Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Review
Coronado Springs is a Moderate Resort at Walt Disney World with a Southwest theme. This hotel review features new room photos, our thoughts on staying at the reimagined resort, dining, amenities, and more. This review has been refreshed following Gran Destino Tower’s debut and other upgrades.
At this point, Disney’s Coronado Springs is almost entirely back to normal. Every major restaurant has reopened, physical distancing has been dropped, and there are no longer waits or virtual queues to use the feature pool (that we’ve seen). About the only issue is that menus, especially at the food court, as still scaled back at some restaurants.
Our most recent stay at Coronado Springs was in Summer 2023, and even the bus service was good–minus one long wait leaving Magic Kingdom one night. Still, very good as compared to this time last year when we recommended temporarily avoiding Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. That’s no longer our advice–Coronado Springs is once again a good hotel option at Walt Disney World!
With that out of the way, let’s start by talking about that recent addition to Coronado Springs–Gran Destino Tower. This is basically a stand-alone hotel that shares some amenities with the rest of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Check out our Gran Destino Tower Review for an exhaustive look at the addition. It cannot be understated just how different Gran Destino is from the rest of Coronado Springs.
It’s basically a “Tale of Two Resorts” because Gran Destino is totally unlike the rest of the resort. Gran Destino is also totally unlike every single other Moderate Resort at Walt Disney World. It’s more akin to the Disney Springs area tower-style hotels, albeit with Disney perks and amenities. The tower itself has a Las Vegas-lite vibe, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just very different.
As a whole, Coronado Springs Resort is Walt Disney World’s biggest convention hotel. This likely explains why Gran Destino has such a different tone and style than every single other Moderate Resort at Walt Disney World. It’s undoubtedly catering to conventioneers, who are not necessarily interested in the rest of Walt Disney World and want more condensed accommodations.
The walk from the farthest rooms to the convention center–especially in business attire–can be brutal. Now, the walk from Gran Destino to the convention center is entirely indoors. Thanks to Coronado Springs’ convention hotel designation, the amenities, dining, and rooms are all arguably better than other Moderate Resorts at Walt Disney World.
That’s the upside of staying at this convention hotel if you’re a ‘regular’ guest, as you benefit from all of these elevated offerings. The downside is that Coronado Springs also has a different atmosphere and clientele (at least, during big events), and isn’t always catering to a family audience.
We’ve stayed at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort several times and have updated this review as the hotel–and our perspective–has changed over the years…
Coronado Springs is very spread out with Lago Dorado, a 22-acre lake, in the center. The resort is described as evoking “the spirit and romance of Spanish-colonial Mexico” during the time that explorer Don Francisco de Coronado searched for the legendary Seven Cities of Gold.
Theming-wise, we both think that Coronado Springs is underrated. There are three different architectural influences at the resort (all under the general umbrella of Southwestern): Ranchos, Cabanas, and Casitas. The architectural styles around the resort vary from urban to countryside, and in between.
Ranchos have more neutral color schemes and draw inspiration from southwestern cattle ranches. Cabanas are more colorful, and are designed to evoke the feel of Mexican beach resorts. Casitas are more urban, with Spanish architecture similar to what exists in Southwestern cities.
The one glaring downside to all of this is that Gran Destino has created a visual blight on the rest of the resort. Its scale and style do not even remotely match the outlying buildings, and it towering in the distance can be visually jarring. For many of you, this won’t be an issue (and there are upsides that come with Gran Destino), but for fans of themed design or repeat Coronado Springs guests who stayed pre-tower, this is sure to be a big downside.
Coronado Springs Resort is not adjacent to any of the theme parks, so guests of this resort must rely upon bus transportation or their own vehicles. There is no boat or monorail transportation from Coronado Springs Resort to any of the theme parks or Disney Springs.
