I had the pleasure of staying at a new (to me) resort last week while visiting The Walt Disney World Resort. I stayed at quite a few of the resorts but never had the chance to check out Coronado Springs. Coronado Springs is listed in the moderate level of resorts at Walt Disney World but there are some things at this resort that make it almost fall into the Deluxe category. What are my thoughts? Here we go!
Let's start with the basics. Coronado Springs is located in the Animal KIngdom area of Disney World. The resort boasts a mix of Spanish, Mexican and Western American flair in theming. There is a beautiful lake in the middle of the resort and the buildings with rooms, restaurants and other amenities surround the lake. There is also a new addition to the resort in the form of the Gran Destino Tower. Both the Tower and the outer building have a mixture of standard and suites with various types of views. There is also a convention center connected to the resort with lots of business working options throughout.
So what are the factors that might influence your decision to stay or not stay at Coronado Springs. Let's look at some of those in depth.
Theming - If you're looking for lots of Disney theming, then this is not the place for you. Because it does have a lot of conventions goers, there is minimal overt Disney theming at this resort. It is beautiful with lots of trees and foliage and of course the beautiful lake in the middle. You will not, however, find statues of Mickey and Minnie around the grounds. So if you have little kids that need to see Disney the whole time you are visiting, then maybe try one of the Value Resorts that has Disney theming over the top. If you are looking for a quiet, relaxing place to wake up to and wind down at night then you've found the perfect spot! We came back from the park one night and just had a seat down by the lake and enjoyed the quiet!
Dining - Because Coronado Springs is in the moderate category, it has quick service as well as table service restaurants. They actually have 6 different restaurants located throughout the resort so there's always something available. There are also 3 bars located throughout with a mix of active and quiet options. If you plan to eat more at your resort than in the parks, then you have a lot to pick from!
Type of Guest - Due mostly to the resort having a convention center, there are definitely more adults than children at this resort. For some people who enjoy then quiet and do not want to hear kids at all hours of the day then this resort is great! There are still plenty of activities for kids such as pools, an arcade, a playground area and movies by the stars. However, the ratio of adults to childrens is definitely much less.
Exercise - Yes, there is a fitness center at the resort but the type of exercise I'm talking about is walking around the resort. The resort is huge and you can need to walk quite a way to get from the back of the resort to the front building. There are bus stops at every few buildings to get you to the parks and you can ride those to a different area of the resort also. As we also discovered last one night when we returned exhausted from the parks, you can ask Bell Services to have someone drive you to your building!
Club Level - Here is one of the biggest reasons to stay at Coronado Springs Resort. You can actually have Club Level service at the resort. This is the only moderate resort that has that amenity available. So you can get the perk of Club Level without having to pay for the Dexlue category rates. What does that do to help you stay? It gives you access to someone who can help you with things like dining reservations. Most importantly, it gives you access to free food and drinks throughout the day. Here are some of the options you can find:
Continental breakfast
Evening wine and beer selections
Desserts and cordial
This can be a great way to save money on food and drinks in the parks!
Last thoughts - Personally, I'd loved my time at Coronado Springs. I love kids but now that my kids are in their 20's I enjoyed having a few more adult options in my stay. I will definitely be staying at Coronado Springs Resort again!
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