Steve,
I don't know when you were there but i think the comfort suites rate has gone up...
we have a room reserved in two weeks and as i recall we're paying something like $240 (and i think that may be before taxes)...
spoiled momma, when you take a room at the comfort suites (which is right across the street from the atlantis) you can check in any time (though the room possibly won't be ready until the afternoon)....they give you a voucher to take across to the atlantis where you get wristbands (i think) so that you can use all of the facilities at the atlantis (which are quite extensive)....
none of the excursions from the ship include the pools/slides at the atlantis....since that's the only thing my kids were interested in, obviously a room at the comfort suites is the way to go...
some people never even go back to the comfort suites to actually use the room, while others do go back to shower before returning to the boat....
one more point, they have a height limit for the slides, so if you have little/short kids it probably isn't worth it for you to do it...