We Love Disney’s Coronado Springs…Especially at Night (Photo Tour)

While we share a good deal of general information regarding Disney, the resorts are always our central focus. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent many afternoons and evenings traipsing the grounds of several resorts for a new series that I hope many will find helpful. One of those resorts is Disney’s Coronado Springs, which I believe has one of the best-themed landscapes on the property.

We’ve been staying at Coronado Springs longer than I can remember. Thinking back, I distinctly remember being there when Whitney Houston was buried. We had her memorial service playing on television, and I remember going back and forth from our room to the laundromat to do a little laundry. Meanwhile, my son played with other kids in the nearby Cabanas quiet pool. We love the Cabanas section and always request to stay there if we’re not at Gran Destino Tower.

I’m sure that any of us who visit often have the same memories of “where they were” when this or that happened. Some are probably good, others sad. I should probably quit while I’m ahead. But the point of this write-up is to provide you with an evening perspective of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. While completing my research, I was caught at Coronado Springs several times during thunderstorms. Both evenings, I ended up at the resort later than I anticipated. While I wasn’t visiting the resort to create a nighttime photo tour, it felt like the perfect time. So, here we are.

We’ll start at El Centro, the main lobby of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Here is a photo of the walkway that leads from the porte co·chère to the large double-door entrance. If you ever get a chance to visit during the holidays, check out this area. They usually frost the space with white poinsettias, and it’s gorgeous.

This is also where the former Magical Express used to drop off guests at the start of their vacation—a good memory. Nicknamed the Tragical Express, it picked guests up at the end of their vacation to shuttle them back to the real world. A Disney World vacation felt all-inclusive back then, especially if you were visiting during “free dining.”

While waiting out one of the thunderstorms, a cast member approached and asked if they could show me a few hidden Mickeys. Sometimes, I feel like I’m wearing a t-shirt that says, “I heart hidden Mickeys.” Maybe it’s just a God thing. I’m not sure. But, somehow, people seem to know that I love them. There is one in the door panel below. This one’s at the resort’s main entrance, to the left side of the door.

Walking inside, you’re greeted with the resort’s beautiful fountain topped with a pineapple. A stunning mosaic floor surrounds it. If you think of it, look up at the decorative ceiling overhead.

You’ll see the long lobby area to the right of the fountain. This is a pleasant place to lounge. The space was formerly used as a check-in area for the resort, but after Gran Destino Tower opened, guest services were relocated to the tower’s lobby.

You may or may not have noticed that the photo above contains the resort’s prize hidden Mickey. It’s a little difficult to see, so I took a closeup. This hidden Mickey is in the center of the photo below. The light projection shines over the resort’s crest on the back wall.

As we continue our nighttime walk, we’ll head outside and make a partial loop around the resort. One of the positive aspects of Coronado Springs is that you can enjoy it at night. Don’t get me wrong, all of the resorts have sufficient lighting. But they don’t necessarily invite you to get out and explore the grounds after dark like this one does.

We’ll walk toward the Casitas village first.

Many of the buildings in the Casitas are considered preferred, given their proximity to El Centro. This area is also near the resort’s convention center. One of the things I like about the Casitas is that most of the walkways to El Centro are covered. You might have to cross a walkway here or there, but if it’s raining, you probably won’t get completely soaked on the way back to your room from the lobby.

Here are a few photos of the Casitas at night. This area is also known for having numerous fountains among the buildings.

Here we have the Casitas quiet pool. The only reason I was able to get this photo was because the pool was closed for lightning. Most of the pools stay relatively busy at this resort. We have a separate guide that covers each of the pools and the Dig Site.

Learn More>> The Resorts Gal Guide to the Pools at Coronado Springs

We’ll walk back out to the path around the lake and take the bridge to the Dig Site. Back then, you had to circle the lake to get anywhere. But a trio of bridges were suspended over the lake when the tower was built. It was a genius idea that we’ll discuss in more detail in an upcoming review.

Here is one of the bridges leading to the center of the lake, where all three meet. In the center of the lake sits a restaurant called Three Bridges Bar and Grill.

Once we cross the lake, we get a good view of the path to Gran Destino Tower.

We have a quick look back across the lake to the Casitas.

As we continue around the lake, we pass The Dig Site. It is an incredible recreation area with a pool and many other activities. Read–it’s worthy of a resort day.

We’re getting closer.

Another bridge provides a shortcut from the Dig Site to Gran Destino Tower. This is the shortest path to the resort’s feature pool if you stay in the tower.

One side of the bridge looks back to El Centro.

The opposite side faces the Cabanas.

At this point, we’ve reached the tower and, with the help of the bridge, have traveled through the majority of the resort, except for the Ranchos section. Here are a few evening shots around Gran Destino Tower.

We’ll head back inside the tower’s lobby. One of the biggest amenities of staying in Gran Destino Tower is its accessibility. A long interior hallway connects Gran Destino Tower to El Centro. So if it’s raining or you wind up at Walt Disney World during a hurricane (it happens), you’ll have plenty of interior space to roam. You’ll also have interior access to the resort’s major dining options, except Three Bridges and Siestas Pool Bar.

I hope you enjoyed this nighttime photo tour of Disney’s Coronado Springs. If you visit Disney World often but aren’t very familiar with Coronado Springs, you might plan a meal here, take an evening stroll around the lake, and explore the Casitas area with its pretty fountains. Often, these kinds of carefree nights become some of the best memories.

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

• Disney’s Coronado Springs Review
• Gran Destino Tower Review
• Chronos Club Level Review
• Transportation Options at Disney’s Coronado Springs
• Walking Distances Around Coronado Springs

In the Comments

Did you enjoy this nighttime photo tour of Disney’s Coronado Springs? Have you ever spent any time at this resort? Let us know below in the comments. We enjoy hearing from you and learning your perspective.