With Gran Destino added, there’s arguably more of a burden on the bus transportation at Coronado Springs, which already wasn’t the greatest due to the numerous stops. During our first stay post-Gran Destino, we noticed an increase in crowdedness on the buses. However, this could’ve been a one-off. Walt Disney World bus service is notoriously inconsistent.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is possibly the most divisive resort on Walt Disney World property. Proponents believe it is very underrated thanks to its nice and newly-remodeled guest rooms, a well themed and huge pool complex, and the best dining of any Moderate Resort at Walt Disney World.
Critics feel that the atmosphere is ‘ruined’ by too many convention guests who take away from the ‘vacation’ feel of the resorts; others also complain that the resort is too spread out. As for the positive attributes, I feel they’re all spot on. As for the criticisms, I’ve never once felt that business-travelers were in any way negatively affecting my experience at Coronado Springs.
We view the surplus of business guests as a neutral. Presumably, they won’t be engaging in impromptu cheer sessions in the middle of the night (as can happen elsewhere when there’s a big youth event at ESPN Wide World of Sports). On the other hand, they might stay out at the bar a bit later than the average guest. Overall, though, they’re just like anyone else. Not really a big deal either way.
As for the resort being spread out, it absolutely is. Gran Destino and the new bridges across Lago Dorado go great lengths to minimize this, but it’s still a bit of an issue. If you don’t like walking, you’ll either want to book Gran Destino Tower or perhaps Port Orleans French Quarter. I love a nice walk and I find spread-out resorts to have more to explore and a better opportunity to convey their ambiance, so this “negative” is a big positive for me.
As for theme, some areas do an incredibly great job conveying their themes, especially the arid rock-covered paths in the Ranchos area. While the Ranchos fit the theme very well, I’m glad the entire resort isn’t designed this way.
The vibrance and more cheery architecture elsewhere is great, but even that has been muted as Disney attempts to blend the rest of the resort with Gran Destino. Ultimately, much of Coronado Springs strikes the perfect balance between Southwestern architecture and a charming ambiance.
The Dig Site pool is one area that is spectacular. It cracks our list of the Top 10 Pools at Walt Disney World, and frankly could rank much higher once you consider this entire area that offers a lot.
Beyond the pool and its 123-foot water slide, there’s also an arcade, play area, Siesta’s bar, volleyball court, and the largest hot tub at Walt Disney World. This whole area is really nice–it’s a huge selling point for Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
During our visits, we’ve always noticed that this pool is always less busy than almost any other hotel at Walt Disney World. While I originally figured this was just our anecdotal observations, I now think it might be attributable to the hotel’s demographics. Can’t be using the pool midday if you’re in a convention. (Great for families who want midday pool time–no fighting the crowds!)
Now, let’s turn to the guest room:
We think Coronado’s guest rooms are the most nicely-appointed of any Moderate Resort. We’ve found the bedding and pillows to be nicer in quality, and the desk workspace nicer. This is likely all attributable to the ‘business/conventioneer’ nature of many guests.
At one point, we would’ve sweated that Coronado also had the largest rooms of any Moderate Resort. Apparently, that’s wrong (see our Hotel Room Sizes at Walt Disney World post for more info), but we still think they feel more spacious. Perhaps that’s just a more efficient use of space than the others?
The newly-redesigned room at Coronado Springs is pretty consistent with what Walt Disney World is doing elsewhere with room redesigns. Elevated beds for luggage storage, crisp (or bland) white bedding, and more low-key stylization.
For like the thousandth time, I think bed runners would go a long way in making the beds look less sterile, but I realize the hotel industry is moving away from them.
The television is a significant upgrade (in both size and quality), and there are now in-room Keurig machines. That chair in the corner is also new, and a nice touch.
We’re on board with the new streamlined desk and storage space under the television, and it’s nice to have a surplus of charging ports.
We also like the removal of carpeting, but that can lead to more noise. We’ve stayed in these new rooms twice and haven’t experienced this firsthand, so perhaps noise is properly mitigated.
The Three Caballeros art is also a nice touch–although I really wish they’d bring back the Three Caballeros topiaries, which used to be outside the main lobby.
