Overall, we are very disappointed with this experience. The entire operation felt unorganized, unprofessional, and uncomfortable from start to finish. The night before, I had to reach out multiple times just to find out what time we would be picked up, who would be picking us up, and what type of vehicle to expect. You would think that spending $250 per person would come with at least a basic level of communication. We finally received a message around 8:00 PM informing us that pickup would be at 4:45 AM. Then, the following morning, I received another message at 440am saying they would be at my hotel at 5:00 AM. The driver ultimately went to the wrong hotel and showed up in a small Chevy Aveo with another group already in the car. Not exactly a great way to start an early morning, especially when you're facing an hour-long drive crammed into the back seat. When we arrived at the Magic Balloons lot, we were handed off to their team for check-in. They had weight scales prominently displayed and recorded everyone's weight. I'm still in disbelief at how inaccurate the scales appeared to be. I know my actual weight, yet the scale claimed I was approximately 15 pounds heavier than normal. My wife had a similar experience, with the scale showing her 10–15 pounds heavier than she actually is. Everyone around us seemed confused by their own numbers being reported. Because I was over their 100 kg threshold, I was charged an additional 40 pesos per kilogram. I'm still unclear why this fee was necessary, as my weight should not affect the balloon tour, and my wife was approximately 40 kg under the 100 kg limit which could’ve easily been offset. The additional charge felt especially questionable given the apparent inaccuracy of the scales. The balloon ride itself was fine. Unfortunately, the experience surrounding it was not. From the time we landed until we were finally put into a vehicle and dropped off at our next stop where we were asked to purchase their photos, approximately 90 minutes had passed. Our driver didn't seem to know where he was going, and we were sharing the vehicle with other customers who were also clearly frustrated with the lack of organization. We passed on the below-average photos and eventually made it to breakfast, which was easily the highlight of the entire trip. La Gruta is a must-visit and was a major reason we selected this particular tour. The authentic breakfast was very good and since the restaurant is in a cave it was even more memorable. After breakfast, however, we were left standing outside wondering when someone was going to come get us and take us to the pyramids, which we believed were included in the tour. We eventually learned that the "time" provided at the pyramids was essentially free time and that even entering the grounds required an additional fee. At that point, we decided to skip it. We then asked the driver to take us back to Mexico City, but they refused because we had been grouped with another family and we were expected to wait another 60–75 minutes for them to finish their portion of the tour. Since we were already frustrated and the drive back would take over an hour, we ultimately bit the bullet and spent another $30 USD on an Uber back to Mexico City. If you're considering this tour specifically for the balloon ride and breakfast, I would recommend looking elsewhere. Throughout the morning, we saw many other groups that had proper vehicles, English-speaking guides, and much more organized schedules. Unfortunately, our experience fell well short of what we expected for the price we paid.
Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are sorry that some aspects of the experience did not meet your expectations. Regarding the communication and pickup information, we would like to clarify that the logistics for the experience are sent one day prior, within our established communication window of 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This information, including the communication process and logistics, is also indicated in the details and conditions of the experience. Regarding the pickup time, the final logistics are confirmed the evening before because the transportation schedule is organized according to the number of passengers and the locations of all guests participating in the shared service. We understand that there was some confusion regarding the final pickup time, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The additional charge related to passenger weight is also established in the conditions of the experience and follows the operating policies of the balloon provider. The provider records each passenger's weight individually, and this charge cannot be offset by another passenger's weight. We would also like to clarify that this is a shared experience, so the transportation operates according to the itinerary and schedule of the group. For this reason, when you requested to return to Mexico City before the other passengers had completed the scheduled activities, an immediate individual return was not possible. We sincerely regret that the overall experience did not meet your expectations. Nevertheless, we appreciate your feedback and will continue working to improve our communication and coordination processes.
