Most guests overlook Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort when they’re choosing a Disney World hotel. But if you’re looking for a luxury-style stay without the high cost of a Deluxe Resort, this just might be the perfect hotel for you – here’s why!

At Disney World, you usually get what you pay for. Value resorts feel like value resorts, and the deluxe hotels earn their price tags with luxury experiences. But there’s one resort that breaks these rules entirely – Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This hotel underwent a major renovation in 2019 with the addition of the Gran Destino Tower, and it really upgraded the entire experience here. Now your stay feels like something you can get at Disney’s best (and most expensive) hotels, at a fraction of the cost. I’ve stayed here multiple times, and these are the reasons you should consider it for your next Disney World vacation.

Gran Destino Tower Rooms are Basically Deluxe Rooms at Moderate Pricing

Gran Destino Tower is a fifteen-story-tall building themed after the little-known Walt Disney Animation Studios short film, Destino. The design elements throughout the entire tower and inside the rooms are inspired by the film, which creates a more elevated and luxurious feel. And, inside the rooms, you’re treated to all the amenities and styling that you can usually only get in rooms at Deluxe resorts.

Photo by Abby Richardson

Each room in the tower features a sleek, modern style with views overlooking the lake and even EPCOT fireworks in the distance (if your room is situated just right). It also has a nicer elevator than the ones that you traditionally find at Moderate resorts (and even most Deluxe resorts) at Disney World because this hotel also functions as one of Disney’s largest convention centers. Compare all of that to a similarly priced room at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort or Disney’s Port Orleans Resort, where you’re getting a standard motel-style building, and it’s easy to see why you might feel like you’ve cracked a secret Disney code by staying here. 

The key here is staying in the tower, though, since the rooms in the surrounding buildings offer a more standard Moderate resort experience.

Dining is on Another Level for a Moderate Resort

When it comes to dining, most Moderate resorts have a quick service restaurant that’s styled similarly to a food court with multiple order and pick-up windows, one table service restaurant, and a pool bar. However, Coronado Springs has a total of ten (!!) restaurants and lounges throughout the resort. On the top floor of the tower, you’ll find one of Disney’s best restaurants that has earned a spot in the Michelin Guide, Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood. There’s also a rooftop lounge, two cafes, a quick service restaurant, a sports bar, multiple sit-down restaurants, and more. 

Barcelona Lounge inside the Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Photo by Cliff Wang

So, you won’t have to settle for subpar food when you stay here. In fact, you’re actually treated to some of the best food Disney has to offer!

It’s a Convention Resort

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is one of the largest Disney Resorts thanks to the fact that it also functions as a conference and convention center. While this means that the hotel can be busier in the early mornings and evenings depending on when you’re traveling, it actually gives you a bit of an advantage. 

Photo by Danny Shuster

Because the resort must cater to guests who are only visiting on business, the hotel is a bit more polished and updated more often to ensure that the guests who will only ever see the inside of the resort and convention center have a great experience. And, since many convention guests spend their days in meetings instead of at the parks, the buses, pools, and walkways can be surprisingly quiet.

The Pool is One of the Best on Property

If you’re a family that loves spending time at the resort pool when you visit, you’ll definitely be happy with what Coronado Springs has to offer! The Lost City of Cibola pool at the center of the hotel is themed around a large Mayan pyramid, immersing you in the resort’s Spanish, Mexican, and American Southwest inspiration. Plus, it also has a large waterslide for the kids, and a separate kiddie pool area for your little ones (which we particularly appreciated when we stayed here with our toddler). And, of course, there’s a hot tub so you can relax after a long park day.

Photo by Danny Shuster

Because so many of the resort’s guests are here for conferences, I’ve never once felt cramped swimming here, even during busier seasons. And, if you do happen to catch it on a crowded day, there are quiet leisure pools scattered throughout the casitas, ranchos, and cabanas sections that usually don’t have a crowd.

Close to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom

Coronado Springs is located in the Animal Kingdom Resort area, which means that getting to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios is only a short bus ride away. This makes rope dropping either park much easier, and there are multiple bus stops spread around the resort so you’re never too far from one. If you’re planning a trip that’s heavy on those two parks, the location of this hotel is one of the best on property.

The Trade-Off

Now for one honest caveat – Coronado Springs only offers bus transportation to and from the theme parks. So, unlike some other resorts where you can hop on a monorail, boat, or the Disney Skyliner, you’re stuck with one (sometimes slow) mode of transportation no matter where you’re going.

Photo by Danny Shuster

The resort is also spread out around a large lake, and if you book a standard room in the older Casitas, Ranchos, or Cabanas sections, you could end up with a long walk to the main lobby and dining locations. The positive is that these rooms have been updated relatively recently, so you’re still getting nicer furniture and finishes, but it’s a more traditional Moderate resort experience. If you’re not booking the Tower, it’s worth requesting a room near El Centro or one of the bridges to cut down on the walking distance.

All in all, this is the resort I recommend staying at if you’re traveling as a couple, if you have older kids, or if you want the Deluxe resort look and feel without having to pay Deluxe prices. The amenities are too good to miss at the cheaper cost.