Is Atlantis Bahamas Day Pass Worth It?

Planning a vacation to the Bahamas or stopping in Nassau during a Disney Cruise or one of the many other cruise lines? Chances are the Atlantis Bahamas Day Pass is one of the excursion offerings, especially if you’re just visiting for the day.

So what’s all the hype about the day pass, and is it worth it? Especially when you’ve got kids in tow?

If you want my opinion, yes—it is! While it is not an inexpensive ticket, it is a full day of activities with lots to do, such as taking advantage of resort facilities, the lazy river, and enjoying all the unique places offered on this paradise island. From water slides to pools to an aquarium and access to the beach and more, there is a lot included in the day pass.

Our family just enjoyed day passes as part of our last Disney Cruise. We’ve been to Nassau numerous times but never to Atlantis on Paradise Island, so it was an easy decision for us. And let me tell you, we had a blast!

Here is all you need to know about the Atlantis Bahamas Day Pass, which includes what to do at the resort, pricing, etc., while taking in the quintessential coral towers of the Resort in the backdrop.

Hold on to your beach hat — this place will blow you away with all it offers, even just for a day!

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Why The Atlantis Day Pass Is Worth It

As mentioned previously, the Atlantis Bahamas Day Pass is not cheap. In fact, it can be quite expensive. However, when you consider all that is included and the amount of time you have to explore, it becomes a much more reasonable expense. It’s also all about how you maximize your time and experience at the resort.

The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort is one of the best and most popular resorts in the Bahamas. We stayed here during our Disney Cruise and absolutely loved it. It has the biggest open-aired aquarium in the world, with eight million gallons of water, 14 lagoons, and over 259 types of marine wildlife.

The day passes give you unlimited access and tons of water activities for kids. You can spend the day soaking in the sun’s rays on the white sandy beaches and learning more about the area’s marine animals and habitats. And if you’re looking for a spring break destination, the Bahamas is a great place to visit.

If you don’t want to stay at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, you can still get the next best thing and experience almost everything by purchasing day passes. We found it to be well worth the investment.

What’s Included in the Atlantis Bahamas Resort Day Pass

You could spend a week or more at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and still not see and do everything. Here’s what’s included with the Atlantis Day Pass for guests.

The Aquaventure Water Park

With your Atlantis day pass, you get free access to the entire Aquaventure Water Park. With 11 pools, high-speed water slides, a spectacular kids’ water-play fort, a mile-long river ride, and more, the kids will want to spend all day here. Fun fact: This is the Caribbean’s largest water park, so I recommend taking a few hours to explore the water park as part of your ideal day at the Atlantis Resort.

Enjoy as many as 20 swimming areas within the 141-acre water park, all decorated with Atlantean-themed towers. Two of our favorites were the grotto pool with waterfalls and the Mayan Temple zero-entry pool, perfect for sunbathing and swimming. You can even reserve private cabanas. The meandering lazy river ride was also nice to float along for relaxation.

There is even a children’s water park area with animal figures to climb on, a shallow pool, and mini-water slides.

Atlantis Paradise Island Beaches

The Caribbean is known for having the most beautiful beaches, and Atlantis does not disappoint! With miles of white sand beaches and azure and crystal-clear blue water disappearing into the horizon, fun in the sun just got a whole lot better!

With designated swimming pools, beachside, and lounge service, you’ll get the full guest experience even without staying at the resort. All but one beach is open to guests.

Here are five of the island’s best beaches that you have exclusive access to with your Atlantis day pass:

Royal Beach: Located in front of the Royal Towers. You can have drinks and eat on the patio or lounge on the beach.
Cove Beach: The quieter beach for guests to relax at.
Atlantis Beach: This beach area is located closest to the Coral Tower, where you’ll find lounge chairs and beachside service. The Atlantis Marina can be found in this area too.
Paradise Beach: This beach is exclusively for guests of The Reef and The Cove.
Paradise Lagoon Beaches: The seven-acre Paradise Lagoon has two beaches for paddle boats, snorkeling, and other water sports. My kids loved going out in the boat and exploring the lagoon!

The Aquarium

The Atlantis Aquarium is home to over 250 of marine wildlife, including:

Dolphins
Cownose stingrays
Sea lions (The sea lions are so cute, especially the pups!)
Small tooth sawfish
Sharks
Eels
Barracudas
Sea turtles

And many more!

Guests can explore caves, lagoons, coral formations, and the underwater sunken ruins inspired by the ancient lost city of Atlantis. We had a blast walking through the underwater tunnel and watching the sea creatures swim above us.

Another great area we loved was the Cenote, located in the Power Tower. You can go swimming inside this cave, which is inspired by the underground pools and caverns of the Yucatan. It’s also home to the endangered Alligator Gar, as well as cichlids, pacu, and redtail catfish.

The Dig Aquarium Tour

At the Dig Aquarium Tour, you can experience Atlantis’ iconic marine life habitats in a whole new way from an underwater view of the sunken ruins. This replica is known as one of the largest recreations of the mythical city of Atlantis today. It includes 15 chambers designed to imitate a 600-foot-long archaeological dig.

There were many great exhibits here. But we loved the Reef Exhibit and South Anteroom, which looked just like a real archaeological base camp that you would have seen 100 years ago. You can see the South African black tip sharks and many types of fish here, like spiny lobsters, grouper, or angelfish.

Transportation

Your ticket may include transportation, depending on which one you purchase. However, most of the time, you must get your own boat to Atlantis, where you’ll disembark in Nassau, which is fairly cheap. And then you can sail right into the Atlantis Marina.

