Selecting the correct room location at Coronado Springs Resort is tough, as is placing collectively this record of one of the best & worst buildings on the lodge. However, this covers room suggestions based mostly upon priorities and preferences for visitors staying at what looks like Walt Disney World’s largest lodge.
In truth, Coronado Springs (CSR) is “solely” the second largest resort at Walt Disney World with practically 2,500 rooms. First place is Pop Century with practically 3,000 rooms. In case you ask me, Coronado Springs feels larger than Pop Century, which is probably going because of the massive lake within the center and bigger room sizes. It’s an identical story as Port Orleans Riverside, Saratoga Springs, Outdated Key West, and Artwork of Animation–all of that are technically smaller resorts as measured by variety of rooms, however have huge footprints.
We keep at Coronado Springs Resort quite a bit. A part of that’s as a result of the usual rooms typically have nice last-minute availability and above-average reductions. One other half is that we’ve each come to like Gran Destino Tower as a luxurious tier lodge at inexpensive costs. For a primary primer on the resort, together with a glance contained in the visitor rooms, learn our complete Coronado Springs Review.
Talking of Gran Destino Tower, it was on the heart (not actually) of a large transformation of Coronado Springs Resort within the final 5 years. This growth additionally included the closure of the lodge’s major foyer (now situated within the tower) together with a bunch of recent and redone eating places. The rooms have been additionally refreshed, as have been constructing exteriors and the Dig Website Pool.
From the attitude of this put up, the largest change was the addition of Three Bridges Bar & Grill. Effectively, extra particularly, the addition of the literal three bridges that gave that its identify. Would’ve been kinda bizarre to have a Three Bridges restaurant with zero bridges. These bridges intersect the center of Lago Dorado (the large lake in the midst of the resort) and tremendously scale back strolling instances from one facet of Coronado Springs to the opposite.
Identical to the adjustments at Caribbean Seaside Resort, quite a lot of what was accomplished at CSR was geared toward addressing frequent visitor complaints that the lodge was too unfold out and concerned an excessive amount of strolling. This was far and away the commonest reader criticism we heard about Coronado Springs previously, adopted intently by associated however totally different issues with the bus service.
We’ll be trustworthy with you–there’s no such factor as an objectively “good” or “dangerous” location at Coronado Springs. It’s all extremely subjective. (To that time, my least favourite space is the Cabanas and I do know others who at all times request these rooms!) Your priorities, preferences, and finances will play a big function in figuring out the constructing and room sort you must guide and request. Let’s dig into the choices…
We’ll start with Gran Destino Tower.
For the overwhelming majority of visitors, Gran Destino Tower goes to supply one of the best location at Coronado Springs. That is the place the primary foyer is situated, together with a health heart, and the lodge’s greatest eating places. It’s additionally a simple and completely indoor stroll to El Centro, which was beforehand the primary foyer and remains to be house to a number of eating places, a present store, and extra.
Gran Destino Tower additionally has environment friendly elevators and is the one constructing with inside hallways. Due to that, its rooms even have views (albeit no balconies) and as long as you get a excessive sufficient flooring, you’re going to see one thing, since this is likely one of the tallest towers at Walt Disney World. As such, I’d follow an ordinary view room (moderately than water view) and easily make a request for a excessive flooring.
There’s additionally the Chronos Club Level at Gran Destino Tower, which affords far and away one of the best bang for buck of any Membership Stage at Walt Disney World. Coronado Springs is the one Average Resort to supply this, and like the remainder of Gran Destino Tower, it punches above its weight.
As you’re in all probability guessing, this all comes with a catch. (If not, we wouldn’t have mentioned there’s no goal “greatest” and “worst” location at Coronado Springs!) The massive one is pricing. Though Gran Destino Tower affords nice worth for cash relative to Deluxe Resorts, it’s way more costly than the remainder of the resort. You may count on to pay charges beginning at round $100 extra per night time at Gran Destino than the outlying buildings.
The opposite downsides are arguably the bus service and distance from the Dig Website Pool space. Gran Destino Tower is the final bus cease, and on a number of events, we’ve had buses skip us fully as a result of they have been already too full from the primary stops. (Clearly, that is an assumption–however one grounded in actuality since I’ve been on full buses that skip Gran Destino when staying in different buildings.)
The bus cease and set of buildings instantly earlier than Gran Destino Tower is the Cabanas.
