Moderate - Coronado Springs Resort

Address: 1000 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-1000
Phone: (407) 939-1000
Fax: (407) 939-1001

Coronado Springs is another of Disney's moderately priced resorts that opened on August 1, 1997. The complex has 1,967 rooms and suites situated in three villages around a 15-acre lake called Lago Dorado.

This is Disney's first moderately priced convention hotel. There is a 95,000-square-foot convention center that includes a 60,214 square-foot ballroom, as well as a full-service business center. The ballroom can accommodate 5,000 for a sit-down dinner or 6,500 meeting-style seats. There is also a 20,000 square- foot Junior Ballroom.

The foyer has a lovely fountain in its center, but it is the domed ceiling that is the true jewel of the entranceway. A soft pink glowing light opens into the dome itself... an incredible mural that depicts a gazebo with doves sitting/flying amidst a spring flower garden.

Resort Layout:
The Coronado Springs has an American Southwest/northern Mexico theme. Plazas, courtyards and a rocky shoreline make up the terrain.

Themed to the region's urban areas, the Casitas (little houses) offer accommodations amidst plazas, fountains and palm-shaded courtyards. They are three and four stories and are the focus of convention accommodations. Architecturally, the Casitas represent urban centers like Santa Fe or Monterrey.

All sorts of surprises decorate the grounds of the Casitas... lovely fountains, and a serene pool. Disney, of course, wouldn't be Disney if it didn't have topiaries. In the Casitas, surrounded by a near-circle of gardenia bushes, sit the main characters from The Three Caballeros. One section of lawn highlights a really beautiful piece of art made out of columns and wooden slats.
The Ranchos are 2 and 3-storey pueblo-style villas that reflect more arid rural regions in a rustic ranch setting, complete with small streams tumbling over a rocky steam bed.

On the northern shore of Lago Dorado are the two storey Cabanas which reflect the beauty and serenity of Mexico's coastal regions. More than half the rooms have lake views. ; The Cabanas are 2-storey buildings with a sandy shoreline.

The resort is built around a 15-acre shimmering lake, Lago Dorado. Named for European explorer Francisco de Coronado, Coronado springs is a showcase of native architecture and landscaping. There is a stepped Mayan pyramid towering over an elaborate 120'x90' pool area with a water slide and a playground that doubles as an archeological dig site for kids. There is a jaguar perched over the water slide spitting water at guests as they slide down... and be sure to look for the Hidden Mickeys.

Coronado Springs is definitely a huge resort, but its expansiveness is also part of its beauty. From almost anywhere at the resort you can look across water and see the other areas.

Coronado Springs resort is very large and spread out. There is no one section that is convenient to everything. You will find Bell Services Staff, driving around the resort in their carts, very willing to give you a ride to most places you'd like to visit on the grounds. While the walks are most pleasant, it is a distance to get to and from some areas of the resort.

The building locations are described as follows. ; As you read the Building numbers and locations, picture a large, almost circular lake. Beginning at 6 o'clock is Casitas Building 1, followed by Building 2 and so on as you walk clockwise around the lake. Completing the circle is Cabanas Building 9B at 5 o'clock.

Casitas 1 is directly over the convention center and closest to Pepper Market, Maya Grill, the Main Bus Stop and the Front Desk. The Health Club and Beauty Salon are located between Casitas 2/3 and Casitas 4. Casitas 3 and 4 are closest to the Casitas Quiet Pool (and Guest Laundry). Casitas 4 is nearest the Casitas Bus Stop (Bus Stop 2). Casitas 5 is the furthest of the Casitas from the Main Building but closest to the Dig Site.

Ranchos 7A and 7B are the closest to the Dig Site. The Ranchos share a bus stop with the Cabanas (7A being the closest Ranchos building to Bus Stop 3). Ranchos 6A and B are the furthest buildings out and probably the quietest.

The Cabanas Building 8A is close to both the Cabanas Bus Stop (Bus Stop 4) and the Dig Site. Cabanas 9B is closest to Main Building (El Centro, which houses Pepper Market, etc.), the Marina, and is just a short walk from Bus Stop 1. Cabanas 9A is closest to the Quiet Pool (and Guest Laundry).

Services & Amenities:
 Limited room service
 Concierge desk
 Babysitting and child services
 Pak-n-play crib available
 Room and facilities for guest with disabilities
 Laundry facilities and service
 Self Parking

Guest Rooms:
The average guest room is approximately 314 square feet. There are 60 rooms with king-size beds; 1,718 have two double beds; there are 1,181 non-smoking rooms and 99 disabled-accessible rooms.

Standard rooms accommodate up to four guests. You can "rent" a rollaway bed for $15/night. The Casita Guest Rooms and the Cabana Guest Rooms are identical in size and furniture. The Coronado Rooms have only 1 sink and not the double sink setup that the other three Moderate Resorts have.

