Visiting Atlantis with children

[DisneyPoly]

We will be cruising on the 5/4 Wonder with 4 children (4,8,9,12) and would like to visit Atlantis. All we really want to do is be able to get there, walk around, visit aquarium and return to ship. My questions are: do we have lunch on ship first and then go? Do we go early and return to ship for lunch? Have lunch at Atlantis? Is it possible to visit beach without staying at hotel? I know about Comfort Suites, but they can't handle 6 in a room and if I get two rooms, it gets quite expensive.

Any thoughts on traveling to Atlantis with children would be appreciated. The big draw? Mary Kate and Ashley video -- they want to see where it was made!

Thanks for your help!

 

[daltonsdodisney]

I'm wanting to know the same thing. We have that video too and my DD's 8 and 6 want too see the place. I haven't heard much from people on these boards who've experienced it, but we're planning on getting off ship early as possible, taking a taxi to the place? and checking out what we can without spending a bunch of money on excursions that would be too long/boring for the kids. I'd like to check out some of the downtown area if we could as well, then board the ship, have lunch and spend the rest of the day onboard. From what I've heard, Nassau isn't a good stop, but I do want to see the Atlantis and for my kids to at least set foot in Nassau. Hope there are more responses.