News Coronado Springs Expansion - Gran Destino Tower

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Saturday, April 21, 2018.

This view is from the far side of the lake, showing the boardwalk construction to the mid-lake restaurant. The resort's lobby is on the right, dwarfed by the new hotel tower.

In the below view, the steel pilings for the restaurant itself are visible.

A view from the main building patio looking at the boardwalk where it will attach to the patio. The attachment point is very near the outside entrance to Maya Grill.

The view from the outside bar patio behind the lobby.

Finally, the view from the front entrance port cochere.

 

[WDWVolFan]

That tower ruined the look of Coronado...what an eye sore!

 

[MisterPenguin]

That tower ruined the look of Coronado...what an eye sore!

Not a good day for you?

 

[GlacierGlacier]

That tower ruined the look of Coronado...what an eye sore!

If I was someone who judges overall quality and area impact by unfinished construction projects, I'd have to agree with you.

 

[TheOrangeBird01]

I think it's going to look really nice, and Coronado is my home resort too!

 

[MisterPenguin]

Video tour of Coronado construction...

 

[MisterPenguin]

bioreconstruct...

 

[mm121]

Photo update as of Saturday, April 21, 2018.

View attachment 279441

This view is from the far side of the lake, showing the boardwalk construction to the mid-lake restaurant. The resort's lobby is on the right, dwarfed by the new hotel tower.

View attachment 279442

In the below view, the steel pilings for the restaurant itself are visible.

View attachment 279443

A view from the main building patio looking at the boardwalk where it will attach to the patio. The attachment point is very near the outside entrance to Maya Grill.

View attachment 279444

The view from the outside bar patio behind the lobby.

View attachment 279445

Finally, the view from the front entrance port cochere.

View attachment 279446

wow that tower looks insane! so huge and out of place.

its too bad they couldnt have come up with a design that was 6 to 8 stories instead of 20 stories

 

[FigmentForver96]

I'm actually very excited for this tower. Oops I slipped up and admitted it...,someone come and get me

 

[UncleMike101]

I'm actually very excited for this tower. Oops I slipped up and admitted it...,someone come and get me

How dare you........
You--you-- troublemonger.

Actually I'm ambivalent about the whole thing.
I don't go to WDW to look at the Resort buildings but it may clash with the Resort theming.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

How dare you........
You--you-- troublemonger.

Actually I'm ambivalent about the whole thing.
I don't go to WDW to look at the Resort buildings but it may clash with the Resort theming.

I'm also quite ambivalent about this tower and also the Riviera resort.

It's a bit of a change from Disney's traditional way of building these hotels. Then again, I often prefer modern hotel rooms with subtler touches than Disney tends to employ and towers to the sprawling motel-style moderate and value resorts. Must admit that I even find the Grand Floridian rooms a touch tacky. So, these new towers might actually be a good option...

 

[Kram Sacul]

wow that tower looks insane! so huge and out of place.

its too bad they couldnt have come up with a design that was 6 to 8 stories instead of 20 stories

It’s like they forgot they have space to spread it out. Vegas style towers just don’t fit.

::cue the person who makes excuses for bad design::

 

[UncleMike101]

It’s like they forgot they have space to spread it out. Vegas style towers just don’t fit.

My guess it that it's less expensive to build up as opposed to building a sprawling complex over many acres.

 

[ryguy]

I feel the tower is really designed for the convention folks. If you want the Disney feel on vacation I would stay at the cabanas.

 

[Biff215]

My guess it that it's less expensive to build up as opposed to building a sprawling complex over many acres.

Even more it’s cheaper to replace smaller buildings that have existing infrastructure. It’s why DVC is so eager to add on as opposed to building new.

I’m sure the towers will be nice both inside and out. I just prefer WDW’s more traditional, low rise, sprawling resorts. It’s honestly why I’ve never stayed at the Contemporary. I can stay in a standard tower just about anywhere. Even though they’re huge resorts, a low profile somehow makes them feel quaint and cohesive. It will be interesting to see how these towers ultimately affect the existing resorts and sight lines.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It’s like they forgot they have space to spread it out. Vegas style towers just don’t fit.

