I'm not sure why so many people are knocking the aquarium. Perhaps they have gone during Holiday periods or on weekends... \r
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I agree crowds can be a problem, but that is a testament to how incredible this place really is. My family and I have annual passes and have been about 4 or 5 times since it opened. We have been there when the crowds were VERY small, and been there when it is overflowing with capacity. Going on Saturday morning at 11:00 is not a good idea if you don't like crowds. I've gone on a Friday afternoon and the crowds were not bad at all.\r
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As for long lines, buy your tickets in advance off the web. The line to get in will be much shorter. I have maybe had to wait a max of 5 minutes on the most crowded day to get in.\r
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As for the comments on the ""mall atmosphere,"" with the food court... We have never eaten there and never really payed any attention to it. We went to see the fish, not the food (although I think we bought a coke there once).\r
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Anyone thinking about going, should go regardless of time or crowds. The experience is absolutely incredible. Of the 5 major exhibits, the ony one I consistently ""pass"" at is the Georgia Explorer. Not becuase it is not incredible, just that our son (<2) is too young to fully experience the touch tanks and such. The Ocean Voyager alone is worth the price of admission, really! And regading the price, I agree it seems a bot high, but have you priced any other major attractions lately? This place is not exactly cheap to operate...\r
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Regarding helpfullness of the staff, I found that almost all of the exhibits have friendly staff that will tellyou everythign you ever wanted to knwo about what you are looking at.\r
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Don't be distracted by the naysayers, you shoudl experience this place at least once. You will be talking about how great it is with family and friends for a long time to come. We in Atlanta are VERY lucky to have such a world-class facility right here in our backyard.
Pros: Incredible visuals, definitely worth it
Cons: Weekend crowds
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