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Disney Coronado Springs Resort – Should You Stay Here?

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Disney Coronado Springs Resort

Are you considering staying at Disney Coronado Springs Resort, but want to know more about it before you make a choice? The Coronado Springs is one of Walt Disney World’s moderate resorts.

If we had to choose it is probably our favorite Disney World moderate hotel, but if you are staying in 2018 you do have to take into account that the Disney Coronado Resort is undergoing a lot of refurbishment and construction right now. So is it the place to stay in 2018?

There are many positives about Disney’s Coronado Hotel Resort. You will have all the advantages of staying at a Disney World resort and with room rates starting at around $201 a night in Value Season it can be a great option. However, is it the right Disney World Hotel Resort to choose for you and your family?

The first thing that you will notice about Disney Coronado Springs Resort is how large and spread out the resort it. Disney’s Coronado Springs has 1,921 rooms located in three themed beautifully landscaped areas set around a 15 acre lake Lago Dorado.

It is set to get even larger with the new expansion. Disney Coronado Springs will get a new 15-story tower that will provide and additional 500 rooms, featuring suites and concierge level services. A new Disney Coronado Springs restaurant is also being built over the lake. Of course, what this means is that Disney Coronado Springs has construction which will continue into 2018 and not be complete until 2019.

How much impact does this have if you are staying in Coronado Springs in 2018? Fortunately, as far as we can see right now, the construction is having minimal impact a Coronado Springs. Of course there is some construction traffic and noise, but most of the buildings of the resort are not impacted at the moment. Will this continue? We really are not sure, but will keep you updated.

The Disney Coronado Springs refurbishment would not put us off staying here in 2018 as it appears at the moment.

Coronado Springs

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Why do we like Disney Coronado Springs? As with all Disney hotels the theme is wonderfully carried throughout the resort. You will find all of those Disney touches that you expect. However, Disney Coronado Springs Resort was built with convention business in mind so the Disney theme is perhaps not as prominent as some vacation guests would like.

We always choose this as a Disney Moderate Hotel as I think that it gives the best bang for the buck. However, it is less Disney than probably any other resort on Disney World property. If you have young children expecting Disney characters and themes all around this really isn’t the place for you.

So what does Disney Coronado Springs offer?

Disney Coronado Resort has a large main building El Centro which houses the lobby,restaurants,shops and convention center. This Disney hotel does have a lot of convention center business so theme park guests will rub shoulders with business convention guests. This seems to work well so neither feels out of place.

Lobby of Disney Coronado Springs Panorama September 2009

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The hotel rooms are housed in one of three distinct area which surround the huge Lago Dorado Lagoon. These areas are the Casitas, the Ranchos and the Cabanas. The Casitas and Cabanas are located closest to the main building with the Ranchos being a large walk from lobby, but closer to the main pool.

I know I keep saying this but The Coronado Springs resort is large. Very large! This can involve a lot of walking around the resort to get from your room to the parking lot and El Centro. But in many ways this is a big advantage. The resort just never seems to feel crowded which of course is a huge plus.

It remains to be seen what an impact the new Disney Coronado Springs expansion will have on the resort. 500 rooms will make a significant impact on the resort facilities. We just hope that they are going to add more facilities with the Coronado expansion.

Photos courtesy of mrkathika

Disney Coronado Springs Resort Rooms

disneycoronadospringsroom

There are 1917 rooms at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort. All are being renovated right now. Most of the Disney Coronado Springs rooms are 314 square feet and have 2 Queen beds, and work area with table and chairs. All of the rooms have a flat screen television. Internet access is available but there is a fee.


The single vanity sink is located outside the bathroom – making the space much more usable for families. Most of the rooms have 2 Queen beds. There are 224 rooms with a King bed, so as you can see not a high number. Make sure if you want a King room to request this at the time of your reservation. There are also 99 accessible rooms.

Each standard room sleeps up to 4 people plus one child in a crib. We found the space to be absolutely fine for our family on our last visit which consisted of one adult, two teenagers and a child. We didn’t spend much time in our room, but we didn’t feel cramped if we did.

There are suites available at the Coronado Springs which will sleep up to 6 guests and a child in a crib. Really I wouldn’t book a suite here , but perhaps that is just me. If I want to pay more for extra room it is going to be at a resort that really captures my imagination. Disney Coronado Springs just isn’t that level.