For me, the change of the headboards and sliding doors is a downgrade. I loved the texture and rich wood, and thought that style simultaneously added a feeling of sophistication and thematic coherency.
The new headboards look more modern, but also cheaper. The doors also look cheap, but without looking modern.
The bathrooms are a significant upgrade. Significantly more storage space, nice twin sinks, great lighting in the mirror, and generally nice finishing.
It’s not pictured, but the toilet and shower are a separate room, just out of the frame to the right. These rooms still have a tub/shower combo.
As for dining, there are a lot of options at Coronado Springs. El Mercadero de Coronado (formerly Pepper Market) has become one of our favorite counter service restaurants at Walt Disney World, so that should say a lot about how we felt about it!
The center area of Coronado Springs has Maya Grill, Las Ventanas, and Cafe Rix, and a number of associated bars and lounges, plus Laguna Dock Bar outside along the water. With the addition of Gran Destino, these are all basically overflow dining for big conventions, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two close in the near future.
The noteworthy dining at Coronado Springs is all new. First, there’s Three Bridges Bar & Grill, a new over-the-water dining option that offers views of the fireworks at both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We love the atmosphere and food here, and think this restaurant offers strong value for money. (Read our Three Bridges Bar & Grill Review for more.)
Inside Gran Destino Tower, there’s Toledo — Tapas, Steak & Seafood and Dahlia Lounge on the top floor, which are both high end and chic. These also tout great views, and also offer views of the fireworks at both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There’s also Barcelona Lounge in the lobby. We haven’t dined at any of these yet (they just opened!), but look forward to doing so in the very near future.
One issue with Coronado Springs is crowds. When Gran Destino Tower was built, no pools or bus capacity was added to the resort complex. The rationale was that the new tower would be catering almost entirely to convention guests, who would typically not utilize amenities the same way or to the same extent as regular tourists.
However, that’s only true when conventions are occurring. When they are not, normal tourists are the clientele booking those rooms, and they do use the pools and buses. This can mean longer waits for buses (or ones that are commonly packed full of guests), plus more people at the Dig Site and Lost City of Cibola pool.
On the plus side, the normal convention clientele means Coronado Springs has a more formidable dining slate. This is discussed above, but it’s worth reiterating. A regular Moderate Resort would not have Barcelona Lounge, Dahlia Lounge, El Mercado de Coronado, Rix Sports Bar & Grill, Siestas Cantina, and Three Bridges Bar & Grill. Nor would it have guests rooms that are as nice as Coronado Springs. So it really is a double-edged sword.
Overall, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a bit of a mixed bag depending upon your perspective, but we think it’s mostly good. The rooms are great, the pool is nice, and the dining is better than literally all of the other Moderate Resorts combined. Suffice to say, everyone benefits from the amenities that are aimed at convention guests. The outlying room clusters are definitely Moderate in style, but Gran Destino and the amenities and near-Deluxe level.
With that said, a lot of the theming doesn’t suit my personal tastes. I can appreciate some of it, albeit it not what Gran Destino adds to the landscape, but as a whole it’s not as appealing as the other Moderates. Moreover, if you’re staying at the most remote buildings in the resort, it’s a hike to all the dining options, and while you’ll be closer to the Dig Site pool area and Three Bridges Bar & Grill, you may not want to bother with anything else. At this point, we recommend Coronado Springs for those who will stay in Gran Destino Tower, or those who can get a great deal on one of the rooms in the rest of the resort. Otherwise, there are better Moderate Resort options at Walt Disney World.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of Coronado Springs…is it an incongruous convention hotel, or a great value with Deluxe-level amenities? Are you looking forward to a stay at Gran Destino, or is it not your style? Anything you love or loathe about Coronado? Any tips or thoughts to add? Questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I think the review is very fair and on target. We stayed for a week this year 2013 (end May beg of June) and totally loved our experience.
The Pepper Market is excellent and lots of food!
