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caryrae
02-02-2010, 05:09 PM
Has anyone been there before? How was it? It looks like a fun place but a bit pricey. I am thinking of maybe doing this for my Wife's 40th birthday in about a year and a half Oct 2011.

rockydek
02-02-2010, 06:10 PM
The food is very expensive.
We took the Disney cruise and stayed the day. Aqua-Adventure is fun for kids and adults of all ages.
My son stayed a week...He loved it!

Joannelet
02-02-2010, 07:30 PM
my hubby and i were there for a week. Loved it. Food is very expensive but there was a dining plan that was established after our trip. It maybe worth it if its still there.
There is a place across the way ( a little shady) but they sell wine there/liquor that will be much cheaper if you buy your bottle there and drink before dinner instead of ordering a $40 or more bottle at dinner. (it just helps save money) We bought a bottle of wine for $13 there and the night before at dinner the same bottle of wine cost us $45.
The pools are great, the sea animals are great. Its a really great hotel. :)
Enjoy

passholderryan
02-03-2010, 11:45 AM
My wife and I honeymooned there in April 08. We stayed at The Cove @ Atlantis. This part of the hotel is the newest and its all suites. The rooms and view were incredible. That being said, Atlantis has several different named buildings on its property, which are alot cheaper. You still get access to the pool complex (you need a wristband, and they do check). Its cheaper to buy somethings out in town and bring back to the room. We got room service and ate at some of thier smaller establishments. The one place we did eat at was Bobby Flays Mesa. It was good, but pricy. Overall, its great and we are looking at going back in April.

ThanxForNoticin
02-03-2010, 12:29 PM
We've been there twice, and I think your statement about it seeming fun but pricey is right on. The resort is amazing. The accomodations, service, and weather can't be beat. But it is extremely expensive - they make Disney seem reasonable!

They do have many different levels of places to stay at Atlantis - some more expensive, some less. What I would recommend - plan the trip (it's definitely worth going), tuck away some extra money, understand it's going to be more expensive than most trips, and then go enjoy yourself. I bet your wife loves it.

caryrae
02-03-2010, 05:53 PM
I was looking at the Beach building, I think it was, which looks to be the cheapest, maybe because I think it's the farthest from most things but close to the beach which my wife would love, that it the one thing we need to make sure we do when going to Disney is spend at least a day at a beach. I think the price per night in Oct this years prices was around $290 per night. Her 40th b-day would be Oct 19th 2011 so not sure what prices would be then. I was think about going for 5 days 4 nights which would give 3 full days there. You guys think that would be enough with how pricey it is?

NJGIRL
02-04-2010, 07:53 PM
It's an amazing hotel complex. We loved it. You can't beat the water park. Food IMO is pricey at any nice restaurant on any of the islands. You can find more "local" places and eat cheaper. I think the hotel is worth the cost since it's your entertainmment also (the pools, water park, beach, aquarium). We have also stayed at the Comfort Suites which is just across the drive way from the Atlantis. It is owned by the same company and the rooms are much cheaper. You get full privledges at the Atlantis which includes the water park and the pools so that may be an option also.

caryrae
02-04-2010, 07:59 PM
How is the walk from the Comfort Suites to entertainment stuff?

NJGIRL
02-05-2010, 10:44 AM
How is the walk from the Comfort Suites to entertainment stuff?

You just have to cross the driveway and you on inside the Atlantis! It took less than 2 minutes. Once inside it is a huge complex and depending where you are going will depend how long it takes. We entered into their shops area and walked into the water park. It probably was between a 5 - 10 minute walk. You are inside the whole time. We walked through the shops and a restaurant area.

caryrae
02-05-2010, 04:36 PM
You just have to cross the driveway and you on inside the Atlantis! It took less than 2 minutes. Once inside it is a huge complex and depending where you are going will depend how long it takes. We entered into their shops area and walked into the water park. It probably was between a 5 - 10 minute walk. You are inside the whole time. We walked through the shops and a restaurant area.

Thanks for the info. Staying at the Comfort Suites sounds like a great option. Just from the looks of the area walking from there might be closer then staying at the Beach building and walking.

So is anything incuded (i.e. water park, ect) with the price of staying at either place?

NJGIRL
02-07-2010, 12:06 PM
We only stayed there 15 years ago when the two weren't owned by the same company and it wasn't a Comfort Suites and it was really nice back then. They had two really nice pools and a nice spa.

This last time we only checked in for a day while we were on a stop with the Disney Cruise. We booked a room and checked in so that we could use the water park but never went up to the room so I'm not sure of what they have to offer now but I know we only paid about $180 (Oct 2008) for the room. I know it included use of the Atlantis water park, pools, aquarium and beaches.

MidnTPK
02-08-2010, 01:58 PM
Thanks for the info. Staying at the Comfort Suites sounds like a great option. Just from the looks of the area walking from there might be closer then staying at the Beach building and walking.

So is anything incuded (i.e. water park, ect) with the price of staying at either place?
Yes, the water park and all of the other 'attractions' are included in the room rate. It's actually one of the things that makes Atlantis' room rates deceptive: 'park admission' is included in the rate.

The advice you have gotten is correct: the Comfort Suites is a good option and not out of the way. Atlantis is actually quite a bit like WDW in this way: if you are close to one thing, then you are far away from another.

With regards to what's included aside from admission, it's kind of hard to describe. Excursions and water sports are not included.....but there's really no need to do any of that stuff unless you really want to....you won't be bored just doing the things you've already paid for. I have visited 7 times and only every few trips do I buy/do anything that's not included. Like WDW you can totally occupy yourself with the free activities or you can go-to-town and buy every a-la-cart activity you can afford.

For example, every hour all day except Sunday, there's fish feedings all over the grounds. There's a staff of activity people that have scheduled limbo contests or trivia games. There's a movie theater. All of the above is free.

Or you can pay to go on a snorkel excursion, dolphin encounter, or rent a jet ski.

Between exploring the grounds, and all of the sea-life exhibits, swimming in the ocean, riding the water rides, having a nice meal, walking through the shopping area, and playing a bit in the casino, I rarely feel the need to do anything more.

DebK
02-11-2010, 03:01 PM
Atlantis is a lot of fun! We stayed in the newest section called The Reef back in the summer of 2008. There are some less expensive dining options without leaving the property, such as Johnny Rockets and Murray's Deli.

Meteora
02-14-2010, 11:04 AM
We own a timeshare at Atlantis and love it. AS others have said, there are some options for less expensive dining--including getting a room at Harborside or the Reef, which would include a kitchen. (The best way to get a room at harborside would probably be to go through an owner rather than through Atlantis itself.) But it's a wonderful, relaxing vacation with things to do if you like to do things on vacation and plenty of places to just lay by the pool of you'd prefer that.

DVC2004
02-16-2010, 02:24 PM
We were there a year ago- we had been able to exchange our DVC points for a villa there. We really loved it- the food is very expensive and just average IMHO. However, the beaches, pools, slides, lazy river- all top notch. It's worth the $$.