That is mainly the “poor man’s most popular room” at Coronado Springs. As talked about above, I’m not an enormous fan of the Cabanas space. For me, this all comes all the way down to aesthetics. As initially constructed, the resort was designed to mirror three themes and areas of Mexico and the American Southwest.
The Cabanas are the agricultural and extra agrarian space, and the buildings mirror this with a extra rustic look. The placemaking across the buildings can also be equally spartan. This solely applies to the skin and customary areas; visitor rooms are basically similar in any respect three of the areas inside the resort.
The upside of Cabanas is…just about every part else! These are among the many closest rooms to Gran Destino Tower and, regardless of that, you’re not paying most popular room costs. There’s additionally a quiet pool proper by Constructing 8C, and the Dig Website is close to 8A. One other bus cease is on the alternative facet of that constructing.
If I weren’t oddly obsessive about exterior themes, Constructing 8A could be my favourite in all of Coronado Springs Resort. It’s proper by the characteristic pool and a bus cease, and there’s a ‘shortcut’ path via Lago Dorado that results in Gran Destino Tower. (It is a smaller bridge–not counted as one of many three bridges via the lake.) I additionally like that it’s proper by Ranchos, which is a nicer wanting space of the resort.
If you would like one of the best of every part, are on a finances, and aren’t preoccupied with exterior ‘fanciness,’ then Constructing 8A within the Cabanas is our high suggestion for a request at Coronado Springs. I personally love the nook rooms and high flooring (all buildings at CSR have elevators), however I wouldn’t get carried away on particular room requests past that.
Subsequent up is the Ranchos, which is the cluster of buildings behind the Dig Website Pool.
I completely love the Ranchos, and suppose this is likely one of the most underrated resort ‘areas’ in all of Walt Disney World. In accordance with Imagineering, this space is extra arid, and populated by ranches. However not within the rural and agrarian sense–these are like the place wealthier farmers would reside. There’s additionally a dried and rocky stream mattress and respectable quantity of vegetation, together with formidable cactuses.
These phrases and photographs don’t do the Ranchos justice–I actually love this space. There’s quite a lot of nuance and element to the design that isn’t instantly obvious, however is admittedly fairly good.
I additionally must admit that I like unfold out resorts and a part of the rationale why I like Ranchos is as a result of it’s the quietest space of Coronado Springs, and is a good choice for my morning espresso stroll. Even once I’m not staying on this part of the resort, I make a degree of constructing laps again right here.
As for downsides, nicely, the gap. That is simply 10 minutes from Gran Destino and El Centro. It’s probably not close to something, save for the Dig Website. And even then, Cabanas 8A is nearer.
The opposite upside, I assume, is that that is the second bus cease and it’s not that removed from Three Bridges Bar & Grill. With all of that mentioned, I’ve a extremely exhausting time recommending the Ranchos to anybody studying a put up like this one until you actually prize peace and quiet. You in all probability don’t worth “underrated theme” as a lot as I do, and even then, there’s arguably a greater space of the resort for you.
That brings us to the ultimate cease, the Casitas.
Thematically talking, that is the nicest outlying space of Coronado Springs. That’s not my evaluation, it’s Walt Disney World’s perspective. (It’s also my evaluation.) The Casitas are impressed by the city facilities of Mexico and the American Southwest. The outside design displays that, as these buildings simply really feel extra prosperous and lavishly designed. Not like the Ranchos, that are delicate and take time to understand, the standard of Casitas is outwardly obvious.
On this part of the resort, you’ll come upon vibrant, flower-filled plazas with fountains and beautiful courtyards. I’d say the Casitas space can also be underrated–I actually suppose it’s by followers who haven’t taken the time to discover the quiet courtyards–however the distinction right here is that Walt Disney World “charges” it appropriately, and has deemed Buildings 1, 2 and three to be Most popular Rooms. There are lots of nights when these Most popular Rooms within the Casitas price the very same worth as Gran Destino Tower. That makes zero sense to me!
I can’t think about any state of affairs the place I’d pay the very same worth to remain within the Casitas over Gran Destino Tower. Actually, I’d have a troublesome time justifying an additional $25 per night time for Buildings 1-3 over Constructing 4 or 5. So I actually wouldn’t pay a premium of $80 to $125, which is what it truly generally prices. In case you’re going to pay the additional, put it in direction of Gran Destino.