They literally can't spread out like they used to. The number of large areas suitable for development are pegged for more recreation (e.g., parks and golf courses) or in reserve for park expansions or new parks. The rest of the land is in flood zones, low-lying swamps, and designated for conservation. Of course, with the DHS expansion, we've seen WDW convert such 'unsuitable' land into suitable land with buying conservation offsets elsewhere in the region and digging out huge lakes to pile up huge piles of sand to get it out of the flood zone. But, that's a huge hassle... and expensive.

The days of sprawl are done. Just like for any small town becoming a large city, they're going to be building upwards more and more so. All the land surrounding Coronado is in the 'unsuitable' category. Building up was the simple and smart solution. (Not to mention guests who use Coronado as a convention center already felt just how sprawled out it was.) Building up was also the fast solution to the current shortage of rooms. Going through the process of changing unsuitable land to suitable would have added years to the project.

 

[Gabe1]

They literally can't spread out like they used to. The number of large areas suitable for development are pegged for more recreation (e.g., parks and golf courses) or in reserve for park expansions or new parks. The rest of the land is in flood zones, low-lying swamps, and designated for conservation. Of course, with the DHS expansion, we've seen WDW convert such 'unsuitable' land into suitable land with buying conservation offsets elsewhere in the region and digging out huge lakes to pile up huge piles of sand to get it out of the flood zone. But, that's a huge hassle... and expensive.

The days of sprawl are done. Just like for any small town becoming a large city, they're going to be building upwards more and more so. All the land surrounding Coronado is in the 'unsuitable' category. Building up was the simple and smart solution. (Not to mention guests who use Coronado as a convention center already felt just how sprawled out it was.) Building up was also the fast solution to the current shortage of rooms. Going through the process of changing unsuitable land to suitable would have added years to the project.

I totally understand what you are saying about unsuitable. Still it is amazing what they can do to turn unsuitable into suitable. Just in this decade we saw Bay Lake Towers being built on unsuitable land, the DVC addition to the Grand Floridian and cabins put up on the shores of the WL. Yes it is expensive. It is likely we will see it again within Ft. Wilderness. Just that they are sinking all these gondola poles around the property demonstrates the techniques since they sunk monorail poles have greatly improved. It wasn't long ago that it was extensively spoken to that the Studios could not be expanded since the land was unsuitable.

There is also the property all the way over from BV Drive onto Western Way from the corner of the Coronado to Flamingo Crossing Road.

The vast majority of all the property along Western Way until you reach almost Flamingo is Disney Property, nobody goes that way. Tucked in one section is the Water Treatment plant nestled between the Golf Course and the MK. At the temporary end of Western Way they have broke ground this month on the massive parcel across from the two Marriott Resorts out in the middle of nothing. It is very interesting to have watched different building techniques over the decades to achieve what they want to, when they want to. It is expensive and more likely the reason for adding onto an existing resort that already has all the amenities and infrastructure along with transportation routes than it is to break ground on yet another completely new resort.

Jury is still out on Coronado and Caribbean but from what I've seen at the Coronado this early in construction I am not imagining too well how the heck they are going to blend this massive structure into that resort. Thinking Marriott will have an easier time with their monstrosity they are building behind the Swolphin, at least they are all like structures.

I hold off on my final judgement but I'm not grasping how they are going to blend this puppy into the balance of the resort.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I totally understand what you are saying about unsuitable. Still it is amazing what they can do to turn unsuitable into suitable. Just in this decade we saw Bay Lake Towers being built on unsuitable land, the DVC addition to the Grand Floridian and cabins put up on the shores of the WL. Yes it is expensive. It is likely we will see it again within Ft. Wilderness. Just that they are sinking all these gondola poles around the property demonstrates the techniques since they sunk monorail poles have greatly improved. It wasn't long ago that it was extensively spoken to that the Studios could not be expanded since the land was unsuitable.

There is also the property all the way over from BV Drive onto Western Way from the corner of the Coronado to Flamingo Crossing Road.

