Atlantis, Bahamas

mapny90

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jan 22, 2006
Messages
36
Has anyone been there? It looks magnificent and we're trying to decide between there and WDW. We haven't been to WDW in a few years, although we were at Disneyland last summer (stayed at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica on points - talk about magnificent!!). DH wants to go someplace and relax. DS wants to go to England. I'm torn between Atlantis and BCV. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
 
My family and I traveled to Atlantis Paradise Island for New Year's of 2005. Very nice. We did the swim with Dolphins and went down town to the big all night parade one night. Other than that we just kicked back by the pool and the beach. Would I go back? Not really. If you are into gambling that is the place to be.. but very big rollers there. We seen Michael Jordan there 2 different nights. I seen people lose anywhere for 2000 dollars to 50000 with one throw of the dice. I could not believe it. At night after about 8pm there was only 2 Black Jack tables that had a minimum bet of under $100 per hand, and there was maybe 2 people at those tables. All the other Black Jack tables were either $500, $1000, or $5000 table per hand, and they were all packed. The roulette wheel tables were the same as the Black Jack tables as the minimum bet. There were lots of slot machines. We had a great time, but a bit pricey, with a family of five.
My wife and I just got back for the Riviera Maya, Playa Del Carmen and I will go back there in a heart beat, already planning another trip there. Hope this helped. You can ask me any other question and I will try my best to answer them.
 
I went there this January. It is amazing. OOOOH...it would be a toss up. We are going to BCV this summer...Atlantis will probably be next. It is VERY expensive to eat, drink, be entertained ($7.00 for water, $6.00 for a beer/$8.50 for mixed drink, casino for your cash). Simple lunch for two averaged $60 (sandwich or salad and drink). They add 15% gratuity to EVERYTHING. So, overall, Disney is cheaper (even with passes and food) for us, but we don't have to pay for airfare to WDW. Atlantis is a place that everyone should visit AT LEAST once. We intend to do so again. In fact, my father and brother bought the Harborside timeshares there, so we are going to alternate between there and Disney. Good luck. You'll thoroughly enjoy either place.
 
DH and I went in 2001. We really liked it. I would do the dining plan if you go, because the food there is very expensive. We went because my husband won a trip from work and he had many business-related meals and activities there. No one in our group won any money in the casinos.

We stayed in the nicest part of the resort - the Tower. The service was amazing. There are flags on the lounge chairs at the pool,and when you raise the flag, someone appears to ask what you need. The pools are beautiful. We couldn't swim in the ocean while we were there because of riptides.

They have tennis, a lazy river, boat rentals and other activities.

I'm not sure I would go back, but it was nice to go once. If you haven't been, try it.
 

I went to gamble a little when the Disney Cruise pulled in and a friend and myself lost a few hundred bucks in minutes. Kind of lost the will to actually take it in but it is quite impressive especially when you put it in the surroundings. When we got back we rented the movie After the Sunrise with Pierce Brosnan and lo and behold what is in the movie but the Dsiney Wonder and the Atlantis. Looks better in the movie when they are not taking your money.
 
My family went to Atlantis last year.

It is the only place I have been that actually costs more then a Disney vacation. The food was outrageously expensive. We ate at a buffet most nights and for me, my wife, and our 5 year old daughter dinner was $155 each night. They had other cheaper buffets ($125) but they did not have the nightly chocolate waterfall.

You don't really save any money by leaving the resort. The cab fare and tolls to cross the bridge make up for the cheaper food you might find.

We stayed in the timeshare (Harborside) part of the hotel that we booked through expedia. We had a basic one bedroom. It was much smaller then a DVC 1 bedroom. They also have deluxe 1 bedrooms that look to be about the same size as a DVC 1 bedroom. They have a shuttle that runs about every 10 minutes that takes you from Harborside over to the main resort. They also offer a grocery shuttle that gives you a few hours to shop.

We had an incredible time. The weather was perfect. The beach and pools were great. We spent our days going from pool to pool to beach and back to a pool.

