Watch Fire, Water, and Talking Statues Bring Atlantis to Life
The Fall of Atlantis Show is a free animatronic attraction inside The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Towering figures rise around an elaborate fountain as sound, lighting, water, fire, and a large winged finale figure tell a theatrical story about the destruction of Atlantis.
The show is one of the most enduring free entertainment experiences in Las Vegas. No ticket, purchase, or reservation is normally required. Visitors can gather around the fountain shortly before a scheduled performance.
The attraction is brief, loud, deliberately dramatic, and a little unusual. It works best as part of a Forum Shops, Caesars Palace, or center-Strip visit rather than as a full stand-alone show.
Watching the performance and viewing the adjacent aquarium are free. Parking, shopping, dining, drinks, gaming, transportation, and other Caesars Palace activities cost extra.
Last reviewed: July 11, 2026. Showtimes, operating days, mall hours, effects, aquarium access, parking, and maintenance closures can change. Check the current Forum Shops information before making a special trip.
Fall of Atlantis Show Quick Facts
- Cost: Free to watch.
- Location: Casino Level of The Forum Shops, adjacent to Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino.
- Address: 3500 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Shopping Line: (702) 893-4800
- Performance Days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
- No Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Showtimes: At the top of every hour from 12:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m.
- Daily Performances: Nine scheduled shows on each operating day, beginning at noon and ending with the 8:00 p.m. presentation.
- Approximate Duration: About 7 to 8 minutes. The official mall page does not guarantee one fixed running time.
- Reservations: Not required for regular performances.
- Nearby Landmark: The Atlantis Aquarium near The Cheesecake Factory.
- Aquarium Size: Approximately 50,000 gallons.
- Mall Hours: Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Best For: Families, shoppers, first-time visitors, animatronics fans, photographers, and people seeking a quick indoor Strip attraction.
- What Costs Extra: Parking, shopping, dining, drinks, gaming, hotel stays, transportation, and other activities.
- Parking: Caesars Palace has paid self-parking and valet parking. Review the Las Vegas parking fees guide before visiting.
What to Expect at the Fall of Atlantis Show
The attraction occupies a large circular fountain beneath a painted dome inside The Forum Shops. Animatronic characters rise above the water as dialogue, music, lighting, smoke, flame, and moving-water effects tell the story.
The figures are approximately nine feet tall. The Forum Shops says each statue contains more than 400 moving parts, allowing the characters’ heads, faces, arms, hands, and bodies to move during the performance.
The effects are intentionally theatrical rather than realistic. Some visitors enjoy the show as classic Las Vegas spectacle, while others appreciate its unusual retro animatronics and over-the-top presentation.
Dialogue can be difficult to understand from behind a crowd or beneath the echoing dome. Visitors can still follow the broad conflict through the characters’ movements, lighting colors, fire, water, and finale.
The Fall of Atlantis should not be confused with the separate Fountain of the Gods elsewhere in The Forum Shops. The Atlantis attraction is the animated show beside the aquarium and The Cheesecake Factory.
Current Fall of Atlantis Showtimes
Thursday through Monday
Performances begin at the top of every hour from 12:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m.
- 12:00 p.m.
- 1:00 p.m.
- 2:00 p.m.
- 3:00 p.m.
- 4:00 p.m.
- 5:00 p.m.
- 6:00 p.m.
- 7:00 p.m.
- 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday
The show is dark, with no regularly scheduled performances.
Arrive before the hour rather than walking up at the advertised start time. The performance begins promptly, and visitors arriving late may miss a significant portion of the brief show.
Maintenance, technical problems, holidays, mall operations, special events, or safety concerns can cancel an individual performance without advance notice.
The Battle for the Kingdom of Atlantis
The show centers on King Atlas and his two children, who compete over who should control the kingdom of Atlantis. The dispute grows into a battle involving opposing elemental effects.
One side of the conflict is represented through water, while the other is associated with fire. The fountain, lighting, sound, and moving figures react as the disagreement intensifies.
The story ends with the fall of Atlantis and the appearance of a large winged animatronic figure above the set. The presentation is a loose Las Vegas fantasy rather than a faithful retelling of one specific ancient myth.
Visitors do not need to understand every line of dialogue to enjoy the effects. Watching the different lighting colors, water movements, fire bursts, and character positions makes the basic conflict easier to follow.
How to Find the Fall of Atlantis Show
The show is on the Casino Level of The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, beside the Atlantis Aquarium and near The Cheesecake Factory.
From Caesars Palace:
Follow signs from the casino toward The Forum Shops. Continue toward The Cheesecake Factory and Atlantis Aquarium.
From the Las Vegas Boulevard entrance:
Enter The Forum Shops from the Strip and follow the mall map toward the Casino Level, Atlantis Aquarium, or The Cheesecake Factory. This route can involve a considerable walk through the shopping center.
Using the Atlantis entrance:
The Forum Shops identifies an Atlantis pickup and drop-off entrance near The Cheesecake Factory. Vehicle access and event restrictions can change, so confirm the route before arrival.
Do not navigate only to the Caesars Palace hotel lobby and assume the fountain will be nearby. The resort and shopping center are large, and walking from parking, rideshare, the casino, or the Strip entrance can take time.
Visitors using a car service should confirm the pickup or drop-off point displayed in the app. Review the Las Vegas Ride Share Guide before traveling.
See the Free Atlantis Aquarium
A 50,000-gallon saltwater aquarium stands beside the Fall of Atlantis fountain. Visitors can view tropical marine life before or after the animatronic performance without buying a separate aquarium ticket.
