Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Review

Alex Coleman

Mouseketeer
Joined
Nov 4, 2017


This is a comprehensive review of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. I will give my thoughts about the resort itself and I will review the room. I will also give some recommendations for those who may want to stay at the resort and some suggestions to make your stay better.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a Moderate resort in the Animal Kingdom area of Walt Disney World. There are just over 1900 rooms and they are arranged around Lago Dorado. The resort is themed in the style of Mexico and the American Southwest. There are three distinct areas. Each area is themed differently.

Sarah and I stayed here during our November 2017 trip. We had never visited the resort before our last trip so we came in with very few expectations. I knew that this was Disney World's only Moderate convention resort, so I figured that would slightly change the feel, but I had no other frame of reference.

Resort

Let’s start with positives. I think the grounds are the largest positive at Coronado Springs. The resort is incredibly quiet and relaxing. The walkway around the lake is an incredibly pleasant place to be. Sarah and I both loved seeing the diversity of each area. The hotel was designed very intentionally and each area is different. You really feel like you are in a Mexican beach resort when you are in the Cabanas. This extends from the buildings to the foliage.



Another positive at CS is the recreation area. The Dig Site is the main area to relax and unwind at the resort and I think it is excellent. The large Mayan pyramid at the main pool is a masterclass in Imagineering. It gives an otherwise unremarkable pool a lot of character. There is also a sand volleyball court, playground, and bar.



The lobby is another positive of the resort. The lobby is located in the main building (called El Centro). It is, technically, a part of the Casitas section of the resort and looks like it could be at home in Central Mexico.



El Centro also holds the resort's dining options. There are several restaurants. The Maya Grill is a Tex-Mex dinner option, Las Ventanas is a traditional breakfast and lunch option with a Mexican twist, Cafe Rix is a quick option for guests on the go, Pepper Market is the food court option at CS, and the Rix Lounge serves up drinks for thirsty guests. I think this lobby gives all the other WDW resort lobbies a run for their money in terms of quality.



If you are looking to stay at this resort, it is important to understand that CS is massive and spread out. I think the size of the resort can be both a positive and a negative. Sarah and I realized that we really enjoy the larger, more spread out resorts on our November 2017 trip. We love walking aimlessly through the resorts and feeling like we are isolated from the rest of the world during our vacations. Because of that fact, we like the size of the resort.



The size of this resort can also be a negative. Though this resort is not currently as bad as Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort for bus transportation, it is not amazing. There are several bus stops and these stops tend to take a very long time. This resort is centrally located, but still takes a while with four bus depots. You can also expect longer walks at CS. The buildings are spread out and there are some rooms that can be fairly far away from the depots. Our room was facing the lake, which was amazing for our view, but meant we needed to walk around the building to get to our bus depot.

The current renovations at this resort can either be a positive or a negative. Sarah and I both tend to be optimists when it comes to WDW touring. We like to be future-minded about renovations, rather than focusing on the current inconveniences. We see the potential of the changes. The major change that will be coming to CS is that there is a new 15-story tower being added next to the El Centro building. This will be a welcomed addition and, for the time being, are not very intrusive for guests staying at the resort.



The other major change currently in process at CS is that there is a large-scale room renovation taking place at the resort. The carpets are gone and the new rooms look fantastic. The entertainment unit and desk is being replaced by a more integrative single-unit. I think the idea is interesting and works well. I rarely use the desk, so why not try something new!

Unlike at CB, I do not think that the current state of renovations should stop someone from staying at CS. During our November 2017 stay, we did not hear any construction noise and we only barely noticed the closed building receiving room renovations during our second trip around Lago Dorado.



Rooms

Even though we did not stay in a renovated room during our November 2017 trip, the rooms were still high quality. I think this is where the status as "Disney's Moderate convention hotel" helps this resort. I think these rooms are intentionally nicer to satisfy a population that cares more about room quality. The rooms resembled CB's renovated rooms.



The rooms were nice enough that Sarah and I were not even aware that we were not in a renovated room until after we talked to a Cast Member in the lobby. The door divider to the bathroom gives a higher quality feel which was coupled nicely by subtle theming. Sarah and I really enjoy the Moderate resorts for this reason.



We both really liked the bed at CS. It was incredibly soft. Even though Sarah and I prefer firm beds, we can appreciate the softness of the beds here. My only complaint is that I didn't get to see one of the newly updated rooms! I wish we would have thought about it, but it is what it is. Check back in the future to see the updated rooms!



Should I Stay Here?



Personally, I rate Disney's Coronado Springs very highly. I would consider it the 3rd best resort in the Moderate family. The problem that this resort runs into is that the Port Orleans resorts are so fantastic. I think this is an incredibly nice resort and will only get better after room renovations and the new tower. The grounds and the diversity of options are great. I think the rooms are already good and will only get better. Once all the renovations are complete, I will need to revisit this resort in my rankings. But, for now, I think it is a great option if you do not want to stay at the Port Orleans resorts.

