Disney's Coronado Springs Resort is a love letter to colonial Mexico and the Southwestern spirit.
One of Walt Disney World's five Moderate category resorts, Coronado Springs is a sprawling property located near Disney's Animal Kingdom. It is separated into three neighborhoods, Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas, each with their unique style of architecture and landscape representing a town, the ranch, and the beachside.
El Centro
Check-in, restaurants, and shops are located at El Centro, a beautiful welcome to the the resort with its high arched ceilings and fountain.
Dining
Restaurants (at El Centro and poolside) include: Pepper Market, a food court-style quick service location; Rix Sports Bar & Grill, which recently came out with a new menu; Cafe Rix, a grab & go with coffee, smoothies, and pastries; Maya Grill, a table-service with Nuevo Latino cuisine; Siestas Cantina, a pool bar with snacks; and the Laguna Bar, a great stop on the lake near El Centro for all of your frozen drinks, a beer, or a cocktail.
Under Construction
We would be remiss to not talk about the elephant in the room, the resort's 15-story tower that is currently under construction along with a total room refurbishment currently under progress. The tower will have a rooftop restaurant and interior entry rooms, which will likely put the new rooms in an all-new category for moderate resorts, as all other rooms at moderates are exterior-entry. (Construction photos from end of May 2018)
Recreation
The Dig Site and the is the main pool area at Coronado Springs, with the huge Lost City of Cibola Pool and Jaguar slide echoing a Mayan temple. The Dig Site also houses the largest outdoor hot tub at Walt Disney World, which can seat up to 22 people. The Dig Site will be the next area of the resort to undergo refurbishments, beginning in Fall 2018, while the three other quiet pools will remain for use. Here what Disney has to say about this pool refurb: "The Dig Site (including Feature Pool) The Dig Site, home to The Lost City of Cibola Pool, volleyball court, playground, Iguana Arcade and Siestas Cantina, will be closed for refurbishment. While this work takes place, our other exceptional amenities, including three leisure pools, dining and merchandise locations, La Vida Health Club, Salon & Spa and recreation activities, including Movies Under the Stars and Campfires with Marshmallows, will remain available."
Rooms
Rooms at Coronado Springs have a new modern Southwestern design, with small Disney touches. The resort caters to the business traveler as well as families, since it houses an enormous convention center. The new room updates address both, with USB ports everywhere, Keurig coffee maker, sleek granite countertops replacing bulky armoires, and gigantic flat screen TVs. Gone is the carpet and newly installed is wood-look laminate flooring (which will be added to all Walt Disney World resort rooms by 2021). Beds are comfortable queens and raised to be able to store luggage underneath, much like the beds on Disney Cruise Line.
I would recommend booking a Preferred Room, if you don't want to walk a lot to get to dining and shops, although the main pool isn't exactly close to any of the neighborhoods since it is in the middle of the resort. Preferred Rooms are in the Casitas section. Other room categories besides Preferred are: Standard, Water View, King, Preferred King, Water View King, Junior Suite, Junior Suite King, Casitas 1 Bedroom Suite, 1 Bedroom King Suite, and Casitas Executive Suite.
Convention Center
Coronado Springs has a massive convention center, which makes the clientele of this resort skew slightly towards the business traveler. You will see lots of people in business attire and lanyards walking around the resort, and nightlife might extend a little longer than at the other moderate resorts.
Transportation
There are four bus stops at Coronado Springs: El Centro, Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas. There is an internal resort bus, as well as busses to the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Disney Springs. The resort is in the Animal Kingdom resort area and across the street from Blizzard Beach.
Here is a Photo Tour of the resort:
What are your thoughts on Disney's Coronado Springs Resort? What questions do you have? Post below and share!
Photos by Mackenzie Clark