Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is one of the moderate priced resorts located within the Walt Disney World Resort. The theming of the resort is a mixture of Spanish, Mexican and America’s Southwest cultures. This very modern resort includes a convention center and wide variety of restaurants and bars. Therefore, even though, like all Walt Disney World resorts it’s great for families, it is also a top choice for adult only trips to Walt Disney World.

Like the other moderate priced Walt Disney World resorts, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort if a fairly spread-out resort with multiple bus stops and a sometimes-lengthy walk to the main building where the lobby is located, Gran Destino Tower.

Gran Destino Tower

In 2019, the Gran Destino Tower opened at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  The Gran Destino Tower is where the lobby of the resort is located. There are also restaurants and bars located within the tower.  The Gran Destino Tower is the highlight of the resort and my top place to stay in the resort. When you walk into the lobby, you will feel as if you are walking into a Deluxe resort as opposed to the moderate resort that Disney’s Coronado Springs is classified as. The lobby is especially beautiful during the holiday season.

And it’s not just the lobby that will remind you of a Deluxe resort, but the rooms located in the Gran Destino are a step above a moderate resort room, for a lower price than your typical Deluxe hotel room at Walt Disney World.

One of the main highlights of the rooms is they are in the tower, so there is an interior corridor as opposed to the other rooms in this resort as well as other moderate resorts which have exterior doors to the rooms.

They have multiple types of rooms in the tower including a larger selection of King Rooms, which cater more to the business traveler at the resort for an event in the convention center:

• Standard View Room
• Water View Room
• King Rooms
• Deluxe Suite with Club Access
• One Bedroom Suite with Club Access
• Presidential Suite with Club Access

And being that these rooms are located in the tower, they come with some really great views. Last time I stayed at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, I was lucky enough to be given a corner room in Gran Destino Tower. It was really great to have the two large windows, especially since there was one day in which it was pretty rainy, so I spent a bit more time in the room than normal.

The water view rooms include a view of the lake within the resort, Lago Dorado. It also includes a view of the entire resort and in the distance, you can see Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.

The Gran Destino Tower is connected by an interior walkway to El Centro which is where you will find the convention center, gift shop and most of the restaurants located at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This definitely makes staying in the Gran Destino Tower extremely convenient and cuts down on a lot of the walking thru the sizable resort. It was a huge advantage when I was there on a very stormy day.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Rooms

While the rooms at the Gran Destino Tower are my preferred rooms, the other room offerings in the resort are also great and a bit less expensive than the tower rooms. 

There are three different room areas in the resort: Casitas, Ranchos and Cabanas. Each section of the resort has its own bus stop, laundry facilities, and quiet pool area. Buildings are multi-levels, and all include elevators.

Within these three areas, they have the following room types available:

• Standard View Room
• Water View Room
• King Rooms
• Preferred rooms – located closest to El Centro
• One Bedroom Suites

The modern rooms are decorated in the resort’s Spanish, Mexican and Southwestern theme and include such Disney touches as the Three Caballeros adorned in the room. As a huge Donald Duck fan, I loved these decorations!

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Dining Options

The big highlight of staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is the multiple dining options that are located within the resort. Not only are there a lot of dining options, but they are also quite delicious dining options.

Located in El Centro:

• El Mercado de Coronado – This quick service restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features typical American food along with some Tex-Mex specialties like rice bowls and mexican street corn.
• Cafe Rix – This grab n go location is open in the mornings and is a great spot if you want to grab a quick breakfast or lunch. The pastries alone will lure you in here each morning.
• Rix Sports Bar & Grill – Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this is the perfect spot to watch your favorite sports team while visiting Disney. They offer your typical bar food and a full bar.
• Maya Grill – Open each evening for dinner, this Mexican restaurant is a hidden gem for Mexican food lovers visiting Disney World. Not only is the food delicious, but I also highly recommend the margarita flight if you have a hard time choosing which margarita you want with your meal. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants on property.

Located in Gran Destino Tower:

• Barcelona Lounge – located in the lobby, this lobby bar is open in the morning for breakfast, featuring Spanish coffees and in the later afternoon and night as a full service bar also featuring appetizers.

• Dahlia Lounge – This rooftop bar is located on the 16th floor of the Gran Destino Tower and offers great views for you to enjoy while savoring delicious tapas and specialty cocktails.

• Toledo – This rooftop restaurant located across from Dahlia Lounge is a great spot for a more upscale meal at Walt Disney World. At Toledo, you can enjoy dinner featuring steak, seafood, tapas and a wide variety of Spanish wines.

Located throughout the resort:

• Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Villa del Lago - Located on Lago Dorado, this open-air waterfront restaurant is the perfect setting for an evening meal or cocktail. Open for dinner, they offer a mix of Spanish, Mexican and American cuisine.

• Siestas Cantina – This quick service restaurant is located at the main pool and is a great spot for a poolside cocktail or lunch.
• Laguna Bar – Located just outside El Centro along the shores of Lago Dorado, this bar is a great casual spot for an evening drink outdoors.

Activities at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Along with the many restaurant and bar options at Coronado Springs, there are also many activity options as well. This will give you plenty of do if you decide to take a break from the theme parks and want to enjoy a resort day. A sample of the monthly activities is pictured below:

• Pools – There are 4 pools located within Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. There are three leisure pools, one located in each section of the resort. These are great if you are looking for a quieter pool experience. The main pool, Lost City of Cibola Pool, is located in the Dig Site pool complex. This pool has a Mexican theme and includes a 50-foot Mayan pyramid. The pool also includes a 123-foot waterslide. Other than the Lost City of Cibola Pool, the Dig Site also includes Walt Disney World’s largest hot tub, Siestas Pool Bar, sand volleyball court, arcade, playground and kids swimming pool. Regularly scheduled activities are held at the Lost City of Cibola Pool to keep the entire family busy.

• Fitness Centers – One of the things that sets Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort apart from the other moderate resorts is that it has certain amenities that you can only find in Deluxe resorts, like fitness centers. And this resort actually has two fitness centers. La Vida Health Club and Fitness Center is located in the Casitas section of the resort and then a smaller fitness center is located in the Gran Destino Tower. 
• Sangria University – If you have worked up a thirst at the pool or in the fitness center, sign up for the Sangria University. Offered on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Three Bridges Bar and Grill, you can try 4 varieties of house-made sangria and also make your own sangria! While enjoying your sangria, you will hear about the history of this popular drink. Extra cost and advance reservations recommended.

• Spanish Mosaic Art – On Monday, Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, head up to the Dahlia Lounge to create your own Disney mosaic art like the ones you may see in Barcelona, Spain. Extra cost and advance reservations recommended.
• Colors of Coronado Painting – On Friday afternoons, head up to Toledo to create your own Disney painting. Designs change monthly, so this is a great experience to do more than once. Extra cost and advance reservations recommended.
• Campfire – Nightly at the Dig Site, you can roast marshmallows and make s’mores around the campfire.
• Movies Under the Stars – On the lawn outside of the Gran Destino Tower, watch your favorite Disney films on select nights each week.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is the perfect moderately priced resort to stay at when visiting Walt Disney World. Whether you are there with your family, friends or for a conference, there is something for everyone at this resort. 

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is just one of many moderate priced resorts at Walt Disney World. Check out my posts on the other moderate resorts: Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World can be overwhelming. Beyond The Miles Travel specializes in Disney travel planning and would love to help you plan your next trip. Contact us today!

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