Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower (Hotel Tour)

Located on-site at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower is one of the “Moderate” on-site resorts at Walt Disney World.  This spectacular hotel originally opened in 1997 and features 1,951 rooms in four different sections throughout property.

Situated along Buena Vista rive and Western Way, this property is themed after the southwest American and Spanish. It is a short distance to all four Walt Disney World theme parks, the water parks and Disney Springs.  The Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando are both less than 30 minutes away.

Amenities at this hotel are quite good for a property of this size and includes four resort style pools, the La Vida health Club, the Fitness Center at Gran Destino, complimentary resort wide transportation, organized recreational activities / entertainment and complimentary Wi-Fi service.

If you thinking about staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower or any of the amazing hotels in the Orlando area, we would appreciate if you can use our links when making the reservations. Endless Summer is an affiliate with Marriott, Hilton & Expedia, receiving a small commission for each stay that was referred by our website.  

Frequently Asked Questions – Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

What are the hotel rates at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort?

Prices for Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower typically range from over $300 per night to more than $1,000 per night for the Tower suites and Casitas depending on the time of year.  See our price chart below for rates during specific nights.

Does Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort provide transportation to the Walt Disney World theme parks?

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort offers complimentary bus transportation throughout Walt Disney World including the theme parks, water parks, Disney Springs and the Resort hotels.  

Is there free transportation from the Orlando International Airport to hotel?

Complimentary transportation from Disney’s Magical Express is no longer offered.  However, Mears Connect shuttle service provides transportation from the Walt Disney World Resort to the Orlando International Airport at a cost of around $32.00 per person.

Is there a Resort Fee or Parking Charge at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort?

There are no resort fees or parking charges at Disney’s Riviera Resort.

How many pools are there at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort ?

There are four individual pools at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  The main pool is the Lost City of Cibola pool features a waterside inside of a Mayan pyramid.

What are the food & beverage options at the Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort?

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort features 10 food & beverage options including the Dahlia Lounge which is on the top of the Gran Destino Tower.

What is the check-in and check-out time at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort?

The check in-time at the Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is 4:00 pm and check out time is at 11:00 am.

What is the pet policy at the Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort?

With the exception of service animals, pets are not allowed at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. However, Disney’s has an ongoing program that allows pets at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort.  

About Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort originally opened in 1997 and was expanded in 2017 to include the 15-story Gran Destino Tower.  The property is one of the “Moderate” resorts at Walt Disney World and is highly themed after the Spanish and American southwest.

The resort is home to one of the largest conference facilities of any on-site resort within Walt Disney World.  There is a total of 228,000 square feet of function space including a 86,000 exhibit hall, a 24-seat boardroom, multiple breakout rooms and a full service business center.

There are 2,416 guests rooms that include 64 suites. In addition to the Gran Destino Tower, the three other “settlements” of the resort are known as the Cabanas, the Casitas and the Ranchos.

Access to the resort is provided by Buena Vista Drive which connects to Epcot Center Drive and Interstate 4 just a few miles to the east.

It will take about 30 minutes to get to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort from the Orlando International Airport.  Guests can either take SR-528 (Beach Line Expressway) to Interstate 4, west to Osceola Parkway or SR-417 west to the Osceola Parkway.  Both routes are similar in mileage and fairly easy to navigate for out-of-area travelers.

From Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, the time / distance to the visitor toll plazas at the Disney theme parks are as follows (per Google Maps):

• Magic Kingdom Park: Approximately 10 minutes
• Epcot: Less than 10 minutes
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Less than 10 minutes
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Approximately 10 minutes
• Disney Springs (Orange Parking Garage): Less than 15 minutes

The time / distance to other popular Orlando area attractions is as follows:

• SeaWorld Orlando: Approximately 20 minutes
• Universal Orlando Resort: Approximately 30 minutes.
• Downtown Orlando: Approximately 40 minutes
• Orange County Convention Center: Approximately 20 minutes
• The Mall at Millenia: Approximately 35 minutes

Amenities at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a full service “Moderate” resort which includes a number of amenities and features at a fairly affordable price.