The aquarium provides something to watch while waiting for the next hourly presentation. It can also make the area more interesting for children who may not want to stand beside the fountain for an extended period.
Fish species, decorations, lighting, and maintenance conditions can change. Do not tap on the viewing panels, use flash directly against the aquarium, feed the animals, or allow children to climb on surrounding structures.
The aquarium and show are separate attractions in the same immediate area. Aquarium access does not guarantee that a scheduled show will operate if the animatronics are undergoing maintenance.
Is the Fall of Atlantis Show Good for Children?
Many families enjoy the moving statues, bright lighting, water effects, and dramatic fantasy characters. No show ticket is required, so families can leave easily if a child becomes uncomfortable.
The attraction includes sudden fire effects, loud amplified voices, music, smoke, flashing or changing lights, large moving figures, and a winged finale character. These elements may frighten very young children or visitors who are sensitive to noise, fire, darkness, or animatronics.
Stand farther from the fountain when introducing a child to the show for the first time. A more distant position reduces the intensity and makes it easier to leave without pushing through the crowd.
Keep children beside an adult. The audience forms in an active shopping corridor near stairs, restaurant traffic, aquarium viewers, railings, and other visitors.
Minors may travel through designated public resort and shopping areas with adults but cannot stop or remain around casino gaming activity.
Tips for Getting a Better View
Arrive 10 to 15 minutes early:
The closest railings and open sightlines can fill before the hourly performance.
Do not stand directly behind tall statues or columns:
Parts of the set can block different characters. Look across the fountain before choosing a position.
Consider an elevated view:
Nearby upper-level railings may provide a broader view when publicly accessible, although distance can make the dialogue harder to hear.
Keep children in front of you:
Do not lift children onto railings, decorative walls, planters, or unstable surfaces.
Expect reflections and changing light:
Aquarium panels, water, polished stone, and theatrical lighting can affect photographs.
Avoid blocking mall traffic:
Keep restaurant entrances, stairs, elevators, escalators, walkways, emergency routes, and store doors clear.
Hold phones securely:
The crowd may shift when the show begins. Step out of moving pedestrian traffic before filming.
A Classic Forum Shops Attraction Since 1997
The Fall of Atlantis debuted with The Forum Shops’ major 1997 expansion. It was created as a free spectacle that could combine shopping with the kind of theatrical effects associated with Las Vegas entertainment.
Advanced Animations developed the animatronic figures and mechanical systems. The attraction relies on complex moving components, hydraulics, pneumatics, lighting, sound, water, and fire effects.
The show underwent a substantial refurbishment in 2013 that included work on the figures, costumes, skin, and operating systems.
Its age is part of its appeal. The attraction represents an era when Las Vegas resorts and malls used large animatronic productions as permanent public entertainment.
Because it is a complicated mechanical show operating many times each week, an individual character or effect may occasionally move differently or remain inactive during a presentation.
Other Free Attractions Near Caesars Palace
Fountains at Caesars Palace
Visitors can see several decorative fountains and Roman-themed sculptures around the resort exterior and public areas. Review the Fountains at Caesars Palace guide.
Fountains of Bellagio
Walk south across the center Strip to watch Bellagio’s free choreographed water, music, and light performances. Check the Fountains of Bellagio visitor guide.
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
The changing floral installations provide another free indoor stop near Caesars Palace. Use the Bellagio Conservatory visitor guide.
Eiffel Tower Light Show
Paris Las Vegas presents a free nighttime lighting show on its half-scale Eiffel Tower replica. See the Paris Las Vegas Eiffel Tower guide.
Video Preview of the Fall of Atlantis Show
This video shows the animatronic characters, fountain, lighting, and special effects. Individual figures, effects, operating conditions, and surrounding stores may have changed since filming.
Fall of Atlantis Show FAQ
Q: Is the Fall of Atlantis Show free?
A: Yes. No admission ticket or purchase is normally required to watch a scheduled performance. Parking, dining, shopping, drinks, gaming, and other activities cost extra.
Q: What days does the show operate?
A: The current schedule runs Thursday through Monday. The show is dark Tuesday and Wednesday.
Q: What time are the performances?
A: Shows are scheduled at the top of every hour from 12:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m. on operating days.
Q: How long is the Fall of Atlantis Show?
A: The presentation lasts approximately 7 to 8 minutes, although the official mall page does not promise a fixed running time.
Q: Where exactly is the show?
A: It is on the Casino Level of The Forum Shops beside the Atlantis Aquarium and near The Cheesecake Factory.
Q: Is the Fountain of the Gods the same attraction?
A: No. The Fountain of the Gods is a separate decorative feature elsewhere in The Forum Shops. The animated Atlantis Show is beside the aquarium.
Q: Is a reservation required?
A: No reservation is normally required. Viewing positions are first come, first served.
Q: Is the show suitable for young children?
A: Many children enjoy it, but the loud sound, fire, smoke, flashing lights, and large moving figures may frighten sensitive or very young visitors.
Q: Is the aquarium free?
A: Yes. Visitors can view the adjacent 50,000-gallon Atlantis Aquarium without purchasing a separate ticket.
Q: Can a scheduled performance be canceled?
A: Yes. Animatronic maintenance, technical problems, mall operations, special events, or safety concerns can affect a performance.
Q: How early should visitors arrive?
A: Arrive about 10 to 15 minutes before the hour for a better viewing position, particularly on weekends and during busy travel periods.
Q: Is the show worth making a special trip?
A: Animatronics fans and families may find it worth a dedicated stop. Most visitors should combine it with shopping, dining, Caesars Palace, or another center-Strip attraction.