You have to be 48" for all the water slides. At the time our daughter was 47" but a great swimmer. We got her some tall water shoes and most (but not all) of the life guards let her on the slides. Some would comment on her "nice" shoes but still let her go and others would make her take them off to measure.

I would go back in a heart beat. I just need to save for the trip.
 
Be careful with the taxis (beat up microvans or 1970 lincolns with Reggae music blasting). We had one and then they proceeded to cram us in like sardines. We got to 50 feet before the toll booth and the driver made us all kick in for the toll also. A whole new world when you go over the bridge to the non resort area.
 
Thanks for all the good info. Lounging around the pools and beach are what we're looking for and we're not big gamblers. The food prices give me pause, though. It seems like you're a captive audience for their restaurants, but given the prices, the food plan seems like a good idea.

We had wanted to spend time in Nassau and thought that it would be easy to get there, but it seems like that's not true either.

Beach Club Villas, which we own at, but have never been home there, are sounding more and more attractive. We don't have to go to the parks everyday and can just relax by the pools.

Any place else that people have been in the Caribbean that they could recommend?
 
You might want to consider using points for the Disney Cruise. As another posted stated you can take a taxi during Nassau Day to Atlantis and take in the sights as well as the casino. We did this and were able to enjoy time there but still eat all our meals on the ship.
 
HI! I am just wondering if any of you used points for the Atlantis. We were going to try it for this summer's vacation. but decided to go to BCV because we had annual passes. I am still thinking about going on points, though possibly next summer. Anyone book on points? Thanks!! :sunny:
 
Yep, we're heading there this summer via exchange!!! Can't wait. I've seen mixed reviews on TripAdvisor... people either love it or hate it.
 
I stayed there last May with an internet special from Travel Zoo(giving props) for only $99 a night we even split it between 4 women!!! Beautiful resort, great pools, etc but food and drink are expensive!!!! My friend had Bud Lights in a can at the pools and they were somewhere like $7.50. I would definitely stay there again.
 
<<Any place else that people have been in the Caribbean that they could recommend?>>

We've been to Atlantis twice; stayed concierge in the Royal Towers. The hotel and property is beautiful. It is true that the restaurants are very pricey for the quality of the food that you get. We ventured into Nassau once for shopping. We just got back from a week at BCV. We went to the parks a couple of days, but mainly we just were into relaxing by the pool. It was great! We're heading to Aruba in a few weeks and exchanging into the Marriott Ocean Club. Aruba is also not inexpensive, but the quality of this resort makes this a good trade. We booked our BCV trip when I didn't think the exchange would come through and then it did. If you wind up at BCV, you'll have a fantastic time.

Nancy :earsgirl:
 
Our friends went last spring and loved it. However, all the husband talked about was how expensive the food was. $7 for a bottle of water, $11 for a small box of eggo waffles, he went on and on. It was pretty funny and the only thing he talked about. Every couple minutes he would remember the price of something else. :rotfl2: The wife talked much more about the beauty of the resort! They stayed in harborside through a II exchange in a 2 bedroom.
 
My cousin and her husband own at Harborside and they love it! They, too said that it is very expensive to eat there!!!!
 
Okay, so what is the dining plan some of you have mentioned? And is it possible to get the dining plan if you use your DVC points to stay at Atlantis?

Thanks!
 
Laura I, too, was wondering if you could get the dining plan if staying on points. Anyone know if you can and how much it is at the Atlantis for the dining plan? THANKS SO MUCH!! :sunny:
 
Well, I guess we'll just have to see if anyone responds...if not then maybe a call to MS would clear it up. I'm curious just how much the dining plan is to start with and what it includes...then if I can use it with a ressie using points. Anyone?

Thanks!
 
According to the Atlantis website, their dining plan is $92. per person (oldr than 11) per day. I don't see why you couldn't purchase it by staying on points. It provides a buffet breakfast and dinner at more than 10 restaurants. The super-high end restaurants give you only a $65 per person credit. Doesn't get you much at a place like Nobu, which we went to in NYC to celebrate DS's 16th birthday. Still, since you'r somewhat captive at the resort in terms of meals, it's probably a good deal. If we were going there, we would do the dining plan and splurge one night at a high-end restaurant.
 















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