your thoughts on Discover Atlantis plz

[Spectro is #1]

Getting nervous, just read that people are board with the boat tour and the Atlantis tour is not worth the money.

If you have done this tour can you give me your thoughts.

 

[WDWLVR]

We've always done Atlantis on our own. Click on the link below regarding the DVC Member Cruise. One of the pages has info on Atlantis and some pictures.

 

[kcatoir]

How long on average would you say it takes to tour atlantis on your own??? How much time should we allow?
Do you know if morning or afternoon is a better time??
Mainly interested in the Dig and quick look at resort, not shopping??
Thanks

 

[Spectro is #1]

If the waterpark doesn't interest you as much, you can just do what we did and will do in the future, just take one of the many taxis for $4 per person over. Then it's an admission of $25 per adult, $19 4-12, under 4 free to tour the Dig, a number of aquariums spread over the property. The wristband basically gives you an all access pass to the resort. You can go all over.

I don't feel so bad, the tour we booked is $30 so based on your fantastic web page, it is a wash.

I thought it might be better to book the beach tour. It is 20 bucs more but includes lunch. But CK is free and I can't imagin the beach at Atlantis being any better.

I just hope the boat tour isn't boaring.

 

[WDWLVR]

Originally posted by kcatoir
How long on average would you say it takes to tour atlantis on your own??? How much time should we allow?
Do you know if morning or afternoon is a better time??
Mainly interested in the Dig and quick look at resort, not shopping??
Thanks

Both times that we did it we got off the ship soon after it docked (I think about 9am). We did the DIG, lots of walking around the entire property, even hit the casino for a little while the first time and made it back in time for lunch on the ship. The first time we were thinking of getting lunch over there, but when we stopped for a can of coke and found it was $2.50 we decided to just get lunch on the ship.

I prefer morning since it is usually cooler, and a little less crowded. That also gives you the afternoon to relax on the ship or go back into town.

 

[WDWLVR]

Spectro - money wise it is pretty much a wash. Why we prefer to do it on our own is two fold. One you go over in a cab, not the very crowded boat (which lets you off a block or two from the hotel not at the door). Two you can take your own time to look around. We tour groups rush past us a few times each trip. If you've already booked it you'll be fine, just wanted to let you know why we prefer to do it on our own.

 

[elemusing]

We did Atlantis on our own. We left the ship around 10am and took a cab ($4 per person each way) over. We did the DIG ($25 per person) and then walked around the resort. We were back by 1pm so my DS5 could go make Flubber at the kids club. We took our time and had a great time. The Dig was $20 for DS. And the cab did let us off at the door.

Angie

 

[r4dsny]

kcatoir,

We were at Atlantis last Monday from 11:00 am to 3:30. We saw most of the pools (my kids did one or two slides, lines way too long), spent time at their "Cove Beach" for snorkeling (our own equipment), DD did jet skiing on their main beach, and then we walked thru the Dig on our way out to hail a taxi. We never even walked past the casino or the shops.

We had the Dig almost all to ourselves... we passed one small tour group of children being led by an Atlantis employee, but other than that, we were alone inside the facility. We loved the aquarium's underground exhibits. It's not terribly big, so it only took us maybe 40 minutes to see. (We enjoyed just watching all the fish in the larger tanks... beautiful... watched a huge manta ray "fly" thru the water... remarkable.) I do regret not asking someone for any pamphlets on the exhibits. We didn't always know what we were looking at, and oddly, the exhibits are not marked in any way.



Spectro,

You are right... the beaches at Atlantis do not compare to Castaway Cay. Cove Beach was the least populated, but not nearly as beautiful as CC!

 

[kcatoir]

Thanks everyone for your responses.
Soulds like we can probably see it in 2-3 hrs max.
Gives us time to attend the princess autograph session at 9:45 on board, go to atlantis and be back for a late lunch.
Sound about right???