We decided to go with the boat option, as we wanted to fully experience all aspects of our trip. The boat ride was a fun and unique way to reach the resort.

Pool and Beach Towels

Your Atlantis day pass also includes pool access and complimentary towels, which is very handy! It was so nice not having to drag any towels from our cruise ship and worry about losing them.

What to Do During Your Day Visit To Atlantis

We’ve talked a lot about what to do on your day pass to Atlantis, but here are some of my family’s favorites you don’t want to miss!

Atlantis Casino

The Atlantis Casino is the perfect way for adult guests to spend some time alone. It’s not the best family activity, though. It’s open 24-7 and simply stunning as it’s designed to bring the outdoors in with 700 slot machines, 85 table games, and other events and tournaments. We didn’t win big, but we had a great time playing some of our favorite casino games and trying out new ones.

Marina Village Crystal Court Shopping

Marina Village is the location for the Crystal Court Shops if you want to get a little shopping in on your day trip to Atlantis Paradise Island. It’s more of a high-end experience like the colorful shops on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. It was fun for us to just window shop and grab an ice cream cone, but we didn’t buy anything.

Bringing some souvenirs back? Check out our Top 40+ Super Useful Small Travel Gifts Travelers Will Love!

Swim with Dolphins at Dolphin Cay

Dolphin Cay and Marine Adventures is another attraction not to miss, as it’s home to one of the greatest sophisticated marine habitats in the whole world. It’s the Caribbean’s premier wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility.

See the rescued bottlenose dolphins and join a veterinarian team for the day for hands-on marine life fun. My family and I got to swim with the dolphins, which was incredible! You can also visit the sea lions, among other marine animal exhibits.

Dining

Marina Village is a great place to eat lunch or supper. There are also some less expensive casual dining restaurants close to the beach where you can get a quick bite to eat at a lower cost. My kids were thrilled to find Johnny Rockets, a 1950s-style diner.

Walk the Predator Lagoon and Tunnel

The Predator Lagoon and Tunnel is an awe-inspiring place to see all sorts of toothy terrors. We got to see sea animals like sharks and barracudas up close and personal, but (luckily) not be in the water with them. The underwater tunnel is especially fun as you get to see the sharks swim right above your head.

The Leap of Faith Water Slide

Of all the slides in Atlantis, this was one of our favorites, but it definitely isn’t for young children. You climb the towering Mayan Template and then ride the slide with a thrilling drop into the tunnel surrounded by sharks and other marine life.

Day Trip Excursions

Ready to go out for a full-day adventure? Atlantis has some other great activities to do, such as:

Swim in Wonder: The educational water adventure where you learn more about bottlenose dolphins.
Snorkel The Lost City of Atlantis Ruins: This 30-minute snorkel adventure is as close as you’ll get to the original Atlantis and a different way to experience what you see at The Dig. It’s part of a longer 60-minute excursion.
The Stingray Experience: Also, don’t miss the Stingray Lagoon, where children can enjoy the Stingray Experience and get up close and personal with cownose rays and other tropical fish.
Playtime With Sea Lions: This behind-the-scenes activity is also a neat way to learn more about the cute sea lions at the Aquarium.

What’s NOT Including During Your Day Pass To Atlantis

While the Atlantis day pass has many great attractions and resort amenities, people often ask me, “Is food included?” No, your dining costs are not included with your Atlantis day pass.

Of course, your casino spending money isn’t included either, so be sure to factor that into your budget!

Getting to Atlantis Resort

Depending on who you get your tickets through, you may need to pay to get to the Atlantis Resort from Nassau. In our case, as it was booked by the cruise, a shuttle picked us up from the cruise port and took us over to Atlantis.

Tips For Visiting Atlantis Resort

Purchase your day pass tickets in advance.
Try to get to the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort to get good seats at the pools or beaches.
It’s massive, so be sure to bring your cell phones to reach people in your group.
Bring a credit card to pay for food, drinks, and incidentals, but keep your valuables safe in an anti-theft bag or something else. Just be vigilant and watch your beach bags and belongings everywhere you go.
Only use authorized transportation provided by the cruise ship company or other reputable businesses because there are some shady operations out there.
Be sure to pack everything you need for the beach because once you’re on land, you’re there for the day.

Pricing for Atlantis Day Pass

While it’s a lot of fun and a great way to spend time with your family, it’s definitely not cheap to purchase Atlantis Day Passes. Ticket prices vary based on season and dates. In the late summer and fall, a day pass for non-Alantis guests costs $195 for each adult and $110 for each kid between the ages of four and twelve.

The rest of the year, the cost is $255 for adult tickets and $140 for kids ages four to twelve. Children three and under are always free.

FAQs

What is included in the Atlantis day pass?

There are some great activities and conveniences that come with the Atlantis Bahamas Day Pass, including:

– The Crystal Court shops
– The Dig Aquarium tour
– Aquaventure Water Park
– Access to the Atlantis beaches
– Kids water park
– Casino
– Lazy and Rapid Rivers
– Access to the Atlantis Bahamas Resort pools
– Transportation
– Pool towels

Can you walk around Atlantis without paying?

You must either have a day pass or stay at the resort to do most of the activities. You can enter for free, but that is all you can do, and you can’t access much of the Atlantis property. Security will stop you if you don’t have a day pass.

What is the cheapest month to visit Atlantis Bahamas?

The cheapest month to get Atlantis Bahamas day passes is August through mid-November if you’re traveling on a budget. That’s because families focus on getting the kids back to school, and the weather is hot and rainy in the Bahamas.