Coronado Springs Room Locations (The BEST…and the Worst)

Disney’s Coronado Springs is a resort that stands out from the crowd of other moderate category resorts. It’s like most other moderates in that it’s a sizable resort, spread out into villages with distinct landscapes that define them. That is, however, where most of the similarities end. Coronado Springs is home to a convention center that comprises nearly 228,000 square feet of function space. Even more unique is that an interior tower hotel, Gran Destino, sits at the front of the resort. The tower is an upgrade that offers a deluxe resort feel at the top of the moderate resort price range. It is the only moderate resort that offers a club level, an amenity otherwise only available at deluxe hotels.

In total, Coronado Springs boasts 2416 guest rooms and suites. So if you’re planning a stay here, you might want to book a specific category of room based on its location. Or, at the very least, you might want to roll the dice, book the cheapest room available, and make a special request for a specific location. Disney often does its best to fulfill special requests, but it’s important to note that they are not guaranteed. That said, I wanted to write this piece to give you an idea of the resort’s layout. While the subject of this article is choosing an area of the resort based on its location, I wouldn’t lean too much into an area being the best or the worst. For instance, you might enjoy the privacy of the Ranchos section because it’s a little more remote than everywhere else at the resort. Keep in mind, someone else might hate the Ranchos section for the same reason you love it. So take these considerations and weigh them against your typical likes and dislikes. Then, you’ll have a winner.

Room Location: Gran Destino Tower

We’ll start with Gran Destino Tower, which, as we discussed, is an upgraded hotel with a higher price tag than the villages. You can specifically book a room in the tower with a water view or a resort view. If you decide on this option, you might enjoy our comparison of the tower’s water vs resort view. As far as the tower’s location, it’s pretty hard to beat. The hotel has a lobby, dining options, and a gym. It’s also connected to El Centro, the primary lobby, dining, gift shop, and convention center area. (The convention center sits on the far side of the resort’s food court. You might not ever realize it’s there.)

What I love most about Gran Destino Tower is that you can hop on the elevator, walk out the front door, and take a short, covered walkway to the tower’s bus stop. It’s so convenient, and you don’t have to worry if it’s raining. Speaking of rain, when Gran Destino was built, they added a long interior hallway that connects it to El Centro. You do not have to go outside at all to access dining or shopping at the resort. The only place that requires a walk is the pool, which sits toward the center of the resort. On the downside, Gran Destino does not have a quiet pool like the rest of the villages. You’ll want to walk to the nearby Cabanas section to use their pool, and the Dig Site is only a short walk further.

Bottom Line: Gran Destino Tower is a special booking category that costs more than the villages. If you book the tower, you’ll end up here.

Room Location: Cabanas

If we weren’t staying at Gran Destino Tower, I would make a room request for the Cabanas. Without a doubt, the Cabanas are my favorite section of the resort. The Cabanas are only a short walk past Gran Destino Tower, and the Dig Site sits on the opposite side. You can even use an almost hidden back entrance to access the pool. We have stayed in the cabanas approximately five times, and I’ve always felt like it was the perfect fit.

The Cabanas have a beachy feel with Spanish influence. They are, by far, the most simplistic of the villages.

Here is a photo from the Cabanas that shows the short walk to Gran Destino Tower. So if it’s raining, you’ll still have to walk a short distance outside. Our last stay was during a hurricane, and we were able to get to Gran Destino Tower without getting soaked. Once we were inside the tower, we could use the gym and access dining and shopping.

Turning around from the same spot, we look toward the Dig Site. It’s the area on the left side of the photo that’s surrounded by trees. The pool’s back entrance sits across the sidewalk from the edge of the last building. If you think you’ll use the pool a decent amount during your stay, the Cabanas are an excellent location.

Bottom Line: The Cabanas fall under the “village” category. If you book a room in the villages, you could end up in the Cabanas, Ranchos, or the regular section of the Casitas. You would want to make a special room request for the Cabanas. (Remember, room requests are not guaranteed.)

Room Location: Casitas

Our next choice for the best room locations at Coronado Springs is the Casitas. Some might say this is a controversial opinion because buildings 1, 2, and 3 are considered preferred locations. These buildings will cost more and fall under the “preferred” room category. They are an upcharge because they are only a short walk from El Centro, the lobby area, where you’ll find the majority of the resort’s dining and shopping areas.

The Casitas are, undoubtedly, a beautiful area. They feel a little more modern than the Cabanas or Ranchos.

If you would like to be close to the lobby and don’t mind paying the upgraded fee, the preferred location is a nice option. We don’t rank it higher, however, because it’s not close to the feature pool area. That said, the Casitas has a nice, quiet pool area.

The other thing we enjoy about the Casitas is the fountains and how pretty this area looks both day and night. We have a separate photo post of Disney’s Coronado Springs at nighttime. It is one of the best resorts to explore in the evening.

Bottom Line: The Casitas (buildings 1, 2, and 3) can be specifically booked by selecting the preferred room category. Preferred rooms will cost more. You might compare the price to the tower if a room location is important to you. Alternatively, if you book a regular room you could end up in one of the other Casitas buildings, or Ranchos, or Cabanas.

Room Location: Ranchos

If we had to choose an area for “worst” location at Disney’s Coronado Springs, it would have to be Ranchos because it’s a little more remote than everywhere else. The Ranchos section is on the back side of the resort between the Casitas and Cabanas. It’s also behind The Dig Site.

That said, the Ranchos is one of the most gorgeously landscaped areas of the resort. When you’re in the Ranchos, it feels like you’re in another country. The theming is immaculate.

As mentioned earlier, many guests love this area of the resort. Our pictures do not do it justice. So if you’re looking to enjoy a remote village, and don’t mind a little longer walk to El Centro, you’ll love this area.

The Bottom Line: Ranchos fall under the “village” category. If you book a room in the villages, you could end up in the Cabanas, Ranchos, or the regular section of the Casitas. If you wanted this section of the resort, you would need to make a special request. Again, special requests are not guaranteed.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this overview of the best and worst room locations at Coronado Springs helped clarify what area you might prefer. If not, we have two more resources that might help. First, you might like to read over our report of room distances from each village at Coronado Springs. A few months ago, I spent the better part of a day tracking the distances of each village to the main lobby and finding the most efficient paths. So that guide will show you the quickest way to get around the resort from your room location.

Secondly, I didn’t get into a big discussion about room locations in consideration of the resort’s bus stop. Each village and the tower has a bus stop. Buses stop in a certain order every time they enter the resort. If you would like to learn more, see our guide to the bus schedule with average travel times for Coronado Springs. That report is also from our personally tracked data.

For more information on Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, you might like the following:

• Disney’s Coronado Springs vs. Disney’s Caribbean Beach (A Resort Comparison)
• The Dig Site at Coronado Springs (Photos + What to Expect)
• Morning to Night: Every Coffee Option at Disney’s Coronado Springs
• Disney’s Gran Destino Tower Review

In the Comments

What are your thoughts on the room locations at Coronado Springs? Have you stayed there before? If so, what is your preference? Let us know in the comments below or on our social channels.