Our Stay at Coronado Springs: Gran Destino Tower

Coronado Springs: Gran Destino Tower is the newest resort are at Walt Disney World. It just opened last month. Gran Destino Tower can be found at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, which opened in 1997.

Choosing the Resort

Is it wrong to say we only chose this resort because it had just opened? Well, that’s actually the reason! The primary purpose of our trip was Opening Day at Galaxy’s Edge. We spent the first part of our trip at Disney’s Yacht Club for convenience. Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs had just opened, so we couldn’t resist! We hopped right over.

First Impressions

With or without the Tower, this was my first time at Disney’s Coronado Springs. My time was nearly exclusively spent in the Tower, as it houses check-in/registration, several restaurants, the gift shop, and the bus stop. Regardless of where you sleep at Coronado Springs, you’ll have a chance to peek inside Gran Destino Tower.

With more time, I’d like to have seen more of the casitas, which could easily accommodate our large family on future trips.

We’d seen photos of Gran Destino Tower and we’d heard the buzz, but somehow we still didn’t expect it to be as beautiful as it was. We were wowed.

Coronado Springs is sometimes referred to as “the conference hotel,” partially because, well, it has a convention center! For this reason, I think it sometimes gets written off by vacationers. I think Disney had this in mind when designing it. Conference attendees will definitely want to share this experience with their families.

The Lobby

This resort is far more luxurious than the term “moderate” would lead you to believe.

The theming is bold and clear, but doesn’t scream “Disney.” Instead, the homage is to Destino, a collaboration between Walt Disney and Salvador Dalí.

Except, of course, for the Hidden Mickeys.

The Smell

Yes, the smell!

Are you familiar with Smellitizers? Disney uses them to enhance guest experiences. They make attractions more realistic and park visits more pleasant. You might remember the smell of Rome burning on Spaceship Earth, the champagne at Mickey’s Philharmagic, or the grass and dirt on Soarin’. Smellitizers are responsible for those scents!

They use them at Gran Destino Tower, too, and they so perfectly. The scent is noticeable, though not overwhelming. It’s fresh and slightly sweet. I would’ve bottled it if I could’ve.

The Dig Site

This pool!

There’s a waterslide that starts behind the Mesoamerican pyramid and snakes around to the right.

Yes, I’m a grown woman and I went down that waterslide.

The Dig Site also features a bar and a tot lot.

Dining Options

We made it to two of the restaurants at Coronado Springs.

The first, Dahlia Lounge, is located on the top floor of the resort. I had tapas with an iced tea. The tortilla española and olive oil-poached tuna were both particularly good.

Both Spaceship Earth and the Tower of Terror were visible from the lounge. This meant we were able to see fireworks from both Epcot and Hollywood Studios! Both the lounge exterior and balcony wall are made of glass. If it isn’t crowded, you may not even need to leave your seat for the show.

On our last day, we grabbed a couple drinks and snacks at Three Bridges Bar & Grill.

The open-air dining on Lago Dorado creates an atmosphere that’s nearly exotic!

The standout on the menu was the warm manchego and oaxaca cheese dip. The flavor is rich, smoky, and full; don’t let the poblanos scare you away!

Plan Your Visit

Coronado Springs Resort
1000 West Buena Vista Drive
Orlando, Florida 32830
website