My son loved the pool so much so it was preferred over the water parks at Disney. During the summer there are games all day long the pool and at night there is a campfire and movies. There is a second pool which isn’t themed near the laundry area. Neither pool was ever too crowded. We had our mugs filled at the bar near the pool since it was closer to our room.
It was quiet in our room. In fact we never saw anyone coming or going in our area that often.
I read Lauren’s Honeymoon Horror and I really hate she wasn’t able to enjoy the resort. I felt like we were walking a maze to find our room but once we got familiar with the layout of the area everything is actually easy to access. Most rooms are near a bus stop area where if you didn’t want to walk to the front of the resort then you can take the bus around. Considering someone comes by every few minutes the wait is short. We chose however to walk to the front for dinner.
My chidden are 10,20 and 26. This resort was perfect for our family. We will for sure consider staying there in the future.
was there with my family for my fathers 80TH BIRTHDAY ON THE 30 31 AUGUST AND WE LEFT ON THE 1 OF SEPT 2013 IT WAS TO SEE THE BIG CAR SHOW MUSTANG IN MICKLAND. THERE WAS SOME GORGEOUS OLD CARS THERE.TOO BAD THEY COULDNT GET BURT WARD AND ADAM WEST THERE WITH THE BATMOBILE. HAHA OFCOURSE I KNEW THE CAR WASNT THE ORIGINAL CAR FROM THE SHOW BUT IT WAS STILL NICE LOOKING TO SEE A CAR FROM THE OLDIE BUT GOODIES TV SHOWS.THE RESORT WAS BEAUTIFUL WE ENJOYED OUR STAY THERE.
Hi Tom,
I’ve got to say that I have had quite the opposite experience here. I booked Coronado as part of our honeymoon and it was the absolute worst Disney experience I have EVER had (quite possibly the worst hotel experience in general). I was SO disappointed. We were talking about making a return trip at Christmas, but I’m so off-put by this experience we’ve scrapped plans. Staying here made me utter 3 words I NEVER thought would come out of my mouth “I hate Disney”. Maybe I just need some cooling off – but I can’t see returning to ANY Disney hotel any time soon.
Lauren: Oh no! We are thinking of staying here. What happened?
Hi Denise,
1) They ruined our luggage (we did get a $50 credit to cover repairs, but now I have to deal with it at home).
2) Our room was not directly accessible – you had to go to the top of another building (4 flights of stairs since the elevators were hard to find) and then walk all the way through that building and THEN all the way through our building to get to our room. It was also so far away from everything that we never got to explore the main pool or go to get our mugs refilled or anything. There was also tons of standing water in the walkways and staircases which was very dangerous.
3) No mini-fridge. Apparently every single mini-fridge at the resort was broken so they just removed them without bothering to tell us – we wasted TONS of food because of this.
4) The room was in serious need of a decor update. There were exposed light switch boxes, chipped/faded paint, dim light bulbs etc. I’m not sure if the room was like this because the maids were terrible (which they were) and just haven’t been keeping it clean, or if it got passed over last time they painted, or what.
5) We booked this room for our honeymoon almost a year ago – and you are seriously telling me that the best “preferred” room has a parking lot view and is 2 parking lots away from the bus stop AND at the very back of the resort? SERIOUSLY?!
6) We had something charged to our room that we did not charge (we paid cash or debit for everything – NO room charges were made at all) and the hotel acted like they were doing us this big favor by taking the unauthorized charge off (and it took much longer than was reasonable).
7) The quick service and reservations counters are clearly not capable of handling the large convention crowds – my husband waited in line for 20 minutes to try and get a bagel before he gave up and decided to eat at the airport.
8) There was a very large convention party there. Our only problem with them was that the organizers seemed to think it was OK to block entire hallways, but other than that no problems. I have a friend who used to work at a Disney hotel and she said this very large group is probably why we got such a bum room – they wanted to be blocked together, and so we got shafted. It just seems wrong…
Lauren-
What room and building were you in. We are going in a month so too late to change hotels but maybe I get a different building.
