Seven Reasons to Stay at Coronado Springs
Every Walt Disney World resort offers more amenities than you could ever need.
That’s why you may struggle to decide where to stay. You want to pick the best possible place, and FOMO is real with Disney hotels.
Many Disney fans believe that the Moderate tier of Disney resorts provides the best combination of value and amenities.
Which one is best? There’s no wrong answer here. Still, I’ll give you seven great reasons to stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort!
The Convention Center
What’s better than visiting Disney for fun? The answer is marrying a business trip with a Disney vacation!
I mention this because thousands of lucky guests combine business with pleasure each month at Coronado Springs.
This resort hosts a gigantic convention center with 20,000 square meters of space. That’s 220,000 square feet of convention facilities!
So, many businesses offer corporate retreats and annual meetings at Coronado Springs Resort Convention Center.
When you’re one of the lucky employees who goes on a “work trip” to Walt Disney World, you can spend the days at the convention center and nights at the parks!
Folks, there’s no beating this combination. If you have any influence whatsoever about your company’s corporate retreats, start a whisper campaign asap!
The Golden Lake
When Disney designed Coronado Springs, Imagineers prioritized visual splendor befitting the classic Spanish/Mayan theme.
When you think of this region of the world, luscious lakes spring to mind. Disney has honored that style with a unique area.
You can’t help but notice Lago Dorado as you roam the hotel campus. It literally translates as Golden Lake, a fitting description.
White sand beaches lead to Lago Dorado, which makes it ideal for those Insta-worthy pictures you want.
Notably, Disney has joined form and function here. You’ll find a marina in one part of Lago Dorado. You can rent boats and other aquatic equipment here.
In doing so, you can appreciate the 22 acres of Golden Lake from an angle that few other guests will see!
Gran Destino Tower
In July of 2019, Coronado Springs introduced a luxury expansion tower, one that’s frankly good enough to elevate the profile of the entire resort.
As I’ll explain in the next section, nobody would have blinked an eye if Disney had upgraded Coronado Springs from the Moderate to Deluxe tier afterward.
That’s how impressive the Gran Destino Tower expansion is. This 16-story building adds nearly 550 rooms to the hotel.
You can book a tower room rather than leaving your choice in the hands of fate. I’d recommend speaking to a MickeyTravels agent to learn details.
While I love the entirety of Coronado Springs, I must stress that Gran Destino Tower levels up the campus. This is the place you want to stay.
So, I’d recommend spending more to earn a bit more luxury. It’s vacation, and you work hard! You deserve to splurge from time to time.
LeBron James Loves the Place
One of the already-forgotten stories from the pandemic is the NBA Bubble.
In 2020, NBA officials recognized a need to complete the season and playoffs in a safe environment.
For three months, the Disney Bubble became a real thing rather than a state of mind. NBA players entered lockdown at Walt Disney World.
Disney gradually shifted the best teams, the ones who advanced deepest in the playoffs, to Gran Destino Tower.Yes, Disney moved its wealthiest guests at the time from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to Coronado Springs as a reward for winning.
If that statement doesn’t tell you how great Gran Destino Tower is, I don’t know what would.
LeBron James famously stayed in the most luxurious suite, which led to this tweet:
yo, ‘Bron got an apartment and not a room. lol. pic.twitter.com/M6xEj1dGmO
— The Lakers Review (@TheLakersReview) September 14, 2020
As far as hotel rooms/man caves go, that one’s hard to top! And if it’s good enough for King James, it’s good enough for the rest of us!
The Location
One of the unheralded secrets of Walt Disney World involves Coronado Springs.
Did you know that you can walk from this hotel to Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Winter Summerland?
I should warn you that you won’t find a sidewalk for this stroll, which can create some overhead.
To reach the water park from the hotel, you cross a pedestrian walkway at Buena Vista Drive. Plenty of guests do this, which indicates it’s safe and easy.
You should expect your walk to take 10-20 minutes, depending on how much you hurry.
Notably, google indicates that all Disney theme parks are eight minutes or less away from Coronado Springs by bus.
The one caveat here is that the internal bus system at Coronado Springs can add a few minutes to that trip.
Still, Coronado Springs possesses an excellent location close to all four Disney theme parks…and it’s only a short walk away from a water park!
The Lost City of Cibola Pool
Sometimes, Disney tells its Imagineers to let their creativity run wild. When that happens, some of the wildest designs imaginable become real.
Specifically, some daring soul pitched the idea of an abandoned Mayan temple as the setting for a hotel pool.
Nobody would ever agree to that, right? It’s such a decadent waste of resources to build an entire temple only to leave it empty inside!
Somehow, that’s what Disney has done with the main pool at Coronado Springs.
The theming here suggests you’re swimming near a dig site near one of the fabled Seven Cities of Gold.
When you stare at the Mayan ruins, you’ll notice that water flows down from the top to each stair. It’s a mesmerizing visual from a gorgeous setting.
Note that you cannot walk on the Mayan ruins because that would be incredibly dangerous. They exist to be noticed, not used.
Conversely, you should take time to ride the 123-foot waterslide here. It snakes through much of the unique backdrop.
You’ll relish the view if you manage to stay poised as you slide toward the pool at high velocity!
The Restaurants
I’m a firm believer in the idea that you should pick your resort based on the restaurants on site.
I feel this way because you sometimes want to take a break from the parks or unwind after a long Disney day.
The hotel restaurants keep you fueled while providing a respite from the chaos of the busier parts of the Disney campus.
At Coronado Springs, you can eat well while enjoying the scenery.
Specifically, you can dine at Three Bridges Bar & Grill, which you’ll find in the waters of Lago Dorado.
Alternatively, you can take the elevator to the top floor of Gran Destino Tower, where a rooftop restaurant awaits.
Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood provides a scenic view of the nightly fireworks at multiple resorts, and the food’s among the finest in Orlando.
By the way, if you ever need a quick table or want to watch the game, Rix Sports Bar & Grill is a sneaky-good option that few people know exists!
In short, fans of Spanish cuisine and unique restaurant settings will love their options at Coronado Springs!