News Coronado Springs Expansion - Gran Destino Tower

Missing20K

Well-Known Member
A little pretention never hurt anyone ;)
Depends on whether the pretensioned members fail.
Sooooo, you're saying you like it?
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Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I hope they have enough slot machines.

LOL 🤣

Speaking as someone who visits Vegas on an annual basis, I totally see the resemblance in style from the photos posted.

That doesn't mean I hate it, that just means I get the joke.

I also never get tired of WDW fans getting OUTRAGED over any comparison (in style or service) of their beloved resort to Vegas. 😅
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
This hotel has a very adult oriented feel. It's geared towards adults, so the decor is more sophisticated but still gives (many) nods to Disney. It's just not in your face.
Also it's completely on point with the artistry of Barcelona feel they were going for. Vegas? And the price is great.

I think this will become one of their most popular hotels. :)
I agree. As someone who travels without kids, this hotel looks great to me.

Don't shoot me, but I also think people are acting as though the theming of Disney hotels is something that it's never been. Particularly when you think of the moderates, I don't see how this is any more a standard hotel with Spanish theming applied than Caribbean Beach Resort or Port Orleans, for example, are just motels with theming applied. That doesn't mean they're bad, but let's be realistic.

I agree. I stayed at Coronado in early June. Did not see one hooker or even a Dunkin' Donuts. :p
Typical! The prices keep going up while Disney keeps cutting back on the features that made the place so magical to begin with!
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
I agree. As someone who travels without kids, this hotel looks great to me.

Don't shoot me, but I also think people are acting as though the theming of Disney hotels is something that it's never been. Particularly when you think of the moderates, I don't see how this is any more a standard hotel with Spanish theming applied than Caribbean Beach Resort or Port Orleans, for example, are just motels with theming applied. That doesn't mean they're bad, but let's be realistic.


Typical! The prices keep going up while Disney keeps cutting back on the features that made the place so magical to begin with!
The price with AP discount for late August is like 285 - night Club access- that is insanely cheap to me. Granted you can’t ride a monorail or go in the back gate, but the firework views are going to crazy. Prices are going up on tickets and such but to have access to breakfast, snacks and such if you needed or wanted it, makes it very reasonable I would think. I dunno, though. We don’t stay at any resort very long- just of the evening. We did value when our kids were younger, but the space was horrid, I don’t know how we did it. :-/
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Don't shoot me, but I also think people are acting as though the theming of Disney hotels is something that it's never been. Particularly when you think of the moderates, I don't see how this is any more a standard hotel with Spanish theming applied than Caribbean Beach Resort or Port Orleans, for example, are just motels with theming applied. That doesn't mean they're bad, but let's be realistic.
The other moderates don’t have this sort of conflict between the form and decor. The forms and structure are simple, but they are organized with the theme of the space. There are literally round shapes just shoved into square openings.
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
The other moderates don’t have this sort of conflict between the form and decor. The forms and structure are simple, but they are organized with the theme of the space. There are literally round shapes just shoved into square openings.
Could you be a bit more specific about what you mean about "round shapes just shoved into square openings" in this case? I am sincerely interested.

I am not trained in architecture at all, but when I think of the moderates I think of these kinds of "frills" applied to big, functional spaces:

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Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
Comparing this to the Caribbean has some validity. Comparing it to POFQ, which artfully disguises it’s structures with varied decorations and exquisite landscaping, is a real stretch. Honestly, in terms of immersive theming, POFQ is up there with the lodges and original GF.

The closest comparison here is Universal’s Sapphire Falls and, particularly, Royal Pacific - bland, lightly themed exteriors with pleasant, large public spaces punctuated by thematic touches.

That said, as a Uni fan, I’d point out:
1) the Uni resorts are much more affordable and offer better amenities
2) they don’t create glaring thematic clashes like sticking Barcelona into a resort themed to Central America
3) Uni lacks a long tradition of magnificently themed hotels
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
Comparing this to the Caribbean has some validity. Comparing it to POFQ, which artfully disguises it’s structures with varied decorations and exquisite landscaping, is a real stretch. Honestly, in terms of immersive theming, POFQ is up there with the lodges and original GF.

The closest comparison here is Universal’s Sapphire Falls and, particularly, Royal Pacific - bland, lightly themed exteriors with pleasant, large public spaces punctuated by thematic touches.

That said, as a Uni fan, I’d point out:
1) the Uni resorts are much more affordable and offer better amenities
2) they don’t create glaring thematic clashes like sticking Barcelona into a resort themed to Central America
3) Uni lacks a long tradition of magnificently themed hotels
I also like POFQ, but I don't personally think you can argue that it (and other moderates) represent masterworks of themed architecture rather than themed hotels. It's clearly not New Orleans Square with hotel rooms inside, but rather a hotel/motel with theming applied:

385994


As for the comparison to the new Universal hotels, to me this does look a cut above in terms of its interiors. That, though, might be a question of taste and I don't doubt everything becomes more reasonably priced as soon as you get off Disney property! In terms of its exterior, I'm not so sure. Cabana Bay is a far more attractive and better themed hotel from the outside than the Gran Destino tower, and Royal Pacific is probably nicer due to its smaller scale. I don't know that Sapphire Falls is any better, though. The concept art looked great, but the execution looks like a pretty standard hotel to me.

I'm also a bit puzzled about the choice of a Barcelona theme for the tower, but it seems to work ok aesthetically. The original Coronado Springs did seem to have a fuzzy theme that stretched from New Mexico to the Yucatán Peninsula, so I suppose another leap over the Atlantic may be permissible!
 
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Missing20K

Well-Known Member
I also like POFQ, but I don't personally think you can argue that it (and other moderates) represent masterworks of themed architecture rather than themed hotels. It's clearly not New Orleans Square with hotel rooms inside, but rather a hotel/motel with theming applied:

View attachment 385994

As for the comparison to the new Universal hotels, to me this does look a cut above in terms of its interiors. That, though, might be a question of taste and I don't doubt everything becomes more reasonably priced as soon as you get off Disney property! In terms of its exterior, I'm not so sure. Cabana Bay is a far more attractive and better themed hotel from the outside than the Gran Destino tower, and Royal Pacific is probably nicer due to its smaller scale. I don't know that Sapphire Falls is any better, though. The concept art looked great, but the execution looks like a pretty standard hotel to me.

I'm also a bit puzzled about the choice of a Barcelona theme for the tower, but it seems to work ok aesthetically. The original Coronado Springs did seem to have a fuzzy theme that stretched from New Mexico to the Yucatán Peninsula, so I suppose another leap over the Atlantic may be permissible!
I strongly disagree. The room wings at POFQ look very much like the streetscapes of the French Quarter of New Orleans.
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Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
The tower is inspired by artistry of Barcelona. There are no buildings that they can directly copy like above pics.

Again, I dont think it's meant to be kitschy, in your face theming.

I think they got it exactly right with Gran Destino.
If you think immersive, even excessive, theming is “kitschy” and “in your face,” you’re kind of missing the point is Disney in general and WDW in particular.

The Disney Parks are the dreamland of a company built on candy-colored talking animals, tights-clad superhumans, tuneful fairytale princesses, and valiant space wizards. Subtle ain’t part of it.

But don’t worry about missing that point. The people running WDW miss it too.
 

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