Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Gran Destino Tower – Disney Coronado Springs Resort Review

By Leave a Comment

On my most recent visit to Walt Disney World, I stayed in the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort with my mom. Here’s a look at that experience.

Gran Destino Tower

Gran Destino Tower

Back in 2014, my mom and I visited Walt Disney World for the first time. While there, we attended a blogging conference held at the Coronado Springs Resort. We disliked how big and spread out everything was there, so we hadn’t returned in the decade since. However, back in 2019 Disney opened the Gran Destino Tower at this resort. So, when we spotted a deal on a room in the tower for our early February trip, we decided to try the resort again.

The Coronado Springs Resort celebrates Spanish, Mexican, and South American cultures. It’s a sprawling resort built around a beautiful body of water. Its size and resort classification (moderate) remind me of Disney Port Orleans Riverside Resort. Both resorts feature a lovely/romantic vibe but have totally different theming.

Standard Room

We stayed in a standard view room with two queen beds. Our room was on the front of the building and we had a view looking out at Hollywood Studios as well as the parking lots. I thought it was a nice view.

My mom and I were immediately impressed with the room upon entering it. In fact, I pulled up my email from when we booked to double check the price. Ha! We paid $220/night for the room and we definitely thought it was worth it! Everything still looks shiny and new. The room has modern upscale touches that make it easy to relax. In fact, we had a non-park day this trip and found this to be the perfect place to just chill.

Also, worth noting is how quiet this resort was. We didn’t have an adjoining room and rarely heard other people.

Pros

  • Park Transportation – It is only via bus, but it is still a great perk of staying on-site.
  • Close to bus stop – The bus stop for this area is right in front of the tower. This is a huge improvement over the last time we stayed here!
  • New – The tower is new, so everything looks sleek and pretty!
  • Close to food – This resort has lots of food options. There’s a restaurant at the top of the tower (Toledo). Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to try many of the foods here. However, I’d love to go back to explore those options.
  • Quiet – This was one of the quietest resort stays I’ve had. I loved it.

Cons

  • Multiple bus stops – The tower doesn’t change the fact that the resort is large and spread out. Sitting through multiple bus stops at the end of the night isn’t ideal.
  • Convention crowds – Since this is the only moderate to have a convention center attached, it can be a busy resort. The center probably increases the amenities available but it can also lead to crowds and higher prices during certain times of the year.
  • Bus only transportation – There’s no access to the Skyliner here or monorail. So, if you want to go somewhere, you have to take a bus. Also, this resort is kind of removed from several of the parks.
  • Not overly Disney themed – There are some nice touches, like a picture of Walt in the lobby and some Mickey’s in the wallpaper pattern in the room. However, this is definitely a more adult-themed resort. I enjoyed it, but if you have children, you may want to look elsewhere.
  • Few tubs – We had a lovely shower. However, I know people with children prefer tubs. I’m not sure how many rooms have tubs but that is something to request or inquire with the hotel about if it’s important to you.

Would I stay in Gran Destino Tower Again?

As I stated above, I hadn’t stayed at Coronado Springs Resort in a decade. However, I was very impressed with the tower. Since my trips are all adults only, I wouldn’t hesitate to stay in the tower again. Have you ever stayed in the tower?

Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review

By Leave a Comment

In December, my mom and I stayed in a standard tower room at Cabana Bay Beach Resort during the Universal Orlando portion of our trip. Today, I’m sharing a review of that experience as well as my thoughts on the resort as a whole.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Last year, I reviewed the family suite at this resort. For my third stay here, we booked a standard room. Unfortunately, a regular room wasn’t ready when we checked in. So, they gave us a tower room with a bit of a view of Volcano Bay (the waterpark).

As you may recall, CB is a Value Resort at Universal Orlando. This means it’s in the same category as Universal’s Endless Summer Resorts, which I reviewed previously. Previously, it was considered a Prime Value, but it has been downgraded to a Value with the addition of the Stella Nova and Terra Luna coming in 2025. It offers only bus transportation to the parks and doesn’t come with free express passes. It features a retro 50/60’s vibe with lots of fun little touches.

