The best of Aquaventure

[mevelandry]

I have a question about the Paradise Lagoon. Is it a separate lagoon (no connection to the ocean and no fishes) or is it real and connected to the ocean? If it is connected to the ocean, is it open water? Is there a net preventing sharks and stingrays from going in there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[mevelandry]

Bumping the thread. (Would really like to know about the Lagoon)

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I have a question about the Paradise Lagoon. Is it a separate lagoon (no connection to the ocean and no fishes) or is it real and connected to the ocean? If it is connected to the ocean, is it open water? Is there a net preventing sharks and stingrays from going in there?

It is connected to the ocean, and I don't think there's a net, but I don't think there's any reason to be concerned about rays and sharks. The inlet where the water comes/goes from is quite narrow and shallow:

If anything of size (there are smaller fish in there) were to make its way into the lagoon, it would easily be seen.

Same goes for Cove beach, but instead of a narrow inlet there's a semi-submerged reef that prevents anything of size from getting in.

I visit Hilton Head each summer, and I have similar concerns about rays and sharks there. I have no such concerns about rays/sharks at Atlantis....the water is just so clear and the swimming areas are so protected that you can easily see what's around you.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I just can't believe the number of reviews I read where people nearly drown and/or got hurt in the Rapid River. I saw videos and it looked a bit rough for me.

I've been visiting Atlantis annually for many years. I've been riding these same rapid rivers with my kids since they were toddlers. I think my wife was 3 months pregnant once when riding it. A few people get knocked over occasionally, but its not really a common thing. And I think a lot of the time people that get tipped are thinking they are in the safety of a shoulder harnessed roller coaster, but you actually need to balance yourself and paddle or shift your weight, just a little, to keep yourself upright. You're in a free floating tube in moving water, and you have to use some common sense. I'm no Olympic athlete, just an overweight middle aged father who exercises a few days a week, and I do not find it all that challenging to stay upright.

Also, some people also make the mistake of assuming that the walls of the river system are soft-foam. They are hard concrete. A few calls 'watch your feet' when we've been close to bumping a wall has been enough to prevent my 3 and 4 years olds from scraping themselves.

 

[mevelandry]

I've been checking... There will be FIVE cruiseships in Nassau that day (including the Disney Dream).

I have a feeling that Atlantis will be a total chaos and I think we made the right decision to opt for "Beach Day" instead of Aquaventure...

 

[Cricket5]

Has anyone booked a Cabana at Atlantis? While I love the idea of a reserved spot, I am thinking mostly about a safe place to keep our stuff (particularly the camera and IDs, etc., but also clothes and shoes), and the convenience of not having to wait in line for food. But I am questioning whether this is really necessary, and whether a locker would be just as easy and the food lines aren't going to be that bad. Our trip is in October, so not the busiest season, but there will be either three or four ships in port that day. I'm also not sure whether the location of the cabana will make it more or less convenient that the lockers to begin with. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[cmph]

the food lines aren't going to be that bad.

I haven't been to Atlantis, but I have read (I think) every thread that references it plus a lot of tripadvisor reviews b/c I didn't want to plunk down $600 for my family without some research. I will say that everything I've ever read mentions how awful the food lines are and how long it takes to get lunch. A lot of people don't even use the meal tickets b/c it's such a pain. Some just eat in the table service places, or head back to the ship on the early side and eat there. I'm sure some other folks who have been will chime in regarding their own experiences, but I just wanted to offer feedback based on the piles of reading I have done. Whether or not that's worth the cabana cost, I won't hazard a guess.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Has anyone booked a Cabana at Atlantis? While I love the idea of a reserved spot, I am thinking mostly about a safe place to keep our stuff (particularly the camera and IDs, etc., but also clothes and shoes), and the convenience of not having to wait in line for food. But I am questioning whether this is really necessary, and whether a locker would be just as easy and the food lines aren't going to be that bad. Our trip is in October, so not the busiest season, but there will be either three or four ships in port that day. I'm also not sure whether the location of the cabana will make it more or less convenient that the lockers to begin with. Any thoughts or advice?

If your concern is about safety, than a locker would be totally sufficient for looking up camera and IDs. And most people just leave their clothes and shoes near a beach chair. I do.

I’ve never done a cabana, but I’ve never done Atlantis as a cruiser. The cabanas look very nice, but would only be necessity if your group absolutely has to have loungers for some reason. I’d think on cruise excursion, you’d be spending most of your time enjoying Atlantis’ attractions, not sunbathing, so a loungers is mostly for holding your stiff, not for lounging. Worst case on the most crowded days when all loungers are occupied (don’t think I’ve ever witnessed this in 12+ week-long visits) would be laying some Atlantis-provided towels down on the sand to make your spot on a beach.

I think a lot of the complaints you see about there not being enough chairs are from folks who expect to find a group of chairs available at a specific pool, but are unsuccessful (either because that’s what they want or they don’t know any better). There are definitely times when all the chairs in a particular area are occupied, but if you look in other pool areas or on the beaches, you can find what you need.

I will say that everything I've ever read mentions how awful the food lines are and how long it takes to get lunch. A lot of people don't even use the meal tickets b/c it's such a pain. Some just eat in the table service places, or head back to the ship on the early side and eat there. I'm sure some other folks who have been will chime in regarding their own experiences, but I just wanted to offer feedback based on the piles of reading I have done. Whether or not that's worth the cabana cost, I won't hazard a guess.

Regarding food lines: there are times when the lines can get quite long at certain venues, the same way that lines at Cosmic Ray’s or other Disney counter service locations can have enormous line at peak-of-peak times. Eat early or late, problem solved. When we see the crowds too big, we go to another venue.

One kernel of truth is that the workers are on island time. They move MUCH slower than what folks in U.S. cities are accustomed to. You get used to it.