Considering Coronado Springs

[HollyAD]

Because of the fall discount I am considering booking Coronado Springs. I stayed there way back in middle school and I really don't remember much except... Lots of walking, being far from everything, and more walking... So my questions are. 1.) Where should I request that we stay at CSR and is there a spot that's a happy medium to a bus stop and the main building for food. 2.) I have read that the rooms are nicer since there is a conference center there, is this true? 3.) Give me any suggestions you have about this resort. We would be staying the end of October.

We tried to rent through Dave's DVC but everything is already booked so this is my back up plan. I am happy at value resorts but my husband would not be.

 

[m steve]

We stayed in building four during the 2014 Christmas holidays. That location was good because we were a one minute walk to bus stop where the first pick up was made every morning. El Centro was a six or seven minute walk.

We all thought that our room at CSR was very nice. Overall, I recommend this resort.

 

[Jahona]

@Buzz2001 has a great website with lots of info on the resort: http://buzz2k1.wix.com/coronado

1) I stayed at CSR last year in building 8B and had a great time. Right next to the Dig Site Pool, very short walk to the bus stop, and not a bad walk to El Centro.
2) The rooms are very nice. After having a stay at Port Orleans Riverside this year I thought the beds were better at Coronado.
3) The table service restaurant has decent Mexican food. Rix Cafe when I was there was open to refilling mugs at all hours. The Pepper Market has changed in recent years and isn't as good as it used to be. They remodeled it a bit more since my stay last year so I can't comment on it's current iteration.

 

[NormC]

We were just there in 6B and had no problems. There are four bus stops so the walk is short. You can also take any park bus back to lobby if you do not feel like walking.

 

[Bairstow]

The Cabanas section is the closest to El Centro. We stayed in the Ranchos section, since they're a little quieter and very close the Dig Site. There are multiple bus stops around the perimeter, and since we never ate at the Pepper Market it was no trouble to get where we were going in the morning. Even with the walking there is, it's a pleasant resort to walk around, and I recommend doing the full walking loop while you're there. It's fun to explore all the nooks and crannies of the Casitas and all their little courtyards.

The rooms, in my opinion, are the nicest of the moderate price range resorts, if only because of the decor choices. They have a really nice green-based color scheme right now that feels a little more tasteful and soothing than the current schemes at the Caribbean or Portlins.

 

[bee]

We were in Cabanas 8B and it was a great location. We were three doors away from the steps that went right to the bus stop and the walk to El Centro was about five minutes. We were also very close to the main pool and the Cabanas quiet pool.

 

[me_stitch]

we stayed about as far away from El Centro as you could but it wasn't a big deal to us, every bus that goes by stops there on the way out, so if you want to go to El Centro and don't feel like walking 8 minutes just jump on a bus.

 

[sophie_the_pooh]

We chose to stay at CSR for our Sept trip. I think my son will enjoy the Dig site, and I'm looking forward to less crowded buses (hoping for it since it's also a convention center) and more food options than other moderates. We usually only have breakfast at the hotel, and I like that we get to try different options: Pepper market, Cafe Rix, Siestas Cantina, and even Las Ventanas on our day off (table service). We requested a room In Cabanas 8B section, so we're close to the Dig site and not too far from El Centro.

 

[SAV]

We stayed in Cabanas 8B last year and loved the location. We were steps from the quiet pool, between El Centro and the Dig Site pool, and close to a bus stop.

The resort itself is gorgeous. It feels like Mexico. Just take some time to walk around it and enjoy the views.

You get deluxe amenities for a Moderate price. We loved having the sliding separator between the sleeping are and the bathroom area. It allowed us to get ready while not interfering with the kids sleep. The ceiling fan and the extra space was also a nice addition from a value.

 

[UofMGuy423]

We stayed at CSR in 2007 without kids and enjoyed the resort. It is very large, but there are plenty of bus stops and the grounds are beautiful. We were in Building 4, which was next to a quiet pool and a nice walk from Pepper Market. The large themed pool was on the other side of the lake from us, so we never made it over there. Would definitely stay there again.

 

[HollyAD]

Thanks you all for the advice! My husband decided at the last minute to do Port Orleans Riverside. It costs a little more but oh well. He doesn't usually go with us so if it's something he's interested in then we will give it a try.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Coronado is a VERY pretty resort. Great water features. The Pepper Market Food Court has great food IMO. I like it way better than POR, but POR is very nice too. Enjoy your trip!

 

[JohnD]

Love Coronado. I stayed in the Casitas section. Also very close to El Centro and its own bus depot.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Both are nice. We tend to pick whichever one has the best deal, and in the last 3 years they've been different each time: Port Orleans Riverside, Coronado, and Carribbean Beach.

If you take the Magic Express bus, our driver was a little hard to understand and we got off at the wrong stop (the other Port Orleans resort.) Not a major disaster, but something to keep an ear out for, and save yourself the trouble.

We liked Coronado for the gym and it seemed a little less child-oriented with the convention center, etc.

We also typically call WDW after making our reservation on line to ask for a room near a bus stop and/or in a quieter area. They are usually very accommodating, even with the discounted rooms.

 

[HollyAD]

Both are nice. We tend to pick whichever one has the best deal, and in the last 3 years they've been different each time: Port Orleans Riverside, Coronado, and Carribbean Beach.

If you take the Magic Express bus, our driver was a little hard to understand and we got off at the wrong stop (the other Port Orleans resort.) Not a major disaster, but something to keep an ear out for, and save yourself the trouble.

We liked Coronado for the gym and it seemed a little less child-oriented with the convention center, etc.

We also typically call WDW after making our reservation on line to ask for a room near a bus stop and/or in a quieter area. They are usually very accommodating, even with the discounted rooms.

I will try to make sure we get off at the right stop! Thanks for the info.

 

[slappy magoo]

I"m curious about staying at Coronado one of these days but I've always enjoyed my stays at Riverside. The only bummer was my last stay there, after a long hiatus. I remember on my previous visits, the fried chicken at the food court (back when it was Dixie Landings) was just about the best I've ever had, only by the time I got back they had switched to the same chicken tenders/fingers you'd find at every other WDW food court on property.

And while I try not to make my reviews TOO food-centric, I think it's also a shame Boatwright's, the sit-down restaurant, is no longer open for breakfast. Our last visit there, on check-out day, we had breakfast there and my omelet (sorry for all the superlatives) was THE best omelet I've ever eaten.

 

[Jahona]

I"m curious about staying at Coronado one of these days but I've always enjoyed my stays at Riverside. The only bummer was my last stay there, after a long hiatus. I remember on my previous visits, the fried chicken at the food court (back when it was Dixie Landings) was just about the best I've ever had, only by the time I got back they had switched to the same chicken tenders/fingers you'd find at every other WDW food court on property.

And while I try not to make my reviews TOO food-centric, I think it's also a shame Boatwright's, the sit-down restaurant, is no longer open for breakfast. Our last visit there, on check-out day, we had breakfast there and my omelet (sorry for all the superlatives) was THE best omelet I've ever eaten.

The Pepper Market is going to be roughly the same as Riverside Mill but with a bit of a Mexican flair. The Mayan Grill was delicious the last time I visited. I love the mansions at POR but don't really care for the Alligator Bayou sections. I personally find Coronado to just have a much more interesting grounds.