The vast majority of all the property along Western Way until you reach almost Flamingo is Disney Property, nobody goes that way. Tucked in one section is the Water Treatment plant nestled between the Golf Course and the MK. At the temporary end of Western Way they have broke ground this month on the massive parcel across from the two Marriott Resorts out in the middle of nothing. It is very interesting to have watched different building techniques over the decades to achieve what they want to, when they want to. It is expensive and more likely the reason for adding onto an existing resort that already has all the amenities and infrastructure along with transportation routes than it is to break ground on yet another completely new resort.

Jury is still out on Coronado and Caribbean but from what I've seen at the Coronado this early in construction I am not imagining too well how the heck they are going to blend this massive structure into that resort. Thinking Marriott will have an easier time with their monstrosity they are building behind the Swolphin, at least they are all like structures.

View attachment 282468View attachment 282470

I hold off on my final judgement but I'm not grasping how they are going to blend this puppy into the balance of the resort.

This is a good post.

Also, If land is so scarce that Disney is FORCED to build banal, out-of-place towers that ruin sight lines, maybe they shouldn't have sold off the Four Seasons lot or built Golden Oaks.

Also, I’m not sure why the supposed lack of land forces Disney to make these new towers lightly and incongruously themed.

 

[Gabe1]

This is a good post.

Also, If land is so scarce that Disney is FORCED to build banal, out-of-place towers that ruin sight lines, maybe they shouldn't have sold off the Four Seasons lot or built Golden Oaks.

Also, I’m not sure why the supposed lack of land forces Disney to make these new towers lightly and incongruously themed.

Thank you!

We have very limited knowledge of what is really buildable and not. So much is here say and then we wind up with Bay Lake and the Floridian, Poly and Wilderness expansions. If Western Way is not expandable how do we wind up with the monstrosity on Western Way at the Coronado? I tend not to be that gullible and lean to more in both the greater Orlando area and Disney included....when there is a will there is a way. I have heard the unbuildable but not from Disney just fan experts. Then the Bay Lakes, the Studio expansion happen and decades of fan inside info disappears. I'm more of the lets see how the next decade or two materializes. Disney is magical in the way they build and overcome what we say they can't accomplish.

We as a greater fan base make excuses for Disney's odd choices. Drop a hint the balance of the property is not buildable and we suck up the excuse for their 'good' business choices for the corporation. And then they build on the unbuildable. I give Disney credit, they are good!

 

[deeevo]

I totally understand what you are saying about unsuitable. Still it is amazing what they can do to turn unsuitable into suitable. Just in this decade we saw Bay Lake Towers being built on unsuitable land, the DVC addition to the Grand Floridian and cabins put up on the shores of the WL. Yes it is expensive. It is likely we will see it again within Ft. Wilderness. Just that they are sinking all these gondola poles around the property demonstrates the techniques since they sunk monorail poles have greatly improved. It wasn't long ago that it was extensively spoken to that the Studios could not be expanded since the land was unsuitable.

There is also the property all the way over from BV Drive onto Western Way from the corner of the Coronado to Flamingo Crossing Road.

The vast majority of all the property along Western Way until you reach almost Flamingo is Disney Property, nobody goes that way. Tucked in one section is the Water Treatment plant nestled between the Golf Course and the MK. At the temporary end of Western Way they have broke ground this month on the massive parcel across from the two Marriott Resorts out in the middle of nothing. It is very interesting to have watched different building techniques over the decades to achieve what they want to, when they want to. It is expensive and more likely the reason for adding onto an existing resort that already has all the amenities and infrastructure along with transportation routes than it is to break ground on yet another completely new resort.

Jury is still out on Coronado and Caribbean but from what I've seen at the Coronado this early in construction I am not imagining too well how the heck they are going to blend this massive structure into that resort. Thinking Marriott will have an easier time with their monstrosity they are building behind the Swolphin, at least they are all like structures.

View attachment 282468View attachment 282470

I hold off on my final judgement but I'm not grasping how they are going to blend this puppy into the balance of the resort.

I am not sure they care anymore about blending in and balance. I mean look at the pattern of new construction and renovation over the next 5 years . The new look of the re-furbed rooms, high rise towers in sight lines, Tron in Tomorrow Land, GOTG in Epcot, Gondolas in sight lines. They didn't really care about blending in to the current theme at all. More with less is WDW plan going forward so I don't think they take the time to work on blending and balance unfortunately.