Resort Pool Areas

There are four individual pool areas at Disney’s Riviera Resort.  Located at the Dig Site is the Lost City of Cibola pool which features a 132-foot waterslide build around a 50 foot Mayan Pyramid.  There is also a hot tub large enough for 22 guests. 

Guests will also find three additional leisure pools located at the Casitas, Ranchos and Cabanas settlements.

Other Amenities

• Entertainment and Recreation
• Colors of Coronado Painting Experience
• Spanish Mosaic Art
• Iguana Arcade
• La Vida Health Club
• Fitness Center at Gran Destino
• Jogging Trail
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

There is also complimentary transportation provided throughout the entire Walt Disney World Resort.  The hotel features shuttle bus service outside of main lobby to the theme parks as well as Disney Springs.

 Dining Options at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Food & beverage options are extensive and what you would expect for a high quality property like Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  These dining venues range from grab-and-go to upscale resort dining.

• Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood
• Three Bridges Bar & Grill at Villas del Lago
• Rix Sprots Bar & Grill
• Dahlia Lounge
• Barcelona Lounge
• Siestas Cantina
• Maya Grill
• Cafe Rix
• El Mercado de Coronado
• Laguna Bar

The Rooms at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

There multiple types of rooms at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort ranging from standard rooms to tower suites.  All rooms feature a beverage coorler or small refrigerator, free wireless internet service, flat panel televisions a coffee maker, iron / ironing board, in-room safe, telephone with voicemail, hairdryer and bathroom products.

Standard Rooms

Standard rooms sleep up to 4 adults with one king or 2 queen beds.  There are water views and preferred rooms that are end the El Centro dining, shopping & transportation center.

Casitas

One bedroom suites suites that sleep up to 8 adults.  Casitas feature 2 queen beds with a sleeper sofa or one king bed with a sleeper sofa.  The Executive Suite at the Casitas includes one king bed, two queen beds and a sleeper sofa.

Grand Destino Tower

The Grand Destino Tower features a number of rooms and suites that sleep up to 4 adults.  There are also “Club Access” rooms which include access to a club-level lounge that serves refreshments from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Hotel Rates at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Like most hotels in the greater Orlando area, rates at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort are highly seasonal and we have found that rates and availability do vary quite considerably throughout the year. 

Rates typically range from about $300 per night for the standard rooms to more than $1,00 per night for the casitas. There is a 6% resort tax on top of a 6.5% sales tax.  The property does not charge resort fees or have overnight parking charges.  

Disney is constantly running special offers and there are always discounts for annual passholders and Florida Residents.

What We Liked about Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

There are a number of things to like about Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  Following are some of the highlights:

• Expansive resort with plenty to do
• The view from Tower rooms
• Great theming and decor
• Extensive dining options

What We Did Not Like about Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

There are a few things about the Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort we do not like which include:

• Night hotel rate (high for a “moderate” resort)
• Long walk to main pool and dining areas
• Convention attendees can overwhelm amenities & dining venues

What We Think Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is Perfect For

We were very happy with our stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and find that it is perfect for:

• Large families (Casitas and larger suites)
• Vacation travelers seeking a high quality Disney experience
• Convention attendees at the hotel

Our Endless Summer Thoughts

The Coronado Springs Resort is a high quality resort that includes a number of on-site amenities and dining options.  It’s is very well themed and a nice hotel to stay at when visiting the Disney World theme parks (especially within the Tower).

As Florida residents and annual passholders, we try to take advantage of special offers for any on-site Disney hotel.  Any time we see an offer less than $300 per night for the Coronado Springs Resort, we book it.  However, paying over $500 per night to a resort that’s not along the Disney Monorail or water taxi line is a little pricey for our tastes.

Since typically we drive to Orlando, the Disney’s transportation service to the theme parks as well as Uber / Lyft for off-site restaurants is not a concern.  However, without a vehicle guests are not fully able to explore the Orlando area outside of Disney (this of course is by design). Outside transportation service costs can add up if you are looking to visit non-Disney theme parks or off-property restaurants so keep that in mind for your next visit.