Standard Room

My mom continues to enjoy the retro vibes of this resort. I think it makes her feel nostalgic. The beds were moderately comfortable. One huge complaint I have about this resort is the water pressure. It’s not enough for the shower or the toilet to work properly. Universal really needs to work on that. Overall, it was a comfortable enough room, considering we got a passholder discount and were there for only two nights.

Bayside Tower

While we had a standard two queen room, it was situated in the Bayside Tower. I have mixed feelings on the tower. While the tower itself seemed quieter than the building, the view of the waterpark made for a loud stay during the day. The drums that beat and the music that plays at the beginning of the day woke me up the one morning that we were sleeping in. Additionally, we could hear music playing during the day when we were napping. The noise is one of the reasons I recommend getting a white noise machine and/or a standard view at hotels. The other problem is the distance from the lobby and transportation. It’s quite the walk with all of your luggage or at the end of a long day.

Food Options

Given that this is a Value resort, there’s only quick service options here. There’s the main Bayliner Diner food court that serves the bulk of you what you can get here. I recommend the half chicken for dinner from here. I like to grab a smoothie and a croissant sandwich from Shakes Malt Shoppe for breakfast. There’s also the Galaxy Bowl Restaurant, Swizzle Lounge, two pool bars, and a Starbucks here. Unfortunately, if you want a nicer sit-down meal, you’ll have to head to the parks or City Walk.

Pros

  • Free park transportation – Again, free park transportation is one of the main reasons I tend to stay on property at UO and Disney.
  • Early park admission – Hotel guests can enter a certain park 1 hour early.
  • More affordable – We got a great passholder deal on this room of around $150/night!
  • Pool – CB has the largest pool on property and even has a lazy river!
  • Bowling alley – Fitting the retro theme, there’s even a bowling alley at this resort! It would make a great non-park day activity.
  • Lots of room options – There’s interior entry rooms in the main buildings as well as the towers. There’s also several exterior entry rooms available as well as family suites.

Cons

  • No sit down restaurant – For some families, this may be fine. For others, it may be a disappointment.
  • Bus only transportation – It’s not really feasible to walk over to Sapphire Falls to take the boat to the parks here. Although, there is a 20 minute garden walk path over to the parks.
  • Low water pressure – In fact, when we moved over to Disney I was actually impressed with their water pressure. That’s how low the pressure is here.
  • Can be crowded – Given how large the resort is, it can be a crowded resort. Additionally, sometimes groups or teams may stay here.
  • Distance – Given how many rooms this resort has, it’s spread out as far as UO resorts go. Depending on where you are staying, it may be a bit of a hike to the bus and/or lobby.

Should you stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort?

If you want a good value on the hotel or need a quieter family suite, then this is an excellent resort. In fact, I know lots of people consider this one of their favorite resorts. It’s usually more affordable and has plenty of room options. If you want a classier theme, quieter resort, express passes included, or boat transportation, then you will want to consider a different resort. Have you stayed at Cabana Bay?

Disney Port Orleans Riverside Resort Review

By Leave a Comment

Continuing with my Walt Disney World resorts reviews, today I’m covering Disney Port Orleans Riverside! I most recently stayed here in December of 2023 when I reviewed the princess themed rooms at this resort. However, I also stayed in a regular room back in 2016. So, this review will be based off of both stays.

Disney Port Orleans Riverside

Disney Port Orleans Riverside

As I mentioned in my Port Orleans French Quarter Resort review, there are two sister resorts under the Port Orleans Resort name. There’s French Quarter (a much smaller resort with jazz vibes) and this one, Riverside. Both resorts are considered moderates as they are a higher price point than the values. However, they also have classier themes and nicer food. In fact, Riverside even has a sit-down table service restaurant. Both resorts also provide boat transportation to Disney Springs!

Riverside Theme

Port Orleans Riverside is a large resort with multiple bus stops. It’s themed to the stately mansions of the bayou. There’s even a section of princess themed rooms. Overall, it’s a beautiful, peaceful resort. Currently, the regular rooms look very similar to the ones found at the French Quarter. The beds are moderately comfortable, but you are also paying for that comfort.

