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
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?
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