Overview
It’s time for another Resort Review! This time we will take a look at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This resort is a hidden gem that I think gets quite overlooked. Even though this is classified as a Moderate resort it definitely has a Deluxe feel, especially with the newer Gran Destino Tower. Like Caribbean Beach resort this resort is quite large with multiple areas. There are Rancheros, Casitas and Cabanas. These buildings are the original rooms of Coronado. Then there is the newer Gran Destino Tower, which will give you a very deluxe feel to your stay. I’ve had the opportunity to stay at both the Gran Destino and the Casitas so that is what the room photos will be of.
Check-in is inside the Gran Destino Tower. Rooms in this tower are the most centrally located and connected to the convention center that is located near the tower along with the El Centro area where you will find dinning and shopping. With the convention center there is one drawback to this great resort and that is it hosts conventions and is a popular resort for things like cheer and dance competitions. Last visit we were there, there was cheer and dance competition going on and the resort was quite full and busy and that meant the buses were also pretty full.
Coronado Springs is located in the Animal Kingdom resort area of the Walt Disney World property. Unlike a lot of other resorts this resort only has bus transportation to all parks and Disney Springs. The farthest park from this resort is Magic Kingdom. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are the closest parks.
Dinning
Coronado Springs has some really good dining options. Maya Grill was delicious when we were there. My husband and I shared the steak quesadilla, and the fried churro ice cream was the best treat. Toledo is a tapas, steakhouse and seafood restaurant on the roof of the Gran Destino tower. Three Bridges Bar and Grille located where the three bridges converge on the lake. This bar and grille has shared plates, sandwiches and salads and is a fun lakefront dining experience. Rix has a sports bar and grill and a cafe. Catch up on your sports at the bar or get some tasty gelato or a smoothie from the cafe. Rix is located in the El Centro area connected to the convention center.
Rooms
First, let’s take a look at the room we had in the Casitas section of the hotel. These rooms are older than the rooms in the Gran Destino Tower but may have been updated in the last several years. This room had 2 queen beds with a nice desk/dresser area that housed a mini fridge and coffee maker. There was a shared nightstand between the beds that had a couple outlets. The desk/dresser also had more outlets as well. This room fit 3 adults just fine.
The bathroom was separated by 2 sliding doors and the sink area was separated from the toilet and shower, this is great for multiple people, one person could be changing in the room, while another is getting ready at the sinks and a 3rd person can be utilizing the shower giving everyone privacy.
Each section of the resort, Rancheros, Cabanas and Casitas has several buildings. Here is an atrium/courtyard close to our room in the Casitas. There are elevators to the upper floors at this resort so this a good choice for those with mobility devices, strollers and those not wanting to go upstairs. The Casitas are connected to the El Centro area by a covered walkway and are just a short walk away from Maya Grill, shopping and the quick service food.
The Gran Destino Tower is what really elevates this resort for me. This is the newest addition to the Coronado Springs Resort and gives a deluxe feel at moderate prices.
Gran Destino Tower is home to Toledo-Tapas, Seafood and Steak, this roof top restaurant is very much like California Grille atop the Contemporary Resort. There are two bars, the Dahlia Lounge is also on the roof top and serves drinks and Spanish tapas. Barcelona Lounge is on the lower floor of the tower, it’s a coffee bar by day and bar by night!
Here’s the thing, your girl is bougie and I like feeling fancy even though I have champagne wishes on a nice beer budget. This tower really gives that deluxe feel and if that’s important to you then this resort is a great match. Another reason we stay here often is when we cruise. Coronado is a great pick-up point for Magical Express to Port Canaveral! I like this resort for pre-cruise stays because you are usually first group on the bus and only have 1 or 2 stops before getting to the port.
On this particular stay we got a coveted King-bed room! Since Disney typically caters to families’ things like king beds can be harder to come by. The rooms in the tower have a polished style that when you walk in you want to say, “this is niiice”. Our room had a comfy king bed with nightstands on either side that had outlets. The desk area housed dresser drawers and the mini fridge.
Our bathroom had two sinks, great for couples! And a very nice walk-in shower. On the other side of the photo (no shown) is the toilet room which is separated by a door. The entire shower area is also able to be closed off by 2 sliding barn style doors.
Final Thoughts
Overall Coronado Springs is one of my favorite places to stay on Disney property, especially for my pre-cruise stays or when I want that deluxe feel without the deluxe price tag. Even though this resort can get busy during competitions and conventions it’s well spread out and has something for everyone.
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