Recently my family and I had the pleasure of staying at our 13th Disney World Resort! We had never stayed at Coronado Springs Resort but found the tower to be the perfect setting for our recent Halloween stay.
Immediately upon entering the tower, we were taken aback by its beauty. I was unaware that Walt Disney had collaborated with Salvador Dali on a cartoon, but the reminders were all around us at Gran Destino Tower. The cartoon even played on loop at check-in and at the top floor Dahlia lounge outside of Toledo restaurant.
We experienced both Toledo and the Dahlia lounge, where my husband ordered a signature drink that featured rosemary and orange. Then we moved into the Toledo restaurant once our table was ready. We had not made advance reservations but were given a wait time of 30 minutes for our party of 3.
It was late in the evening on Halloween, and we tore into our dishes before we could even take photos for you all! But the steak I had was wonderful and my son, who also ordered steak, literally picked up the chunks of steak and dove in. My mom embarrassment aside, we all really enjoyed this gorgeous restaurant with the color-changing ceiling.
One side of the Toledo restaurant offers great sunset views, while the other offers fireworks views of Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Our service from the host and server were impeccable. Definitely check this place out, you won’t be disappointed by the setting, the food or the staff!
Actually, everything about the tower was beautiful. The color-changing gimmick was not limited to the Toledo restaurant; it was also found in the lobby. I love brightly colored things and I appreciated how this resort was able to incorporate so much color and still look so elegant.
The tower also found many ways to incorporate Mickeys – both hidden and conspicuous- into the decor. This gave the resort that Disney feel that most of us are looking for when we stay but didn’t detract from the sophisticated look. It truly was the best of both worlds.
We didn’t take the bus too many times, but the times we did it was quick and easy. The buses stop at the tower last of all, which is great if you’re mid-morning travelers like we are, but I could see an issue with fuller buses first thing in the morning.
We had very pleasant weather for Disney in October, so I chose not to partake in the pool. But my son really enjoyed it, particularly the water slide, which he said dunks him at the end every time.
The Dig pool also featured the largest hot tub on property, which upon seeing it, made me sort of wish I had dressed to swim. It was about a 5-minute walk from the tower.
The room was very nice, not unlike the remodeled rooms at Yacht Club or French Quarter. It boasted hardwood floors, marble countertops, and nice fixtures throughout. My only complaint is that the room only had showers. I asked in a Coronado Springs group and the consensus was that there are not bathtub rooms in the tower. This could be troublesome for groups with young children. The shower did have a spray arm for quick and easy rinsing of littles, but no tub.
Is Coronado Springs a moderate or a deluxe resort? That question eluded me a little bit until I stayed there myself. While waiting for my family in the lobby, I overheard a Cast Member explaining to a guest that Coronado Springs Resort is considered a moderate, while the new tower is considered Deluxe. That made sense to me as the tower has quite a deluxe feel to it and offers club level accommodations.
We don’t usually stay club level, though this summer we tried it for a celebratory split stay at both the Polynesian and the Yacht Club. This time, it was about the only room available for under $500 per night for the two nights preceding our cruise. So, GDT club level was exactly right for us! Our average rate for the 2 nights was $397.
The club level offerings and lounge were the best we have seen! In the morning, they had fresh made Minnie Mouse waffles and a variety of sweet and savory bites. The lounge was gorgeous and had a great view of Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
I always chat with Cast Members, and one of the concierges in the lounge agreed with me that this is the best club lounge. He pointed out that it is the first club lounge that was built and designed for this purpose rather than renovated from former rooms.
Even with the 3 a.m. fire alarm, that apparently only went off on the 15th floor, this was still one of our best stays! We were so impressed with the resort, the room, the club lounge and the various amenities! I even got a reasonably priced pedicure!.
Coronado Springs Gran Destino Tower might just have secured a spot in our top 5! Have you tried the tower? What was your experience?
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