The resort also has Concierge Club guest rooms. These are a new addition but are located in Cabana 9B which is one of the closest blocks to the El Centro building. The Disney Coronado Springs Concierge rooms offer extra in room amenities such as DVD player,robes and coffee maker. They also have a dedicated Front Desk service, continental breakfast and snacks.

Where are the Best Rooms in Disney’s Coronado Springs?

You have to take into account the location of the room because of the size of the resort. The Disney Coronado Springs Rancheros buildings are the furthest away from the El Centro lobby building with it’s restaurants and shops but is is closest to the main pool area. Disney has recently started to tackle this by providing internal transportation around the Coronado in golf carts!

If you like a quieter spot then you may want to choose the Rancheros – but you are going to be limited on views. There are limited water views available from rooms 6103,6203,6303,6225,6226,6326,6245,6246 and 6600 to 6604.

The Coronado Springs Cabanas do offer some nice lake views. The advantage of Cabanas 9A and 9B are they are closer to El Centro and some also offer good views. The disadvantage may be that they are noisy.

The Coronado Springs Casitas are located to the left of the El Centro lobby. The closest is Building 1 and the furthest is Building 5. Some of these rooms offer great views of Lake Dorado – try 4230 to 4266.

The address of the Coronado Springs Resort is 1000 West Buena Vista Drive; Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830. The direct phone number for the Coronado Resort is 407 939 1000.

Rates at Disney Coronado Springs

Coronado Springs Pool Aztec Pyramid

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The Coronado Springs Resort is a moderate Disney World hotel. It is quite a big step up in quality and amenities from a Disney Value Resort and can be a great option. Rack rates start at $201 per room per night plus tax in Value Season for a Standard View. That rate is difficult to get and is limited. Rates at Disney’s Coronado Springs rise for a standard room to $362 per night in Holiday Season.

Water View rooms at the Coronado Springs have higher rates. They start at $242 in Value Season rising to $348 for a King or Queen room in Holiday Season.

We never advise paying for a view. It is so much money for so little benefit at Disney Coronado Springs. We say that if you are going to stay here the lowest price is the one we would aim for.

The maximum occupancy of a standard Queen room at the Coronado Springs is 4. If there are more than 2 adults in the room there is an additional charge of $15 per additional adult per night. For King rooms the maximum capacity is for 2 guests.

There are some Junior Suites with a maximum occupancy of 6 guests which start priced at $560 and rise to $773 per room per night.

The One Bedroom Suites Value Season rate is $920 for Value Season rising to $1182 for Holiday Season. The One Bedroom Suites accommodate up to 6 guests.

All of the rates are correct for March 2018 and do not include taxes.

Recreation at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Coronado Springs Pool_1

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The Coronado hotel pool is located at The Dig Site. This wonderful Mayan pyramid themed pool also features a 123 foot long Jaguar Water Slide. The Coronado pool Dig Site also has a very large hot tub which will fit up to 22 people, an excellent playground,children’s pool a sand volleyball court and that essential ingredient – a great pool bar called Siesta’s.

There are also 3 more pools located around the resort. The main pool can get pretty crowded so sometimes it is a great option to go to one of the smaller, but generally quieter pools.

The Coronado Springs La Vida Health Club is the only fitness facility at a moderate Walt Disney World hotel. This excellent 3,000 square foot facility is free for resort guests. If you are staying at a different Disney hotel resort you can purchase a day pass for $15 per day.

The Disney Coronado Springs spa is a 3000 square space which offers a sauna, pedicure, manicures, massage and personal training. Use of this facility is of course at additional charge. This is an excellent facility which is rarely crowded.

The recreation at Coronado Springs is right outside your room – just walk around the beautiful resort trail, walk on one of the sandy areas around the lagoon or relax in a hammock. You can rent bikes, Surrey Bikes, kayaks and pedal boats too.

If you are staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, make sure that you are actually going to set aside some time at the resort. It may be one of the most fun and relaxing things that you do on your vacation.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Transportation

The bus transportation system at Disney Coronado is an efficient way to get around. There are 4 bus stops around the resort and buses will take you to Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Disney Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Magic Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. Journey times are from 5 minutes to Blizzard Beach, to around 20 minutes to Magic Kingdom.

Other resort and Downtown Disney are accessed via the Transport and Ticket Center.

Restaurants at Disney’s Coronado Resort

There are a number of dining choices in Disney’s Coronado resort. For us, this is where Disney Coronado Springs has a whole lot of room to improve. When we stay here we try and dine elsewhere.

