Xcaret in Mexico - anyone been?

[BlowDryRat]

I've been to the area once before and had an evening at Xplor with DH. We both loved it and have booked to go back with the DC. I like the look of Xcaret but it's super expensive and there are quite a few packages to choose from. I don't want to spend money on the wrong one and be left without access to food and drink or the night time entertainment, for example. Has anyone been? Would you recommend it? Any tips?

Yes, a couple of times. I can’t remember buying a “package” but we may have done. I recall having lunch in a buffet restaurant below ground, with the underground rivers passing by us.
Unless you are miles away, don’t book an organised tour or their transport. Totally unnecessary and over priced. Just get a taxi there and when you leave, there are dozens of authorised taxis waiting outside. It’s a lot of fun although admittedly some of the animal enclosures are on the small side.
Definitely do the walk-through the bird aviary, it’s huge and on several levels, also the butterfly enclosure.
The evening show is outstanding but it is very long and goes on quite late into the evening.
Start with the rivers as they get very busy. They are also quite long and the novelty wears off after a while so I’d recommend picking a shorter one. Take your time, sit in the deck chairs overlooking the sea, relax a bit.
Have fun!

Yes and loved it, we got it included with the hotel as stayed in Xcaret by Occidental, had it's own walkway into the park so we didn't need a food package.
The aviary is amazing, i didn't do the lazy river as our daughter was only 3 and i thought might be too much of a faff with her, but my husband enjoyed it, i loved the snorkel inlet, so many beautiful fish! Beautiful beach too.

That sounds promising, except for the animal part. I saw that they have a separate company on-site doing "experiences" with dolphins, which has put me off a bit. I wouldn't go if it was the same company.

Yes, but it was a few years ago so don't remember what we paid. We were staying in Cancun so I think it was through the hotel and definitely wasn't cheap! Loved the underground rivers especially as it got us out of the intense heat which did get a bit much after a while (my then 7 year old moaned A LOT). We also had lunch in the underground cave place which was part of the package. Evening show was very good but very long (more moaning from 7 year old). Having said all that it was definitely worth visiting.