HI Lauren,
Did you try communicating to Disney about your concerns? They will usually upgrade or do something to make you happy. Our luggage was missing for several hours and they comp’d us “Very Merry Christmas Party” tickets.
Lauren, I have a feeling you were in the Casitas bldgs! Sounds like you were describing our room! Really time for them to do a MAJOR update!
Thanks for this review! Staying at CSR in August, for a convention. : ) Well, my husband’s convention, we’re just along for the rides (haha). Our 1st time in a moderate resort, so I’m looking forward to it. And the queen beds! I have been nervous though, the reviews seem to be 1/2 and 1/2. We are used to Pop and the All Stars, but really enjoyed our cabin in FW. And I’m still confused about the dining options, is the Pepper Market the only CS for breakfast and lunch? I’ve heard it’s changed recently? Not a buffet anymore? At any rate, we are looking forward to our stay there, excited to try something new. The kids are looking forward to the pool with a slide!
I think this review addresses both sides of the half and half on CSR. The people who dislike it seem to do so because it’s so spread out and because it’s a convention hotel with a slightly different atmosphere. Those who love it do so because of the theme and overall quality. Based upon how those characteristics matter to you, you should have a good idea of how it will work out for you.
Pepper Market is no longer a buffet, correct.
My family, my sister’s family and my parents (11 total) are going to Walt Disney World in July. I’ve only ever stayed at the Beach Club resort but we are looking for a moderate priced resort and considering Coronado Springs. I fully expect we’ll spend the majority of our time in the parks so high priority for us is easy access to transporation into the parks, short wait time at the bus stops, not a long bus ride, etc. I’m sure there are no guarentees for this at any resort but do you have any recommendations? Thank you for any tips you can offer!
My husband and I stayed at CSR on our first trip together. We got an excellent price on our room and I appreciate the understated theme in some areas. The rooms are nicely updated and, as mentioned before, the beds are heavenly. We loved the little hidden Mickey details.
The resort being spread out was such a positive for us. Our room was towards the back of the resort, so after our time in the parks we would catch the bus to the main building, refill our drink mugs and take a stroll around the lake to our room. We found the hammocks on our last night and spent an hour just laying around, taking in the beautiful night air! We LOVED this resort!!
I am not the only one who likes a spread out resort–that’s refreshing!
My family and I stayed here quite a few times during our yearly disney vacations and loved it. We felt it was a perfect compromise between an expensive deluxe resort and a value resort. The food is truly wonderful, as is the pool. I have heard some complaints about the size of the resort and the amount of walking that you have to do to get to your room, but this was never an issue and we often found that most convention guests requests the larger rooms in the back of the resort. It is also worth pointing out that the Coronado Springs is the only moderate with a fitness center (that was important for us but maybe not for other people :)).
My fiancé and I will be staying here on our honeymoon in August and are really excited about it!
PS: We love your blog, keep up the good work! From one young couple to another, we think you have a really good thing going here!
We will be staying at Coronado Springs Resort. We will be eating breakfast at the resort each day and possibly using a smaller pool in the evening. We would also like to be within a reasonable distance of the large pool. Which area would be best to request a room in?
Can I say WOW! Just wow. Awesome site, these pictures are INCREDIBLE!! Whatever camera you use is extremely professional and you just take great pictures! Thanks for all this info. I stayed in CSR last May with my Fiance and let me say, this resort is HIGHLY underrated..I’ve been to Disney multiple times and stayed at The Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans and totally overlooked this place. Lots to look at here and great for walking around at night especially. And the pool? Can’t beat it. Thank you again for this great review 🙂
Where do you reccomend a room for a guest in a wheel chair (dad is 75) who wants to be close to a place to grab a coffee and muffin in the morning? We also have two children who do not want to be too far from the main pool area. We made reservations here towards the end of August. Very excited to see this beautiful resort in person. Your review with pictures made us even more excited.