Alternatively, request Buildings 4 or 5! What I like about these two buildings is that they’re near the bus cease in addition to the bridges connecting to Three Bridges and El Centro. A few of the rooms in Constructing 5 are going to be about the identical stroll to Gran Destino as Constructing 2 or 3; most of the rooms in Cabanas will probably be a shorter stroll. Very a lot a “me factor,” however I additionally like that Constructing 5 is near Ranchos.
I additionally love that the highest flooring of Constructing 5 affords a good view of the EPCOT fireworks off within the distance. This doesn’t warrant a room request–you may solely see them from the hallways, not the rooms themselves. Right here’s a photograph I shot from displaying what this seems to be like:
Once we’re not staying at Gran Destino Tower, Constructing 4 or 5 is our go-to room request. That is one of the best of all worlds for me–first bus cease, fancy buildings, and a mangeable stroll to El Centro and Gran Destino. It’s additionally all with out the premium pricing. Simply remember the fact that I worth exterior theme and placemaking; for those who don’t care or just like the fashion for no matter cause, Cabanas is likely to be the higher decide for you.
That first bus cease may be clutch. I typically complain in regards to the bus service at CSR, and for good cause. The addition of Gran Destino put added pressure on the buses with out added capability, that means the buses may be packed within the early morning or finish of the night time coming again.
There have been numerous instances when staying at Gran Destino that we simply get off the bus at Casitas and stroll from there to get out of the congestion. Conversely, seats are ample from Casitas very first thing within the morning. That is actually what I like most about Buildings 4 and 5–they’re actually near one of the best bust cease at CSR.
Lastly, what we in all probability wouldn’t advocate. That will be any of the Most popular Rooms, that are all in Casitas Buildings 1 to three. That is talked about above, however I simply wish to hammer the purpose house right here. This categorization perhaps made sense again earlier than Gran Destino, however at this level, I’d moderately not pay additional for Cabanas if I have been primarily involved with comfort.
We additionally don’t actually see the purpose in paying additional for a water or pool view room at a lodge with exterior hallways, however maybe that’s simply us. Throughout hours when visitors foot visitors exterior our room is heaviest, we seldom open our blinds. To every their very own, although. I actually don’t thoughts paying for the standard view and being upgraded to water view, which occurs once in a while.
Personally, I believe you’re higher off reserving the bottom accessible fee (commonplace) after which making room requests for particular buildings. In case you guide one of many increased tier classes, you’re boxed into (at the least) that. I additionally wouldn’t request sure room numbers or ranges. Only a constructing, flooring, and ‘nearer to [pool/bus stop/etc.].’
The extra common and open-ended the request, the extra probably it’s to be fulfilled. In case you’re getting so particular that there’s just one single room (or a handful of them) that you really want, you’re much less prone to obtain the request.
To assist put all of this into perspective, right here’s a map of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort:
In the end, we all know this presents a number of choices and quite a bit to ponder. Usually, we aren’t overly-keen on requesting particular room numbers (and even ranges), and suppose Walt Disney World planners put an excessive amount of emphasis on them. Nevertheless, one factor we’ve discovered with Coronado Springs Resort is that location is commonly make or break when it comes to visitor notion of the resort–so it’s a good suggestion to make a constructing request.
We keep at Coronado Springs frequently and have come to actually respect the arguably underrated resort, and wish others to share that very same appreciation. Therefore this lengthy evaluation of one of the best and worst places at CSR. It’s undoubtedly not one of the best lodge at Walt Disney World, however followers typically don’t give it sufficient credit score, dismissing it as the tasteless conference resort. Whereas some criticisms of it are legitimate, “bland” actually isn’t one among them.
In case you’re nonetheless torn or are actually extra conflicted than earlier than and wish us to make your resolution for you, go for Buildings 4 or 5 if transportation ease issues most otherwise you need the fanciest space of the resort with out paying something additional. Constructing 8A is a good choice for essentially the most well-rounded space with least strolling, however you is likely to be standing on the bus on the way in which to the parks for Early Entry or rope drop!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for every part it is advisable to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever stayed at Coronado Springs Resort because the Gran Destino Tower opened? Which constructing have been you in? Do you have got a favourite part of the resort or a room request you usually make? Would you agree or disagree with our CSR constructing and room suggestions? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
