Atlantis through DCL or Comfort Suites???

[Twinprincesses]

Just curious if anyone has experience... I am just wondering what the travel time is to get to the comfort suites and how much time you lose by checking in and how much the taxi is to get there.

Thank you

 

[newrygirl]

we just did this in December using the comfort suites, the taxi ride took about 10-15 minutes, the same if you were using Dcl, maybe even faster on your own, there are people waiting when you get off the boat directing you to the taxis, it was $4 per person, the check in at comfort suites took about 10 minutes, you check in and out at the same time so you don't have to go back and then it is about a 5-10 minute walk over to Atlantis. When you are done you just go out to the front of the Atlantis resort and grab a taxi back to the ship for $4 per person, for our family of 4 it was way cheaper to do it on our own, it was our first cruise and I would do it myself again no problem.

 

[Twinprincesses]

Did you get full access to pretty much everything at Atlantis??? Do you get a wristband or something??

 

[brucechase]

Did you get full access to pretty much everything at Atlantis??? Do you get a wristband or something??

If you book a room at Comfort Suites or Atlantis, you have full access to everything. They will give you a wristband at the towel hut in Atlantis when you show them your receipt from the hotel. You will only get the amount of wristbands based on how many people were booked in the room. We never did go to the room when we did this.

One of the best things is to get with your meet thread and get a group going to Atlantis together. The taxis will wait until they have a full van before they leave. If you can do that for them, then you can leave faster.

You only lose a couple of minutes checking in, but it was well worth the hundreds of dollars we saved. Check out my trip report in my signature for some more information.

 

[Tneah]

We did the same thing through Comfort Suites. The whole process from the taxi to the CS booking was easy.

 

[Twinprincesses]

It is the comfort Suties at Paradise Island correct???

 

[brucechase]

It is the comfort Suties at Paradise Island correct???

Yes.

 

[Anal Annie]

We used the Comfort Suites last summer and it was WAY cheaper. I kept tabs on the rate after I booked it too and it went down like $100 or something so I booked it again and cancelled my original ressie. I think we ended up paying something like $160 with all the taxes & fees. As someone else said, it's $4 pp for the taxi and takes about 10-15 min. to get there. Our check-in process probably took about 15 minutes...and I had read that it was a pretty good distance to walk so I went ahead & checked out at the same time since we knew we'd never use the room. I didn't see any reason to go BACK. The Atlantis resort is HUGE and we easily walked for another 30 minutes by the time we found the towel hut & got our wristbands & decided on a spot to settle in and put our stuff. There are multiple towers at the resort so before we left in the afternoon I asked a staff member for directions to the closest lobby / taxi stand so it was only about 10 minutes walk on our way out. Be warned tho that they only take credit cards at the food tents and it's big $$$ for what you get. We spent $33 for 3 hotdogs (OK, they were oversized ones) and 3 Gatorades!!!!!! They wanted $8 for a ziplock sandwich bag of grapes!!! Yes, seriously. We had bottled water we brought from the ship in a little cooler bag - thank goodness!!

I was apprehensive about doing it this way but it worked out just fine. I'd definitely recommend doing it this way! You're on your own schedule and saving money at the same time!

 

[missycj96]

We stayed at the comfort suites a few years ago. You definately get the same access to the atlantis as if you are staying there. The water slides are fantastic as is the acquarium. As others have said, food prices at the atlantis are very very high. Best to bring some lunch and a few bottles of water. You'll have a great day.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I guess it may depend on when you are going. We have gotten a room at Atlantis twice and never paid over $130.00 through Travelzoo.com. If you sign up on their website you get a weekly email on their specials and that is how I found it both times. We liked getting a room there because we had somewhere to leave our stuff. We also showered before going back and getting on the ship so we wouldnt mess our cabin bathroom up! We thought we got our moneys worth both times. (saying this the rooms are not what you would expect...nice but not extravagant or anything) Regardless of which hotel resort you pick it is still cheaper than doing it as an excursion through Disney. Both times for us was the first or second week of December.

 

[Twinprincesses]

Our room is running roughly $280 but that is still alot cheaper than going through Disney. Also by having the first seating through Disney would let us shower before getting back on the ship. I think I might book it.

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

I would ask about cancellation fees. I had asked only because of the rain possiblity and was told $50.00. I dont know if that would be different if you were only switching to a better rate. You still have time. I would subscribe to travelzoo.com (its free so you have nothing to lose) and watch it for a month or so. I dont see Atlantis being sold out of rooms in October. Last time we were in the last part of the resort just before getting to the new spa area. As close to the slides without paying $1,000. The first time we were about mid resort. Rooms were the same. Neither had a view but we could care less. The whole resort is beautiful and enormus. Be ready to walk! Good Luck!

 

[Alexander]

DS and I booked a room at Atlantis for $149 on our August '07 cruise. We are cruising again this April and rooms at Atlantis are over $600 and at Comfort Suites, the cheapest I could find was $379. Needless to say...I booked through Disney for this trip. It'll be something like $400 or so, but will include our transportation and some type of lunch certificate. Oh well!

 

[MINNIE OF TWO MICE]

DS and I booked a room at Atlantis for $149 on our August '07 cruise. We are cruising again this April and rooms at Atlantis are over $600 and at Comfort Suites, the cheapest I could find was $379. Needless to say...I booked through Disney for this trip. It'll be something like $400 or so, but will include our transportation and some type of lunch certificate. Oh well!

I would imagine your dilema would be the time of year. You are in peak season probably. However, that is such a hard to dilema to be in isnt it!!!!!!