Guest room amenities include 4-cup coffee makers (with decaf and regular coffee packets) plus limited room service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each room has a three-drawer armoire with television, small table with two chairs, night stand, ceiling fan, and small wall safe. Hair dryers, iron, and ironing board, and small refrigerator are also standard. Available on request are cribs, bed rails, refrigerators, and wheelchairs. There is no charge for wheelchair use at the resort. Newspaper delivery is $1.50 per day. There are several newspaper vending machines throughout the resort, located near the elevators

Check-In & Check-Out:
Check-in is at 3pm. ; Your room may be available prior to that time, but it is not guaranteed. ; If your room is not available, you can leave your luggage with the Bell Services where it will be delivered to your room with it is ready. ; If you are waiting for your room you can use the main pool (lockers, changing areas, and public restrooms at poolside), or head out to a theme park.

Check-out is at 11am. ; If you pay by credit card, you do not have to go to desk to check out. ; An itemized bill will be hung on your door by 8:30am on the day of your departure. ; The electronic room key which was given will be automatically deactivated at 11am. ; You can use Bell services to take luggage to your car. ; If you are taking a bus or taxi to the airport, Bell services will keep your luggage until your transportation arrives.

Dining:
Pepper Market is the Food Court and seats over 400 in an open-air market atmosphere. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, it features both standard fare (baked goods, pizza, pasta, burgers, chicken) and Mexican cuisine (tacos - tostadas). There is also a grill with omelets made to order. Pepper Market is open 6:30 am to 11pm. There is also a cappuccino and espresso window with gourmet coffees and pastries that opens at 6 a.m. A margarita and beer kiosk also offers beverages.

The Coronado Springs Pepper Market Food Court is a different style of food court, the first "interactive restaurant" on property. You purchase your meals in a market-style set-up with various food stations. You interact with the chefs, visit the various food stations and keep going back for more food. Inside the large chili pepper iron gates, guests are seated by a host or hostess and receive a card. You then can stroll around the food areas, choose what you want to eat and receive a stamp on your card for each item you get (each guest receives his or her own card). At the end of the meal, you present your card(s) to a host or hostess and pay as you exit. A 10% gratuity is automatically added to your bill.

Pepper Market food counters include the following: tacos and fresh tortillas; Asian stir-fry items; American grill with steaks, rotisserie chicken, french fries; fresh pasta; specialty pizzas; cold and hot sandwiches; bread and sweet rolls.
Maya Grill, operated by one of the premier restaurateur families of Mexico is the full-service restaurant featuring a huge, wood-fired grill. Seating surrounds a Mayan temple replica. The Grill also features wines from Mexico, Argentina and Chile. The Maya Grill is open for Breakfast from 7 to 11am and for Dinner from 5 to 11 pm

Francisco's, is the 200-seat lounge offering specialty drinks and Southwestern-favorite snacks such as sopas (tortillas with shredded pork, pico de gallo sauce, black beans and cheese) or enjoy a service bar, similar to the one at Maya Grill. The emphasis is on tequilas and Latin drinks. The lounge offers tequila flights, an assortment of tequilas brought to your table throughout the night with your food. Francisco's is open from 5pm to 1 am daily.

Siesta's Pool Bar and Grill in the Dig Site pool area, offers counter service food and drinks from 11 am to 5 pm.

Tip:
The best beverage deal is the refillable mugs, available for approximate $12 at any of the food court vendors and through pizza delivery. ; The mugs are 16-oz, sturdy, dishwashable safe containers with lids. ; Mugs are refillable for the length of your stay at a self-service beverage island in the center of the food court. ;

Beverages include soft drinks, coffee, tea, iced coffee and tea, and hot chocolate (but not milk or fruit juice).

Recreation:
Pools
The resort has a wonderful themed pool at the Dig Site, as well as a quiet pools in each of the three regions. The Dig Site includes a 272,000+ gallon pool, a bar called Siesta's, a sand volleyball court, the largest outdoor hot tub on WDW property, which accommodates approximately 22 people, the Explorer's Playground, and the Iguana Arcade.

The Dig Site features a 46 foot tall Mayan pyramid themed as a modern archaeological dig of a lost kingdom. You can also find a Spitting Statue at the Dig Site. Night-time lighting resembles that which you would imagine at a dig site. Water flows from the top of the pyramid down into the pool. The Dig Site is open 8am to midnight.

• The Water Slide is 123 feet long, shoots under a spitting jaguar and is partially covered. There is a "walkway type bridge" which allows you to view people in the water slide from above.

• A Children's Pool includes a central spouting fountain.

• There are three quiet pools, one located in each of the regions: Casitas, Ranchos, and Cabanas. Towels are available poolside at the Dig Site, but no towels are available at the Quiet Pools. You'll need to take the towels from your room.

All the pools at WDW are geared with children in mind, so there are *always* steps into pools. The Dig Site pool (the main pool with the Mayan pyramid) as well as the quiet pools have wheelchair access, and a place for folks in chairs to slide off onto a step and slide down into the pool…with extra railing too.

Playgrounds
Explorer's Playground provides kids an area to dig for artifacts in the sand, play on swings or climb into the Pyramid. There is a large Mayan head statue in the midst of the playground; partially buried in the sand.