The Maya Grilll is Disney’s Coronado resort’s only full service dining restaurant. Breakfast favorites include omelets, pancakes and a Kobe Brunch Burger. The service is not that great in our experience. We admit this is now a few years ago as we do not have great memories of Maya Grill for breakfast. If you do dine there ask for a table by the window so that you get a nice view of the resort.

The Maya Grill also serves dinner from 5pm. The entrees average around the high $20 to $30 mark and include Bone in Pork Chop, Red Snapper Veracruz, Maya Grill’s Signature Fajita Skillet and the most expensive item on the menu New York Strip.

If you are on the Disney Dining Plan this is a restaurant which we suggest that you avoid unless you really cannot find a reservation anywhere else. It just doesn’t have the value or the quality of experience of the other Disney Dining venues. However, it is one of the easiest places to get an Advance Dining Reservation. Reluctantly we have to say that the Disney Coronado Springs Maya Grill is pretty much last on our list of Disney World restaurants to go to.

Coronado Springs Pool Aztec Pyramid

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For counter service food the Pepper Market is the choice at the Coronado.for breakfast lunch and dinner. I am not a big fan of this venue – mainly because it can get very very crowded.

I admit I have explored my own personal feelings about this place more than most of any Disney dining venues (the last time I was with there I think my personal miserable ex partner situation probably would have overwhelmed everything)! One day I promise I will go back with my new very much improved personal situation and do another review!

Let’s get away from my personal feelings and back to the practical. When you enter the Disney Coronado Springs Pepper Market you are shown to a table and given a ticket. You then walk around the various stations and select what you want to eat. It is then brought to your table and you pay when you exit.

The cuisine will suit most tastes with a selection of pizza, pasta,salads,sandwiches and Mexican food. Entree pricing ranges around the $10 to $15 mark. It’s a Disney Quick Service Venue and it is fine. It feeds you and nothing more. In my opinion if you want a great experience avoid this. Again I am admitting my personal bias, but I think I may be underwhelmed even if I went back now.

Other dining choices at the Coronado Resort are room service available 11am to 11pm, the Siesta Pool Dining and Grill located next to the Dig Site. The Ritz Lounge is in the El Centro building and is open from 5pm to 2am with a full service bar and appetizer menu.

For me the restaurant and eating choices are rather limited as the Maya Grill is one of my least favorite Disney restaurants. But Coronado Springs is still my favorite moderate resort – you can always eat somewhere else!

As I have touched on a little, my last stay at Coronado Springs was at one of the worst times of my personal life. I still saw the positive in the Disney Coronado Springs Resort Hotel and would return there in a heart beat. I will always choose Disney Coronado Springs if staying in a Disney Moderate Resort.

Overall Disney Coronado Springs Resort is a great choice for families and couples on a Disney vacation. It has a good location, good pricing and is a beautiful relaxing resort. But for those looking for none stop Disney they may be a little disappointed with the Disney theme – but perhaps you will get more than enough of that in the parks!

Top 10 Disney World Hotel Resorts – EverythingMouse

Saturday 7th of January 2012

[...] Disney Coronado Springs Resort Disney Beach Club Hotel and Resort [...]

Robert Casebolt

Thursday 1st of September 2011

Don't stay at this place didn't have room ready and it wasn't the one we paid for had to wait long time to get another room . The A/C went out during a rain storm they said the two building always loose the chillers during storms really you know then get them upgraded . Then we find out the dining was not included which we paid for but they couldn't add to the deal after we check in you have to do it in advance and check on it before you leave home a least 24hrs which we sent e-mail which we got the answer two days after we got home from the happiest place on earth .....right.They gave free drink voucher for a placed try to use it the place doesn't open till 4:00 pm had to be on the bus at 12 nice. So do your self a favor try another place.

Walt Disney World Hotels

Thursday 14th of April 2011

[...] Here is a comprehensive guide to Disney Coronado Springs Resort [...]

Karen

Saturday 5th of February 2011

I would like to suggest a room to avoid: 1230 in Casitas 1. It is a corner room with 2 windows at 90 degree angles. One entire wall abuts a walkway, making the noise of high heels and the housekeeping carts quite prominent. Furthermore, the sound of a toilet flushing was heard morning, noon, and night. We stayed at the beginning of February, and painting and caulking was done during daylight. Overall, I was less than impressed with my visit.

Disney Caribbean Beach « EverythingMouse

Saturday 23rd of October 2010

[...] The basic layout of the resort is very similar to Disney Coronado Springs Resort. [...]