If you’re looking only at Moderates, probably French Quarter, or a preferred room at one of the other Moderates. In general, Wilderness Lodge or Contemporary would be good choices.
Great review! We stayed at CSR last fall and really liked it. We had a king preferred room and that bed was heavenly! Also loved that it was quieter/more adult friendly.
I have a vacation planned here in Nov. We cannot be anymore excited about it. I have read mixed reviews about CSR but I love the whole southwestern flair and we had to decide between this and Caribbean beach. I stayed at CB once before and to be truthful even though people rave over CB it didn’t leave me with any spectacular memories. I was advised the Ranchos were far away from everything and the Canista were mostly convention people so I requested a room in either cabana 8b or 9a. Any thoughts on that?
I really want to love CSR for all the reasons you mentioned. I’ve stayed there twice: in Aug 2004 and in April 2011. Both times I had major service issues. The first, a pipe burst in our room and flooded it. The second, the spray blasters got water in my key hole and my door wouldn’t open, so I was trapped outside for hours while they fixed it (they had to eventually replace the entire key and I had to get new keys at the front desk after midnight). While I love the theming and the rooms, I just can’t get over the 2 issues I’ve had both times I stayed there. I’m sure they’re just anomalies though and I’ll eventually return. CSR and POFQ are the best Mods on property (I think).
Did Disney do anything for your family for the trouble? I’ve heard of them upgrading the room or adding upgrades to your vacation packages when you have issues.
We stayed at the CSR in October 2011. We really liked it. It was very clean. I liked the experience, it wasn’t over-the-top Disney, just right for my family. Pepper Grill was nice. I wish they had different children’s meals. For example, I think the hot dog or pizza came with chips – how about a cup of fruit instead of the chips? Gotta pay extra for that…
The one thing that I’ve never seen in a review which is super important to me is the bed coverings! (I assumed that all newly upgraded WDW hotels had them). CSR have the down comforter with a white duvet cover, not the bed spreads. The bed spreads, that who knows when they were cleaned last. And you know if there is a white duvet cover, it is going to be cleaned and washed at any chance there is a mark on it. I am making the assumption that they put on new duvet when a new guest arrives.
I’ll be honest. I just made a reservation at POFQ because it has been newly updated. I just took a closer look and I saw they have the “old fashioned hotel” bedspreads. Yuk – grosses me out. I hate to be a pain, but I’ll be asking for fresh, clean bedspreads when I get there.
In regards to the pool. I wouldn’t call it, “spectacular”. It was a big pool, with 1 tiki spitting water, 1 slide and a large hot tub. The Mayan temple is there, with water coming down from it, but doesn’t do anything. Also, I will say my 6 year old loved the slide, but it was a long trip up the stairs and he was out of my sight while I waited at the bottom. I noticed at POFQ that their slide seems that he will not be out of my eyesight for very long. Makes a mom feel better while she is at the bottom waiting.
Excellent point with the bedspreads. Perhaps I glossed over it a bit by only saying that the beds are really nice, but this is one of the reasons that the beds are really nice. Those comforters (and the pillows!) are great!
I do think the pool is pretty spectacular, but I guess others’ opinions on that may differ! That’s why it helps to have people offer feedback in the comments–it gives future readers a more broad spectrum of opinions upon which they can base their hotel decision!
Coronado Springs is a resort that we always debate booking, but we’ve yet to actually make it there. Like you and Sarah, the convention crowd appeals to us. I think it makes sense in that we’re an adult couple with no children. We don’t have delicate sensibilities that will be offended by conventioneers “partying” between meetings or whatever it is that people seem to dislike about this crowd. Also, the rooms look beautiful. I love the color scheme that was introduced after the refurbishment. Ultimately we tend to stick with French Quarter when we go moderate because we like the resort’s compact footprint, but we’ll do CSR one of these days!
Do people normally complain about the partying? I’ve always seen complaints about the ‘stuffy’ business atmosphere.