As a result of this, I would recommend CS for the following people:

  • Convention guests.
  • Groups who identify and appreciate the Southwest style.
  • Families who want to go to Disney World, but do not want to feel like they are at Disney World at their resort.
The main group of people who will stay at CS are people who are attending a convention. Being that it is the only Moderate convention center on property, most people at this resort will be staying here for that reason. For those guests, you will not have a choice to stay at the resort. That does not, however, meant that it is a bad resort. I think that this could be a great place to stay for people who enjoy the Southwest style or want to escape the feeling of being at Disney World. You enter this resort and can get lost in the grounds.

Tips


First, try to get a renovated room!
The renovation project is slated to take place during 2017, but it will take into 2018. The most recent update is that Casita 1, Ranchos 7A and Cabanas 8A have been completed. Casita is currently closed and will open soon. Stay in the Casitas. Being that the bus transportation takes so long, it is best to stay at the first bus stop. Sarah and I both prefer to do our longer waiting on the front end, rather than after the parks have closed and we are exhausted. If you stay in the Casitas, you will need to budget extra time to get to the parks, but you will be able to get off earlier upon returning. Those two things being said, go for Casita 1!

Have you stayed at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort? Share your experience! We would love to hear from you! Just add to the Comments section below.

Want to see more Walt Disney World reviews? Check out our Reviews page!
 
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Great review and photos! We love CSR and have had several great stays there. Casitas is our favorite section, I think it's the most beautiful and we like being next to the Bus stop 2.

I would like to add that CSR is not the only convention resort. It the only moderate with a convention center, but there are convention centers at BWI, YC, CR and GF.
 
Great review and photos! We love CSR and have had several great stays there. Casitas is our favorite section, I think it's the most beautiful and we like being next to the Bus stop 2.

I would like to add that CSR is not the only convention resort. It the only moderate with a convention center, but there are convention centers at BWI, YC, CR and GF.

You are absolutely right! I shouldn't write while sleepy! :upsidedow
 
Great review, as always love your photos! We stayed at Casitas 4 in October, there was renovations going on in Casitas 1-3 but we only heard it a few times. Agree, best area to stay and best bus stop!
 


Great review, as always love your photos! We stayed at Casitas 4 in October, there was renovations going on in Casitas 1-3 but we only heard it a few times. Agree, best area to stay and best bus stop!

I am glad it didn't disturb you! We didn't get any noise either.
 
Reading this Post makes me feel so good about CSR moderate as my fav place to stay on at Disney. After construction is done can't wait for a return. We did Caribbean Beach in 2017 construction wasn't a problem the food option was. Thanks for the post.
 
We are staying in a preferred room in June and will use the Casitas bus stop. How much extra time should I budget to go to the other stops before heading off to the parks?
 


We have just returned from CS, definitely my new favourite Disney Resort. We stayed Jan 8-12 and everything from check-in to check-out was amazing. We were thrilled when we arrived to find out that our room was a newly renovated room in Casitas 1. There were 3 Pardon our Pixie Dust Construction pins on the night stand and chocolates on the bed. We didn't have any busing issues and used stop 2 to go to the parks and got off at El Centro on the way home as it was closer! The electronic board at the bus stop is great and gives you live bus arrival times. We also really enjoyed the food options in Pepper Market as well as the selection of desserts and snacks at Cafe Rix. The walk to the main pool is beautiful, adults can use the water slide , the fitness room is well stocked, Panchitos Gift Store has a large variety of souvenirs and hand crafted items and has a large pin board as well as a large Burro with pins for trading! Our family of 4 enjoyed all the amenities at CS and would highly recommend this Resort!
 
We have just returned from CS, definitely my new favourite Disney Resort. We stayed Jan 8-12 and everything from check-in to check-out was amazing. We were thrilled when we arrived to find out that our room was a newly renovated room in Casitas 1. There were 3 Pardon our Pixie Dust Construction pins on the night stand and chocolates on the bed. We didn't have any busing issues and used stop 2 to go to the parks and got off at El Centro on the way home as it was closer! The electronic board at the bus stop is great and gives you live bus arrival times. We also really enjoyed the food options in Pepper Market as well as the selection of desserts and snacks at Cafe Rix. The walk to the main pool is beautiful, adults can use the water slide , the fitness room is well stocked, Panchitos Gift Store has a large variety of souvenirs and hand crafted items and has a large pin board as well as a large Burro with pins for trading! Our family of 4 enjoyed all the amenities at CS and would highly recommend this Resort!

I agree completely! CS was a bit of an unknown quantity for us before we stayed, but we were very, very happy with it! The room was so nice that we didn't even know that we were not in a renovated room until after we stayed there!
 

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