Now, on to the pros and cons of staying here.

Pros

  • Beautiful resort – This truly is a pretty and calm resort, which is good since you will be doing a lot of walking here.
  • Comfortable rooms – Again, both stays here have been quiet and we slept well. I also appreciated the good water pressure, particularly after staying at Cabana Bay at Universal.
  • Good for adults only stays – The classy touches are perhaps better appreciated by the adults. Children may find the theme (aside from the princess rooms) a little under-whelming.
  • Royal themed rooms – The princess/royal themed rooms we stayed in were really nice! The theme was beautiful and delightful. It’s the only resort to have these sweet rooms.
  • Boat transportation to Disney Springs. If you are planning a visit to Disney Springs, then you can enjoy a lovely boat ride over there.
  • On-site perks – Once again, I love staying on-site for the free park transportation and 60 day advance dining reservations.
  • Boatwright’s Dining Hall – This is the table service restaurant at the resort. We ate here for dinner prior to heading over to Hollywood Studios for Jollywood Nights. We didn’t have a reservation, but they were able to accommodate us within 10 minutes. We enjoyed the sweet cornbread that was more akin to a corncake with its sweet flavor. I got the Taste of the Bayou and enjoyed sampling lots of things. I published a full Boatwright’s Dining Hall review last week if you want to hear more. Suffice it to say, it was nice to have a sit down meal without having to go anywhere else.
  • Carriage rides – We didn’t get a chance to take one, but we did see a couple taking a carriage ride around the resort. It looked lovely.

Cons

  • Large resort – More than likely, you won’t be right beside the lobby or a bus stop. If you book a stay here, know that you will be doing some serious walking.
  • Multiple bus stops – Due to the size of the resort, there are multiple bus stops. That might not sound like a big deal, but when you are tired at the end of the night and you have to stop several times, it adds up. Also, if you are at the last bus stop, then it might take a while for a bus to actually pick you up. Basically, give yourself extra time to get anywhere when you stay here.
  • Bus transportation to parks – We didn’t have time to visit Disney Springs in December. So, we spent a good amount of time waiting for and sitting/standing on the buses this trip.
  • More expensive than value resorts – Yes, you get a lot more and better things for the price here. However, it’s never cheap. We used a Disney+ discount on our stay in December, but it was still pretty expensive to stay here.

Is Port Orleans Riverside Worth It?

I think this is a lovely resort. It’s certainly a unique and relaxing resort. However, it’s expensive and expansive. Personally, I prefer the more compact French Quarter or somewhere on the Skyliner. Have you ever stayed here? What was your experience like?

Disney World Princess Room Review

By Leave a Comment

In December I was lucky enough to spend a few nights in a Disney World princess room at Port Orleans Resort – Riverside! Here are my thoughts on staying there.

Disney World Princess Room

Disney World Princess Rooms

Technically, these are called the Royal Guest Rooms as it pays homage to Tiana and her prince/princess friends! However, I’ve always thought of them as the princess rooms. So, that’s what I’m calling it. Ha!

These rooms are located at Port Orleans – Riverside. I intend to do a separate post reviewing the resort itself at a later date. However, it’s a sister resort to the Port Orleans – French Quarter that I reviewed last year. That means it’s a moderate with more upscale touches than a value but less amenities than a deluxe.

Amazing Theme

My mom and I loved the theme of this room! There were little touches everywhere that made these rooms feel extra special. From the carpet with the Magic Carpet from “Aladdin” on it to the faucets shaped like the Genie’s lamp, it was so nice to take it all in. You can tell they put extra time and money into these rooms.

Similar to the headboards at Disneyland Hotel, they play a fireworks show. Unfortunately, these are silent fireworks. However, it was a really nice touch that I appreciated.

I think most Disney fans would enjoy spending at least one night in these rooms just to experience the beautiful details. I found myself just sitting in the room and taking it all in a few times.