Bikes & Boats
The Marina located on the southern end of Lago Dorado near El Centro offers kayak, pedal boats and electric boat rentals from 10 am to 6 pm. There are also bicycles, both regular and surrey bikes, available for rental from 10 am to 5:30 pm. They also have helmets for those that request one. In addition, they'll rent you a fishing pole, if you'd like to do some catch-and-release fishing on the lake.

Walking
Encircling the lagoon and linking the quiet pools is a 1.45 km Esplanade for leisurely strolls. A nature walk winds its way through the wooded sections of the resort featuring wooden walkways and bridges.

Shopping
Panchito's Gifts and Sundries is a 6,000 square-foot shop filled with Indian and Mestizo handicrafts and Disney's own character merchandise. The shop is named after Panchito, the Mexican parrot in Three Caballeros. Scenes from the Three Caballeros are painted on the walls of the shop, and there is a figure of the flying burro from the film that is central to the shop.

Other Amenities:
There are 2 Arcades - Iguana Arcade is near the Siesta pool bar and the Jumping Beans Arcade (the larger of the 2) is next to the lobby in the main building.

The facilities include La Vida Health Club, Casa de Belleza hairstyling salon. ; The salon offers the following services: hair styling, permanents, colorings, foiling, make-up, nail services & facials.

La Vida Health Club (open 6 am to 9 pm) is the first fitness center at a WDW moderately priced resort. It is 3,000 sq feet and has Cybex weight-lifting machines, free weights, step machines, treadmills, and stationary bikes. It also features a Precorps Transport cross training. The health club also has a 200 sq feet sauna, manicures, pedicures, facials, massage services, tanning facilities and personal training assistance. One day, Length of Stay and Family Memberships are available for your stay.

As of June 1, 2004, resort guests (age 14 and older) can use the fitness center at no additional charge for the duration of their stay. A parent or legal guardian must accompany children under 17. Guests of other Disney resorts may use the facilities for $12 per day, based on availability. The purchase of a spa treatment includes use of the adjacent fitness center for the day of treatment.

The Pressed Penny Machines are directly outside Francisco's bar and also off the Main Registration area near the phones.
There is no on-site childcare. You will need to call Kids' Night Out for that service.
Vending machines are located throughout the resort buildings (sodas are $2.00), near the elevators.
Stamps, a Mailbox, an ATM machine, and a calling card vending machine are located to the right of the Front Desk area near the Telephones.
Jogging maps are available at the Marina or Guest Services.

Telephone, voice mail & fax
Each guest room has full-featured voice mail. ; Messages from inside or outside Walt Disney World can be left on voicemail, and individual message can be saved or deleted by the guest.

You are notified by voice mail when faxes are received; they can be delivered to your room, or you can pick them up at the Front Desk. ; Service charges for incoming and outgoing faxes will be applied - check with the front desk for current rates. ; Photocopy services are also available for a fee.

Transportation:
Transportation from Coronado Springs to the theme parks is by bus only.
The bus stops are:
Bus Stop 1: El Centro
Bus Stop 2: Casitas
Bus Stop 3: Ranchos
Bus Stop 4: Ranchos and Cabanas

Transportation times are:
to the Disney-MGM Studios: less than 10 minutes
to Epcot: about 10 minutes
to Animal Kingdom: about 20 Minutes
to Magic Kingdom: about 20 minutes
to Blizzard Beach: about 5 minutes
NOTE: A side trip to Blizzard Beach is often added to the Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios routes – this will add at least 5 minutes to the trip.

To get to any other Disney Resort, hop on any bus going anywhere, and get off at that bus's destination and switch to the bus, or boat, or, monorail that services the Resort you want at that bus stop. Be careful of park closing times so that you are able to return to your hotel.

Buses to Universal Studios Florida and Sea World are provided by Mears.

If you bring or rent a car, you will find parking at the resort to be ample and free. ; Depending on your room location, you may or may not be able to park close to your room. ; Ask when room selection is made.

Airport Transportation will stop at the entrance of the resort.

Rates:
The resort is priced like the other moderate Disney resorts, Port Orleans and Caribbean Beach. Just like the other WDW hotels, there are Value Season, Regular Season, Peak Season and Holiday Season.

Standard rooms have maximum four-person occupancy per room. Prices are per room, and there is a charge of $15 per adult per night for more than two adults in a room.
An Annual Passholder Discount or Florida Resident discount may be available, so inquire when you make your reservation.

For reservations, call (407) WDISNEY or contact a travel agent.

‘Ultimate Park Hopper’ passes, which include admission to all Disney theme parks, Water parks, Pleasure Island, Disney Quest and Wide World of Sports can be purchased at check-in.

 

Re: Coronado Springs Resort

Thanks for the review!!! Are the buses to the parks free? (included)

TIA! ; ;D

 

Re: Coronado Springs Resort

All Disney transportation is free, to the parks, to downtown Disney and to other resorts. The only thing that you would spend money on is the public transportation that Orlando has.