In any case, partying doesn’t bother us, either. I lived in a frat house in college, so I’m fairly used to that. As long as these convention attendees aren’t cheering and pounding on doors at 4 am, I have no issue with them.
I’ll be staying on-site for the first time in August and before booking I deliberated for a while over whether to stay at Coronado Springs or Port Orleans Riverside. In the end I chose Riverside, but I think Coronado looks great too! Have you written a review for Riverside? If so I’d love to check it out!
We last stayed at Riverside before my DSLR days. The photos I have of it are awful at best. That said, we really liked it. A charming little resort with great ambiance!
Hi Tom, I enjoy your reviews, photos, and tips. If you had your choice of either the Coronado Springs or the Port Orleans Riverside, which would be your choice?
Thank you for your help.
We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter during on our honeymoon in 2000, and I LOVED it. It was technically the off-season, so we had to go to Riverside to eat, but the pool at French Quarter has to be the best one I’ve seen at WDW. Its a dragon, complete with slides 🙂 Riverside looked very nice, but personally, I loved the solitude and quiet of French Quarter.
CSR is one I’ve been wanting to stay at…I’ve hit all of the All-Stars, Pop Century, Grand Floridian, and of course Port Orleans. My kids are older (one is in college, one is a senior in high school, and then the “surprise” is 11 lol) so the potential for trips without kids is rapidly approaching, and I’ll be splurging to check off the more expensive resorts on my list 🙂
Great review, look forward to reading more 🙂
I’m pretty split on my view of CSR. We loved our room, the Pepper Market, the views across the lake. However, we did have a bad experience with convention guests – I suppose they had some sort of social one evening, and quite a few got very drunk and were making a ton of noise all night at the pool by our room. Wouldn’t prevent us from ever going back, I just think we’d put in some additional requests for where our room is located.
Good call on the room request. To be fair, I’ve encountered drunk guests at All Star Music, Boardwalk (many, many times there), the Poly, and Grand Floridian. I don’t think that conventions necessarily draw people looking to party–but they might!
Me & my wife are going to this resort in October, where would you guys reccomend we request to stay (area wise) want to near pool/lake view near bus stop & food areas if there is a certain area near that as I read mixed reviews on this site due to the size
CSR is awesome. Pepper Market is great. We have stayed at all the moderates and this is the only one we will return to.
I’ve been planning a trip for sometime now and Coronado is on my list of possibilities. Thanks for a very informative and (for me) timely review.
Glad we could help!
I must say, Coronado Springs is my favorite of all the Disney resorts we’ve stayed at. I’ve been to all the moderates and Animal Kingdom Lodge (a splurge last year). It’s the only moderate with queen size beds, which is a plus! We were in whichever section is literally in the back end of the resort last time, and it was quite lovely. While it was quite a walk back to the main buildings, the bus stop was close and it was very quiet! I don’t know that we’ll try Pepper Market now that it’s buffet (we have so many ADRs already, it’s crazy), but the food we got before (breakfast and lunch) was good and there was *so* much.
So, yeah, Coronado Springs get a gold star in my book.
Good to hear! Like I said in the review, my ultimate conclusion is really based on my preference as to theming. Looking at it more objectively, I think CSR is a GREAT resort!
Not sure about rooms at Coronado Resort! We are in Casitas and the room is in need of update..popcorn ceilings, dirty grout in bathroom, musty smell. Quite disappointing 🙁
Port Orleans has queen sized beds now as well.
I enjoyed CSR, but I wasn’t too happy with the food court. I felt it got too expensive, and would have been happier with a more traditional food court. However, I enjoyed everything else about it. I noticed a few employees were not the friendliest, but I was later told they were actually not employed by Disney. I don’t know if this situation has changed since 2006, when I was there. Still, I had a great time in a beautiful resort. I loved a long stroll around the lake with my kids every morning.
Of the moderates, Dixie Landings (I still insist on calling it that) is still my favorite, but this was nice, too.