Luxurious Vibes

Having most recently stayed in a value at WDW in October (Pop Century), this was a breath of fresh air! The room was significantly classier. Plus, we heard very few people while staying here. It was a much quieter experience and we slept great! The beds were definitely more comfortable than the ones found at a value resort.

The theme really made for a luxurious vibe. Even the shower head and faucets are fancier since they are gold in color. These are some of the best themed rooms on property, in my opinion.

Is a Disney World princess room worth it?

As I mentioned above, these rooms are more expensive than a typical room found at this resort. Thankfully, we used a Disney+ discount to stay here, but it was more expensive than a value resort. I would say a stay here is worth it for any Disney film fan, particularly fans of the princess movies. It’s so neat to look for all of the little touches around the room.

I will provide one word of caution on these rooms: they are far away from the lobby and bus stops. The trek to our room at the end of the night was longer than we liked. However, I’m happy we were able to stay here once.

Have you ever stayed in one of these rooms?

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Review

By Leave a Comment

Having covered each of the Walt Disney World Value Resorts, I am finally beginning my reviews of the moderates today! I’m kicking it off with my favorite one in this category, Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter!

Port Orleans French Quarter

Port Orleans French Quarter

Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter is technically a sister resort to the larger Port Orleans – Riverside Resort. Both resorts celebrate the rich history and ornate decor found in New Orleans. As the name implies, this one feels like you are visiting a highly sanitized version of the French Quarter with wrought-iron balconies and a cobblestone street. The other resort celebrates the stately mansions found in the bayou. I will be staying at it in December, so stay tuned for a future review of it soon!

Both of these resorts are considered moderate resorts as they are more expensive than a value resort, but they also tend to have better themes and amenities. The values rely on big statues and bright colors for their themes. The moderates tend to have a classier vibe with nice touches around every corner. The food at the moderates tends to be a touch nicer as well.

Port Orleans French Quarter Room

In February 2023, I stayed in a standard two queen room with my mom. Having stayed primarily at value resorts in recent years, my mom was very impressed with POFQ. She noticed that the theme was a touch classier here. Plus, she realized the beds were a little more comfortable (no fighting over the pull down bed here). We were both happy with the quietness of the resort.

Now, I will do a pros and cons list to help you decide if this resort is a good fit for you.

Pros

  • Beignets – As I stated above, the food at the moderates tends to be a little more diverse than what is found at a value food court. Here, you can get Mickey-shaped beignets! They are an absolute must get if you visit here and I consider them a pro of staying here!
  • Compact layout – I love how small this resort is. Most of the moderate resorts are large, but this one has just one bus stop! That’s very handy when you are tired at the end of a busy park day.
  • Relaxing vibe – The whole vibe of this resort is smooth and calm. There’s even a jazz band on select nights at the Scat Cat’s Club!
  • Cool pool – I’ve actually never swam in this pool, but the Mardi Gras themed pool is in the middle of the resort and hard to miss.
  • Boat transportation – Yes, you can actually take a boat over to Disney Springs when you stay here! Talk about a relaxing mode of transportation!
  • On-site perks – Just like at the value resorts, staying on-site gives you certain perks like free park transportation (just buses here) and 60 day advanced dining reservations.

Cons

  • More expensive – The moderates are more expensive than value resorts, so it may be hard to swing it on a tight budget.
  • No table service restaurant – Riverside has a table service restaurant, but there isn’t one here. However, many table service restaurants are just a boat ride away at Disney Springs.
  • Not necessarily kid-friendly theme – Kids who aren’t familiar with New Orleans may not find the theme here appealing.
  • Bus only transportation to parks – Staying here costs more than staying at Pop Century (which has the Skyliner) but only offers bus transportation to the parks.

Overall

I love the French Quarter Resort. Prior to the Skyliner being installed, it was one of my husband and I’s go-to resorts. However, it’s a good bit more expensive than it was a few years ago. In my opinion, the value of staying here really depends on your budget and needs. This is a great resort for a couples only stay due to somewhat romantic vibes, but you pay for those nice touches too. Have you ever stayed at POFQ?