Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is one that guests either seem to love or hate. With its large layout, Gran Destino Tower, The Convention Center and lots of restaurants, it’s easy to see why this resort can be so divisive. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is moderate resort at Walt Disney World. It’s home to Gran Destino Tower, which is often talked about as Deluxe Resort vibes at a moderate price. Coronado Springs has plenty of good to say about it, but also a good amount of not-so-great things as well. Let’s dive into both views so you can see if this resort is right for your next Disney Vacation.
Pros of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
We love Coronado Springs Resort! And while we know that opinion is not shared by everyone, we are here to tell you why we love it. Here are the pros of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Food Options at Coronado Springs Resort
Coronado Springs has some of the best restaurants at Walt Disney World. Yes, you read that right. Whether you’re looking for a casual place to grab a bite at Three Bridges, or somewhere a bit fancier for a night out at Toledo, Coronado Springs is a hot spot for underrated restaurants at Disney World.
Club Level at Coronado Springs Resort
We’ve talked about Club Level at Coronado Springs multiple times at this point. So you should know by now that we love it. Not only is Coronado Springs the only moderate resort at Disney with a club level lounge. But Chronos Club is also one of the better club level experiences we’ve tried. The lounge is spacious, the food is generally fantastic, and the service is great.
Renovated Rooms at Coronado Springs Resort
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort was renovated in 2019. So even if you’re not staying in Gran Destino Tower, you can still plan on having a shiny new-ish room during your stay. Though not everyone is a fan of Disney’s new renovations, we like that the renovated rooms feel clean, comfortable and have some fun Disney artwork on the walls.
Coronado Springs is a Spacious Resort
While this is both a pro and a con of Coronado Springs Resort, we’ll start with why it’s a pro. Because it’s so big, it rarely feels crowded. There is so much space to run, play, relax and eat. So even though it holds loads of guests, it doesn’t usually feel super crowded. Unlike some of the smaller resorts, like the All Stars for example, that almost always feels crowded no matter the time of day, the benefit of having such a large and sprawling resort is that it usually doesn’t. Add in the fact that many times there are Convention Center guests who are in convention centers most of the day, and the resort feels quite spacious.
Coronado Springs is Budget Friendly
If you’re willing to stay in the regular rooms, you can often find some great deals at Coronado Springs. Outside of the tower rooms, it actually tends to be the cheapest moderate resort at Disney. Though prices vary, it usually has the most discounts available, and you can even find great last-minute deals if you don’t need to make plans way ahead of time.
Cons of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Every Disney resort has its downfalls. Coronado Springs is no different. And as I said, some people just don’t like this resort, and for good reason. It’s not necessarily the most convenient and doesn’t feel super “Disney”. So let’s talk about some of the cons of Coronado Springs Resort.
Coronado Springs Resort is huge
Coronado Springs Resort is huge. Not only is it home to almost 2000 guest rooms, but it also has multiple bars, restaurants, a convention center and FIVE pools. It’s a big resort! And if you’re traveling with smaller travelers, the trek back to your room can be quite the tumultuous one after a long day in the Disney parks. Our suggestion? Book a room in Gran Destino Tower, a preferred room, or request a room near the bus stop.
There are four bus stops at Coronado Springs Resort. So it doesn’t even matter which bus stop you’re near. Being near any of them will reduce your walk back to your room at the end of the night.
Convention Center Guests
One of the biggest complaints about Coronado Springs Resort is the vast amount of Convention Center Guests. For some families, it makes the resort feel too grown up and like families with smaller kids don’t “belong”. I know others who have felt out of place walking around the resort in their swimsuit cover ups. And others who feel weird in the elevator wearing ears standing next to someone in a business suit. Here’s the thing though. Everyone is welcome at Coronado Springs Resort! Yes, it has a convention center. But it’s also a Disney Resort. So next time you’re at Coronado Springs decked out in your Disney attire and see other guests in business casual, just remember: they’re likely not even paying attention to you.
Bus Only Transportation
Coronado Springs Resort currently only offers transportation to and from the parks via the Disney busses. For a lot of people, this is an issue. And it’s easy to see why. The resort is so huge that depending on which stop you’re getting on at, the bus could already be full by the time it gets to you. Not only that, but if the bus is too full and there is no more room for guests, the bus will head to the Parks before stopping at all of the bus stops. Meaning if you’re at one of the last bus stops, you’ll have to wait for the next one.
While this isn’t usually a big problem, it definitely can cause delays during the busiest times of day. Park Opening and Closing are particularly difficult. As are busier times in general, like during Spring Break and Christmastime. When we stay here during those times, we often just catch an Uber instead. And while I know many people don’t love that idea, if your party can fit into a standard Uber, it’s only about $6-$9 per way. And for us, our time is worth that.
Room Layout in the Tower
The room layout in Gran Destino Tower leaves a lot to be desired. Much like our complaint about the way the rooms at Disney’s Contemporary Resort are laid out, the rooms in Gran Destino Tower are just…. weird? Why is the shower in the same room as the vanity, while the toilet is in a room beyond that? Do most people feel comfortable walking through the shower area while someone else is showering to use the toilet? These are questions I find myself asking about Gran Destino Tower. Especially since it’s a newer build.
The layout of these bathrooms just don’t make sense. Which makes me actually prefer the regular rooms in the rest of the resort. Unless you’re staying in a suite, like the Deluxe Suites in Gran Destino Tower, or better, the standard rooms might be a better fit for your family.
Location of the Main Pool
For many resorts, the main pool happens to be close to the main lobby. This keeps everything in one area. And keeps everything from being too spread out. But at Coronado Springs, The Dig Site, which is the hub for the main pool, is located quite far from the main lobby. Personally, due to the type of resort this is, that attracts a lot of convention guests, I think it’s a smart place to put the main pool. Especially since The Dig Site consists of a pool bar, playground, arcade and the pool itself, it’s a pretty convenient set up. And it keeps the convention center and the main play area separate.
I do, however, understand why people don’t like this. The preferred rooms, which do cost extra, can’t be super close to both locations, since the locations themselves aren’t close to each other. Many people want to be close to both areas when they are paying the premium. And guests staying in Gran Destino Tower aren’t really close to any specific pool at all.
That being said though, each outer area does it have its own quiet pool. So, if you don’t need to be at The Dig Site, and are just looking for somewhere to enjoy the pool, you have a lot of options that just might be closer to your room.
Pros and Cons of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
While this list may not be fully conclusive, we do hope it’s helped bring to light some of the pros and cons that are often talked about with Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Whether or not this resort is for you is completely a personal decision. But hopefully this post has shown you some of the good, and some of the not so good so you can make an educated decision for yourself.
Melanie Renee is a photographer, writer, designer and mom. Visiting Disney destinations since 2010, she is also an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. When she's not creating her next coffee recipe, or designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's seeking beautiful sunsets and planning her next trip .
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