaweed. The sand is clean enough to build sandcastles and search for shells.
Restaurants at Moon Palace Cancun
Kids are welcome in all of the restaurants at Moon Palace Cancun, with the exception of one adults-only restaurant at The Grand. The Circus is also a restaurant at The Grand designed specifically for kids.
We also found that ordering from room service to be a popular option with our teens. It was ideal for a late-night snack or a scheduled breakfast in the room.
Some of the ways Moon Palace restaurants cater to families:
- Kid menus at most restaurants
- Incredible desserts, particularly at the Buffets
- Chocolate, ice cream, and crepes at each of the Coffee Shops
- Circus Restaurant at The Grand is designed specifically for children
- Kids size Buffet table at The Grand Buffet
Moon Palace Playroom
Each section of Moon Palace Cancun has its own playroom for kids aged 4-12, open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. If your child is under 4, they can still join in, but an adult needs to stay with them.
The playrooms and Kids Club options really exceeded my expectations. I don’t think the Moon Palace website fully captures just how great they are and all the features.
The kids’ club lets you drop off your children for up to three hours at no extra cost, and they even serve lunch and dinner. This can be a game-changer for parents who want a quiet dinner or some downtime. There are also a great spot of the weather is not ideal and the kids are looking for some indoor entertainment.
The staff are so friendly and welcoming, and they keep parents updated through WhatsApp.
Nizuc Playroom
The Nizuc playroom is smaller and best suited for kids aged 4–7, in my opinion. There’s a daily schedule filled with fun activities like crafts, games, and even video games.
Again, the staff are incredibly friendly and even take kids on field trips over to Sunrise for special events.
Sunrise Playroom
I was especially impressed with the playroom at Sunrise. It’s a bit larger than Nizuc and included activities for the older kids too.
I loved the mini-movie room that was set up like a real movie theatre. They even had popcorn. In addition to all the toys, video games, and computers, there are also outdoor sports including basketball courts. This space can keep kids entertained for hours.
The Grand Playroom
The Grand’s playroom is massive and located right in the heart of the water park. It’s split into two sections: one for kids 8 and older, and another for children 7 and under. It is a very busy playroom. It’s easy to spend hours here in the laser maze, playing glow-in-the-dark mini-golf, and enjoying the huge arcade.
For children aged 4–7, the toddler playroom has a special area where they can be supervised by the staff. This gives parents a chance to relax knowing their little ones are in good hands.
The only challenge with The Grand Playroom is if you have siblings that fall into the different age groups. For example, if your children are 6 and 8. The 6-year-old can not be left alone in the older playroom, and the 8-year-old is too old for the toddler playroom. In this case, it is best to head over to Sunrise or Nizuc and take advantage of the playrooms at these properties.
Wired Lounge Game Rooms
There are two Wired Lounges at Moon Palace — one in The Grand Lobby and one in the Sunrise Lobby.
Both lounges offer video games, computers, and other fun games to keep kids and teens entertained.
The Wired Lounge at The Grand is larger, but it can get pretty busy. If you’re looking for a quieter spot, the Sunrise lounge is more intimate, and I noticed fewer little kids there.
Both lounges are supervised by resort staff, so you can feel confident that your children are in a safe environment while they enjoy some gaming time.
Activities for Kids at Moon Palace Cancun
The list of activities and things to do at Moon Palace for kids and teens is never-ending. I was seriously impressed by the variety and how well-organized everything was. There’s always something happening, making it easy to keep kids busy and entertained.
To make the most of your stay, I highly recommend using the Palace Elite App to plan ahead. Some of the activities hosted by the resort staff include:
- Face painting
- Bike tours
- Cooking activities
- Ping pong tournaments
- Foam parties
- Mini-discos
- Games and competitions both in and out of the pools
And for those who like sports, there is an 18-hole mini-golf course at Sunrise and a 9-hole course at the Water Park. There are also basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts near the Sunrise playroom. At The Grand there is also a bowling alley.
There’s so much for kids to do that it’s almost impossible for them to get bored!
Entertainment for Kids at Moon Palace Cancun
Moon Palace Cancun hosts nightly entertainment, and there’s plenty for families to enjoy together. Some of the family-friendly shows we experienced included a Michael Jackson tribute, fire shows, and even Mexican wrestling.
There are also shows designed just for kids, like magic shows, puppet shows, and movie nights. The schedule changes often, so using the Palace Elite App is essential to make sure you don’t miss any of the fun.
Kids Spa Amenities at Moon Palace Cancun
While the spa comes at an additional cost, it’s not just for adults. Moon Palace Cancun does a great job including kids in the spa experience. They offer kid-friendly services, and the staff even give young guests a cute little princess crown during treatments.
The staff were incredibly kind and made sure the kids felt special, turning it into a memorable experience for them. It’s a fun way to treat your little ones to some pampering while you enjoy your own spa time.
Moon Palace Family Suite
A family suite includes two connecting Superior Deluxe rooms. One room has a king bed and the connecting room has two double beds. We felt this room choice was ideal when we were travelling with our teens! It gave everyone enough space and privacy.
When booking a family suite, amenities for families include an Xbox in the room and a “fun in the sun” bucket kit. They even include kid-sized slippers and robes!
All minibar can be stocked with kid-friendly drinks and snacks, and you can request specific items through the app.
Even if guests choose not to stay in the family suite, there are lots of other great room options available for families such as swim-up pools, garden view, presidential suites and more!
Should We Stay at Nizuc or Sunrise with Kids?
If you’re wondering whether to stay at Nizuc or Sunrise, I recommend choosing Sunrise if you’re travelling with kids. You’ll be closer to more restaurants, the evening entertainment, the splash park, and the FlowRider surf simulator, which is a big hit with kids and teens.
That said, Nizuc is a bit quieter, which could be perfect for families looking for a more relaxed vibe. While Sunrise is more active, both properties have great kid-friendly amenities, so I’m confident you’ll have a fantastic experience either way.
Why Moon Palace Cancun is the Perfect Choice for Your Family Vacation
When planning a family vacation, knowing what a resort offers for kids is key. After several trips to Moon Palace Cancun and The Grand, I’m consistently impressed by how well they cater to kids and teens. From endless activities to kid-friendly spaces, there’s always something to keep everyone entertained.
Our family vacations here year after year, and I truly believe Moon Palace will become a favourite for your family too. Whether you stay at Moon Palace Cancun or Moon Palace The Grand Cancun, you will be sure to experience a vacation your family will talk about for years to come.